Prenatal Exposure to Lead Negatively Affects the Gut Microbiome in Childhood
Study’s Authors Identify the Second Trimester as a Critical Exposure Window New research from the Icahn School of Medicine analyzed pilot microbiome data from the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment and Social Stressors (PROGRESS) cohort based in Mexico City to examine associations between prenatal lead (Pb) exposure and gut microbiome composition and function in […]
An Early Autism Diagnosis Does Not Necessarily Mean a Better Quality of Life
Research Finds the Number of Autistic Traits Is the Strongest Predictor of Better Life Outcomes British researchers recently set out to examine whether learning about an individual’s autism diagnosis earlier in childhood predicts a better quality of life and well-being in adulthood. Unlike previous research, their study did not find evidence for this relationship, suggesting […]
Early Exposure to General Anesthesia Could Be Linked to Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Research Suggests Exposure During Critical Stages of Brain Development May Contribute to Rising Rates of ADHD and Possibly ASD A recent meta-analysis from researchers at the University of Colorado suggests that early exposure to general anesthesia during critical stages of brain development might not be benign as once thought and could have lasting socio-affective consequences. […]
Research Finds Oxytocin to Induce Labor Is Not Linked to Autism Spectrum Disorder
New International Study Suggests Previous Research Finding an Association Was Flawed A joint population-based retrospective cohort study from researchers in Canada and Israel has found that inducing labor through oxytocin administration does not increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. The current study’s design examined nine different exposure groups from the two […]
Mental Health Concerns Are Prevalent in Children with Neurodevelopmental Conditions
Study Finds Over 1/3 of Children with NDCs Had Mental Health Needs, Females Reported Increased Internalizing Symptoms Compared to Males Researchers from Australia recently set out to evaluate mental health concerns in children with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) who were attending their first developmental assessment at a publicly-funded diagnostic assessment service. In total, their study included […]
Investigating the Fever Effect on Children with Autism
New Finding Shows Kids Exposed to Maternal Immune Activation and Later GI Dysfunction May Experience Behavioral Improvements During Fever Episodes Israeli scientists recently set out to investigate the intriguing fever effect phenomenon that some children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display. When neurotypical people develop a fever, they typically feel achy, tired, and grumpy. However, […]
