MedWorm: Autism

Dynamic infant–parent affect coupling during the face-to-face/still-face.

Emotion — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:18:57 +0100

We examined dynamic infant–parent affect coupling using the Face-to-Face/Still-Face (FFSF). The sample included 20 infants whose older siblings had been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD-sibs) and 18 infants with comparison siblings (COMP-sibs). A series of mixed effects bivariate autoregressive models was used to represent the self-regulation and interactive dynamics of infants and parents during the FFSF. Significant bidirectional affective coupling was found between infants and parents, with infant-to-parent coupling being more prominent than parent-to-infant coupling. Further analysis of within-dyad dynamics revealed ongoing changes in concurrent infant–parent linkages both within and between different FFSF episodes. The importance of considering both inter- and intrady...

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A de novo 1p34.2 microdeletion identifies the synaptic vesicle gene RIMS3 as a novel candidate for autism

Journal of Medical Genetics — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:17:05 +0100

Conclusions This case report and mutation screening data suggest that RIMS3 is an autism causative or contributory gene. Functional studies of RIMS3 variants such as p.E177A should provide additional insight into the role of synaptic proteins in the pathophysiology of autism. (Source: Journal of Medical Genetics)

Brain area responsible for fear of losing money

Medicineworld.org: New Article Alert — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:04:45 +0100

Neuroresearchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and their colleagues have tied the human aversion to losing money to a specific structure in the brainthe amygdala. The finding, described in the latest online issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), offers insight into economic behavior, and also into the role of the brain's amygdalae, two almond-shaped clusters of tissue located in the medial temporal lobes. The amygdala registers rapid emotional reactions and is implicated in depression, anxiety, and autism........ (Source: Medicineworld.org: New Article Alert)

Video: Older Women and Autism

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:31:34 +0100

Dr. Jennifer Ashton discussed a new study that showed older women are more likely to have autistic children. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Autism Risk Higher When Mother Is Older, Study

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Researchers who studied records of all births occurring in California in the 1990s found that the risk of having a child with autism was significantly higher when the mother was older, regardless of the father's age, except when the mother was younger, the risk was also higher if the father were older. The study was the work of researchers from the University of California (UC), Davis, and you can read about in a report published in the 8 February Early View issue of the journal Autism Research... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Autism Risk Higher When Mother Is Older, Study

Fertility News From Medical News Today — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

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Study links mother's age to child's risk of autism

Los Angeles Times - Science — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Moms over 40 are nearly twice as likely to have a child with autism, according to the analysis of California births. The study finds that in most cases, the father's age plays little role. Women who give birth after age 40 are nearly twice as likely to have a child with autism as those under 25, but it is unlikely that delayed parenthood plays a big role in the current autism epidemic, California researchers reported Monday. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

Autism risk rises 50% for older mothers, say scientists

the Mail online | Health — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:19:13 +0100

A major study found the risk is 50 per cent higher for mothers aged 40 than for a woman in her late 20s. But the father's age has far less impact. (Source: the Mail online | Health)

Sweet: We'll Wait for Our Reward

WSJ.com: Health — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:11:40 +0100

New medical findings on blood sugar and the perception of rewards; autism; arthritis; weight loss; ear infections; nicotine patches; diabetes and kidney damage. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

Independent and dependent contributions of advanced maternal and paternal ages to autism risk

Autism Research — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Reports on autism and parental age have yielded conflicting results on whether mothers, fathers, or both, contribute to increased risk. We analyzed restricted strata of parental age in a 10-year California birth cohort to determine the independent or dependent effect from each parent. Autism cases from California Department of Developmental Services records were linked to State birth files (1990-1999). Only singleton births with complete data on parental age and education were included (n=4,947,935, cases=12,159). In multivariate logistic regression models, advancing maternal age increased risk for autism monotonically regardless of the paternal age. Compared with mothers 25-29 years of age, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for mothers 40+ years was 1.51 (95% CI: 1.35-1.70), or compared with ...

Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) - Medications Used in Treatment

About.com Mental Health — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), also known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs), cause severe and pervasive impairment in thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others. These disorders are usually first diagnosed in early childhood and range from a severe form, called autistic disorder, through pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), to a much milder form, Asperger syndrome. They also include two rare disorders, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder. (Source: About.com Mental Health)

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Video: Parent's Age: Factor in Autism?

Health News: CBSNews.com — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:54:35 +0100

As autism concerns continue to grow, studies show that older parents are more likely to have autistic children. As Dr. Jon LaPook reports, this may be an important clue in finding the cause of autism. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Study Links Child's Autism Risk To Mother's Age

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:04:13 +0100

A woman's chance of having a child with autism increase substantially as she ages, but the risk may be less for older dads than previously suggested, a new study analyzing more than 5 million births found. (Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire)

Higher Blood Sugar Boosts Perceived Value of Rewards

WSJ.com: Health — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:51:26 +0100

New medical findings on blood sugar and the perception of rewards; autism; arthritis; weight loss; ear infections; nicotine patches; diabetes and kidney damage. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

Age of mother affects child's autism risk: study

Reuters: Health — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:35:37 +0100

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Being an older mother significantly increases the risk of having a child with autism, but being an older father only increases the risk when the mother is under the age of 30, U.S. researchers said on Monday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Both Parents’ Ages Linked to Autism Risk

NYT > Health — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:17:18 +0100

A study of almost five million births in California found that the chance of having autistic children increased with older parents. (Source: NYT > Health)

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Autism linked to older moms

CBC | Health — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:31:47 +0100

A woman's chance of having a child with autism increases as she ages, but the risk may be less for older dads than previously suggested, a new study analyzing more than five million births found. (Source: CBC | Health)

Autism Risk Rises With Mother's Age

WebMD Health — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:59:05 +0100

Regardless of the father's age, a child's risk of autism rises with the age of the child's mother. Moms 40 and older are 77% more likely to have a child with autism, compared to mothers under age 25. (Source: WebMD Health)

Autism, Older Parents Link Detailed

Health News: CBSNews.com — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:30:07 +0100

Mothers Older Than 40 Are 50 Percent More Likely to Have Autistic Child, but Overall Risk is Still Low (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Older Moms More Apt to Have Autistic Child

MedlinePlus Health News — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:00:00 +0100

Dad's age didn't matter unless father was older, mom much younger, study found Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Topic: Autism (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

Increased autism risk in kids born to older moms: study

CTV Health — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:42:52 +0100

A new study says a woman's chance of having a child with autism increases as she ages. It also says the risk may be less with older dads than previously thought. (Source: CTV Health)

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Older Moms More Likely To Have Autistic Kids?

