The U.S. government today announced the latest iteration of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), the body of scientists and advocates that helps set priorities for federally funded autism research and services. The committee plans to hold a public meeting virtually on July 21 and 22…

Leveraging cross-species data on the evolution of proteins can help make sense of subtle genetic variants in people with autism and identify hundreds of new genes that may contribute to the condition, according to a new analysis. The work focuses on ‘missense’ variants, which alter a single amino ac…

While in the bathroom, something as simple as reaching for the toilet paper can be tricky and sometimes painful for people with physical disabilities. Toilet paper holder is not always installed at the most convenient location in bathrooms – sometimes it’s too far away or in a weird corner tha…

Autism research has long focused on genes involved in the formation of neurons and the function of synapses. Mutations in these genes were the first to be solidly linked to the condition and its traits. Over the past decade, however, several studies have implicated a second class of genes: those inv…

My name is Beth Lipari and I am a Casting Director in Los Angeles, working along with my casting partners, Sarah Katzman and Lisa Beach, on a feature film called WILDFLOWER, featuring a strong, supporting part for a woman with IDD. Based on a true story, it will bring to life a young woman’s…

When COVID-19 shut down a school for special needs students, one pupil used the time to embark on... The post Organization Powered By Volunteers with Autism is Helping the Food Insecure in Their Community appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

At least six police departments and sheriff's offices have assisted in transporting the 23-year-old back to his home, three states away. The post Law Enforcement Teams Up to Help Stranded Autistic Man Get Home to Indiana from Alabama appeared first on The Autism Site News. Source: The Autism Site

Sleep problems in young children with autism are associated with behavioral regulation difficulties later in childhood, according to a new longitudinal study. The finding points to the importance of helping families address sleep problems in their young autistic children, says lead investigator Maya…

Mary Lou and Anthony Cancellieri’s grandson Louis is on the Autism spectrum. When they saw Louis get really anxious during a recent visit to the hospital, they decided to do something to help children like Louis who may have difficulty coping with anxiety inducing situations. They immediately founde…

Hello, and welcome to this week’s Community Newsletter! I’m your host, Chelsey B. Coombs, Spectrum’s engagement editor. This week, we’re starting with a thread by Yu-Lun Chen on Autism’s Twitter account. Chen is a graduate student and adjunct faculty member in occupational therapy at New York Univer…

Welcome to the second edition of the By the Numbers Newsletter. At Spectrum, we do our best to summarize the latest autism research findings — and sometimes the best summary comes in the form of a chart or map. In this newsletter, we boil down interesting new research that is conveyed most succinctl…

Autistic Emotions Happy, sadness, envy, fear, and surprise— 6 emotions, 6 logics, all misunderstood. Smile, tears, growl, grimace, whimper, and jaw dropping— 6 actions, 6 expressions, all human. Comedy, tragedy, revenge, rival, horror, and plot twist— 6 encounters, 6 experiences, all stories. Y…

The post Spotted around the web: Melatonin trial, striatum activity, CNTNAP2 timing appeared first on Spectrum | Autism Research News. Source: Spectrum News

Women who are genetically predisposed to inflammation may be more likely to have children with autism traits, according to a new study in mice. Prior work suggests that inflammation in a pregnant woman — due to a severe infection or an autoimmune disorder, for example — is associated with a slightly…