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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.

October 2018
Mom and daughter in doctor's office.

In China, new approach offers hope of early autism diagnosis

by  /  25 October 2018

Routine screening of toddlers for autism in China could lead to much earlier diagnosis of the condition.

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Black and white street scene with high contrast and fragmentation to show possible experience of person with autism.

Spectrum Stories: Seeing through an autistic person’s eyes

by  /  24 October 2018

Virtual reality can help typical people experience sensory hypersensitivity and other perceptual differences that autistic individuals describe. Host Ben Kuebrich reports.

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A woman stands at an ATM in a mall scene, looking at a camera

How virtual reality is transforming autism studies

by  /  24 October 2018

Researchers and autistic artists exploring virtual reality to study, treat and simulate autism traits.

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Portrait of Stelios Georgiades.

Webinar: Stelios Georgiades explores heterogeneity in autism over time

 /  17 October 2018

Watch the complete replay of Stelios Georgiades discussing a model for predicting trajectories in children with autism.

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letters and numbers made out of mice, MRIs and other materials.

For studies, size matters: Let us count the ways

by  /  17 October 2018

In autism research, as in other fields, small sample sizes can lead to false findings. The size of the sample needed for statistical significance depends on the type of study.

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Misfiring visual cells may underlie key sensory problem in fragile X

by  /  17 October 2018

The motion perception difficulties seen in people with fragile X syndrome, a leading cause of autism, may stem from a faulty visual circuit.

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Two female children playing with blocks, one is crying, the other is facing away.

Siblings of children with autism have social, emotional problems

by  /  11 October 2018

Even undiagnosed siblings of children with autism tend to struggle with anxiety, depression and social difficulties.

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Illustration of research mice forming the letter 'X'.

Fragile X syndrome’s link to autism, explained

by  /  10 October 2018

Fragile X syndrome is a leading genetic cause of autism. People who have either condition often share certain traits, such as difficulties in social situations.

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Two women seen from behind with arms around each other.

Overlap in traits of autism, attention deficit persists into adulthood

by  /  8 October 2018

Traits linked to autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder tend to co-occur even in adulthood.

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Modifier genes may enhance or diminish the effects of a mutation linked to autism.

Second ‘hits’ may explain autism mutations’ varied effects

by  /  5 October 2018

People who have a mutation linked to autism plus a second genetic glitch tend to have more severe symptoms than those with the mutation alone.

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