WDSU.com - Health — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:04:22 +0100

Study: Older moms' kids have higher autism risk

CNN.com - Health — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:32:20 +0100

A 10-year study examining 4.9 million births in the 1990s has found more evidence that there's a link between autism and the mother's age at conception. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

Study: Moms over 40 nearly twice as likely to have autistic children

Los Angeles Times - Science — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:30:00 +0100

The study of California births finds that in most cases, the father's age plays little role in the likelihood of the disorder. Women who give birth after age 40 are nearly twice as likely to have a child with autism as those under 25, California researchers reported Monday. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

Autism Risk Linked to Maternal Age (CME/CE)

MedPage Today Pediatrics — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:43:11 +0100

Older women are more likely to give birth to a child who develops autism than younger women, but the father's age is a factor only when moms are younger, a large case-control study showed. (Source: MedPage Today Pediatrics)

Autism Risk Linked to Maternal Age (CME/CE, with audio)

MedPage Today Neurology — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:30:00 +0100

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UC Davis study confirms link between advanced maternal age and autism

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(University of California - Davis - Health System) Advanced maternal age is linked to a significantly elevated risk of having a child with autism, regardless of the father's age, according to an exhaustive study of all births in California during the 1990s by UC Davis Health System researchers. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Link between advanced maternal age and autism confirmed

ScienceDaily Headlines — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Advanced maternal age is linked to a significantly elevated risk of having a child with autism, regardless of the father's age, according to an exhaustive study of all births in California during the 1990s. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Autism Speaks presents the top ten autism research findings of 2009

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(Autism Speaks) Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization has released its annual list of the 10 most significant research achievements to have impacted autism during the previous year, documenting progress towards the discovery of the causes and treatment for autism spectrum disorders. In 2009 clinical and epidemiological research together with advances in gene discovery and effective treatments combine to shape the future of autism research for 2010 and beyond. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

Science Weekly: The future of human spaceflight

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:01:00 +0100

President Obama's latest budget proposals mean Nasa doesn't have enough money to go back to the moon. Kevin Fong from University College London discusses what this means for manned space travel. In the newsjam we look at how doctors communicated with a man in a vegetative state, how protesters survived a homeopathy overdose, reaction times in gunfights, and why running is good for the brain. Following a ruling from the General Medical Council against Dr Andrew Wakefield, the Lancet has retracted his paper on links between the MMR jab and autism. But is this really the end of the controversy? The Observer's science and technology editor Robin McKie and Guardian science correspondent Ian Sample were on hand in the studio to share their wisdom. Post your comments below.Join our Facebook group...

Parenting stress and coping styles in mothers and fathers of pre-school children with autism and Down syndrome

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions The results indicated a higher level of stress in parents of children with autism. Additionally, an interaction effect was revealed between child diagnostic group and parent's gender for two scales of parenting stress: dependency and management and limits of family opportunities. Mothers of children with autism scored higher than fathers in parental stress; no such differences were found in the group of parents of children with Down syndrome and typically developing children. It was also found that parents of children with autism differed from parents of typically developing children in social diversion coping. Emotion-oriented coping was the predictor for parental stress in the samples of parents of children with autism and Down syndrome, and task-oriented coping was the pred...

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Expressive language in male adolescents with fragile X syndrome with and without comorbid autism

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions These findings contribute to existing research on the behavioural profiles of individuals with FXS or FXS with autism who have low cognitive abilities. Although individuals with comorbid FXS and autism may be, as a group, more impaired than those with only FXS, data from this small sample of males with comorbid FXS and autism with low IQs suggest that their relative strengths and weaknesses in spontaneous expressive language are largely comparable and not differentially affected by the context in which their talk occurs. (Source: Journal of Intellectual Disability Research)

Scientist: Autism Paper Had Catastrophic Effects

NPR Health and Science — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:00:00 +0100

The prestigious British medical journal Lancet took a rare step this week: It retracted a 1998 paper that sparked a firestorm about potential links between vaccines and autism. That paper has been a bane to Dr. Paul Offit, co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine and chief of infectious diseases at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia. Offit tells host Guy Raz why he thinks the paper was a disaster for parents seeking answers about autism.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Health headlines: Industrial chemicals as dietary supplements, growth hormone therapy and school lunch safety

Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:00:12 +0100

Other stories we’ve been reading: Adolescents taking a certain anti-psychotic drugs are at an increased risk for diabetes. An industrial chemical is being sold as a dietary supplement for autism treatment. Diabetes drugs are helping dieting teens lose weight. [Read Minnie’s story about living with Type 2 diabetes.] Loving foster homes improves children’s attention and impulsivity. Girls with ADHD are more likely to develop other mental health risks. Obese boys are more likely to begin puberty later in life. A Girl Scouts’ survey found that the fashion industry pressures girls to be thin. [Read about unrealistic media images and how one teen feels about them.] Boys are treated with growth hormone therapy much more often than girls. Babies of mothers who smoke during pregnancy ar...

Andrew Wakefield, Scientific Censorship, and Fourteen Monkeys; A statement by Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey

NaturalNews.com — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) When it comes to vaccines, Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey get it. They see how the pharma industry is engineering a campaign to silence Dr. Andrew Wakefield in order to suppress the publication of startling new evidence linking vaccines to severe neurological damage.At great risk to their professional careers, Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey have found the courage to dare to tell the truth about vaccines and autism. Despite the vicious attacks by the pro-vaccine zealots who will stop at nothing to destroy anyone who challenges conventional vaccine mythology, McCarthy and Carrey have issued a powerful, inspired statement that reveals the truth behind the Big Pharma smear campaign that is intent on destroying the reputation of Dr. Andrew Wakefield before he can publish the final r...

