Research by Topic: podcast

Autism: Difference or Dysfunction?

Published August 28, 2019 in ASF Podcast

The question of whether or not autism is a difference or a true dysfunction in brain development has been debated for years.  A new study from Canada demonstrates that within an autism diagnosis, there is less of a difference in symptoms in the last 5 years than there was 30 years ago.  This raises a […]

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In autism, what does protection mean?

Published August 28, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Some autistics are offended by the word “protection” when it comes to autism, but in addition to things increasing the probability of a diagnosis, some things reduce the probability?  This week’s podcast explores the female protective effect as well as a new study from the BASIS study in the UK looking at early regulatory function […]

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The extra benefit of caregiver mediated interventions

Published August 28, 2019 in ASF Podcasr

This week, a new systematic review published by researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute looked at the existing evidence around caregiver (parent) mediated interventions and not child outcome, but family relationships and dynamics. While it isn’t the focus on the intervention, what effect does allowing parents to be involved and empowered on their child’s support on […]

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How to get and keep a job – from those that know

Published August 28, 2019 in ASF Podcast

There are many different factors that go into successful employment for people with and without autism.  As part of the ASF policy brief on employment, the US, Australia and Sweden held meetings with autistic adults, family members and employers and asked “what are the issues in your words”?  Then they were mapped onto areas of […]

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Genes, environment and heritability: why does it matter?

Published August 28, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This week a 5 country collaboration including the largest number of people EVER revealed 80% of the causes of autism are heritable. This is incredibly important to understand autism and move forward with research that matters to families.  What it did not do was calculate the role of gene x environment interactions which seems to […]

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Understanding the brains of people with autism with Daniel Geschwind, MD, PhD

Published August 28, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This week’s ASF podcast is a special treat – Dr. Daniel Geschwind from UCLA provides an understanding of the brains of people with autism, focusing on those with a mutation in chromosome 15.  He goes over how they are similar and different (teaser: they are more similar) and answers questions from families about how this […]

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If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere: preparing early interventions for the community

Published July 8, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This week two groups of heroes of autism research published studies that may not be the type of major breakthrough that the media reports on, but they are more important to families:  These studies help translate what works in the research clinic into the community.  Specifically, is it even possible, how, and what do families […]

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What’s new in the immune system and ASD

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This holiday weekend always triggers a reincarnation, a resurrection of the vaccine – autism hypothesis.  Many of you have read about the measles epidemics that are hitting many areas of the country.  But besides vaccines, there are other aspects of the immune system that may be linked to autism in some people.  The include family […]

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Happy Pride all!

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This week’s podcast is dedicated to the “T” in LGBTQ –  trans.  Several studies over the past few years have linked higher rates of gender variance in people with autism and higher rates of autism traits in those who are trans.  Why?  Are they biologically or psychologically linked or both?  This is important for understanding, […]

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Are animal models for ASD a monkey wrench or useful tool?

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

A new animal model of autism appeared this week:  the monkey.  This adds to the ever growing list of different model systems from autism, from fruit flies to mice and rats now up to monkeys.  Are these animal models useful and for what, and why isn’t there just ONE model of autism rather than the […]

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Guys, we all need exercise

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

People with autism are less likely to be physically active and more likely to be sedentary.    A number of studies have looked into different physical activities, both group based and individually, on improvements in health as well as core features of autism, and most have had positive results.  New animal model research demonstrates a […]

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Yeah, another study about autistic poop

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This week’s podcast includes a summary of the new study, this time in an animal model, looking at microbiome transplantation.  Because this was more of an experimental model, the researchers could be more rigorous in their design and look at things like behavior, brain activity, and specific biological pathways.  While a mouse does not have […]

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The Department of Defense and Autism Research

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Did you know that in addition to the DoD’s support of the military, they all have funded $65 million in autism research?  This podcast discusses some of their programs and how they support military families and benefit the autism community. Want to read more about what they fund?  There’s a list here:  https://cdmrp.army.mil/search.aspx

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Getting Autistic People to Work

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This week’s podcast is dedicated to the recently released INSAR – supported employment policy brief.  This was a 2 year project by ASF, Stony Brook, University, Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Curtin University in Australia to provide a cross-cultural perspective on getting autistic people who want to work, employed, and stay employed.  Thank you to […]

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Getting kids with autism to eat

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This week’s podcast combines two important post Mother’s Day topics – parents and eating.  Two recent studies have shown the promise of using parent – delivered interventions to help improve food selectivity and food aversions in kids with autism. These two behaviors can be one of the most frustrating and challenging for parents and kids, […]

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INSAR with a T, for “technology”

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Lots of news outlets have great summaries of things that were presented at the International Society for Autism Research. However, one area was relatively missed:  technology.    This week’s podcast summarizes advances in technology for people with autism, how they are being used, what they could be used for and how they will improve services […]

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How do parents choose different interventions?

