“I want to see a world where people with disabilities achieving things is a norm rather than an exception. It isn’t a surprise when you see a person with autism practicing law or doing something amazing in the world.” By Ron Sandison This last June I met Haley Moss at the Milestone Autism Conferenc…

A cache of about 100 brain organoids grown from human cells is expected to launch into orbit in late July. The organoids will be housed for about one month inside a remote-controlled microlaboratory on the International Space Station. These organoids are made from the stem cells of three neurotypica…

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness around the world. Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up inside the eyes which ultimately damages the optic nerve – the one that is responsible for sending images to the brain.  An astonishing 3.5% of the population aged 40 and above is diagno…

A lot of advancement has been made recently in the field of Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI) where electrodes implanted in a person’s brain can track “thoughts” and send them to a device (like a computer) to either communicate with others or to perform actions. Typically, these impl…

The post Spotted around the web: Week of 1 July 2019 appeared first on Spectrum | Autism Research News. Source: Spectrum News

A new method enables researchers to test algorithms for spotting genes that contribute to a complex trait or condition, such as autism1. Researchers often study the genetics of complex traits using genome-wide association studies (GWAS). In these studies, scientists compare the genomes of people who…

By Ikea “Syance” Wilson I would like to say something about the R-word. Not only do I think it is offensive, I also believe this word could tear people down inside mentally and emotionally. We often use this word in order to express frustration to one another. However, this is not an ac…

As a BCBA, I am often asked to address problematic behaviors. One of the most common errors I see in addressing such behaviors is that the adults working with the child have not identified the function (or purpose) of the problematic behavior. Decades of research have shown that there are only four …

Young autistic children fall into three groups based on the number and type of co-occurring conditions they have, according to a study of more than 3,000 autistic children1. Some of these conditions, such as seizure disorders and developmental delays, may serve as early red flags for autism. Autism …

Autistic people described as ‘high functioning’ because they do not have intellectual disability often still struggle with daily living skills, according to a study of more than 2,000 people on the spectrum1. The data should put the term ‘high functioning’ out of commission for good, the researchers…

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…

By Gretchen Leary These last couple months started off as anything but calm. I tried on a bikini for first time since middle school despite not being at my ideal weight. I drove a big truck I never thought I would ever drive. I was honestly terrified the entire time and yet so proud of myself. That …

A compound derived from cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, might limit the impact of certain mutations in a top autism gene, a new study suggests1. The work was done in cellular and animal models of cancer, so its relevance to autism is preliminary. And for some people with autism — …

There is a very interesting clinical trial currently going on that is giving blind people the ability to see. All participants in this study have been blind for years, and thanks to a prosthesis called Orion that has been surgically implanted in their brain, they are helping researchers study how bl…