Lancet Retracts Vaccine-Autism Study, but Debate Goes On

TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:10:00 +0100

With the Lancet's formal retraction of a flawed study linking childhood vaccines and autism, the question is whether the vaccine theory of autism may finally be put to rest (Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories)

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Temple Grandin: The Woman Who Talks to Animals

NPR Health and Science — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:42:00 +0100

Temple Grandin is one of the world's greatest animal behaviorists. She is also autistic — and has put that to work for her. Grandin has written several books on animals, including Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior. This weekend, HBO will premiere a made-for-TV movie based on her life.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Association of Syndromic Mental Retardation and Autism with 22q11.2 Duplication

Neuropediatrics — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:49:48 +0100

We describe a 5.3-year-old girl with autism, mental retardation, hypotonia, marked speech delay, and mild dysmorphic features with a 22q11.2 duplication. Her mother carries the same duplication and presents cleft palate, and normal intelligence. The clinical and behavioural phenotype of this relatively new syndrome is very heterogeneous, with high variability also in the familiar cases. Up till now, about 50 cases of 22q11.2 duplication have been reported, but only three of them are associated with autistic disorders. We propose that in addition to 22q13.3 deletion syndrome, also 22q11.2 duplication should be suspected in a patient with unspecified dysmorphisms, mental retardation, autism, hypotonia, and severe speech delay.[...]© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New YorkGet connected:...

Brain Development And Toxic Chemicals

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

The Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) released the first-ever biomonitoring report identifying toxic chemical pollution in people from the learning and developmental disability community. Mind, Disrupted: How toxic chemicals may affect how we think and who we are examines 61 toxic chemicals present in project participants in the context of rising rates of autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other learning and developmental disabilities... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The Lancet retraction of vaccine autism paper condemned as Big Pharma conspiracy to discredit Dr. Wakefield

NaturalNews.com — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) When I saw The Lancet's recent retraction of Dr. Wakefield's famous paper linking vaccines to autism, I couldn't help thinking back to 1989 when Fleischmann and Pons were widely attacked and discredit over their demonstration of cold fusion technology. These two brilliant physicists had accomplished the seemingly impossible: They had caused fusion to take place at low temperatures, producing both excess heat energy as well as the helium artifacts proving that low-energy nuclear reactions had taken place.The conventional physics community went berserk. They attacked Fleischmann and Pons relentlessly, attempting to destroy their character and any scientific credibility they might have held. They paraded a gang of "hot fusion" scientists through the mainstream media, telling eve...

Potocki-Shaffer syndrome: Comprehensive clinical assessment, review of the literature, and proposals for medical management

American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In this study, six patients with the Potocki-Shaffer syndrome were identified and evaluated using a multidisciplinary protocol that included assessments by a geneticist, ophthalmologist, otolaryngologist, orthopedist, nephrologist, audiologist, and neuropsychologist. Diagnostic studies included skeletal survey, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, renal ultrasound, complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, thyroid studies, and urinalysis. Using array comparative genomic hybridization, we further characterized the deletion in five of these patients. The results of these evaluations were combined with a comprehensive review of reported cases. Our data highlight the characteristic facial features, biparietal foramina, moderate-to-severe developmental delay and intellectual disa...

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Autism parents haunted by question: Why?

CNN.com - Health — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:18:04 +0100

The retraction of a controversial study that suggested a link between autism and a childhood vaccine has been little comfort to some parents. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

Health Buzz: Doctors Communicate With Some Patients in Vegetative State

U.S. News - Health — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:14:00 +0100

Autism causes remain elusive; what to eat to feel happier. (Source: U.S. News - Health)

Study Linking Autism And Vaccines Is Retracted By Medical Journal

Pediatrics News From Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 +0100

The Los Angeles Times: "Twelve years after Dr. Andrew Wakefield published his research in the international medical journal the Lancet purporting that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine causes autism, the journal on Tuesday formally retracted the paper. ... the U.K. General Medical Council's Fitness to Practice Panel concluded that [Dr... (Source: Pediatrics News From Medical News Today)

Study Linking Autism And Vaccines Is Retracted By Medical Journal

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 +0100

The Los Angeles Times: "Twelve years after Dr. Andrew Wakefield published his research in the international medical journal the Lancet purporting that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine causes autism, the journal on Tuesday formally retracted the paper. ... the U.K. General Medical Council's Fitness to Practice Panel concluded that [Dr. Andrew] Wakefield had provided false information in the report and acted with 'callous disregard' for the [12] children in the study. ... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Expert Comments On Lancet Retracting Major Autism Study

Immune System / Vaccines News From Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

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Expert Comments On Lancet Retracting Major Autism Study

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Rae Sonnenmeier, clinical associate professor of communication sciences and disorders at the University of New Hampshire and staff member at UNH's Institute on Disability, is available to discuss the announcement yesterday (Feb. 2, 2010) by the medical journal The Lancet regarding the retraction of a paper that caused a 12-year international battle over the links between the three-in-one childhood vaccine MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and autism. "Many families have refused to have their children vaccinated because of the concern that the vaccines were not safe... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Mealtime a Challenge for Some With Autism

MedicineNet Kids Health General — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Title: Mealtime a Challenge for Some With AutismCategory: Health NewsCreated: 2/3/2010 12:10:00 PMLast Editorial Review: 2/4/2010 (Source: MedicineNet Kids Health General)

Dispatch: Lancet Lanced, Homeopathy Deluded, Flu Flees

Health Facts and Fears — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

ACSH& #39;s Dr. Elizabeth Whelan has an editorial commentary in today& #39;s New York Post about The Lancet& #39;s retraction of Dr. Wakefield& #39;s 1998 paper linking the MMR vaccine to autism... (Source: Health Facts and Fears)

Exploring the Relation Between Prenatal and Neonatal Complications and Later Autistic-Like Features in a Representative Community Sample of Twins

Child Development — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Prenatal and neonatal events were reported by parents of 13,690 eighteen-month-old twins enrolled in the Twins Early Development Study, a representative community sample born in England and Wales. At ages 7[ndash]8, parents and teachers completed questionnaires on social and nonsocial autistic-like features and parents completed the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test. Correlations between prenatal and neonatal events and autistic-like features were weak, both in the whole sample (r = .00[ndash].07) and at the 5% quantitative extreme (phenotypic group correlations = .01[ndash].11), after controlling for socioeconomic status and cognitive ability. Neonatal problems showed modest heritability (13%[ndash]14%) and significant shared and nonshared environmental influences (55%[ndash]59% and 28%[nd...