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Parents have choices of dozens of different autism interventions, available in private and public settings.  A new study explores factors which influence parents decisions on different interventions, how they are similar to each other and different.  They include cognitive ability of their kids with ASD and economic resources.  Parents in the US may have similarities […]

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This study is s**t

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

You may have heard on the internet that a new “radical” treatment leads to a “50% reduction” in autism symptoms.  This radical treatment is fecal transplants, which is taking the bacteria from the feces from one person and putting them in another person.  This is a still experimental treatment, and while the microbiome should be […]

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The good and evil sides of technology use by autistics

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This year’s Day of Learning included two presentations on the use of technology among people with autism.  As it turns out, technology can be great.  In fact, a new study using Google Glass shows promise in improving socialization.  On the other hand, sometimes technology can have a downside.  People with autism spend more time than […]

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Do the rules apply in school?

Published July 2, 2019 in ASF Podcast

This week is focused on what happens in schools, including classification, service receipt and new interventions.  How an educational classification translates to a clinical diagnosis, how and what factors are important in receiving services, what teachers think about repetitive behaviors and finally, a new intervention that can be delivered by therapists in school or mental […]

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DSM5 – where are we now?

Published July 1, 2019 in ASF Pocast

Don’t be fooled, not all the studies on this week’s podcast focus on the DSM5.  But the first one, a review of a meta analysis and review of the dozens of publications that have emerged in the past 5 years around the DSM5 leads us off.  There are some people that weren’t captured by either […]

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What does and does not change the probability of an autism diagnosis

Published July 1, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Once again, this week another study  came out dismissing the link between vaccines and autism.  Add this one to the list, but this is one of the largest and takes into account genetic and non-genetic risk factors.  It continues to discredit the vaccine-autism link.  However, in other science, more evidence that prenatal folic acid supplementation, […]

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An update on females with autism, on the double

Published July 1, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Females with autism are different than males with autism in a lot of ways.  This week, researchers used twins to examine the differences between males and females with autism in their brain structure and how it’s associated with autism traits, not a diagnosis.  To do this, researchers in Sweden turned to twins.  As it turns […]

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A topic for discussion on President’s Day: violence and victimization

Published July 1, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Happy President’s Day!  This week’s podcast is focuses on a topic that has been on the mind of families affected by autism:  autism and violence and victimization.  The studies reinforce 1) the lack of an association between autism and criminality, 2) the association of an autism diagnosis with being the victim of abuse.  This includes […]

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Autism spectrum disorders underneath a bigger umbrella: more data from the brain

Published July 1, 2019 in ASF Podcast

There is demonstrated genetic overlap between many neurodevelopment disorders including  ASD, ADHD, and schizophrenia, and now there is data showing similarities in the structure and size of the brains in people with autism and those with ADHD.  These differences depend on how severe social difficulties are, but the similarities are seen with ASD and ADHD, […]

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Infant motor issues and later autism diagnosis

Published July 1, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Everyone knows the way to study infants with autism is through thorough testing of younger siblings of those with a diagnosis, who have a 15x greater chance of have a diagnosis themselves.   Through these methods, new ways of identifying and predicting autism  later on have been developed.  On this week’s podcast:   two very […]

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Genes and Environment, Genes and Environment. Go together like aging and retirement

Published July 1, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Twins with autism, where either one or both is diagnosed, is crucial to understand the role of genetics and the environment to both autism diagnoses and now, autism traits.  In a study this week, researchers using data from the California Twins Study examined the genetic and environmental influences of brain development in multiple regions and […]

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The latest on complementary and alternative medicines

Published July 1, 2019 in ASF Podcast

Even though many parents of kids with autism and  autistic adults are using cannabis (THC and CBD) and cannabidiols (CBD only), these treatments are technically illegal.  So how are pediatricians discussing these options with their patients when asked?  A few pediatricians from states where it is legal for adults to obtain cannabis containing products weigh […]

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Understanding the hard to research

Published July 1, 2019 in ASF Podcast

What do Princess Kate and Amy Schumer have in common, and what does it have to do with autism?  The answer:  Hyperemesis Gravidum.  It’s linked to autism, but not strongly, but it does show more evidence of significant overlap between many neuropsychiatric issues and disorders. More importantly though, those with low verbal ability and low […]

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Podcast: Lordy Lordy it’s One in Forty

Published December 3, 2018

You may have heard the news: The prevalence of autism is 1:40 according to an email survey of parents. However, there’s more information in the study that’s worthy of consideration: The high rate of unmet mental health needs in those with ASD. Learn more on the ASF podcast. Read more about the study.

