The latest autism research news stories with ASF Chief Science Officer Alycia Halladay
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The Scoop podcast
Inclusion Sucks. Or, Why My Son with Severe Autism Has Nowhere to Swim this Summer
Three Strikes… and He’s Out? What happens when the regular world has had enough of my son’s autism
https://www.ncsautism.org/blog//three-strikes-and-hes-out
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On this week’s ASF weekly science podcast, we provide a recent review on influences of speech and language both in those with ASD who are verbally fluent, as those who have minimal verbal ability. What does the brain look like in those with minimal verbal ability and are there interventions to help improve social communication ability in those with not just minimal verbal ability but also cognitive disability? What are some early markers or behaviors that predict understanding and communicating? Listen to learn more.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32909382/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32881387/
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Not all people with autism spectrum disorder are the same, obviously. Are there things that can predict positive outcome? Are they different based on something like cognitive ability? And what determines cognitive ability and how early is it seen? Have other studies lumped all the autisms into one pile which has represented what people along the spectrum at different points actually need? This podcast tackles it all this week.
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The racial and ethnic disparities in the diagnosis of ASD has always been unacceptable, but it’s been hard to figure out. This week, researchers published their findings from a close look at 500 African American families with ASD to understand what the barriers were to a timely diagnosis. The results are not surprising, but they are also alarming. Some of these families may benefit from telehealth in the future. Telehealth is not perfect, but it turning out to be helpful. For example, it may be beneficial in treating insomnia in people with ASD. Delivering cognitive behavioral therapy online resulted in improvements in sleep in adolescents with ASD. It isn’t a panacea, but it seems to be more helpful than people gave it credit for before the pandemic.
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There are many many potential factors that influence a diagnosis of ASD that have been underexplored, and recreational drugs are one of them. Of course it would never explain all the cases of ASD, not one singular thing does, but does cannabis consumption during pregnancy lead to an increased probability of having a child with ASD? As it turns out, yes, a small increase, meaning it isn’t the only thing causing ASD but: JUST SAY NO if you are pregnant. On the other end of the spectrum is aggression, a completely horrible feature of some people with ASD. About 30% of people who are aggressive and have an ASD diagnosis are not responsive to any medications or therapies, which is horrifying. Researchers in Canada and Brazil have studied the brains of this group, with what is called “refractory aggression” to try to get to the mechanism.
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This week the ASF Podcast explores two ways to better understand the environmental influences in ASD diagnosis: 1. through potential cost savings of avoided cases of ASD due to reduced air pollution and 2. by studying pre-conception exposures going back as far as the grandparents exposure. These two concepts do not prove any one thing, including one environmental factor, causes ASD, however, using these approaches may improve understanding of ASD and allow for legislation that improves many health outcomes in children. Below are the two references:
Today’s podcast is also the podcast of The Autism Dad, an amazing man named Rob Gorski with 3 kids. He talks openly and honestly about his struggles, joys, and lessons. Please listen to us on this podcast and continue to listen to him! https://listen.theautismdad.com
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Biological features of ASD can be seen long before behavioral impairments in children are seen. Researchers are now studying the activity of the brain at 3 months in infants that go on to develop autism and those that do not. There are distinct features in the brain seen in a 3 month old that goes on to develop ASD. In addition, excessive brain activity resulting in seizures can increase the probability of a later ASD diagnosis in infants with a rare genetic disorder called Tuberous Sclerosis. This podcast will explain how connectivity and activity in a 3 month old can influence a later diagnosis. What we don’t know more about is those intervening months, and what can be done to mitigate symptoms.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2451902220301403?via%3Dihub
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It’s been about 6 months since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the United States, longer in Asia and some parts of Europe. While scientists still don’t know the direct effects of COVID-19 in pregnant women on later development of their children, they do know about ASD following other neuroinflammatory responses. These include things like the flu, UTI’s, herpes, and other things that cause inflammation and immune disruption. This podcast reviews the evidence so far in humans and animals, with the goal of helping people understand that the threat is real, and that wearing a mask is not a mark that you do not have the freedom to do so. It is a reflection that you understand that the world is victim of a pandemic, and you want to protect others from getting sick.
It’s been over 6 months since this pandemic started. This isn’t just a U.S. problem, this is a worldwide shutdown of all biomedical research designed to help families with everything from autism to diabetes to cancer to multiple sclerosis. So how are autism researchers adapting? What are their concerns for the future that they want families to know about? A recent issue of Autism Research asked scientists from around the globe what their most pressing problems were and how they were addressing them to help families. This week’s podcast summarizes them and focuses on similarities across different geographical regions.
You can read all the articles FREE here: https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2329