You’ve arrived in some distant land, and you have a few days to come back with an array of publishable images.  It’s easy if you want to photograph people in common tourist locations.  But what if you are out for something different?  If you are like me, you’ll want to shoot nature wi…

A shortage of CUL3, a leading autism gene, impairs social behavior in mice by ramping up protein production in neurons, a new study suggests1. CUL3 helps tag superfluous proteins for destruction. Several studies have tied rare, spontaneous variants in the gene to autism. But little is known about ho…

By Megan Amodeo Bedtime can be met with joy after a long day, or resistance and frustration if you hate going to bed. I, for one, treasure my sleep. I look forward to going to bed after a tiresome and busy day. At some point in our lives, we experience sleep issues. Typical people experience sleep p…

‘Really Autism? You going to start before I even have a cup of coffee?’ Yes really. That was posted in an Autism ‘support’ group. I couldn’t resist replying ‘Really Neurotypical? You need a coffee first?’ The poster replied asking why I was offended. I explained I am Autistic and I found the f…

A tool kit of light-sensitive proteins allows researchers to mute communication between specific sets of neurons in mice. The kit, described 2 December in Neuron, could help to clarify the role of these neuronal circuits, which relay messages through the molecule gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), in a…

PRT focuses on pivotal development areas instead of individual behaviors, and uses the child’s interests to motivate them to speak.Source: The Autism Site

An autism diagnosis is based on behavior. But identifying a brain signature for the condition could help support diagnosis and even provide an early biomarker of the condition. Knowing autism’s imprints in the brain may also shed light on biological mechanisms and point to targets for treatments. Th…

For some pregnant women, taking the nutritional supplement carnitine may lower the risk of having a child with autism, a new mouse study suggests. Previous studies have hinted at a link between autism and a common genetic defect that prevents the body from synthesizing carnitine. The new findings, p…

White House to Light it Up Blue April 2, World Autism Awareness Day Those in the Autism community are all aware that April is an overwhelming time – full of events to bring awareness to autism. Today Sean Spicer said at his press conference that the White House will be lighting it up blue for …

I am very much a lone-wolf and an intrepid one at that. I venture into hot pot restaurants most white people would consider too foreign or too edgy, I read the menus in their original Chinese and order my food in either Mandarin or Cantonese which I’ve taught myself. By Tom Clements Aspergians are n…

The post Spotted around the web: Week of 9 September 2019 appeared first on Spectrum | Autism Research News. Source: Spectrum News

A new database that details the ages at which children attain milestones could help clinicians spot developmental delays and autism sooner1. Children usually reach developmental milestones such as speaking and walking by a certain age. Pediatricians use these cutoffs to screen for developmental dela…

Can a quadriplegic, someone paralyzed from the neck down, drive a car?  Race car driver Sam Schmidt’s career came to an abrupt end when a crash in 2000 left him paralyzed. After 17 years though, project SAM (Semi Autonomous Motorcar), a car with various modifications, has helped Sam get back o…

Becca Lory shares her personal music therapy playlist for staying positively autistic By Becca Lory, CAS, BCCS Two nights ago, I was getting ready to meet some friends for dinner and drinks. I didn’t want to go. I mean, I’m an autistic introvert, I almost never want to go. In any case, the time had …