A Pilot Study of Maternal Sensitivity in the Context of Emergent Autism.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Baker JK, Messinger DS, Lyons KK, Grantz CJ Unstructured mother-toddler interactions were examined in 18-month-old high- and low-risk children subsequently diagnosed (n = 12) or not diagnosed (n = 21) with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at 36 months. Differences in maternal sensitivity were not found as a function of emergent ASD status. A differential-susceptibility moderation model of child risk guided investigations linking maternal sensitivity to child behavior and language growth. Group status moderated the relation between sensitivity and concurrent child behavior problems, with a positive association present for children with emergent ASD. Maternal sensitivity at 18 months predicted expressive language growth from age 2 to 3 years among children with emergent ASD only....

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The Lancet Retracts Study Linking MMR Vaccine, Autism

Modern Medicine — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

On Feb. 2, The Lancet retracted a controversial 1998 study that linked the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and gastrointestinal problems. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Speech perception and phonological short-term memory capacity in language impairment: preliminary evidence from adolescents with specific language impairment (SLI) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions & Implications: Non-word discrimination suggests that there are similarities and differences between adolescents with SLI and ALI and their TD peers. Reaction times appear to be affected by increasing PSTM and speech perception loads in a similar way. However, there was some, albeit weaker, evidence that adolescents with SLI and ALI are less accurate than TD individuals, with both showing an effect of PSTM load. This may indicate, at some level, the processing substrate supporting both PSTM and speech perception is intact in adolescents with SLI and ALI, but also in both there may be impaired access to PSTM resources. PMID: 20131963 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders)

Magic of Theatre and Autism Event

Disabled World — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:08:38 +0100

SENSE Theatre - in collaboration with Magic Circle in Roseville, California - are now off to see the Wizard in their new musical production of Wizard of Oz. (Source: Disabled World)

Understanding Our Risky Business

NPR Health and Science — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:28:00 +0100

What does the feared link between autism and vaccines have in common with banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving? According to author David Ropeik, both are examples of miscalculations of risk. Ropeik explains how poor assessment of a risk could put us in far bigger trouble than the original danger.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Helmeted teachers of autistic students stir debate

CBC | Health — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:48:45 +0100

A Quebec school's security measures, which include two teachers wearing helmets to work with students with autism and deveopmental problems, are under attack by the Autism Society of Quebec's local chapter. (Source: CBC | Health)

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Structural abnormalities in the substantia nigra and neighbouring nuclei in Tourette’s syndrome

Journal of Neural Transmission — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:53:35 +0100

The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of subtle structural abnormalities in the midbrain of patients with TS. High-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (1.5- and 3-T) was used in 23 patients with TS and in 20 age- and sex-matched normal control subjects. Tics symptoms were rated using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale and comorbid neuropsychiatric disorders were evaluated with standardised psychiatric rating scales. MRI scans revealed subtle structural abnormalities consistent with expanded perivascular spaces (EPVS) in the substantia nigra (compacta and reticulata) and neighbouring nuclei in 6 (26%) patients with TS, but in none of the normal control subjects (P = 0.045). Stereotyped movements were more frequent (P = 0.017) amongst TS patien...

Opinion: Time to regroup on autism

CNN.com - Health — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:53:17 +0100

You might not know it to read the news of the discredited research that had long linked vaccines to autism, but there really is good progress on the autism research front. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

Lancet Retracts Vaccine-Autism Study, but Debate Goes On

TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:41:29 +0100

Why a Debunked Study Won't Stop Vaccine-Autism Theorists

TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:41:12 +0100

With the formal retraction of a flawed study linking childhood vaccines and autism, the question is whether the vaccine theory of autism may finally be put to rest (Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories)

Upstate to sponsor education day for Autism Spectrum Disorders Feb. 26

SUNY Upstate Medical — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:53:17 +0100

SYRACUSE, N.Y. Parents and professionals will learn a practical strategies system to help educators understand how and when to implement an instructional program for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at a community... (Source: SUNY Upstate Medical)

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Vaccine Study Retracted, and Causes of Autism Remain Elusive

U.S. News - Health — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:19:00 +0100

Families need solid data, but research priority isn’t more vaccine studies. (Source: U.S. News - Health)

The Lancet removes MMR paper

Nursing in Practice — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:00:46 +0100

The Lancet has removed a research paper which suggested a link between autism and the MMR vaccine from public view following a GMC ruling (Source: Nursing in Practice)

Doc: Blame Med Journal for Measles Deaths

Health News: CBSNews.com — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:30:08 +0100

After Lancet Retracts Study Linking Autism to MMR Vaccine, Big Vaccine Backer Says Lancet, Others Should Be Held Accountable (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Lancet Retracts 1998 MMR-Autism Paper

MedPage Today Infectious Disease — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:13:06 +0100

Editors of The Lancet have retracted the 1998 study that first suggested autism might be caused by the MMR vaccine, following an official rebuke delivered last week to the paper's lead author, Andrew Wakefield, MBBS. (Source: MedPage Today Infectious Disease)

Lancet Retracts 1998 Paper Linking Autism to MMR Vaccination

Physician's First Watch current issue — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:41:52 +0100

(Source: Physician's First Watch current issue)

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Lancet retracts MMR and autism research paper

HSJ — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:10:00 +0100

The Lancet has retracted from the public record a research paper which triggered concerns over a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism. (Source: HSJ)

Research Retraction Breaks Link Between Autism And Mmr Vaccine, Says Neurologist

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0100

The Lancet, a premier British medical journal, retracted a study published in 1998 that drew a link between the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and increased incidence of autism. Alan Percy, M.D., professor of pediatric neurology and medical director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Civitan International Research Center, said the retracted study's findings long have been questioned by the scientific community. "Over the years, study after study had found no causal relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism," said Percy... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Research Retraction Breaks Link Between Autism And Mmr Vaccine, Says Neurologist

