Movement patterns may distinguish autism subgroups

Movement patterns may distinguish autism subgroups —

Analysis of the movement patterns of people with autism suggests a new approach to classifying the disorder, as well as opportunities for individualized treatment, according to research presented at theSociety for Neuroscience annual meeting in New Orleans. Motor difficulties are common among people with autism, although they are not considered one of the core features of the disorder. In a new study, Elizabeth Torres and her colleagues analyzed thousands of movements made by several dozen adults and children with and without autism in the laboratory setting. More @ http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/conference-news/2012/society-for-neuroscience-2012/movement-patterns-may-distinguish-autism-subgroups

Autism drug study targets communication and social limitations - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Autism drug study targets communication, social limitations - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Though there are medications approved for treating irritability, anxiety and aggressive behavior in children with autism, Ventre said, none have been cleared for mitigating impaired social interaction and communication skills.

Right now, memantine is approved only for the treatment of Alzheimer's symptoms in the elderly, and the doses used in this study would be adjusted to levels appropriate for pediatric patients.

Children ages 6 to 12 with a confirmed diagnosis of autism, Asperger's and PDD-NOS from throughout Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties are invited to participate. The study would last 50 weeks and require up to 13 visits to Research Centers of America offices, according to the ConnectMe website, ConnectMeTrial.com.

Participating in the study is free and voluntary, and parents can decide to remove their children at any time.

More @ http://www.sun-sentinel.com/health/fl-autism-medication-trial-20121019,0,232326.story

Brain plasticity and autism, New study provides hope

White matter study shows brain capable of learning complex tasks well into adulthood

"This work is contributing to a new understanding that the brain stays this plastic organ throughout your life, capable of change," Schlegel says. "Knowing what actually happens in the organization of the brain when you are learning has implications for the development of new models of learning as well as potential interventions in cases of stroke and brain damage."

More Autistic Mice HEALED: New study shows disorder of neuronal circuits in autism is reversible

Thank God, more autistic rats are being healed.

Disorder of neuronal circuits in autism is reversible, new study suggests

ScienceDaily (Sep. 14, 2012) — People with autism suffer from a pervasive developmental disorder of the brain that becomes evident in early childhood. Peter Scheiffele and Kaspar Vogt, Professors at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel, have identified a specific dysfunction in neuronal circuits that is caused by autism. In the journal Science, the scientists also report about their success in reversing these neuronal changes. These findings are an important step in drug development for the treatment for autism.

 According to current estimates, about one percent of all children develop an autistic spectrum disorder. Individuals with autism may exhibit impaired social behavior, rigid patterns of behavior and limited speech development. Autism is a hereditary developmental disorder of the brain. A central risk factor for the development of autism are numerous mutations in over 300 genes that have been identified, including the gene neuroligin-3, which is involved in the formation of synapses, the contact junction between nerve cells.  More @  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120914080642.htm 

Jobs programs for Autism. Do they work?

Do job programs for autistic adults work? | Reuters.

(Reuters Health) - Programs are out there to help young adults with autism find and keep a job. But no one yet knows whether they work, according to a study published Monday.

Combing the medical literature for evidence on the question, researchers were able to find only five studies. All were generally low-quality, the team reports in the journal Pediatrics.

"We did identify some small studies with promising results," said lead researcher Julie Lounds Taylor, an assistant professor of pediatrics and special education at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Linked to Autism: Skinny Bitches Theory & Serotonin Transporters (mouse study)

AutismParents.NET! » The Big List of S*%# Linked to Autism: Curvy Women & Serotonin Transporters

Two new entries on The Big List of S*%# Linked to Autism today.  One that sounds like it makes some sense and another that sounds like some researchers with too much time on their hands.  First, another new study where scientists are able to replicate autism symptoms and an over abundance of serotonin, which is common to kids with autism. 

More @  http://autismparents.net/the-big-list-of-s-linked-to-autism-curvy-women-serotonin-transporters/

Another novel mouse model for autism yields amazing clues AGAIN

Novel mouse model for autism yields clues to a 50-year-old mystery

Serotonin is a brain chemical that carries signals across the synapse, or gap between nerve cells. The supply of serotonin is regulated by the serotonin transporter (SERT). In 2005, a team of Vanderbilt researchers led by Randy Blakely and James Sutcliffe identified rare genetic variations in children with ASD that disrupt SERT function.
In a new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the researchers report the creation of a mouse model that expressed the most common of these variations. 

The change is a very small one in biochemical terms, yet it appears to cause SERT in the brain to go into overdrive and restrict the availability of serotonin at synapses.
"The SERT protein in the brain of our mice appears to exhibit the exaggerated function and lack of regulation we saw using cell models," said Blakely, director of the Vanderbilt Silvio O. Conte Center for Neuroscience Research. 

"Remarkably, these mice show changes in social behavior and communication from early life that may parallel aspects of ASD," noted first author Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, assistant professor of psychiatry, pediatrics and pharmacology.
The researchers conclude that a lack of serotonin during development may lead to long-standing changes in the way the brain is wired. 

More @ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120320115625.htm

No S*&% News of the Day: Study Confirms Financial Impact of Autism on Family Income

Stop the presses!  Being Broke Linked to Autism!!!

Study Confirms Financial Impact of Autism - Special Needs - Families.com

A brand new study confirms the findings of a preliminary study that was released in 2011. The new study shows that the income of a family that includes a child who has autism is significantly less than the income of families who don't. This is due to a number of factors. 

In 2011, there was a preliminary study that used data that came from a survey done by the United States government's Medical Expenditures Panel. Researchers looked at information about families that included children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), about families who had children with other types of chronic health conditions, (such as asthma, ADHD, or cerebral palsy), and about families that had healthy children.  

More @ http://special-needs.families.com/blog/study-confirms-financial-impact-of-autism#

"No Shit, Sherlock" News of the Day: Meds for Autism Not Well Understood Says Study

Meds for Autism Not Well Understood: Study

"Observations from the present study reinforce the complexity of pharmacologic treatment of challenging behavior in kids with [autism spectrum disorders] and ADHD," Shattuck said in a university news release. "There needs to be a clearer guide for treating kids with both an [autism spectrum disorder] and ADHD."

He noted that drug treatment for autism reflects a trial-and-error approach based on associated symptoms, and there is a poor understanding of overall medication use for children with autism.

"Also striking are the high rates of antipsychotic, antidepressant/anti-anxiety and stimulant medication use in these youths," Shattuck said. "Additional studies examining the treatment of core and associated [autism spectrum disorder] symptoms are needed to guide the treatment of these kids."

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/health/HealthDay662018_20120223_Meds_for_Autism_Not_Well_Understood__Study.html#ixzz1nLFiVxNW
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Bacteria in the gut of autistic children different from non-autistic children

Bacteria in the gut of autistic children different from non-autistic children

Bacteria belonging to the group Sutterella represented a relatively large proportion of the microorganisms found in 12 of 23 tissue samples from the guts of autistic children, but these organisms were not detected in any samples from non-autistic children. Why this organism is present only in autistic kids with gastrointestinal problems and not in unaffected kids is unclear. More @ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109211825.htm