Research Articles

angry young girl
October 21, 2024

Pathological Demand Avoidance: Understanding Anxiety-Driven Behavior in Autism

Psychology Today article explores the controversial diagnosis of pathological demand avoidance (PDA), a behavioral profile often seen in individuals on the autism spectrum. PDA is characterized by an intense need to avoid everyday demands due to overwhelming anxiety rather than defiance.

sick infant
October 21, 2024

Early Childhood Infections Associated with Higher Risk of Autism and Intellectual Disabilities

Maternal Infections During Pregnancy Show Weaker Association Due to Familial Factors: Researchers from Taiwan have recently conducted a large cohort study examining the potential influence of maternal infections during pregnancy and early childhood infections on the development of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), tic disorders, and mental retardation (MR).

microscopic bacteria
October 14, 2024

New Research Uncovers Key Gut Bacteria Associated With Autism

Middle Eastern scientists have recently explored the role of the gut microbiome in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by comparing individuals with ASD, their unaffected siblings, and a control group. Their study highlights significant microbiome differences, particularly the lower abundance of Turicibacter and Bacteroidetes and a higher abundance of Catenibacterium and Tenericutes in individuals with ASD.

children playing
October 14, 2024

MIND Institute Study Finds Higher Autism Risk for Siblings of Children with ASD

A new study by the UC Davis MIND Institute and the Baby Siblings Research Consortium, published in Pediatrics, found that approximately 20% of siblings born after a child with autism are diagnosed with the disorder. This rate is seven times higher than the general population’s 2.5%.

American flag waving in the breeze
September 30, 2024

Final Rules under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)

U.S. Departments of HHS, Labor, and the Treasury released new final rules under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), furthering its goal to eliminate disparities between mental health/substance use disorder (MH/SUD) and medical/surgical (M/S) benefits in health plans.

Cytokines
September 30, 2024

Immune Dysregulation Found in Cord Blood Associated with Autism Risk

A new MIND Institute study has examined cytokine levels in cord blood (CB) to investigate their relationship with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk, using data from the MARBLES study.

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