Public Health News From Medical News Today — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0100

Lancet retracts MMR and autism research paper

Nursing Times Breaking News — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:24:00 +0100

The Lancet has retracted from the public record a research paper which triggered concerns over a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

Autism Link to Vaccine Retracted

eMedicineHealth.com — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Study Linking Autism to Vaccine Retracted (Source: eMedicineHealth.com)

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Study Linking Autism to Vaccine Retracted

MedicineNet Kids Health General — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Title: Study Linking Autism to Vaccine RetractedCategory: Health NewsCreated: 2/3/2010 10:18:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 2/3/2010 10:18:30 AM (Source: MedicineNet Kids Health General)

Lancet retracts paper linking vaccine to autism

Wash Post Health — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

The Lancet medical journal formally retracted a paper Tuesday that caused a 12-year international battle over links between autism and the childhood vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. (Source: Wash Post Health)

Study Retracted Linking Autism and Vaccine

Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

After the retraction of a study in the British medical journal The Lancet, there is one less link in the scientific chain connecting autism and vaccines. (Source: Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com)

Journal Retracts 1998 Paper Linking Autism to Vaccines

NYT > Health — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:42:59 +0100

The paper in The Lancet, which was retracted after years of reassessment, caused a sharp decline in vaccinations in Britain after its publication. (Source: NYT > Health)

Controversial autism study retracted

CNN.com - Health — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:33:00 +0100

The medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday retracted a controversial 1998 paper that linked the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

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Article that sparked MMR jab fears is retracted

Scotsman.com News - Health — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

AN EMINENT medical journal that published a controversial research paper sparking concerns over a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism retracted the article from t (Source: Scotsman.com News - Health)

Medical journal retracts controversial autism article

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A prestigious British medical journal has retracted a controversial 12-year-old article that first linked autism to childhood vaccines and set off global fears about immunization and the causes of the developmental disorder that persist today. Medical... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

Maturation of social attribution skills in typically developing children: An investigation using the social attribution task.

Behavioral and Brain Functions — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Background: The assessment of social attribution skills in children can potentially identify and quantify developmental difficulties related to autism spectrum disorders and related conditions. However, relatively little is known about how these skills develop in typically developing children. Therefore the present study aimed to map the trajectory of social attribution skill acquisition in typically developing children from a young age. Methods: In the conventional social attribution task (SAT) participants ascribe feelings to moving shapes and describe their interaction in social terms. However, this format requires that participants understand both, that an inanimate shape is symbolic, and that its action is social in nature. This may be challenging for young children, and may be a pote...

The Lancet Retracts Study Linking MMR Vaccine, Autism

Modern Medicine — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

On Feb. 2, The Lancet retracted a controversial 1998 study that linked the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and gastrointestinal problems. (Source: Modern Medicine)

State University of New York Upstate Medical University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program

ScanGrants feed — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The State University of New York Upstate Medical University, College of Graduate Studies is offering fellowships for its 2010 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program. The aim of the SURF program is to expose undergraduate students to biomedical research. In an intensive ten-week summer program, undergraduates with appropriate faculty help will formulate their own proposal, carry out research under the supervision of one of our faculty, write a research paper and have the opportunity to see their work published. In the process, students will attend research seminars and participate in discussions on alternative careers in research and how to apply to graduate school. Students are given ample opportunities to interact directly with many of our faculty and graduate students. ...

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Heritability of Individual Differences in Cortical Processing of Facial Affect.

Behavior Genetics — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This study examined event-related brain potentials (ERPs) evoked by changes in facial expression in adolescent twins (age 12, 47 monozygotic and 51 dizygotic pairs). Facial images with happy, fearful, and neutral expressions were administered in a continuous mode, such that different expressions of the same face instantaneously replaced each other. This experimental design allowed us to isolate responses elicited by changes in emotional expression that were not confounded with responses elicited by image onset. Changes of emotional expression elicited a N240 wave with a right temporoparietal maximum and a P300 wave with a centropariatal midline maximum. Genetic analyses using a model fitting approach showed that a substantial proportion of the observed individual variation in these ERP res...

Vaccine-Autism Study Is Retracted

NYT > Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:10:37 +0100

The Lancet, a major British medical journal, on Tuesday retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. (Source: NYT > Health)

Lancet retracts MMR link to autism

FT.com - Drugs and Healthcare — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:03:16 +0100

The research paper that triggered claims linking autism to the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella has been retracted by the Lancet, the medical journal that published it more than a decade ago (Source: FT.com - Drugs and Healthcare)

Health Buzz: Herbal Supplements Don't Always Mix Well With Heart Drugs

U.S. News - Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:34:00 +0100

Journal retracts study linking vaccines and autism; online tool helps parents manage kids’ sleep. (Source: U.S. News - Health)

Study linking vaccine, autism retracted

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:31:00 +0100

A major British medical journal on Tuesday retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. The retraction by The Lancet comes a day after a competing medical journal, BMJ, issued an embargoed commentary... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

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Lancet Retracts Autism Study

WSJ.com: Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:40:09 +0100

The major British medical journal formally retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

The Lancet retracts autism/vaccine study

Health News - UPI.com — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:34:32 +0100

LONDON, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- The Lancet, a British medical journal, retracted a 1998 study that linked the childhood measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

Controversial Autism Study Retracted by Medical Journal

MedlinePlus Health News — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

1998 paper scared parents over possible link between MMR vaccine, developmental disorder Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Topics: Autism, Childhood Immunization (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

Editorial

Autism — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:58:23 +0100

(Source: Autism)

Effects of water exercise swimming program on aquatic skills and social behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders

Autism — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:58:23 +0100

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a 10 week water exercise swimming program (WESP) on the aquatic skills and social behaviors of 16 boys with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In the first 10 week phase (phase I), eight children (group A) received the WESP while eight children (group B) did not. A second 10 week phase (phase II) immediately followed, with the treatments reversed. Both groups continued their regular treatment/ activity throughout the study. Improvements were seen in aquatic skills for both groups subsequent to the WESP. Following phase I, significant social improvements were seen in group A. Following phase II, social improvements were seen for group B, whereas group A merely maintained the improvements they attained through the implementation ...

