Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

SFARI releases largest dataset on hospitalized children with autism

The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) has released phenotypic and genetic data from the Autism Inpatient Collection (AIC), a cohort of more than 1,500 youth participants ages 4 to 20 years old who were hospitalized in one of six child psychiatry units in the United States.

20 Jun 2025

Placenta and prenatal hormones may drive human brain evolution

The placenta and the hormones it produces may have played a crucial role in the evolution of the human brain, while also leading to the behavioral traits that have made human societies able to thrive and expand, according to a new hypothesis proposed by researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford.

20 Jun 2025

Chemical pairing of BPA and retinoic acid disrupts brain development

Synthetic chemicals and plastics are useful and indispensable in our lives. On the other hand, the world is grappling with plastic pollution-clogging oceans, threatening wildlife, and leaching into ecosystems.

19 Jun 2025

Disrupted biological rhythms in teens can produce unexpected brain effects

A new McGill University-led study suggests that disrupting the body's internal clock during adolescence can alter how the brain responds to an in-utero risk factor linked to certain brain disorders.

17 Jun 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': RFK Jr. upends vaccine policy, after promising he wouldn’t

After explicitly promising senators during his confirmation hearing that he would not interfere in scientific policy over which Americans should receive which vaccines, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week fired every member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the group of experts who help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention make those evidence-based judgments.

12 Jun 2025

New nanopore sequencing assay advances fragile X syndrome carrier screening

Researchers have developed an innovative new nanopore sequencing assay to identify carriers of fragile X syndrome (FXS), the leading cause of monogenic autism spectrum disorder and inherited intellectual disabilities.

12 Jun 2025

Study of monozygotic twins reveals genetic factors linked with differences in environmental sensitivity

An international team of researchers led by King's College London have identified genetic factors that may make some individuals more or less sensitive to the environments they experience.

10 Jun 2025

Brain state-driven neural stimulation improves cognitive flexibility and relieves autistic behaviors

Some autistic traits related to challenges with social interaction, mental flexibility and visual perception could be alleviated through a new, noninvasive therapy.

9 Jun 2025

New study warns of long-term risks from fecal microbiota transplants

Fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) have been touted as a potential treatment for a variety of conditions, from inflammatory bowel diseases, obesity, and type 2 diabetes to autism.

6 Jun 2025

ADHD linked to higher risk of irritable bowel syndrome, global study reveals

A global meta-analysis found that people with ADHD are significantly more likely to have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while the overall risk for other intestinal disorders is not increased. The findings highlight the importance of gut-brain interactions in ADHD and call for further research on microbiome-based therapies.

3 Jun 2025

Pitt researchers challenge a decades-old assumption about brain plasticity

A new study from Pitt researchers challenges a decades-old assumption in neuroscience by showing that the brain uses distinct transmission sites - not a shared site - to achieve different types of plasticity.

3 Jun 2025

Board game helps autistic people share their stories

A board game through which players use images on cards to develop and tell their own stories could be particularly appreciated among people with autism as it offers a means to explain their thoughts and feelings, a new study has shown.

2 Jun 2025

Cross-cultural analysis reveals differences in socio-cognitive abilities of autistic and non-autistic adults

Emerging theories suggest that communication challenges arise from differing perspectives between autistic and non-autistic partners rather than individual socio-cognitive deficits.

30 May 2025

American doctors are moving to Canada to escape the Trump administration

Earlier this year, as President Donald Trump was beginning to reshape the American government, Michael, an emergency room doctor who was born, raised, and trained in the United States, packed up his family and got out.

30 May 2025

Interactive robots should act more like therapy horses in emotional healing

Interactive robots should not just be passive companions, but active partners–like therapy horses who respond to human emotion–say University of Bristol researchers.

29 May 2025

No early sex differences found in autism traits among toddlers

Males are more than four times more likely to receive an autism diagnosis than females. But a new study by researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine has found no clinical differences in autistic traits between the sexes in toddlers when they are first diagnosed with autism.

26 May 2025

Study assures safety of triptan use during pregnancy for migraine sufferers

There's good news for people with migraine who take common drugs before or during pregnancy-a new study found no increase in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and ADHD in their children.

22 May 2025

Discovery of novel gene candidate sheds light on autism mechanisms

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition affecting the brain's development and often affects the ability of a person to perceive sensory information and social cues and socialize with others.

21 May 2025

Researchers discover key mechanism behind synapse maturation

Researchers from the lab led by Prof. Joris De Wit (VIB-KU Leuven) have discovered an important clue to how connections between brain cells, known as synapses, mature.

21 May 2025

Microplastics in ultra-processed foods may fuel mental health risks, experts warn

New research highlights a possible link between microplastics in ultra-processed foods and rising rates of depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. Experts call for urgent investigation as microplastic accumulation in the human brain increases alongside ultra-processed food intake.

21 May 2025