October 10, 2021
- The next two full committee IACC meetings are on Wednesday, October 13, 2021; 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET and Thursday, October 14, 2021; 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET.
- The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation will host a webinar titled, “Early Life Risk for Pathological Anxiety” on Tuesday, October 12, 2021; 2:00 p.m. EDT. All webinars are archived and available for free in case a live webinar, like this one, is missed.
- A pilot study has demonstrated that contrary to earlier hypotheses, individuals with autism do not have a higher COVID-19 risk than the general population. The study’s data shows that viral susceptibility and severity between those with ASD and those without were about that same.
- Despite decades of policies attempting to curtail lead exposure, new research shows that the majority of American children (50.5%) still have lead in their blood. Any detectable lead level is abnormal and potentially harmful. Sadly, higher blood lead levels were associated with poverty, race and housing.
- A new cancer drug aiming to promote gene expression has exhibited a reduction of repetitive behavior and improvement in memory and sociability in a mouse model of autism. However, the treatment did not reduce the animals’ anxiety or motor issues. It is unclear at this point if the drug could help people with autism.
- De novo (new) mutations in autism occur in high and low risk families. De novo mutation contributes to autism incidence in low-risk families as proven by a higher incidence in an affected single sibling than in their unaffected siblings. A new study estimates that de novo events contribute to 52-67% of cases of autism arising from low risk families, and 30-39% of all cases of autism.
