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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.

November 2011

Fishy findings

by  /  29 November 2011

Supplements of omega-3 fatty acids, prime ingredients of fish oils, don’t improve symptoms in children with autism, according to a new review.

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Genetics: Loss of autism-linked region leads to obesity

by  /  25 November 2011

More than 70 percent of individuals lacking the autism-associated 16p11.2 chromosomal region are overweight or obese, according to a study published 20 September in the Journal of Genetics and Genomics.

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Imaging finds cerebellar changes in autism, other disorders

by  /  17 November 2011

People with autism have structural changes in parts of the cerebellum that are distinct from those seen in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or dyslexia, according to an unpublished meta-analysis presented at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

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Researchers map microRNAs in autism brains

by  /  17 November 2011

Researchers have charted the expression of tiny pieces of RNA in postmortem brain tissue from people with autism, according to unpublished research presented Tuesday at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

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Normocentric world

by  /  15 November 2011

In a Nature commentary, Laurent Mottron, professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal, argues that autism is not a defect that needs fixing.

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Video: A landscape view of DNA modifications

by  /  14 November 2011

In a video interview at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C., Janine LaSalle makes a case for the importance of the methylome in autism research.

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Video: New European project aims to speed drug research

by  /  13 November 2011

Declan Murphy talks to SFARI.org about a new European project intended to stimulate development of autism drugs.

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Video: Microscopy follows neurons in live mouse brains

by  /  13 November 2011

Wenbao Gan describes the technique he has devised to track the development of neurons in live mouse brains.

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Genetic studies probe sleep hormone’s role in autism

by  /  13 November 2011

A subset of people with autism have genetic and biochemical abnormalities in a sleep-related enzyme, according to research presented Friday at a satellite conference of the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

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Different world

by  /  12 November 2011

Most neuroscientists who study autism focus on genes, pathways and mouse models, and rarely think about the day-to-day experience of people with the disorder, contends developmental psychologist Ami Klin.

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