The latest autism research news stories with ASF Chief Science Officer Alycia Halladay
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Everyone knows cognitive ability is critical for understanding autism, however, how does it affect developmental trajectories of autism traits, and can it be accurately measured in those with severe intellectual disabilities? We discuss. Plus, more evidence that tylenol doees not cause autism.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41207796
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In an effort to better understand the causes of autism in those with a known genetic variant associated with ASD or other developmental disorders, in 2010, the Simons Foundation launched Simons VIP, now known as Simons Searchlight – an online international research program studying nearly 200 rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders and working with over 60 patient advocacy groups across these conditions.
Since its inception, it has grown to not just study specific genes, but to provide de-identified aggregate data to researchers & industry, support for patient advocacy groups to bring together families & researchers (thanks to the generosity of the Simons Foundation), identify even more genes associated with autism, and create international communities.
These communities share similar underlying mechanisms even though there are sixty genes represented within Simons Searchlight. This week is a conversation with the principal investigator of Simons Searchlight, Dr. Wendy Chung, talks about why genes associated with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders are so important to study, what the scientific community has learned, and how Patient Advocacy Groups have grown and flourished as a result of this understanding.
If you are having problems accessing a genetic test, here are some tips
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This week’s podcast includes summaries from two new scientific studies (with comments from one of the studies’ authors @SimonsFoundation and @princetonPPH) about that tackle grouping and labeling the differences across the spectrum into meaningful subtypes. Both provide scientific evidence, including behavioral and biological data, that support the use of different labels. This is more evidence that lumping everyone into one unitary “autism” diagnosis is not meaningful or biologically accurate, and that using computer-driven approaches, different behavioral subtypes map onto behavioral features. This supports approaches that more clearly describe different types of autism for better supports.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40651720
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-025-02224-z
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451902224003793?via%3Dihub
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The NIH has launched the new Autism Data Science Initiative: https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/autism-data-science-initiative/funding-opportunities#section1, which brings questions about why linking different data sets is important. It can be done without including personal identifying information, and it should be done following ethical guidelines. If done correctly, using large datasets can answer questions relating to treatment, cause, better identification and personalized medicine for those on the spectrum. So what has linking data done for families? This week’s podcast summarizes longitudinal research that follows individuals across time, linking their information across different ages to look at factors that predict outcomes, environmental factors, and how to best support those on the spectrum.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40420626
https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-025-02739-4
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40391067
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Understanding factors that make each person with autism different has been a challenge, affecting diagnosis, interventions and the way we think about autism in general. Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, Italy, used computers to see how language, intellectual ability, motor and adaptive functioning grouped individuals into different categories. It turns out there are two groups – one group that improves over time and outperforms the other group consistently even in early life. The other group continues to struggle. These factors are not autism-specific, but do influence the creation of these different groups that are different biologically as well as behaviorally. This week’s podcast is an interview with the researchers on what it means for the future of understanding what might help what person at what time in their life.
The publication is open access and includes the model so their findings can be replicated widely: https://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-024-00613-5
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Everyone knows that every person with autism has their own unique strengths and challenges. Autism is heritable, and there are over 100 genes associated with autism. There are also an unknown number of environmental factors influencing outcome, so the heterogeneity is not necessarily surprising. But why would two people with the same genetic mutation have variable outcomes? Researchers led by the Institut Pasteur in France looked at the range of outcomes in people with a rare genetic mutation associated with autism, focusing on those without an autism diagnosis. This week’s podcast is an interview with the lead author of the paper, Thomas Rolland, PhD from France. The presence of the variants in those without ASD were associated with lowered cognitive ability, education level and employment status. The bottom line of these finds are that genes affect proteins which form the brain and control brain function. However, there are multiple factors that influence outcome. Some of them may be sex or gender, prenatal exposures. It’s not just one thing, there are many things influencing an autism diagnosis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10353945/pdf/41591_2023_Article_2408.pdf
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Sometimes when the autism community hears the words “genetics research”, it conjures up images of using genetics to eliminate people with autism. In fact, that’s not the goal of genetics research, nor is it even possible. Recently, several new studies were publish which illustrate how genetics can be used to help people understand their diagnosis, and receive more targeted supports. Special guest Jonathan Sebat from UCSD provides perspective on these findings and why genetics research is misunderstood.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35654973/
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In a study over over 64 MILLION people across the US, COVID-19 has been shown to be most deadly to those with an intellectual disability. This was once a theory, now it is a proven fact. Take action! Write your governor and demand that intellectual disability and neurodevelopment disorders be put on the priority list for vaccination in your state. A sample letter is below:
As a person or family member affected by intellectual disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders, we ask that you include all high-risk patients and caregivers living with these conditions as a priority population in your immediate prioritization of FDA- approved COVID-19 vaccines.
Intellectual disabilities have extensive, and often severe comorbidities. Early prevention and intervention are paramount, and this vaccine is critical for our high-risk community and public health. Families affected by IDD and NDD live daily with conditions including: cardiopulmonary dysfunction; neurological deficits; debilitating seizures; vision and/or hearing loss; gastrointestinal issues; autism spectrum disorder. A recent publication in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated the high mortality of COVID 19 in people with IDD and since groups with lower risk of mortality have been listed as high priority conditions, we request that those with IDD be added immediately. As leaders and caregivers in this community, we strongly believe individuals living with IDD who require daily hands-on care, and their caregivers should be included in the high-risk population for risk for catastrophic outcomes due to infection of COVID-19. The effects of COVID-19 could be devastating for individuals and family members, of all ages, who are constantly at high-risk for neurological and organ damage caused by potential infection. During the pandemic, these families have lost vital resources (such as physical, occupational and speech therapies) and myriad interventions otherwise afforded to them. Compounded by COVID-related delays in routine public and private care management due to risk of exposure, many people have experienced regression, and the only way to safely resume these crucial interventions is through immediate vaccination. Beyond the direct risk of Covid-19, the pandemic has had negative effects on the ability of individuals with IDD to receive health care and daily support that they need.
We urgently call on you to prioritize all people and family members and caregivers of people with IDD and NDD to receive the COVID 19 vaccine.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33676088/
NEJM article open access: https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.21.0051
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There have been more than a few podcasts lately about why intellectual abilities (or disability) are important in understanding ASD. It will probably be a theme in the end of year summary. This week, intellectual ability affects risk of dying from COVID and how anxiety is measured. Some studies show that increasing cognitive ability increases chances of having anxiety, although, because it is not always measured appropriately in those with intellectual disability, this linear relationship may not hold. However, while it is important in anxiety and COVID, it may have less to do with how pain is expressed. Podcast links below:
If you want to register for the December 9thwebinar about the COVID Vaccine:
https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-update/vaccine-webinar-series
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Separating out those with ASD with an intellectual disability from those with ASD without an intellectual disability can more precisely identify factors that influence probability of having a child with ASD as well as factors which can prevent or preclude services. For example, in those without an intellectual disability, there seems to be stronger heritable component. Mothers and fathers with ASD were more likely to have a child with ASD without an ID compared to those with an ID. Also, children of immigrant parents may be missed and lack essential services if they do not have more profound identifiable symptoms like ID. For the sake of better improving research and services for everyone, is it time to stop lumping and start splitting?