New Autism Drug Shows Promise In Lab Studies

New Autism Drug Shows Promise In Lab Studies: A report released Wednesday by the National Institutes of Mental Health and Pfizer states a new autism drug known as GRN-529 is showing promise in clinical studies. The drug was used in a recent study of mice that display symptoms similar to those in autistic humans.

New Numbers On Autism As A Disorder Of The Whole Body

New Numbers On Autism As A Disorder Of The Whole Body | CommonHealth: “I have come to believe that just as autism is not simply a genetics problem, it is not simply a brain problem, either. Autism involves the whole body. As a physician, I’ve seen so many autistic children with similar medical problems that I can’t believe it’s just a coincidence…At this point, I think there is enough evidence to say that while autism certainly involves the brain, it is really a problem of the whole body, including the brain, from molecules to cells, from organs to metabolism, from immune to digestive systems.”

Autism Linked to Obesity in Mothers

Autism Linked to Obesity in Mothers - WSJ.com: Researchers said mothers who are obese are significantly more likely to have a child with autism or another developmental abnormality. The finding adds to the increasingly complex picture of possible factors that contribute to the disorders.


Additional Research Information
Maternal Metabolic Conditions and Risk for Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders

New tool to diagnose autism within minutes

New tool to diagnose autism within minutes - NY Daily News: Researchers are developing a new tool that will diagnose autism in young children within mere minutes instead of the hours that it currently takes.
Diagnosing autism is complex and subjective. Dennis Wall, associate professor of pathology and director of computational biology initiative, Harvard Medical School, is working on algorithms to detect autism rapidly and with high accuracy.
They are designed to work within a mobile architecture, combining a small set of questions and a short home video of the subject, to enable rapid online assessments, the journal Nature Translational Psychiatry reports.

New Study Reveals New Natural Treatment for Autism

New Study Reveals New Natural Treatment for Autism - MarketWatch: While the origin of autism mainly resides in the brain, Dr. Shui Yin Lo's research suggests that blockages along the yang meridians that connect the brain to the gastrointestinal tract can be linked to the major clinical symptoms of autism.
An advocate for meridian therapy, Dr. Shui Yin Lo's research in Traditional Chinese Medicine speculates that Qi flows throughout the body on a thin layer of water made of solid, nanometer-sized particles called Stable Water Clusters. Double Helix Water, ultra-pure water made of Stable Water Clusters, could erect bridges over blockages to realign the energy flow, helping the body to heal itself.

Could autism be reversed with a pill? - Daily Dose: A Boston Globe blog with health news, advice, and information.

Could autism be reversed with a pill? - Daily Dose: A Boston Globe blog with health news, advice, and information.: A study out Wednesday in the journal Neuron found that medication could correct the health and behavior problems of mice with a genetic condition known to lead to autism in people. The drug, which acts on the synapses, or gaps, between brain cells, reversed a vast range of symptoms often associated with autism -- including hyperactivity, impaired learning and memory, and extreme sensitivity to sounds.

Autism research may be about to bear fruit

The Associated Press: Autism research may be about to bear fruit: More than $1 billion has been spent over the past decade researching autism. In some ways, the search for its causes looks like a long-running fishing expedition, with a focus on everything from genetics to the age of the father, the weight of the mother, and how close a child lives to a freeway.
That perception may soon change. Some in the field say they are seeing the beginning of a wave of scientific reports that should strengthen some theories, jettison others and perhaps even herald new drugs.

Pregnancy Length May Influence Severity of Autism

Pregnancy Length May Influence Severity of Autism: Children with autism who were born either prematurely or several weeks late may experience more severe symptoms than kids with autism who were born on time, according to a new study.
These children also may be more likely to inflict self-injury, researchers found.
Although the reasons their symptoms are more severe remain unknown, the study suggested it may have something to do with what caused the children to be born before 36 weeks' gestation or after 42 weeks.