All Articles Tagged As: autism

'Faulty' brain connections may be responsible for social impairments in autism (6/16/2008)

New evidence shows that the brains of adults with autism are "wired" differently from people without the disorder, and this abnormal pattern of connectivity may be responsible for the social impairments that are characteristic of autism. ...> Full Article

Researcher Studies Neurofeedback to 'Retrain' Brainwaves in Children with Autism (4/26/2008)

Researcher is using video games to see if the brainwaves of children with autism can be 'retrained' to improve focus and concentration ...> Full Article

Gene research may help explain autistic savants (2/14/2008)

Mice lacking a certain brain protein learn some tasks better but also forget faster, according to new research from MIT that may explain the phenomenon of autistic savants in humans. The work could also result in future treatments for autism and other brain development disorders. ...> Full Article

Melatonin well-tolerated sleep aid in children with autism (2/13/2008)

Researchers are reporting that melatonin, an over-the-counter and relatively inexpensive dietary supplement taken for insomnia and jet lag, shows promise in treating children with autism who have difficulty falling asleep. ...> Full Article

Poor recognition of 'self' found in high functioning people with autism (2/9/2008)

Contrary to popular notions, people at the high end of the autism spectrum disorder continuum suffer most from an inability to model "self" rather than impaired ability to respond to others, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers in a report that appear in the journal Neuron. ...> Full Article

New approach to detect autism earlier (1/18/2008)

A new way of understanding autistic disorders, incorporating both psychological and biological factors, could lead to the conditions being picked up earlier, research from UNSW has found. ...> Full Article

Scientists identify new genetic link to autism (1/13/2008)

Gene's presence in brain's language centers may explain speech delay ...> Full Article

Study Identifies Where Thoughts Of Familiar Objects Occur Inside the Human Brain (1/4/2008)

Experts Trained Algorithm To Extract Patterns From Participants' Brain Activation Scans ...> Full Article

Researchers correct inherited retardation, autism in mice (12/20/2007)

Research points to potential drug treatment for humans ...> Full Article

Study Finds Fever May Lead To Improved Behavior In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders (12/6/2007)

Over the past few decades, parents and clinicians have observed that the behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) tend to improve, sometimes rather dramatically, during a fever. Longer concentration spans, increased language production, improved eye contact and better overall relations with adults and peers have all been reported. In a study published today in the journal Pediatrics, researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland confirmed, for the first time, parent and clinician reports that the behavior of children with ASD improves with fever. The study evaluated children with ASD during and after an episode of fever and found that fewer autistic-like behaviors were recorded for children with fever compared to controls. Understanding how fever affects the behaviors of children with ASD may provide insight into the causes of the disorder and potential treatment opportunities. ...> Full Article

Novel Imaging Technique Shows Gray Matter Increase in Brains of Autistic Children (12/1/2007)

Using a novel imaging technique to study autistic children, researchers have found increased gray matter in the brain areas that govern social processing and learning by observation. Results of the study conducted at the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in Bethpage, N.Y., were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). ...> Full Article

Investigational Medication to be Studied in Children with Autism (11/30/2007)

Children with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of five and 17 years are needed to participate in a research study looking at how a medicine called fluoxetine works to relieve the repetitive behavior and other symptoms associated with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) ...> Full Article

Enzymes Key To Brainpower Identified (11/18/2007)

Bolstering disintegratingneural connections may help boost brainpower in Alzheimer's disease patients, MIT researchers and colleagues will report in the Nov. 8 issue of Neuron. ...> Full Article

Researchers ID enzymes key to brainpower (11/14/2007)

Research could inform treatments for Alzheimer's patients ...> Full Article

Worms Take the Sniff Test to Reveal Sex Differences in Brain (11/12/2007)

Buttery popcorn or fresh green vegetables? Your answer tells a lot about you. ...> Full Article

Mirror, Mirror In The Brain: Mirror Neurons, Self-understanding And Autism Research (11/11/2007)

Recent findings are rapidly expanding researchers' understanding of a new class of brain cells -- mirror neurons -- which are active both when people perform an action and when they watch it being performed. ...> Full Article

Researchers Develop Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorders (9/8/2007)

Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have genetically engineered mice that harbor the same genetic mutation found in some people with autism and Asperger syndrome. Mice with this mutation show a similar type of social impairment and cognitive enhancement as that seen in some people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). ASDs are enigmatic cognitive disorders that impair patients' social interactions, but do not necessarily limit their intelligence. ...> Full Article

Study Discovers Link Between Increased White Matter in the Brain and Poor Motor Skills in Children with Autism (8/3/2007)

Research Conducted at the Kennedy Krieger Institute Examines How Motor Skill Deficits Can Provide Insight into the Brain Basis of Autism ...> Full Article