Autism’s core symptoms accompany a constellation of subtle signs that scientists are just beginning to unmask.
Autistic people’s skill at managing the demands of daily life decline after they leave high school, according to a new study. But those who maintain more abilities are more likely to pursue further education than those who don’t.
The Spectrum team highlights five topics that distinguished autism research in 2020: diversity in data, gene therapies, subtyping, social circuitry and the ‘autism gene’ debate.
Gene therapies and the factors influencing autism traits top Spectrum’s list of the 10 most notable research findings we covered in 2020.
People with autism who carry DNA variants in the same protein-coding region of a gene have more similar cognitive abilities and behaviors than those who carry mutations in different regions of the same gene.
Some social behaviors associated with autism are heritable, but the extent to which genes and the environment influence these behaviors changes as a child grows.
Autistic people are at an increased risk for intentional self-harm and death by suicide, but co-occurring psychiatric conditions may drive those behaviors.
People with anorexia are more likely to be autistic than those without the eating disorder, but the interplay between the two conditions is complex.
Many people with mutations in the NCKAP1 gene have autism or autism traits, according to a new study spanning seven countries.
This is part 2 of Owen’s story. It tracks his early progress in treatment for autism. Part 1 described his difficult path to a diagnosis.
Mutations in a top autism gene called SYNGAP1 slow the rate at which zebrafish digest food and pass waste, and may also disrupt gut function in people.
