The latest autism research news stories with ASF Chief Science Officer Alycia Halladay
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
This week we want YOUR feedback on a new paper in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders which suggests that the reason there is so much discord in the autism community, is that people with autism are just too different, and have difficulties understanding each other’s perspective. Is this true? What do you think? Listen to the podcast and read the paper (link below) and tell us.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Thanks to brain tissue research, scientists now know how cells in the amygdala form, connect, and how this changes with age. But does that explain behavioral or neurological features in autism? Last week, Dr. Inna Fishman from SDSU examined connections in and out of the amygdala in children and adolescents in autism, in a different study but the same age range as when cellular changes in the amygdala are seen. Strikingly, the brain connections to regions outside the amygdala follow a similar pattern at a similar time, which may explain functioning, autism severity and anxiety in adolescents with autism. Also this week, while autism is a spectrum, it’s on a spectrum with other neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD. Just like in autism, there are individuals who are not diagnosed with ADHD until adulthood. But these adults show signs of autism as children. This is similar to autism, where symptoms are there but may not manifest until later in life.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30274651
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30338854
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
This week we have a very special guest: Dr. Mark Shen from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who has been leading the field in understanding the role that the fluid around the brain in autism. This week he expands his research to show that this increase in extra – axial (around the brain) fluid is not limited to those with a family history of autism, and is seen both before and after a diagnosis. This has implications for early detection of ASD, but more interesting, it may help explain why some people with autism have so many sleep issues.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
This podcast is dedicated to siblings of people with autism who are typically developing. They play an important and beneficial role in development of socialization of those with ASD. But sadly, they also have issues of their own, such as a high rate of issues like anxiety and depression. Those siblings may be genetic carries of a specific mutation and not have an autism diagnosis, but have increased risk for schizophrenia and cognitive disability. Finally, just because they are considered “typically developing” doesn’t mean they don’t have challenges with adaptive behavior. However, they have a very special relationship with their brothers and sisters, and the world needs these strong advocates for the community.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30280363
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30248583
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcpp.12985
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
In the fight to ensure everyone with autism is detected and diagnosed as early as possible, community providers are sometimes pushed to the limit in what they can do. They have a huge caseload and there are long waitlists. So how accurate are autism diagnoses given by these providers with little time and little resources for training? As it turns out, they are just okay. Approximately 23% of those diagnosed by community providers were not diagnosed using standardized and validated autism tools. How can we weigh this potential over and mis-diagnosis with the potential for missing individuals with autism and depriving them of interventions and services? That’s a topic for another discussion. However, one question on the cause of autism was addressed and a theory debunked: autism is not caused by caesarean section deliveries altering the microbiome, and then leading to ASD. The microbiome may be involved, but not because of method of delivery and use of antibiotic medications.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30270970
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30273187
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Recently, Clare Harrop from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill published two papers which help explain the differences between boys and girls with autism, at least in kids and toddlers. She graciously agreed to talk with us about these findings and what it means for better identification and diagnosis of girls with ASD, and where future research is needed. Thank you to Dr. Harrop for this insight and for your work in this area!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
This week, the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Network, or ADDM, was used to look at the changes across time in co-occuring conditions in people with autism, like ADHD, depression, anxiety, language delay and other developmental delay. They found the frequency of 8 year olds with autism with these co occurring conditions is increasing. So is the percent of people with autism with intellectual disability. The data continues to show that in many people, what was autism 20 years ago, is not the same autism seen today. While depression and anxiety have already been established as co occurring issues, things like hoarding are just starting to be examined. These results suggest that co-occurring conditions may be one of the features of autism that can separate people into different groups, to improve intervention and treatment opportunities.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
This week’s podcast begins with a comment on the debate over ABA, helpful or harmful? But the big news this week is an analysis of very early, but very published data, on the use of MDMA, or “ecstasy” or “Molly” in people with autism. Called an “empathogen”, MDMA can elicit feelings of warmth, love and need to cuddle. However, it has a dark side. MDMA is a neurotoxin. It kills serotonergic brain cells. There is no known safe dose. Researchers studied and found weak evidence that it reduces social anxiety in people with autism. Social anxiety isn’t a core symptom of autism and thank you to Larry Scahill at Emory University to provided an expert description of each. While we will not comment on every negative study out there, this one is worth noting. When someone offers you MDMA, JUST SAY NO.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30196397
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
A full transcript of this podcast episode can be read on the ASF blog here.
Researchers at Mount Sinai led by Alex Kolevzon are running a clinical trial of the compound insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) for children with idiopathic autism. Dr. Kolevzon’s team previously demonstrated the safety and feasibility of IGF-1 in treating Phelan-McDermid syndrome, a single-gene form of autism. Particularly, the IGF-1 treatment improved symptoms of social impairment and repetitive behaviors, which are core symptoms of autism. Expanding their investigation into idiopathic autism, the researchers are working hard to make sure families can comfortably and knowledgeably participate in the clinical trial. Mahir Rahman spoke with Dr. Kolevzon about the study and where it hopes to go. Interested in joining the study? Go here to learn more.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4326443/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4450831/
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Cathy Lord and her colleagues have been studying a group of people with autism from age 2, all the way through adulthood, at age 19. Her colleague and first author Vanessa Hus-Bal who is leading the efforts to study adults at a new institute at Rutgers University, talks about the findings and what they mean for people with autism as they get older, and points out the implications on intervention. Also, the stress response is different in autistic people, but is it different in adolescents and adults, and does it change as people get older? A social stressor is used to identify how they are different and what it means for treatment.