March 13, 2023
- UC Davis MIND Institute researchers have confirmed that brain development in people with autism varies from people without the disorder. According to their new study, these differences are associated with genes involved in inflammation, immune system response, and neural transmissions. These variations begin in childhood and progress throughout the lifespan. The study identified 194 significantly different genes in the brains of people with autism. Of those genes, 143 produced more mRNA (upregulated) and 51 produced less (downregulated) in autistic brains versus typical brains. The downregulated genes were mainly linked to brain connectivity, indicating that the neurons may not communicate efficiently.
- New data shows that difficulties in vocal emotion processing for children and individuals with autism are rooted in deficits in the brain’s social regions, such as the temporoparietal junction (TPJ). These brain regions help interpret the emotional content of vocal signals. Specifically, the TPJ and other parts of the brain associated with social skills are thought to be the basis of the “theory of mind,” which is the ability to understand other people’s mental states and emotions.
- The U.S. Department of Labor has recently launched a webpage containing fact sheets, frequently asked questions, and other materials to help workers understand their rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act. This new webpage focuses on how the act applies to disability caregivers. Eligible employees are entitled to unpaid, job-protected leave to provide care for a family member, including twelve work weeks of leave in a 12-month period to care for the employee’s spouse, child (even adult children), or parent with a serious health condition.
- The Autism Research Institute (ARI) has recently released a webinar titled “Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Autistic Patients.” Federico Balzola, M.D., shares his findings on gastrointestinal symptoms and pathological microscopic histological alterations identified during upper and lower endoscopy with biopsies in more than 400 patients with autism. Balzola has discovered a significant association between clinical manifestations and histological alterations that improved clinical and neuropsychiatric symptoms after dietary and pharmacological treatment of intestinal inflammation.
- The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) is holding its next virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. This full committee meeting is free and accessible to the public via NIH Videocast. To submit a public comment, visit IAAC’s meeting page.
