Autism Spectrum Disorders News

Researchers have identified eight psychiatric disorders that share a common genetic structure, according to study results published in Cell.

DNA testing of siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder may help predict a future diagnosis, according to findings published in Nature Communications.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder may be at an increased risk for depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety diagnoses than those without ASD, according to results of a population-based cohort study published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Cognitive behavioral therapy may be efficacious for treating anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorder, according to results of a randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Psychiatry. Researchers noted additional advantages with an adapted CBT approach.

Fetal acetaminophen exposure may increase a child’s risk for ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, according to results of a prospective cohort study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Research presented at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo highlighted a need for future studies of the impact of autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, within the family unit over time. Potential interventions include family-centered approaches to address mealtime behavior and programs that focus on managing disruptive behavior, researchers reported.

PHILADELPHIA — Presenters at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo showcased a parent-mediated, group-based intervention called the Autism Managing Eating Aversions and Limited variety, or MEAL, Plan.

Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders who exhibit obsessive-compulsive disorder behaviors had significantly lower scores for OCD behaviors at 16 weeks when taking fluoxetine compared with placebo, according to findings published in JAMA. However, in prespecified analyses that accounted for several variables, the difference between the groups was nonsignificant.

Patients with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring ADHD can safely and effectively take medication for ADHD, according to a study conducted in the Netherlands and published in Journal of Attention Disorders.

Between 2009 and 2017, approximately one in six children aged 3 to 17 years in the United States had a diagnosed developmental disability, according to updated prevalence estimates published in Pediatrics. Researchers noted increases specifically in the prevalence of ADHD, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.