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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Treatments

Efforts to ease the symptoms of autism are beginning to ramp up, with promising candidates in various stages of testing.

July 2020

Selective enzyme blocker eases fragile X traits in mice

by  /  10 July 2020

A new treatment prevents seizures and improves memory in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, according to a new study.

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Fine-tuning brain activity reverses memory problems in mice with autism mutation

by  /  6 July 2020

Dampening overactive brain circuits alleviates social and memory problems in a mouse model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

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Illustration shows a lone figure is dwarfed by a field of letters

How one communication tool may fail some autistic people

by  /  1 July 2020

Parents say the so-called ‘rapid prompting method’ unlocks hidden talents in their minimally verbal autistic children, but researchers question whether the words produced are the child’s own.

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June 2020

Study finds little evidence to back cord-blood therapy for autism

by  /  11 June 2020

An infusion of umbilical cord blood does not improve social skills in autistic children, according to results from the largest, most rigorous test of the therapy for autism to date.

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grid of brains with one area highlighted shows a potential source of a seizure

New noninvasive approach maps seizure-generating brain areas

by  /  10 June 2020

A new method for electroencephalography source localization can noninvasively identify brain networks involved in generating seizures in people with epilepsy.

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May 2020
Small child with pill in mouth.

Preschoolers with autism get few hours of evidence-based therapies

by  /  14 May 2020

Autistic preschoolers may get too little therapy and too much medication, according to a new study.

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March 2020

Telehealth may enable remote participation in autism trials

by  /  3 March 2020

Some families do not have the financial ability or time to participate in clinical trials for autism. New technologies may enable them to participate from their homes.

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microscopic views of proteins

Alzheimer’s protein turns up as potential target for autism treatments

by  /  2 March 2020

Lowering the levels of a protein called tau, best known for its involvement in Alzheimer’s disease, improves behavior in two mouse models of autism.

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February 2020
Child sleeping in bed

Melatonin may ease autistic children’s sleep troubles

by  /  27 February 2020

Melatonin appears to be safe for long-term use in autistic children who have difficulty sleeping.

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An illustration with warm colors shows a pill bottle on its side with dice, rather than pills, spilling out of it.

How aripiprazole’s promise for treating autism fell short

by  /  19 February 2020

Aripiprazole, marketed as Abilify, is widely thought to be safer than risperidone, the only other drug approved for use in autistic children. A decade’s worth of data suggests that is not true.

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