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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Science & Society

From funding decisions to scientific fraud, a wide range of societal factors shape autism research.

June 2014

Navigating autism’s gender gap

by  /  24 June 2014

The number of people in a study, the proportion of male and female participants, and many other factors can affect research on sex differences in autism, says Thomas Frazier.

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For flagging autism risk, using two tests is best option

by  /  20 June 2014

Two autism screens are better than one at identifying toddlers who need specialized clinical services.

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Autism not the only neurodevelopmental disorder on the rise

by  /  19 June 2014

The growing prevalence of autism is no different from that of other neurodevelopmental disorders, finds a study of more than 4.5 million people in four countries.

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Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele talks routes to treatment

 /  25 June 2014

Watch the complete replay of Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele’s webinar on conceptual pathways for developing effective autism drugs.

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What constitutes ‘environmental’ risk for autism?

by  /  11 June 2014

If inherited risk for autism is 50 percent, does that make the remaining half of risk environmental? Scientists clarify a large population study.

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Light corrections illuminate a path into fish brains

by  /  11 June 2014

Taking a page from astronomy’s playbook, researchers have developed a way to take dramatically clear pictures of the inner workings of a zebrafish brain.

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School program makes inroads into acceptance of autism

by  /  10 June 2014

Middle-school girls are more willing to include their classmates with autism in social activities after completing an awareness program.

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In autism, brain shows unusual thinning throughout life

by  /  5 June 2014

The cortex, the outer layer of the brain, grows rapidly in early childhood in people with autism and thins differently with age than it does in controls, two new studies report.

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Genetics: Gene linked to adult regression implicated in Rett

by  /  3 June 2014

A teenage girl with Rett syndrome has a mutation in WFR45, a gene that is mutated in people who abruptly lose motor and mental skills in adulthood, according to a study published 13 March in the Journal of Human Genetics.

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Large study underscores role of gene copy number in autism

by  /  2 June 2014

People with autism tend to carry mutations that duplicate or delete several genes at once, according to a large study published 1 May in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

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