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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 2011

Brain circuit map identifies local networks

by  /  27 April 2011

Neurons that respond to the same stimuli are grouped into sub-networks that can quickly communicate with each other, according to a study published 10 April in Nature.

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Cognition and behavior: Brain response to faces could signal autism

by  /  27 April 2011

At 12 months of age, infant siblings of children with autism have a brain response to unfamiliar faces that is characteristic of typical children at a younger age, according to a study published 26 March in Brain Topography. This developmental delay could be used as an early biomarker for autism.

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Odd men out

by  /  26 April 2011

Animal research hints that sex hormones may be responsible for the gender bias in autism. More research is needed in people to back this up, says a new review.

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Uta Frith: Why I am obsessed with this cognitive thing

by  /  26 April 2011

No matter which of the numerous genetic and environmental risk factors has caused autism, the part of the system that is always affected is most likely to be found at the cognitive level, argues Uta Frith, a leader in the field of cognitive neuroscience.

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Molecular mechanisms: Mice lacking MET have strong brain connections

by  /  26 April 2011

Mice missing the autism candidate gene MET have connections in the cortex that are twice as strong as those in controls, according to a new study.

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Analysis finds weak evidence for most autism treatments

by  /  25 April 2011

Only a small fraction of autism therapies are supported by robust scientific evidence, according to three reviews published in the May issue of Pediatrics.

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Not too late

by  /  22 April 2011

Diagnosing autism in children is difficult enough, but detecting the disorder in adults is even more complicated.

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Genetics: Seizures link autism, tuberous sclerosis

by  /  22 April 2011

Frequent seizures up the risk of having both autism and the related disorder tuberous sclerosis, according to a study published 15 March in Neurology.

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Sudden deaths in autism and epilepsy baffle researchers

by  /  21 April 2011

A mysterious cluster of sudden deaths among young people who had a genetic syndrome is drawing attention to the high rate of unexplained deaths in individuals with autism and epilepsy.

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Researchers make neurons from people with schizophrenia

by  /  20 April 2011

Researchers have taken skin cells from individuals with schizophrenia, bathed them in chemical cocktails and coaxed them to develop into neurons, according to a paper published 13 April in Nature.

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