Workshop Reports
-
17 April 2012Comments ( 6 )
Studies suggest that a subset of children with autism make significant social and language gains in the first year of life, and then experience a dramatic loss of skills, termed regression. On 13 February, SFARI hosted a workshop to explore whether children with regression are a unique subgroup, and concluded that most children with autism show a gradual decline in skills rather than an abrupt loss of abilities.
-
4 October 2011Comments ( 0 )
Researchers can use biomarkers to diagnose individuals with autism and to hone in on the underlying causes of the disorder. In July, SFARI held an informal meeting of minds at Stony Brook University to discuss biomarkers for autism.
-
19 May 2011Comments ( 2 )Preliminary studies suggest that the so-called ‘love hormone’ oxytocin could improve some of the social deficits characteristic of people with autism. On 11 April, SFARI hosted a workshop to explore oxytocin’s relationship to social behavior and its potential as a therapy for autism.
-
3 May 2011Comments ( 0 )Children with autism often have behaviors that suggest problems with attention. It is unclear whether this attention deficit causes the other symptoms of autism or is a consequence of the disorder. On 4 February, SFARI hosted a workshop to discuss the nature of differences in attention in people with autism.
-
23 March 2011Comments ( 3 )Researchers need reliable methods to interpret autism candidate genes, including rodent models to assess the impact of genes on behavior. On 4 February, SFARI hosted a workshop to discuss the role of mouse models and behavioral assays in autism research. The participants concluded that the field should invest in techniques that can be standardized across laboratories and emphasized the importance of mouse models for identifying biomarkers and testing therapies.
