Brain difference linked to autism
May 8, 2009 at 10:48 pm | In autism, discoveries, research | 2 CommentsTags: amygdala, amygdala growth, autism, autism diagnosis, brain, discovery, infancy, research, toddlers, University of North Carolina
Researchers from the University of North Carolina made an interest discovery. They found out that the amygdala in toddlers with autism is 13 percent larger than the one in unaffected kids. It is believed that during the last part of the first year of life, some kids’ amygdala starts to grow. This could also explain why autism is so hard and sometimes imposible to diagnose during early infancy. Usually, a diagnosis of autism is deferred until the second year of life, when it becomes easier to identify the condition through observable behaviors. Before that and until now, diagnosis before the second or third year were inacurate and some times impossible.
This new discovery will enable us to detect the condition earlier, since the average age for diagnosis is 3.
Read the full article from CNN following this link.
Blue Laser could lead to Autism cure
May 1, 2009 at 1:40 am | In autism, discoveries, neuroscience, research | Leave a CommentTags: activity, ADHD, attention deficit disorder, autism, blue laser, brain, concentration, cure, gamma ray, MIT, Nature, neurons, schizophrenia
Discovery News published very promising and interesting news.
One characteristic of people with Autism, AD/HD and Schizophrenia, is that in their cerebral activity either don’t have gamma waves at all, or they are very irregular. The idea is to induce gamma ray activity in the brain by triggering lasers set in specific frequencies.
April 29, 2009 — Lasers could one day cure, or at least aid in the search for drugs that treat diseases ranging from autism to schizophrenia, according to two new studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University and published in the online issue of the journal Nature.
A blue laser shined into a live mouse brain triggered gamma waves, which are a kind of brain wave necessary for concentration and cognition that people with autism and schizophrenia often lack.
“There are lots of theories about why [gamma wave oscillation] is impaired,” said Li-Huei Tsai, a professor at MIT and a co-author on one of theNature papers.
“This is the first proof that a specific set of neurons are responsible for gamma waves.”
Click here to go to the full article in Discovery News.
Interactive Autism Network Opens Its Doors To Adults With Autism
April 9, 2009 at 7:46 pm | In autism, psychology, research | Leave a CommentTags: ASD, autism, IAN, Interactive Autism Network, online research, research
The Interactive Autism Network (IAN) is an innovative online project bringing together tens of thousands of people affected by autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and hundreds of researchers in a search for answers.
Individuals with ASD and their families can share information in a secure setting to become part of the largest online autism research effort in the United States. The data collected by IAN both facilitates scientific research and empowers community leaders to advocate for improved services and resources. In addition, anyone impacted by an ASD can become part of IAN’s online community to stay informed about autism research and make their voices heard.
“By surveying and registering adults with autism, the IAN Project will be able to gain a clearer picture of how adults with autism are living today, and connect them with researchers who are working to understand the disorder at all stages of life.”
Here’s the link
New research sheds new light on Autism´s origins
February 28, 2008 at 12:13 am | In autism | Leave a CommentTags: antibodies, autism, brain, cause, fetus, immune system, origins of autism, predisposition, pregnancy, research
Recent research from the Johns Hopkins Children´s Center suggests that one of the origins of Autism could reside in antibodies (interfering with the fetal brain directly) produced by the mother during pregnancy, suggesting that the mother´s immune system could be a trigger or a factor in those already predisposed. Link to full article by Sciencedaily.com here.
Discovery in autism could improve diagnostic efficiency
February 13, 2008 at 3:51 am | In autism, discoveries | Leave a CommentTags: advances, autism, neuroscience, psychology, research, treatment
Autism Disorder is one of the most elussive conditions a mental health professional can come across. Firstly, it is difficult to precisely diagnose due to it´s broad severity spectrum (depending on very subtle manifestations and timing of the condition it could be filed under Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Rett Syndrome. And sometimes this subtle differences are too subtle). Secondly, because there are still no definitive answers regarding its causes, though recent discoveries in neuroscience are starting to shed new light. Third, because detection can only be made in infants from the first year until the end of the third year. And finally, because young people who suffer from autism are the most difficult population to approach (in a clinical way) thus complicating not only the task of diagnosing but also treating.
Yesterday i came across in physorg.com a new discovery using magnetic resonance imaging. Continue reading Discovery in autism could improve diagnostic efficiency…
Psychologist. Currently working as a Program Coordinator in the Devereux Foundation in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
I studied at the University of Buenos Aires. My professional experience includes working in HR for HSBC Bank Argentina and in two mental health facilities performing psychological evaluations.
Management, social media and tech are my other interests and I’m always keeping myself updated with cutting edge information. If this also interests you, follow me to my other blog http://tek-topic.com/
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