Study Yields More Clues About Autism

Identification of key brain proteins could aid treatment of conditions

(NEWSER) - Scientists are hailing a potential breakthrough in the treatment of 130 conditions following the identification of more than 1,400 crucial brain proteins. When faulty, these proteins have been found to contribute to conditions including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, autism, and learning disabilities, and their identification could accelerate the development of new drugs and better diagnostic tools. “There is a potential gold rush, a whole new frontier for drug discovery,” says one scientist. More»

Report calls for more research, brings relief to some parents

(NEWSER) - Children with autism are not particularly prone to digestive issues, and special diets have no effect on the condition, new research shows. Digestive problems do affect kids with autism, but a specific malady called “leaky gut” or “autistic enterocolitis,” says a report out today. The findings refute claims by some parents—Jenny McCarthy in particular—who credit special diets with mitigating the effects of or even "curing" autism. More»

55% of women carry variant placing them at a higher risk

(NEWSER) - An international coalition of geneticists has discovered a DNA variant in women with ovarian cancer that could lead to earlier detection and lower mortality rates, reports the Guardian. More than half of women exhibit the genetic trait, which increases the likelihood of ovarian cancer by up to 40%. The researchers hope that a genetic screening program could be set up within 10 years. More»

Faster metabolism thought to be why

(NEWSER) - Evolution happens faster in warmer climates, a new study finds. Researchers found that DNA changes more frequently among mammals in the species-rich tropics than among comparable species elsewhere, the BBC reports. Scientists believe the germ cells that become sperm and eggs divide more often in hotter weather, perhaps because those mammals have greater metabolic activity. More»

(NEWSER) - Anorexia might not be a social or psychological malady but rather an inherited genetic problem, Time reports. Furthermore, researchers see commonalities between that condition and autism. “Both autism-spectrum conditions and anorexia share a narrow focus of attention, a resistance to change and excellent attention to detail,” one doctor said. And the different conditions could be explained by the gender gap. More»