Autism Newsroom: ScienceDaily.com

Cascades of genetic signals determine which neurotransmitter a brain cell will ultimately use to communicate with other cells. Now a pair of reports have shown for the first time that electrical activity in these developing neurons can alter their chemical fate -- and change an animal's behavior -- by tweaking this genetic program.

A new survey of child psychiatrists indicates that insomnia is a major problem among children in mental health treatment and at least a quarter of these patients are given sleep medication. The results of the survey suggests that management of insomnia in this population is a common practice, although the clinical approach varies widely.

New technology could fundamentally change the study of language development as well as the screening for autism spectrum disorders and language delay.

A new study has shown for the first time how the drug misoprostol, linked to neurodevelopmental defects associated with autism, interferes with neuronal cell function. It is an important finding because misoprostol is similar in structure to naturally occurring prostaglandins, the key signaling molecules produced by fatty acids in the brain. The study examined mouse neuronal cells to see how the drug interferes at a molecular level with prostaglandins.

Scientists in Israel have reported a strong link between IVF and mild to moderate cases of autism. In their study, 10.5% of 461 children diagnosed with a disorder on the autism spectrum were conceived using IVF, a significantly higher number than the 3.5% autism rate in the general Israeli population.

Mothers of children with autism see their careers disproportionally affected as they confront greater demands on their time, inflexible workplaces and increased medical costs, according to a new study.

The largest DNA scan for familial autism found rare genetic changes occurring nearly 20 percent more in autistic children than healthy children. Not always found in autistic children's parents, these variants suggest that tiny genetic errors occur during formation of the parents' eggs and sperm, which are copied during creation of the child's DNA. The findings may reveal clues to where genes go awry and increase autism risk, offering hope for common treatments.

Researchers have found that single brain cells, if confronted with a difficult task, can identify objects as dissimilar as sports cars and dogs.

There is an association between gestation of a baby at delivery and the risk of special educational needs in later life, according to new research.

Children with autism have a different chemical fingerprint in their urine than non-autistic children, according to new research. The researchers suggest that their findings could ultimately lead to a simple urine test to determine whether or not a young child has autism.