Following up on a phone call about a suspicious person, a policeman determined Reginald "Neli" Latson was unarmed. But when he wouldn't give the policeman his name, the cop reacted physically and told him he was going to arrest him. Source: The Autism Site

We were thrilled to feature Chris Bonnello of Autistic Not Weird after the release of his YA SciFi  novel, Underdogs. It’s a dystopian future story featuring autistic, dyslexic and other neurodiverse heroes. Since our interview, Underdogs has been such a success Chris’ publisher asked for a second n…

The autism gene SHANK3 is crucial for the development and function of muscles and the motor neurons that control them, according to a new study1. This relationship may explain why some people with mutations in the gene have low muscle tone, says co-lead investigator Maria Demestre, senior researcher…

“Hopefully they are able to make up for lost time, after all these years of thinking Miss Mocha had vanished and was likely deceased.” Source: The Autism Site

Autistic people with deletions in the chromosomal region 22q11.2 have a brain structure that’s distinct from that of autistic people without the deletions, according to a new brain imaging study1. The findings suggest that brain changes related to autism vary depending on the condition’s etiology, s…

The swing is designed to go forward and backward like normal, as well as to spin in circles.Source: The Autism Site

Most people with autism — up to 86 percent — have trouble sleeping1. Their sleep problems often include the hallmarks of insomnia: difficulty falling asleep, waking up multiple times during the night and getting less sleep than average. Animal models of autism display these same signs, suggesting th…

Paige Layle says that because of how she presents herself, many people don't know she has autism.Source: The Autism Site

Meltdowns aren't fun for anyone. But they're made much worse by judgmental and unsympathetic strangers. Source: The Autism Site

A new wireless device activates a mouse’s neurons as it navigates a cage with food, hiding places and other mice, allowing researchers to study social behavior in a realistic environment1. Experiments using this setup suggest that oxytocin has distinct effects in different contexts — which may be pa…

The amygdala is a deep brain structure about the size and shape of an almond — from which it gets its name. It is commonly described as a center for detecting threats in the environment and for processing fear and other emotions. Researchers who study the region argue that its function is broader — …

By Gretchen McIntirePhoto by GhoZt Studioz Photography I am doing something that feels awfully brave for me right now. I’m finally looking into going to college after all of these years. I’m doing some research as I’m taking a certification course to become a Certified Home Health Aide at Quincy …

The post Webinar: Michelle Failla and David Moore on pain in autism appeared first on Spectrum | Autism Research News. Source: Spectrum News

Four months ago, researchers scrambled to save their work as the coronavirus pandemic shuttered universities and closed labs. Now, with restrictions lifting — even as cases rise in some parts of the United States and elsewhere in the world — many researchers are cautiously returning to work, sociall…