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Autism spectrum disorders news

Neuroscience

Neuronal hyperactivity and broader tuning linked to altered sound processing in autism model rats

People with autism spectrum disorders commonly have difficulty processing sensory information, which can make busy, bright or loud settings—such as schools, airports and restaurants—stressful or even painful. The neurological ...

Autism spectrum disorders

How autism rates are rising, and why that could lead to more inclusive communities

I can say from personal experience that being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder can feel very isolating. Increasingly, however, it's not unusual.

Health

Texas sues Tylenol makers over alleged autism link

The Texas attorney general announced a lawsuit Tuesday against the pharmaceutical companies behind Tylenol that echoes the Trump administration's allegations linking the painkiller to increased risk of autism.

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 ...

Genetics

Researchers link gene mutation to autism behaviors

A collaboration between scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina and clinicians at the Greenwood Genetic Center has yielded new findings about how a particular gene might regulate brain development.

Genetics

Study identifies group of genes with altered expression in autism

Autism has long been associated only with behavioral and environmental factors, but the role of genetics in its development is now increasingly evident. Some 100 genes have been found to play a role in autism spectrum disorder, ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Children with autism face higher risk of eating disorders

Previous research has found that autism and eating disorders can occur together, as 20-30% of adults with eating disorders have autism, and 3-10% of children and young people with eating disorders.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Cognitive therapy can help treat anxiety in children with autism

Cognitive behavioural therapy and other psychosocial interventions are effective for treating anxiety in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder, according to an analysis of all relevant studies published in 2005-2018. ...

Genetics

Potential autism biomarker found in babies

A biological marker in infants that appears to predict an autism diagnosis has been identified in a small study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Autism spectrum disorders

Stress in parents of children with autism: Pets may help

While current events have increased stress for all families, parents of children with autism report higher levels of stress on average than parents of typically developing kids. Feeling overwhelmed and overburdened by various ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Autism prevalence rate increases

Lost in the shuffle of the current global pandemic, the CDC in March released a study causing the organization to increase their estimate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence to one in 54 children. This changes the ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Autism in males linked to defect in brain immune cells, microglia

Many cases of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may result from problems in immune cells that normally work to trim back unneeded brain connections in early life, suggests a new study led by scientists at Scripps Research.