If one wanted to market a scientifically-unproven intervention, device, or pill as a valid autism treatment to families affected by autism, how would one go about it? Glossy pictures? Glowing testimonials? Miracle claims? Hyped social media pitches? Charming infomercials? Answer: All of the above. A…

On the website of the company Neurocore, an illustration of an anthropomorphized human brain, complete with hopeful eyes and a wide smile, is pumping iron. “A stronger brain makes anything possible,” says the tagline next to the cheery brain. This concept — body-building for the brain — is the premi…

Learning, memory and social behaviors all hinge on the tight control of messages passed between brain cells at junctions called synapses. This communication depends on proteins at these synapses that allow neurons to respond appropriately to signals, such as developmental programs and environmental …

Ralph and his family were almost to the front of the line when they learned the Spider-Man ride had broken down.Source: The Autism Site

A transparent set of electrodes enables researchers to simultaneously record electrical signals and visualize neurons in the brains of awake mice1. Syncing neuronal signals with videos of neurons helps researchers map those signals to particular sites in the brain. The technology could yield insight…

The post Spotted around the web: Week of 18 November 2019 appeared first on Spectrum | Autism Research News. Source: Spectrum News

The students at Prairieview Elementary School in Michigan welcomed their beloved school therapy dog into the student body with an official school photo.Source: The Autism Site

Head movements, eye blinks, heartbeats, random fluctuations in brain waves — these are all common sources of unwanted signals, or ‘noise,’ in recordings of brain activity. Neuroscience researchers spend a lot of time using computational tools to extract meaningful signals from noise in their data. B…

Nobody likes picking up poop, but for some people with disabilities, this activity can be difficult or impossible. With Beetl Robotic’s Poop-Scooper prototype, this challenge may soon be a thing of the past. The robot slowly drives around your yard (think Roomba) while uploading images of t…

By Aaron Bouma For my peoples with disabilities, stigma is something we continuously face. It is how we are perceived to be, to act, and what we are believed to be capable of as well as what expections people have when they become involved with us. Expectations can be like a scale. It can be good …

The Art of Autism is accepting contributions of art, poems, and prose for Black History Month. Email info@artautism.com By Dr. Angel Durr, Art of Autism Board member As Black History Month approaches, it’s important to recognize how many African Americans are affected by autism. While autism …

More than half of autistic people in the United States have an average or above-average intelligence quotient (IQ), an uptick over previous estimates, a new longitudinal study of children in Minnesota suggests. The rise could reflect a heightened awareness and understanding of the condition, as well…

By Debra Muzikar Yesterday I had the opportunity to ask Dr. Stephen Shore some questions about his recent appointment to the Board of Directors of Autism Speaks. I hope others will find his answers illuminating. With the appointment of two board members on the autism spectrum, will this change the d…

Sometimes, families who have kids with an autism spectrum disorder just need a little extra help. That's where books about autism and autism spectrum disorders come into play.Source: The Autism Site