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6 March 2012

A Newsletter from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative

NEWS Large eye-tracking study highlights diversity of autism Swedish study dissects autism risk in immigrants VIEWPOINT Looking at autism through the fruit fly IN BRIEF Genetics: Maternal and paternal age increase risk of autism Molecular mechanisms: Protein synthesis boosted in fragile X Clinical research: Autism genes linked to autoimmune disease TOOLBOX MRI devices for children reduce head motion in scanner AUTISM IN THE ARTS Documentary review: Le Mur (The Wall) BLOG Stunted growth

NEWS

Large eye-tracking study highlights diversity of autism

Children with autism who have different verbal and intellectual abilities seem to glean useful social information from different parts of the face, according to the largest-ever eye-tracking study of the disorder. The findings are published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Read More >

Swedish study dissects autism risk in immigrants

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Immigrating to another country during pregnancy appears to boost the risk of having a child who has low-functioning autism, according to a comprehensive, population-based study in Sweden. The research was published online 23 February in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

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VIEWPOINT

Looking at autism through the fruit fly

The characteristics, interactions and roles of autism-associated genes in the fruit fly brain will help guide how we think about the same genes in humans, says Ralph Greenspan.

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IN BRIEF

Genetics: Maternal and paternal age increase risk of autism

The odds of having a child with autism begin to rise at age 35 for both men and women, but that risk does not increase further when both parents are over 35, according to a large study published in the March issue of Annals of Epidemiology.

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Molecular mechanisms: Protein synthesis boosted in fragile X

A cellular pathway that initiates protein synthesis may be overactive in individuals with fragile X syndrome, according a study published 23 January in Genes, Brain and Behavior.

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Clinical research: Autism genes linked to autoimmune disease

The genetic risk factors for autism may also increase a person's risk of developing ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis of the spine, and decrease the risk of multiple sclerosis, according to a study published 13 December in Translational Psychiatry.

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TOOLBOX

MRI devices for children reduce head motion in scanner

Researchers have developed functional magnetic imaging devices that are optimized to fit children's heads, according to a study published in the December issue of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. These tools increase the quality of the data and deter head motion, which research suggests can lead to spurious results. Read More >

AUTISM IN THE ARTS

Documentary review: Le Mur (The Wall)

The French documentary Le Mur (The Wall) shows that many psychoanalysts in France shun biological explanations for autism.

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BLOG

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Stunted growth
Scientists worry that funding cuts to the National Children's Study, an ambitious effort to track 100,000 children in the United States from before birth through age 21, may harm recruitment efforts.

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