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The atypical development of metaphor and metonymy comprehension in children with autism

Autism — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:58:23 +0100

One of the most noticeable problems in autism involves the social use of language such as metaphor and metonymy, both of which are very common in daily language use. The present study is the first to investigate the development of metaphor and metonymy comprehension in autism. Eleven children with autism were compared to 17 typically developing children in a metaphor-metonymy comprehension task. Cross-sectional trajectory analyses were used to compare the development of metaphor and metonymy comprehension using a child-friendly story picture task. Trajectories were constructed linking task performance either to chronological age or to measures of mental age. Children with autism showed an impaired metaphor comprehension in relation to both chronological and mental age, whereas performance ...

Attentional blink in young people with high-functioning autism and Asperger's disorder

Autism — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:58:23 +0100

The aim of the study was to examine the temporal characteristics of information processing in individuals with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s disorder using a rapid serial visual presentation paradigm. The results clearly showed that such people demonstrate an attentional blink of similar magnitude to comparison groups. This supports the proposition that the social processing difficulties experienced by these individuals are not underpinned by a basic temporal-cognitive processing deficit, which is consistent with Minshew’s complex information processing theory. This is the second study to show that automatic inhibitory processes are intact in both autism and Asperger’s disorder, which appears to distinguish these disorders from some other frontostriatal disorders...

Effectiveness of special nursery provision for children with autism spectrum disorders

Autism — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:58:23 +0100

The effectiveness of three local authority early teaching interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) was studied. Thirty-three children (2:6 to 4:0 years old) received one of three early teaching interventions: a 1:1 home-based programme, and two different forms of special nursery placement. Measures from the Psycho-Educational Profile, British Abilities Scale, and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales were taken over a 10 month period. The study showed moderate effect sizes for improvements in all scales for children attending a generalized special nursery placement, and for those attending a special nursery placement solely for children with ASDs. Children receiving a home-based 1:1 programme with similar intervention hours showed moderate effect sizes for the PEP and B...

Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice: Call for Papers

Autism — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:58:23 +0100

(Source: Autism)

Medical journal retracts controversial study

CNN.com - Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:57:07 +0100

The medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday retracted a controversial 1998 paper that linked the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

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Study Linking Autism to Vaccine Retracted

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:46:43 +0100

The retraction follows the finding of 'dishonest, irresponsible' study methods. WebMD Health News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

'Lancet' medical journal retracts study linking vaccine to autism

USATODAY.com Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:21:19 +0100

A major British medical journal on Tuesday retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism ... (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

Journal Retracts Study Linking Vaccines, Autism

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:04:15 +0100

A major British medical journal on Tuesday retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. (Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire)

Report linking autism to vaccines is retracted by medical journal

L.A. Times - Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:34:00 +0100

The Lancet issues a retraction on the 12-year-old paper by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, which had said the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine causes autism. The report led to a sharp drop in vaccination rates. Twelve years after Dr. Andrew Wakefield published his research in the international medical journal the Lancet purporting that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine causes autism, the journal on Tuesday formally retracted the paper. (Source: L.A. Times - Health)

Report linking autism to vaccines is retracted by medical journal

Los Angeles Times - Science — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:34:00 +0100

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I am an adult and I think I may have Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). How and why should I get diagnosed if in fact I do have AS?

Psychology Today Personality Center — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:32:22 +0100

Usually I write mostly about children or adolescents on the autism spectrum. However, I've been getting quite a number of emails lately from adults wondering if they have Asperger's Syndrome or not, so I decided to share some information from my book to be published March 25, 41 Things to Know About Autism. Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a high functioning form of autism that has only been an official diagnosis since 1994. Adults with AS who seek help with challenges they face are sometimes misdiagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, or other mental illnesses. It is important that adults questioning whether or not they have AS, seek the services of a professional experienced in assessing AS in adults (see resources below).If you are an adult with characteristics resembling AS, w...

Study Linking Autism to Vaccine Retracted

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:30:16 +0100

British Medical Journal Bows to Pressure to Pull Flawed 1998 Paper (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Study Linking Autism to Vaccine Retracted

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:30:16 +0100

British Medical Journal Bows to Pressure to Pull Flawed 1998 Paper from Record (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Lancet Renounces Study Linking Autism And Vaccines

NPR Health and Science — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:25:39 +0100

A flawed scientific study that fueled a backlash against vaccination is being withdrawn 12 years after it was published. Parts of the paper were found to be "incorrect."» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

MMR vaccine and autism

BMJ Online First — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:34:02 +0100

(Source: BMJ Online First)

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Lancet retracts 'utterly false' MMR paper

Guardian Unlimited Science — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:29:04 +0100

After medical council ruling last week that MMR doctor Andrew Wakefield was dishonest, journal finally quashes paperThe Lancet today finally retracted the paper that sparked a crisis in MMR vaccination across the UK, following the General Medical Council's decision that its lead author, Andrew Wakefield, had been dishonest.The medical journal's editor, Richard Horton, told the Guardian today that he realised as soon as he read the GMC findings that the paper, published in February 1998, had to be retracted. "It was utterly clear, without any ambiguity at all, that the statements in the paper were utterly false," he said. "I feel I was deceived."Many in the scientific and medical community have been pressing for the paper, linking the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jab to bowel disease an...

