autism

autism

autism

A study in Nature led by Spanish researchers achieves a breakthrough in explaining autism

Most cases of autism have no known cause. Now, a study led at IRB Barcelona has discovered a mechanism that could explain a good part of these situations. The loss of a few amino acids in a crucial protein would affect the activity of hundreds of genes and the development of neurons. To explain the study, which is published in the journal Nature and which could open the door to future treatments, the Science Media Centre Spain organized an informative session with Raúl Méndez and Xavier Salvatella, the two scientists who have led the research. 

0

Correlation between prenatal diet and autism diagnosis in children analyzed

A healthy diet during pregnancy is associated with a lower likelihood of children being diagnosed with autism or communication difficulties, according to a study. The research team did not find a correlation between prenatal diet and repetitive and restricted behaviors (characteristic of these disorders). The analysis is published in JAMA Network Open and gathers data from more than 96,000 mother-child pairs in England and Norway.

0

Gut microbiota markers associated with autism spectrum disorder identified

Research has identified 31 biomarkers in the gut microbiota of children that are associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and could have diagnostic value. The gut microbiota includes bacteria, viruses, fungi and archaea. The team replicated the results, published in Nature Microbiology, in three cohorts and analysed faecal samples from more than 1,600 children and children in total, with and without ASD, in China.

0

Reaction to study claiming anti-diarrhoeal drug could help treat symptoms of autism spectrum disorder

Two researchers propose that the anti-diarrhoeal drug Loperamide could be a candidate for treating the main symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), such as difficulties in social interaction and communication. The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, has used a computer model that includes the proteins involved in ASD and has analysed how different drugs affect them.