2012

The value of blood cells in autism research
Blood from individuals with autism could help researchers identify biomarkers to diagnose the disorder and learn more about related symptoms, such as gastrointestinal complaints, says molecular biologist Valerie Hu.
Tony Charman: Longitudinal studies for autism research
Clinicians and autism researchers should learn the early signs of autism and take into account an individual’s developmental trajectory, says Tony Charman.
Insights for autism from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder show genetic and neurobiological overlap, which may provide clues to the origin of both disorders, says Joel Nigg.
Maternal anti-brain antibodies may play a role in autism
Maternal antibodies that attack fetal brain proteins could underlie some cases of autism, says immunologist Betty Diamond.
Looking at autism through the fruit fly
The characteristics, interactions and roles of autism-associated genes in the fruit flies' brain will help guide how we think about the same genes in humans, says Ralph Greenspan.
How do we measure autism severity?
Accurately measuring the severity of autism remains a challenge for the field. The answer may lie in using more than one approach that varies depending on whether it is being applied in a clinical or research context, says Raphael Bernier.
In defense of childhood disintegrative disorder
Childhood disintegrative disorder represents a distinct entity within the autism spectrum and it should remain a separate diagnostic category, says Kevin Pelphrey.
Social motivation, reward and the roots of autism
Social impairments in autism are likely a consequence of deficits in social motivation that start early in life and have profound developmental consequences, says psychologist Robert Schultz.