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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Signs & Symptoms

Autism’s core symptoms accompany a constellation of subtle signs that scientists are just beginning to unmask.

Two mice touching.

‘Social touch’ responses in mice gauged with unprecedented control

by  /  19 September 2023
A new tool could help decipher the brain circuits underlying aversion to social touch, which is common in people with autism.

Common genetic variants shape the structure of the cortex

by  /  18 September 2023
A genome-wide association study lays a foundation for deeper investigation of these variants in neurodevelopmental conditions.
Research image of neurons in mice.

Skewed signaling in striatum may spawn repetitive behaviors

by  /  6 September 2023
Synaptic changes in the brain region could drive a core trait of fragile X syndrome, a new mouse study suggests.
September 2023
Young child stacks colored blocks on a table.

High prevalence of developmental delay strains Australia’s support systems

by  /  1 September 2023

The nation needs to build capacity to support the roughly 20 percent of children in Australia who have developmental delay.

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August 2023
Research images of protein synthesis in mice.

Neuronal deafness to stress may add to protein surplus in fragile X

by  /  29 August 2023

A protective pathway that pauses protein synthesis is muted in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, according to a new study.

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Five high-school-aged students sit on a bench looking at notebooks and a laptop.

Social skills decline during adolescence for a sliver of autistic youth

by  /  24 August 2023

Most children with the condition, however, gain communication and social abilities over time.

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July 2023
Illustrated portrait of Amy Wetherby.

Amy Wetherby: Impatient for progress

by  /  26 July 2023

A speech-language pathologist by training, Wetherby has spent more than four decades developing tools to help identify and treat autism early; now her work has taken on a more personal sense of urgency.

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Black and white watercolor-style portrait of Cheryl Dissanayake.

The story of autism research in Australia: A conversation with Cheryl Dissanayake

by  /  25 July 2023

With the help of a generous benefactor, autism research in Australia is gathering critical mass.

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Illustration of half of a brain on the left and half of a heart on the right

Change of heart and mind: Autism’s ties to cardiac defects

by  /  21 July 2023

Children with congenital heart disease have an increased likelihood of autism. Why?

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A brown mouse looks away from a white mouse in a cage to its left.

‘VIP’ interneurons may drive autism traits in Dravet syndrome

by  /  19 July 2023

The inhibitory cells misfire and contribute to social difficulties in mice that model the syndrome.

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Blurry photograph of a crowd of people on a street.

Some who lack autism diagnosis carry variants tied to the condition

by  /  13 July 2023

The variants are associated with slight differences in measures of intelligence, income and employment, but the relationship may not be causal.

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A slice of a cerebellum

Mutation in top autism-linked gene may alter eye reflex

by  /  7 July 2023

The discovery could help clinicians diagnose children who carry mutations in the gene, called SCN2A, and gauge their responses to potential therapies.

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June 2023
Research image of brain scans showing connections in the brain in different colors.

Statistical method improves behavioral predictions from fMRI

by  /  29 June 2023

The framework, inspired by the polygenic risk score, considers the cumulative effect of neuronal connections.

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