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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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The Brain

Charting the structure and function of the brain’s many circuits may unravel autism’s mysteries.

February 2012

Cognition and behavior: Asperger brains similar across sexes

by  /  8 February 2012

The brains of men and women with Asperger syndrome are more similar than are those of male and female controls, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Neuroradiology. The results lend support to the ‘extreme male brain’ theory of autism, the researchers say.

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Insights for autism from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

by  /  7 February 2012

Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder show genetic and neurobiological overlap, which may provide clues to the origin of both disorders, says Joel Nigg.

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Genetics: X chromosome disorder linked to autism

by  /  7 February 2012

Duplication of a region on the X chromosome leads to a genetic disorder characterized by severe autism, according to a study published 25 November in Annals of Neurology.

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Brain response to gaze predicts autism in baby sibs

by  /  6 February 2012

A longitudinal study of infant siblings of children with autism is the first to identify a particular brain pattern that is linked to later diagnosis of autism.

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Lip reading

by  /  3 February 2012

As babies are learning to talk, they shift their focus from speakers’ eyes to their lips, according to a new study that could inform efforts to find an early predictor of autism.

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New machine takes rapid, reliable pictures of brains

by  /  1 February 2012

An automated instrument can reconstruct fluorescently labeled mouse brains in less than a day, researchers reported 15 January in Nature Methods.

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Clinical research: Two compounds treat Rett syndrome in mice

by  /  1 February 2012

Two compounds that enhance the activity of BDNF, a protein needed for the growth of neurons, improve motor skills in mouse models of Rett syndrome and increase the mice’s lifespan.

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January 2012

Cognition and behavior: Brain scans yield few signs of autism

by  /  31 January 2012

The results of two new studies support recommendations against the use of brain scans to diagnose autism.

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Scanning during sleep effective across autism spectrum

by  /  26 January 2012

Scanning children’s brains while they sleep is a viable alternative to sedation for infants and toddlers across the entire autism spectrum, according to a study published in the January issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

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New technique charts patterns of microRNA expression

by  /  25 January 2012

Researchers have mapped the levels of tiny RNA fragments that regulate gene expression in specific brain regions and subtypes of neurons. The results were published 12 January in Neuron.  

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