Anecdotal reports from some doctors, parents and autistic adults have long suggested that cannabis and cannabis-derived products can ease certain common autism traits, including anxiety and aggression. Though many of these claims remain untested, research over the past five years shows that cannabis…

Since the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, the proportion of presenters at neuroscience conferences who are Black has increased by only 3 percentage points, according to a new analysis. The study, published Thursday in Nature Neuroscience, compared the fraction of Black presenters at 18 neurosci…

Entering the holiday season, I realized how thankful I am for the five mentors God has brought into my life and ministry. These men empowered me to become the man I am today. I hope to mentor and inspire other young adults on the autism spectrum to accomplish their dreams. By Ron Sandison As I refle…

Hello, and welcome to the Community Newsletter! I’m your host, Chelsey B. Coombs, Spectrum’s engagement editor. As a reminder, Spectrum will hold a Twitter chat during the Society for Neuroscience conference this week. Join us from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, 10 November to chat with your f…

The post Spotted around the web: Heart rate in autism, suicide screening, accelerating gene therapies appeared first on Spectrum | Autism Research News. Source: Spectrum News

The breathing troubles seen in children with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, a rare form of autism, stem from dysfunctional circuits and a rogue sodium channel in the brainstem, according to a new mouse study. About 250 people worldwide have Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, which is characterized by intellectual disab…

Recent studies have suggested that people on the autism spectrum are more apt to be impacted by gender... The post 5.7% of Parents Say Their Child with Autism Struggles with Gender Identity, Survey Finds appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

The August launch of the U.K.-based autism research project Spectrum 10K sparked a firestorm of negative comments about the study’s aims from autistic people and their allies. The researchers have paused the project while they seek more guidance from autistic community members. “They’re backtracking…

Michael Worthington has over 400 paintings incorporating found heads-up pennies. By Michael Worthington December, 1999. Holiday time in NYC. Unemployed while in the music business, I was walking home one evening when I noticed a fair amount of change on the sidewalks. It caught my attention that in …

Joseph Dodd may be only nine years old, but he’s already inspiring others! With help from his mom,... The post 9-Year-Old Boy Writes Book To Show Kids Like Him That It’s Ok To Be Different appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

Audrey Brumback did not plan to follow in the footsteps of her father — a doctor, a scientist and the founder of the Journal of Child Neurology. She went to medical school but tried out new specialties — OB-GYN and then ophthalmology. Ultimately, though, those forays in healing were unsatisfying com…

Mice with a mutation in an autism-linked gene called ADNP show sex-specific changes in gene expression, behavior and other characteristics, a new study shows. The mice may mimic some of the traits seen in people with ADNP mutations more closely than a previously created mouse strain. Mutations in AD…

Due to issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half of America’s school districts are experiencing a severe... The post Retired FBI Executive Becomes School Bus Driver To Help Kids During Shortage appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed how autism is assessed. Most clinical assessments, which are key to understanding, tracking and providing help for children with the condition, have moved online. This transition to telehealth has made it easier for families with autistic children who …