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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.

April 2020
Illustration shows heads and brains inside at various sizes.

Autism’s relationship to head size, explained

by  /  9 April 2020

Some people with autism have an unusually large head. What causes the enlargement? And does it have any bearing on outcome?

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Microscopic view of neurons

Mutations in autism gene linked to distinct conditions

by  /  3 April 2020

Individuals with mutations in an autism gene called TRIO may have a range of conditions, including intellectual disability and anomalous head size.

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Popular autism screening tool is unreliable, study suggests

by  /  2 April 2020

A short, widely used screening survey for autism called the AQ-10 may not be reliable for measuring traits of the condition in the general population.

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Two young women who met in the Action Play theater group and became friends. Lines between the women show their connection.

How people with autism forge friendships

by  /  1 April 2020

Most autistic people want to and can make friends, though their relationships often have a distinctive air.

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March 2020
a green head has a 'top' that is red--and a hand is lifting the top to let steam out.

Autistic burnout, explained

by  /  30 March 2020

‘Autistic burnout’ is the intense physical, mental or emotional exhaustion, often accompanied by a loss of skills, that some adults with autism experience.

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Young boy is interacting with a small rubbery green colored robot through a touch screen.

How autism researchers are applying machine-learning techniques

by  /  25 March 2020

Researchers are using machine learning to improve diagnostic predictions of autism, create interactive support robots, and more.

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Family with toddler talking to clinician

Infants’ attention to faces may predict autism before formal diagnosis

by  /  20 March 2020

Autistic infants as young as 6 months display subtle signs of the condition, according to a study of visual attention.

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Young teen boy is getting dressed, choosing clothes.

Long-term study charts trajectory of fragile X syndrome into adulthood

by  /  16 March 2020

For people with fragile X syndrome, progress in daily living skills and behavior tends to stall later in life.

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Little girl lying awake

New model may help assess sleep problems in autistic children

by  /  13 March 2020

Analyzing five sleep-related factors reveals associations between sleep troubles in autistic children and problem behaviors during the day.

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Young girl crying into mother's shoulder

Enlarged amygdala linked to severe behavioral problems in autistic girls

by  /  5 March 2020

Autistic children who have behavioral problems tend to have an enlarged right amygdala, and in girls the size is associated with the severity of certain behaviors.

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