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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Genes

Rare or common, inherited or spontaneous, mutations form the core of autism risk.

December 2011
Yellow and orange molecular model of the secondary structure of interleukin-10, a small protein known as a cytokine that plays an important regulatory role in the body's immune system.

Studies of early development reveal immune link to autism

by  /  15 December 2011

The molecular soldiers of the immune system may contribute to many cases of autism, according to a diverse array of studies published in the past few months.

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Genetics: Family pedigrees suggest autism gene candidates

by  /  14 December 2011

Researchers have identified 12 duplications or deletions of DNA regions that are transmitted along with autism in families with a history of the disorder. The results were published 7 October in PLoS One.

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Study links brain size to regressive autism

by  /  12 December 2011

Larger brains may be associated with regressive autism, but only in boys, according to a study published online 28 November in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Genomic liability

by  /  9 December 2011

The rise of whole-genome sequencing is likely to result in a deluge of lawsuits against doctors for misinterpreting disease risks, two lawyers caution in an essay in Slate.

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Molecular mechanisms: Protein linked to autism-like behavior

by  /  9 December 2011

HMGN1, a protein that regulates gene expression, leads to social deficits and hyperactivity when expressed at elevated levels in mice, according to a study published 9 December in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. This effect may result from HMGN1 dampening MeCP2 expression, the study suggests.

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Neurons made from stem cells reveal cellular flaws in autism

by  /  8 December 2011

Researchers have uncovered cellular abnormalities in Timothy syndrome by regenerating neurons from individuals with the rare autism-related disorder, according to a study published 27 November in Nature Medicine.

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New system screens for drugs that alter neuronal junctions

by  /  7 December 2011

A new technique efficiently screens for compounds that enhance or inhibit the formation of synapses, the junctions between neurons, according to a study published 25 October in Nature Communications.

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Cognition and behavior: Language gene alters brain activity

by  /  7 December 2011

Individuals with autism-linked variants of a language gene use regions in the brain’s right hemisphere, rather than the left, to process language, according to a study published 10 October in The American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B.

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Eric Kandel: The way forward for autism research

by ,  /  6 December 2011

Studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie autism is crucial to advancing our understanding of the disorder, says neuroscientist Eric Kandel.

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Genetics: Small DNA region implicated in autism

by  /  6 December 2011

Duplication or deletion of four genes within a large chromosomal region linked to Angelman syndrome and autism could lead to developmental disability or language delay, according to a study published in the October issue of Human Genetics.

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