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Autism spectrum disorders news

Autism spectrum disorders

Autism charities portray autistic people as helpless and a burden—our research shows why it matters

Autism charities are important organizations. They provide essential services for autistic people, influence policy decisions, and often speak on behalf of autistic people.

Autism spectrum disorders

Autistic adults push back on 'fear-based' Trump rhetoric

Composer William Barnett started his YouTube channel as an outlet for his music—but today he also uses it to debunk the steady stream of White House rhetoric on autism while sharing his own experience living with it.

Autism spectrum disorders

FDA and Kenvue say no autism link to Tylenol use during pregnancy

The maker of Tylenol is urging U.S. health regulators not to add an autism warning label to it and other pain-relievers containing acetaminophen, calling the request "unsupported by the scientific evidence and legally and ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Why some autistic people don't speak

Around a third of autistic people—children and adults alike—are unable to share what they want using speech.

Medications

Five things to know about folinic acid and autism

As the Food and Drug Administration moves to make folinic acid an official treatment for a neurological condition associated with autism, parents want to know how it might help children with autism spectrum disorder.

Health

RFK Jr pushes fringe claim linking autism to circumcision

US President Donald Trump and his Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on Thursday promoted another fringe theory about autism—this time linking it to circumcision or to pain medication given for the procedure.

Medications

Q&A: Autism and Tylenol

The federal administration offered health guidance at a press conference this week, urging pregnant women to avoid using the over-the-counter painkiller acetaminophen, marketed in the U.S. as Tylenol, saying use of the medication ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Identity distress fuels mental health issues in autism

A new study from the Department of Psychology at Durham University has found that identity distress (difficulty forming a cohesive identity) could be behind the higher rates of poor mental health experienced by autistic people.

Neuroscience

Autism-associated brain differences can be observed in the womb

A new study using prenatal brain scans revealed significant differences in brain structures at around 25 weeks' gestation between children who were later diagnosed with ASD and those who were not. The study adds to mounting ...

Neuroscience

Social interactions divert the established motivational system

Social interactions are regulated by the neuronal circuits underlying motivated behaviors. These reward circuits involve the brain's ventral tegmental area and its dopaminergic neurons. However, which brain areas convey information ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Autistic defendants are being failed by the criminal justice system

The criminal justice system (CJS) is failing autistic people, argue researchers at the Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge, after a survey of lawyers found that an overwhelming majority of their clients were not ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Study examines timing abilities of drivers with ADHD and ASD

Time perception plays a key role in safety while driving on the road. When traveling at high speeds, decisions made in a matter of seconds could help avoid a potentially fatal accident. A recent University of Alabama at Birmingham ...

Neuroscience

Familiar objects can prevent autism-like behaviors in mouse model

The emergence of autism traits can result from different factors, such as a person's environment and genetic background. FMI researchers and their Novartis collaborators showed that exposing mice with an autism mutation to ...

Neuroscience

Interplay between brain networks in autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with an increased focus on one's internal experiences along with a reduction in responsiveness to external social surroundings. Now, a new study investigates the dynamics of brain ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Placenta may hold clues for early autism diagnosis and intervention

New UC Davis MIND Institute research has identified a novel human gene linked to fetal brain development and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The discovery also links the gene to the mother's early prenatal vitamin use and ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Autism, ADHD raise the odds for early death

Young people with autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a higher risk of dying early from a range of causes, a new research review suggests.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Amygdala changes in autistic individuals linked to anxiety

A long-term study involving hundreds of brain scans finds changes in the amygdala linked to the development of anxiety in autistic children. The study by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers also provides evidence of distinct ...