Copyright 2008 Medical News Today Latest Autism News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/autism/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Thu, 15 May 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107441.php Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show profound deficits in social interactions and communications, and display repetitive behaviors and abnormal responses to sensory experiences. One aspect of an autistic child's impaired social abilities is their lack of affiliative behaviors, i.e., behaviors such as touching and hugging that strengthen social bonds. Thu, 15 May 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107439.php The list of short RNAs grows longerRNA is best known as a working copy of the DNA sequence of genes. In this role, it's a carrier of the genes' instructions to the cell, which manufactures proteins according to information in the RNA molecule.But molecular biologists have increasingly realized that many RNA snippets -- so-called small RNAs -- also directly influence which genes make proteins, and in some cases, how much protein. Wed, 14 May 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107297.php Music has a universal ability to tap into our deepest emotions. Unfortunately, for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), understanding emotions is a very difficult task. Can music help them? Thanks to funding from the GRAMMY Foundation Grant Program, researchers at UCLA are about to find out. Individuals with ASD have trouble recognizing emotions, particularly social emotions conveyed through facial expressions - a frown, a smirk or a smile. Tue, 13 May 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107181.php Parents claiming that the vaccine preservative thimerosal damaged their children's brains and led them to show symptoms of autism, brought their case before the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington yesterday, Monday, the second case in a series of three where the court has to decide whether the US government should pay millions of dollars in compensation to the families of about 4,800 autistic children, reported the New York Times. Mon, 12 May 2008 06:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107074.php The Autism Awareness Campaign UK is urging the Minister Ivan Lewis to launch a debate on Social Care and the Elderly with Autism in the wake of his recent announcement. Autism is a neuro developmental disorder - over 500,000 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum. In 10 years time there could be well over a million people with autism. Mon, 12 May 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107048.php Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism advocacy organization has announced the formation of an international collaboration with North, South and Central America. This multinational initiative will help to raise awareness and develop research expertise focusing on public health and screening for early diagnosis and enhanced service delivery across the Americas. Fri, 09 May 2008 15:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106960.php The University of Leicester is leading on a national study to calculate the number of adults with autism, it has been announced. Professor Terry Brugha, Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Health Sciences is spearheading the study in conjunction with a team of research experts including the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), Research Autism and Professor Simon Baron-Cohen of the Autism Research Centre. It will report in 2009. Fri, 09 May 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106904.php The National Autistic Society (NAS) is celebrating a crucial win for people with autism, as the Government announced that for the first time, adults with the disability and their needs will be counted. Revealing a raft of new measures, and in response to the NAS I Exist campaign, the government demonstrated a major commitment to improving the lives of thousands of adults with autism building towards a landmark national adult autism strategy. Fri, 09 May 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106812.php Care services Minister Ivan Lewis announced £500,000 for Government research into the numbers of adults with autism and their specific transitions needs. This prevalence study will inform the first ever Government strategy on adults with autism and Asperger's syndrome, due to be published next year. The number of children with autism is as high as 1 in 100 (according to Prof. Thu, 08 May 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106741.php Dr. Eric Fombonne, from the Research Institute of the MUHC at the Montreal Children's Hospital, is involved in a multi-site consortium to gather DNA samples from 2,000 autism patients and their families over the next three years.The Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) is a coordinated effort to create a database of genetic and behavioral information about cases where there is only one family member with autism. Tue, 06 May 2008 06:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106461.php Parents of children with autism were roughly twice as likely to have been hospitalized for a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, than parents of other children, according to an analysis of Swedish birth and hospital records by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researcher and colleagues in the U.S. and Europe. Tue, 06 May 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106407.php The realities of the "autism front" are illustrated in James Wilson's frank, funny memoir centered on his son, Sam.After what he calls "a lifetime of personal experience," James Wilson had more than enough material for Weather Reports from the Autism Front: A Father's Memoir of His Autistic Son.Wilson didn't, however, plan the book during those years - or even take notes along the way. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105852.php Parents and caregivers of children, teens and adults with autism spectrum disorders are among those invited to participate in a daylong town hall meeting on May 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at UC Davis Cancer Center, 4501 "X" St., Sacramento, to discuss priorities for current and future autism research. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105530.php The concept of WAAD- "Don't 'dis' the ability" : Artworks by individuals on the Autism Spectrum is to expand our understanding of the diversity of people on the autism spectrum while educating the world about the abilities and opportunities to encourage advancement in every human beyond their individual challenges. The participating artists shared their contributions with the world as an extension of this message to "train the talent" and to foster independence. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105484.php What began as an informal presentation by a clinical linguist to a group of philosophers, has led to some surprising discoveries about the communicative language abilities of people with autism.Several years back, Robert Stainton, now a philosophy professor at The University of Western Ontario, attended a presentation by his long-time friend Jessica de Villiers, a clinical linguist now at the University of British Columbia. The topic was Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105475.php A hard-hitting report on the lack of statutory services for children with autism and their parents and carers will be published this week.The report, Meeting the Needs of Families Living with Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, was compiled by researchers from Queen's University Belfast, University of Ulster, and autism charity, PEAT, supported by funding from the Royal Irish Academy. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105316.php How do mercury emissions affect pregnant mothers, the unborn and toddlers? Do the level of emissions impact autism rates? Does it matter whether a mercury-emitting source is 10 miles away from families versus 20 miles? Is the risk of autism greater for children who live closer to the pollution so Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/104982.php The Autism Awareness Campaign UK has urged Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Chancellor of the Exchequer Alastair Darling to reach out to the vulnerable and help families with autism during these times of crisis. The credit crunch will hurt the poor, the most vulnerable sections of society and this will include parents, carers and people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome. They have no one to turn to for help. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/104540.php Researchers might have gained insight into why people with autism have difficulty remembering faces and distinguishing facial emotion. In an ongoing study, Dr. Nim Tottenham, assistant professor of psychology in psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College, is examining how normal and autistic brains behave when viewing a face. While their brain is scanned in an fMRI machine, subjects look at a computer screen displaying different faces with various facial expressions. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/104086.php Blooming Kids Software (BloomingKids), a company that creates computer programs designed to teach children who have Autism, PDD and other needs requiring early intervention, has added Mac versions of its educational programs. The programs (37 of them) that were released in 2006 and 2008 have been working in windows. BloomingKids has made a Mac version of these programs at the request of the parents and teachers who use these programs to educate learning disabled children. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/104084.php Thousands of adults with autism in the South East are isolated and ignored, unable to access the support they need, and are often completely dependent on their families. These are the findings of The National Autistic Society (NAS) I Exist report, which has its South East launch on Thursday 17th April at the BT Centre in London. Media are welcome to attend. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/103854.php Some kids with autism may have a genetic defect that affects the muscles, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12 - 19, 2008.The study looked at 37 children with autism spectrum disorders who were evaluated for mitochondrial disease, which causes muscle weakness and prevents a child from being able to participate in physical activities and sports. Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/103761.php The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation released the following statement from its executive director and CEO, Chuck Mohan, in light of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee's (NVAC) meeting of its Vaccine Safety Working Group and recent published reports of possible links between mitochondrial disorders and autism. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/103646.php Columbia University researchers are involved in a multi-site consortium to gather and bank DNA samples from 2,000 autism patients and their families over the next three years. The Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) is a coordinated effort to create a database of information about cases where there is only one family member with autism. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/103315.php Research funded by the Wellcome Trust suggests that many children diagnosed with severe language disorders in the 1980s and 1990s would today be diagnosed as having autism. The research supports the theory that the rise in the number of cases of autism may be related to changes in how it is diagnosed.