Study Linking Vaccine to Autism Broke Research Rules, U.K. Regulators Say

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:27:37 +0100

The MMR/autism doctor acted "dishonestly and irresponsibly," a U.K. regulatory panel has ruled. WebMD Health News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Lancet retracts study linking vaccine to autism

CTV Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:03:15 +0100

In a terse statement, The Lancet medical journal formally retracted Tuesday a 12-year-old paper that drew a link between autism and the childhood vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella. (Source: CTV Health)

Lancet Retracts Autism, MMR Vaccine Study

WDSU.com - Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:08:40 +0100

British medical journal the Lancet retracts a flawed 1998 study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. (Source: WDSU.com - Health)

Distance Education For Parents Of Children With Autism Found Effective

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0100

Through the use of instructional DVDs, parents of children with autism can learn how to teach their child to communicate and improve their behavior, according to research published in the January 2010 issue of The Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (published by the Hammill Institute on Disabilities and SAGE). Family members play a central role in the education and treatment of children with autism. However, training parents in appropriate techniques can provide unique challenges. Often, mothers and fathers are not available at the same time to participate in training... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Distance Education For Parents Of Children With Autism Found Effective

IT / Internet / E-mail News From Medical News Today — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0100

Autism-vaccine study retracted

CBC | Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:39:48 +0100

British medical journal The Lancet says it has retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. (Source: CBC | Health)

Lancet accepts MMR study 'false'

BBC News | Health | UK Edition — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:22:32 +0100

The medical journal which originally published the discredited research linking autism and MMR has now issue a full retraction of the paper. (Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)

Medical journal retracts autism paper 12 years on

Reuters: Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:19:58 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - The Lancet medical journal formally retracted a paper on Tuesday that caused a 12-year international battle over links between the three-in-one childhood vaccine MMR and autism. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Study linking vaccine, autism retracted

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:21:00 +0100

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Report linking autism to vaccines is retracted by medical journal

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:34:00 +0100

Twelve years after Dr. Andrew Wakefield published his research in the international medical journal the Lancet purporting that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine causes autism, the journal on Tuesday formally retracted the paper. The action came less than... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

British medical journal retracts flawed 1998 study that linked measles vaccine to autism

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:57:00 +0100

LONDON (AP) — A major British medical journal on Tuesday retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. The retraction by The Lancet comes a day after a competing medical journal, BMJ, issued an... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

The Lancet medical journal retracts flawed autism study originally published in 1998

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:39:00 +0100

LONDON (AP) — British medical journal The Lancet says it has retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. The Lancet published the controversial paper by Andrew Wakefield and colleagues in... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

Study Linking Autism to Vaccine Retracted

WebMD Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

The Lancet formally retracted a discredited 1998 study that linked autism to the childhood MMR vaccine after a U.K. regulatory agency found the researchers acted "dishonestly" and "irresponsibly." (Source: WebMD Health)

Seeking Reasons for Autism's Rise

WSJ.com: Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:08:38 +0100

Medical experts have pondered for years why autism rates have soared, and why it appears to be more prevalent in certain areas than others. Some recent studies that zero in on California may shed light on these questions. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

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Journal Retracks Study Linking Vaccinations with Autism

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

If you're a parent, it has probably crossed your mind. Are childhood vaccinations harmful? Do they cause autism like some people say? A researcher came out with a landmark study more than a decade ago claiming there was a link between vaccinations and... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

Journal Retracts Study Linking Vaccinations with Autism

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Grand Rapids Area Parents of Autistic Children Still Mixed on Connection to Vaccines

OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Parents of autistic children in West Michigan expressed little surprise at the retraction of a long-standing study that claimed there is a connection between vaccinations and autism. But they are still not of a single mind on whether the connection... (Source: OrlandoSentinel: Medical Research)

Understanding early communication signals in autism: a study of the perception of infants' cry

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion Our findings offer support for the hypothesis that acoustic characteristics of episodes of crying of children with autism, especially higher fundamental frequencies, may account for mental states of uneasiness in the listener. (Source: Journal of Intellectual Disability Research)

Personality disorders in offenders with intellectual disability: a comparison of clinical, forensic and outcome variables and implications for service provision

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Although about half of patients detained in secure units for offenders with ID have a personality disorder, there were more similarities than differences between this group and the rest. While good treatment outcomes supported the case for specialised secure treatment units for people with ID, the case for establishing a more specialised ID[ndash]personality disorder unit was less convincing. There is also a need to explore whether there are alternative diagnostic models that can delineate better the group with personality difficulties in this population. (Source: Journal of Intellectual Disability Research)

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Limited Attentional Bias for Faces in Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorders [Original Article]

Archives of General Psychiatry — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:51:36 +0100

Conclusion The results suggest that face-processing difficulties in toddlers with ASD involve disruption of an attentional mechanism that typically supports deeper processing of these highly socially relevant stimuli. (Source: Archives of General Psychiatry)

Could Pill Ease Genetic Brain Disorder?

Health News: CBSNews.com — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:36:19 +0100

Drugmakers Take Aim at Fragile X Syndrome, a Defect Linked to Autism, Retardation (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

A Smart-Phone Application and a Companion Website for the Improvement of the Communication Skills of Children with Autism: Clinical Rationale, Technical Development and Preliminary Results

Journal of Medical Systems — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:05:33 +0100

Abstract Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that is part of a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Today, one in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism. Lack of social interaction and problems with communication are the main characteristics displayed by children with ASD. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a communication system where children exchange visual symbols as a form of communication. The visual symbols are laminated pictures stored in a binder. We have designed, developed and are currently testing a software application, called PixTalk which works on any Windows Mobile Smart-phone. Teachers and caregivers can access a web site and select from an online library the images to be downloaded on to the Smart-phone....

Prevalence and Correlates of Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms Among CSHCN

PEDIATRICS — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:03:21 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Internalizing mental health symptoms are common among CSHCN. Findings may help caregivers focus screening and prevention efforts for high-risk groups in this heterogeneous population. (Source: PEDIATRICS)

MSU Researcher Advocates New Way To Treat Autism

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Children with autism would likely receive better treatment if supporters of the two major teaching methods stopped bickering over theory and focused on a combined approach, a Michigan State University psychologist argues in a new paper. For years, the behavioral and developmental camps have argued over which theory is more effective in teaching communication and other skills to preschool-aged children with autism. Basically, behaviorists believe learning occurs through reinforcement or reward while developmental advocates stress learning through important interactions with caregivers... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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MSU Researcher Advocates New Way To Treat Autism

Autism News From Medical News Today — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Industrial chemical OSR#1 used as autism treatment

