MedPage Today Autism Tue, 22 May 2012 22:16:39 -0400 Autism Headlines Autistic Youth Face Hardship in Post-School Years - Mon, 14 May 2012 00:01:00 -0400 Youth with autism spectrum disorders struggle to engage in further education or employment once they finish high school, a nationally representative survey found. Autism Criteria Critics Blasted by DSM-5 Leader - Tue, 08 May 2012 19:15:59 -0400 PHILADELPHIA -- The head of the American Psychiatric Association committee that's rewriting the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorders took on the panel's critics here, accusing them of bad science. Lab Notes: Weak Sperm Passed Down to Sons - Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:00:12 -0400 The effects of antibiotics, particularly reduced sperm viability, carry over for at least one generation. Also in this week's Lab Notes, what mice can teach us about autism and how ALLListeria tricks the body. SSRI Benefit in Autism May be Overstated - Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:01:00 -0400 The reported benefits of selective serotonin receptor inhibitors for treating the repetitive behaviors of autism spectrum disorders may be exaggerated by the selective publication of positive results. Lab Notes: Chew's Lethal Weapon - Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:01:00 -0400 The long-sought tobacco component responsible for causing the oral cancers seen with smokeless products may finally have been isolated. Also this week: a new way to boost the host's immune attack on HIV. Autism Linked to Mom's Obesity, Diabetes - Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:01:00 -0400 Mothers who are obese or who have diabetes appear to be more likely to have children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, researchers found. Gene Studies Confirm Autism's Complexity - Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:41:35 -0400 The genetic basis of autism is so varied it may make more sense to speak of "autisms," three research teams suggested. Some Autistic Kids Make Gains as Late 'Bloomers' - Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:02:00 -0400 Children with autism follow many different developmental trajectories as they progress toward adolescence, researchers found. Autism Rate Climbs Again - Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:53:57 -0400 In a large autism monitoring network, an estimated one out of every 88 8-year-olds had an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2008, the most recent year with data available, CDC researchers reported. Lab Notes: Zapping Glaucoma Away - Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:04:17 -0400 A single jolt of x-ray radiation may provide lifelong protection against glaucoma, a mouse study suggested. Also in this week's Lab Notes, a cat parasite could hold clues to possible Alzheimer's disease therapies. Autism Drags on Family's Earning Power - Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:59:02 -0400 Families of children with autism spectrum disorders face substantial economic hardships, particularly when it comes to the mothers' ability to work, researchers found. BMJ Seeks Dismissal of Wakefield Lawsuit - Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:14:16 -0400 Citing a Texas state law intended to protect journalists and others from frivolous litigation, ALLBMJ has asked a Texas court to throw out a defamation suit by Andrew Wakefield, MBBS, against the journal, its editor-in-chief, and a freelance writer. Vaccine-Autism Study Co-Author Cleared - Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:45:37 -0400 John Walker-Smith, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist who was stripped of his medical license because of misconduct related to a discredited autism study, has been cleared of those charges. Signs of Autism Show Up on MRI at 6 Months of Age - Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:38:51 -0400 Children who develop autism have pervasive abnormalities of brain white matter and altered neural patterns even before symptoms appear, researchers demonstrated on imaging studies. Mercury at Low Levels Unlikely to Cause Autism - Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:40:25 -0400 Low-level mercury exposure is unlikely to contribute to autism, although further work will be needed for a definitive conclusion to this controversy, a new British study suggested. Content received from: Autistic Society, http://www.autisticsociety.org