Autism

COVID vaccines are safe for pregnant women and babies, study finds

The COVID vaccine is safe to administer during pregnancy, researchers report in an important finding on the safety of the vaccine in infants -- despite widespread fear and misinformation.

Study reveals unexpected literacy in autistic people who cannot speak

About one-third of autistic people are unable to communicate using speech, and most are never provided an effective alternative. However, a new study suggests that many of these individuals are literate, raising the possibility that they could learn to express themselves through writing....
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Smoking during pregnancy may increase the risk of behavioral disorders in newborns, predicts AI

Although several studies have linked smoking during pregnancy with neurodevelopmental disorders, the results of behavioral experiments in mice prenatally exposed to nicotine have been inconsistent. In a recent study, scientists from Japan developed a deep learning-based framework to automatically ob...
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Early vocabulary size is genetically linked to ADHD, literacy, and cognition

Are genetic factors underlying children's language development linked to later-life outcomes? In a genome-wide analysis, an international research team found genetic associations between children's early vocabulary size and later-life ADHD, literacy, and general cognition. These associations changed...
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Study sheds light on how neurotransmitter receptors transport calcium

A new study is shedding light on our understanding of the molecular origins of some forms of autism and intellectual disability. Researchers were able to successfully capture atomic resolution images of the fast-moving ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) as it transports calcium. iGluRs and their ...
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Could we assess autism in children with a simple eye reflex test?

Scientists may have discovered a new way to test for autism by measuring how children's eyes move when they turn their heads.

Genomic 'butterfly effect' explains risk for autism spectrum disorder

Researchers examined the genetics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by analyzing mutations in the genomes of individuals and their families. They discovered that a special kind of genetic mutation works differently from typical mutations in how it contributes to the condition....
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Blood pressure drug can reduce anxiety for people with autism, study shows

A new study has found that propranolol, a medication that treats high blood pressure, can also help lower anxiety for kids and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

How does social attention develop in autistic children?

As they grow, children increasingly focus their attention on social elements in their environment, such as faces or social interactions. However, children with autism are often more interested in non-social stimuli, such as textures or geometric shapes. By tracking where children look while viewing ...
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Putting your toddler in front of the TV? You might hurt their ability to process the world around them, new data suggests

Babies and toddlers exposed to television or video viewing may be more likely to exhibit atypical sensory behaviors, such as being disengaged and disinterested in activities, seeking more intense stimulation in an environment, or being overwhelmed by sensations like loud sounds or bright lights, acc...
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