Autism & Sleep Troubles: A Critical Concern and Least Studied Feature of the Spectrum
The two most common issues for individuals with autism are insomnia and diminished time spent in the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage. The insomnia people with autism experience not only makes it difficult to fall asleep but it also makes it a challenge to stay asleep. The general population spends about 23 percent of their sleep in the REM cycle. People with autism only spend 15 percent, making their sleep less restorative. Lower quality sleep can lead to poor social skills, more severe repetitive behaviors and lower scores on IQ tests.
What Leads to the Good Life for Autistic Adults? Nobody Knows.
People with autism live most of their lives as adults, yet almost all research – 98% – has been done on children. And what meager research on adult outcomes exists has generally focused on the individual or family – on skill development or caregiving approaches, for example. Yet studies on health challenges across many fields have shown that community- or systems-level capacities – the services offered, innovation in programs, case coordination, financing – are vital components to achieving sufficient quality of life. Surprisingly, there are few studies evaluating programs and services for autistic adults, reports a new study.
Horseback Riding Therapy for Autism Given a Boost
“We hypothesize that our manualized therapeutic riding (THR) approach regulates/conditions physiological arousal levels in the ASD population and is at least partially responsible for our previous observations of beneficial THR outcomes,” Gabriels said. She notes that emotional regulation through THR may lower the need for medications and reduce hospitalizations.
30 Years of Autism = $7 Trillion in Costs
Next Decade Will Add More Trillions to Looming Public Financial Burden: The lifetime cost of autism for U.S. cases identified in the 30 years between 1990 and 2019 is estimated to be $7 trillion. If costs for the next decade 2020-2029 are included, the lifetime cost will reach up to $15 trillion. The findings were reported in a new study in the journal Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. In “The Lifetime Social Cost of Autism: 1990–2029”, authors Janet Cakir, Richard Frye, and Stephen Walker compiled findings from peer-reviewed published studies on the number of cases of autism for the decades 1990-2019 and the lifetime cost of autism per person in the U.S.
Potential Anti-inflammatory Treatment for Autism
A team of researchers led by Dr. Theoharis Theoharides has shown that IL-37 is increased along with the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-18 and its receptor IL-18R, in the amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of children with ASD. Moreover, IL-37 inhibits neurotensin-stimulated secretion and gene expression of IL-1β and CXCL8 from cultured human microglia. 24 These results suggest that the gene for IL-37 is activated in an effort to contain the inflammation in the amygdala, but the protein is either not produced or not made in sufficient amount to reduce the inflammation sufficiently.
Autism Prevalence – Examining the Myths and Truths
SafeMinds interviews the New Jersey investigator for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) autism prevalence report of 1 in 59 children, examining the truths and myths behind the latest numbers from the Federal Government. The big news for May was the release of new autism prevalence numbers from the Federal Government. The CDC study by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) found that 1 in 59 children have autism, up from the 1 in 68 they reported just two years ago. This alarming increase compelled SafeMinds to call for an emergency meeting with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Along with other autism organizations, SafeMinds is demanding a Federal Autism Strategic Plan that address the urgent crisis of autism.