L.A. Times - Health — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Used for toxic cleanup, it's also sold as a dietary supplement, even though it hasn't been evaluated for safety. An industrial chemical developed to help separate heavy metals from polluted soil and mining drainage is being sold as a dietary supplement by a luminary in the world of alternative autism treatments. (Source: L.A. Times - Health)

Vaccine Link to Autism Broke Research Rules

eMedicineHealth.com — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Study Linking Vaccine to Autism Broke Research Rules, U.K. Regulators Say (Source: eMedicineHealth.com)

Study Linking Vaccine to Autism Broke Research Rules, U.K. Regulators Say

MedicineNet Kids Health General — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Title: Study Linking Vaccine to Autism Broke Research Rules, U.K. Regulators SayCategory: Health NewsCreated: 2/1/2010 11:06:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 2/1/2010 11:06:51 AM (Source: MedicineNet Kids Health General)

Distance education for parents of children with autism found effective

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(SAGE Publications) Through the use of instructional DVDs, parents of children with autism can learn how to teach their child to communicate and improve their behavior, according to research published in the January 2010 issue of the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (published by the Hammill Institute on Disabilities and SAGE). (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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What Is the Differential Diagnosis of Attentional Problems?

PediatricEducation.org — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:23:56 +0100

Discussion Attentional problems are a clinical diagnosis. Some people use a functional definition of attentional difficulties that disrupt the normal activities of the patient and/or family. Attention Deficit Disorder (with or without hyperactivity, i.e. ADD, ADHD) has specific criteria for its diagnosis using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (version IV). Children with attentional problems present in a wide variety of ways, including poor school performance, behavioral problems, personality changes, and inappropriate or antisocial behavior. History is very important and should include school history with results of other evaluations, typical day activities and behaviors, birth history (including possible teratogens and substance abuse), developmental history (including possible los...

Interhemispheric asymmetry in EEG photic driving coherence in childhood autism

Clinical Neurophysiology — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Spectral and coherence characteristics of the EEG photic driving show different aspects of latent abnormal interhemispheric asymmetry in autistics: the right hemisphere “hyporeactivity” and potential “hyperconectivity” of likely compensatory nature in the left hemisphere.Significance: The EEG photic driving can reveal functional topographic alterations not present in the spontaneous EEG. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

Retracted: Autism linked to childhood vaccination

The Scientist — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The paper that kicked off the controversy surrounding the MMR vaccine is today officially retracted by The Lancet. What now? (Source: The Scientist)

Review of the ethics of autism: among them, but not of them by deborah R. Barnbaum.

The American Journal of Bioethics : AJOB — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Russell B PMID: 20131182 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The American Journal of Bioethics : AJOB)

Interstitial microduplication of Xp22.31: Causative of intellectual disability or benign copy number variant?

European Journal of Medical Genetics — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We present a detailed comparison of the breakpoints, inheritance, X-inactivation and clinical phenotype in our cohort and a review of the literature for a total of 41 patients. To date, this report is the largest compilation of clinical and array data regarding the microduplication of Xp22.31 and will serve to broaden the knowledge of regions involving copy number variation (CNV). PMID: 20132918 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: European Journal of Medical Genetics)

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Longitudinal study of joint attention in non-verbal autistic children

Revista CEFAC — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:58:09 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: the gaze behavior is an important step for the development of others behaviors toward Joint Attention. The adult-child interaction situation facilitates the appearance of communication behaviors and sharing. Language therapy with focus on the Joint Attention abilities seems to contribute positively for communication development of autistic children. (Source: Revista CEFAC)

Autism: a study on communicative abilities in children

Revista CEFAC — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:58:09 +0100

CONCLUSION: It was possible to verify that the studied children used functional communication forms in different situational contexts, verbal and non-verbal skills, aspects considered essential to the proposition of resources in speech therapy intervention. (Source: Revista CEFAC)

Using the gesture in autism: case report

Revista CEFAC — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:58:09 +0100

CONCLUSION: improvement was verified in gestural quality in this case report. (Source: Revista CEFAC)

Industrial chemical OSR#1 used as autism treatment

L.A. Times - Health — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:04:45 +0100

The Kraepelinian dichotomy - going, going... but still not gone [REAPPRAISAL]

The British Journal of Psychiatry — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:01:24 +0100

Recent genetic studies reinforce the view that current approaches to the diagnosis and classification of major psychiatric illness are inadequate. These findings challenge the distinction between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and suggest that more attention should be given to the relationship between the functional psychoses and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. We are entering a transitional period of several years during which psychiatry will need to move from using traditional descriptive diagnoses to clinical entities (categories and/or dimensions) that relate more closely to the underlying workings of the brain. (Source: The British Journal of Psychiatry)

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What's the Story About Gastrointestinal Problems in Kids With Autism?

U.S. News - Health — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:53:00 +0100

Research shows no higher risk in autistic children, nor any evidence that a special diet might help. (Source: U.S. News - Health)

Ruling on doctor in MMR scare

NHS News Feed — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:54:00 +0100

The doctor who sparked the MMR controversy was “dishonest, irresponsible and showed callous disregard for the distress and pain” of children, the General Medical Council (GMC) has ruled. The ruling has been reported by many newspapers. The GMC said Dr Andrew Wakefield “abused his position of trust” when conducting research into a proposed link between the MMR vaccine, autism and bowel disorders. He carried out clinically unnecessary and invasive tests on children without ethical approval or appropriate qualifications. Wakefield also failed to disclose conflicts of interest to The Lancet medical journal, which in 1998 published the research paper that sparked the MMR scare. The paper has since been withdrawn by The Lancet and discredited. The scare nonetheless led to a dramatic dro...

Doc Who Tied Vaccine to Autism Ruled Unethical

TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:25:00 +0100

British medical authorities rule that Andrew Wakefield, the doctor behind research that linked the triple Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine with autism, acted "dishonestly and with "callous disregard" for the children involved in his study (Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories)

Damning verdict on doctor who linked MMR and autism

New Scientist - Health — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:02:59 +0100

Twelve years after claiming that the vaccine might cause autism, Andrew Wakefield is closer than ever to being banned from practising as a doctor (Source: New Scientist - Health)