A brain scan may someday be able to help identify cases of autism, a new study suggests. Currently, autism is diagnosed based on subjective evaluations of a child’s behavioral and developmental deficits, but researchers at …
Autism
Q&A: Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen on Empathy and the Science of Evil
Cambridge psychology professor and leading autism expert Simon Baron-Cohen is best known for studying the theory that a key problem in autistic disorders is “mind blindness,” difficulty understanding the thoughts, feelings and …
Viewpoint: In Wake of Founder’s Arrest, ‘Shock School’ for Autistic Children Should Be Shuttered
On an August night four years ago, following phoned-in instructions from someone they believed was a supervisor, staff members of a group home for emotionally disturbed boys in Stoughton, Mass., rousted two teenage residents from …
Gene Expression in the Brain Offers Clues to Autism’s Roots
Increasingly, scientists are studying the brain in people with autism, seeking a molecular signature that might help identify the complex disorder as it develops or some structural clue to its causes. Now an intriguing new study …
Developmental Disabilities, Including Autism and ADHD, Are on the Rise
One in six American children now has a developmental disability — a 17% increase over the past decade, driven largely by increases in autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to government researchers.
Study: Why Some Transgendered People Have Higher Levels of Autistic Traits
Female-to-male transgendered people — known as transmen — have more autistic traits than typical heterosexual men and women, and more than those who wish to switch gender in the opposite direction, according to new research.
How Fear Changes What We Hear
How does fear alter memory? A new study reveals that it can literally change our perception, a process that may help researchers better understand post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other anxiety disorders and possibly …
South Korean Study Suggests Rate of Autism May Be Underestimated
In the first large-scale study of its kind, U.S. and South Korean researchers report that the rate of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may be significantly higher than previously thought, affecting as many as 1 in 38 children. The …
Environmental Toxins Cost Billions in Childhood Disease
Back in 2002, Philip Landrigan and a team of other researchers at Mount Sinai Medical School estimated the annual cost of four childhood conditions — lead poisoning, cancer, developmental disabilities and asthma — that could …
Brain Size, Early Growth: Clues to Autism’s Causes
There’s been a lot of news recently about efforts to detect signs of autism in children earlier — even before age 2, which is when doctors typically make the first diagnosis based on toddlers’ behavior and development. (Read …
Q&A: How to Live Well on the Autistic Spectrum
What happens when children with Asperger’s grow up?
Detecting Autism Early With a 5-Minute Questionnaire
It’s generally better to detect a disease sooner rather than later, but with some slowly progressing conditions, it’s not always possible to pick out the first signs of trouble.
Family MattersChildhood
Jenny McCarthy, Vaccine Expert? A Quarter of Parents Trust Celebrities
Jenny McCarthy is a former Playboy bunny, not an academic expert, a doctor or a vaccine researcher. Yet 24% of parents surveyed recently by the University of Michigan say they place “some trust” in information provided by …