Community Shares | May 20th 2024
As the eastern half of the country prepares for a loud summer with the emergence of cicadas, Dr. Rachel Follmer, assistant professor of developmental behavioral pediatrics at Northwestern University, offers advice for parents of children with autism or those sensitive to sound. She suggests showing photos of cicadas, watching videos or listening to audio clips […]
Familial Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Shows Promise in Treating Autism Symptoms
Case Report Highlights Significant Gut Microbiome and Behavioral Improvements in Teen with ASD Using Sibling Donor In a fascinating new case report, researchers, including Steven J. Walker, PhD, documented significant improvements in both gut microbiome composition and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms after familial fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed in an adolescent with ASD. […]
Naviaux Lab Identifies Metabolic Markers in Newborns in Hopes of Predicting Autism Spectrum Disorder
Newly Discovered Pathways Linked to Cell Danger Response Offer Potential for Early Detection and Improved Treatments A team of researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, including Dr. Robert Naviaux, recently used metabolomics to identify markers in newborns that might predict autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The researchers discovered that children with […]
Community Shares | May 20th 2024
Heather Volk, Ph.D., an NIEHS grant recipient and associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, is advancing the understanding of how environmental factors like air pollution and genetic mutations contribute to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. Her research, inspired by an NIEHS grant for postdoctoral training, explores how prenatal exposure to pollutants combined with specific […]
Study Links Prenatal Pesticide Exposure to Lower IQ in Elementary-Aged Children
UC Berkeley Researchers Find Association Between Residential Proximity to Pesticides and Cognitive Decline A new study from UC Berkeley researchers has investigated the impact of prenatal residential proximity to agricultural pesticide use on the neurodevelopment of 7-year-old children in the Salinas Valley of California. Using data from the CHAMACOS study, researchers assessed the association between […]
New Connection Discovered Between PTSD and Autism Traits
Mild Stress Can Trigger PTSD-Like Memories in People with Autism, Highlighting Need for Targeted Stress Management and Early Intervention A recent study published in iScience has revealed a critical link between PTSD-like memory formation and core traits of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The authors found that even mild stress could cause PTSD-like memories in mouse […]
