Autism Spectrum Disorders News

Psychiatric researchers have expressed significant concern regarding the recent recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force on screening for autism spectrum disorder, according to an editorial in JAMA Psychiatry.

USPSTF: Evidence insufficient to support universal ASD screening for infants

As the New Year begins to pick up speed, Healio.com/Psychiatry took a moment to reflect on the most popular psychiatry news stories published in January 2016.

The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University recently announced a cross-institutional consortium to map neural circuits within the brain to improve understanding of neuropathological disorders.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder was greater among children born very preterm, suggesting an increased risk among this population, according to recent research in Pediatrics.

Recent findings indicated vitamin B12 levels in the brain decrease with aging and are lower in individuals with autism or schizophrenia, compared with age-matched healthy controls.

Recent findings suggest the RANBP1 gene may have a significant role in increasing risk for severe subtypes of autism concurrent with other genetic diseases.

Recent findings indicated higher rates of Asperger’s syndrome among youth with gender dysphoria.

Use of beta2-adrenergic receptor agonist, a drug used to treat asthma and used off-label to prevent premature birth, before and during pregnancy, increased the risk for autism spectrum disorder, according to recent research in Pediatrics.

Mortality risk for individuals with autism spectrum disorders was two times that of individuals without autism, though findings suggest mechanisms underlying autism-related mortality may be mediated by neurologic, mental or behavioral disorders.