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Podcast: Scientists know in their gut how the GI symptoms are linked to autism

Published November 19, 2018

People with autism have higher levels of GI problems than people without a diagnosis, and the microbiome is associated with GI function. So, is the microbiome linked to autism? Some studies say yes, but this week, studies in China look at non-caucasian people with a different diet. Do the differences still hold? Also, while GI […]

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Podcast: The average age of diagnosis depends on where, when, and how you ask

Published November 13, 2018

While diagnosis before 3 years of age is ideal, circumstances may not always allow the earliest identification and diagnosis. This week’s podcast explores two of the reasons why diagnosis is not always possible before age 3. One is a study from Denmark and one is from members of the Baby Siblings Research Consortium.

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Podcast: From cells to anxiety

Published October 29, 2018

Dr. Inna Fishman from San Diego State University explains how findings from brain tissue helps scientists interpret data which studies how brain regions connect to each other and why this is important for understanding autism subgroups. Also, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet examine ADHD diagnosed in adults, and find it is similar to autism. Listen […]

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Podcast: The waterbed around your brain (and its role in sleep)

Published October 22, 2018

This week, Dr. Mark Shen from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explains new findings looking at the fluid around the brain. It’s now seen in families even without a family history of ASD, the finding has now been seen in different independent studies, including those at the UC Davis MIND Institute in […]

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Podcast: Super siblings!

Published October 15, 2018

This podcast is dedicated to siblings of people with autism who are typically developing. They play an important and beneficial role in development of socialization of those with ASD. But sadly, they also have issues of their own, such as a high rate of issues like anxiety and depression. Those siblings may be genetic carries […]

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Podcast: A conversation with Clare Harrop about autism in boys and girls

Published October 1, 2018

Recently, Clare Harrop from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill published two papers which help explain the differences between boys and girls with autism, at least in kids and toddlers. She graciously agreed to talk with ASF about these findings and what it means for better identification and diagnosis of girls with ASD, and […]

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Podcast: What is autism? It’s changing

Published September 24, 2018

This week’s ASF podcast focuses on how co-occuring conditions with autism, like anxiety, depression, and OCD, have changed over time. The increase in these conditions may help in defining different subgroups of autism. Listen on asfpodcast.org or on your favorite podcatcher!

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Podcast: Just Listen to Nancy Reagan – Say NO to MDMA

Published September 17, 2018

This week’s podcast begins with a comment on the debate over ABA – helpful or harmful? But the big news this week is an analysis of very early, but very published, data on the use of MDMA, also known as “ecstasy” or “Molly”, in people with autism. Called an “empathogen”, MDMA can elicit feelings of […]

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Podcast: Children are not small adults

Published September 3, 2018

Children are not small adults, and this was illustrated this week in two papers studying features of autism across the lifespan. Their symptoms may change, which has implications for treatment – you can’t take an intervention designed for a child and give it to an adult. Hear more on this week’s podcast with an interview […]

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Podcast: Tristram Smith, 1961-2018

Published August 27, 2018

Two weeks ago, the autism research community lost a pioneer, mentor and advocate for the autism community. This podcast only highlights a portion of the enormous contribution he made to autism research and the impact his research had on families with ASD. Also, two people that know him best, one of his current mentees, Suzannah […]

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Podcast: What are PCOS and DDT, and what do they have to do with autism?

Published August 20, 2018

On this week’s podcast, the link between polycystic ovarian syndrome and autism explained and tied in with a new study on the highly toxic chemical DDT. They do have a common link. Research also shows that environmental exposures and maternal medical conditions contribute to a host of outcomes and comorbidities, autism being one of them.

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Podcast: What is happening in research around employment for people with ASD?

Published August 13, 2018

On this week’s podcast, Melissa Scott of Curtin University discusses findings from the first paper out of Curtin’s collaboration with ASF, Stony Brook University, and Karolinska Institutet on an international policy brief on employment for people with autism. Based on a scoping review of existing research on employment practices, the environment was one crucial element […]

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Give Spectrumly Speaking a listen

Published August 6, 2018

Listeners to the ASF podcast get a break this week, although you are all encouraged to check out the Spectrumly Speaking podcast. Spectrumly Speaking is a podcast dedicated to women on the autism spectrum, produced by Different Brains. Every two weeks join hosts Becca Lory, CAS, BCCS, and Katherine Cody, Psy.D., as they discuss news […]

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Podcast: PMS – It’s not what you think

Published July 30, 2018

On this week’s podcast, highlights from the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation 2018 International Family Conference in Dallas, TX. People with Phelan McDermid Syndrome, or PMS, suffer from seizures and intellectual disability, and about 70% have an ASD diagnosis. This syndrome is caused by mutations of the SHANK3 gene, which is present in about 1% of people […]

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Podcast: Classroom interventions that work

Published July 23, 2018

On this week’s podcast, two studies that used a randomized design to show how interventions can be delivered in the classroom.

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Podcast: Autism diagnosed in school age, and does early intervention make a difference?

Published July 16, 2018

On this week’s podcast, highlights of a new systematic review on Early Intense Behavioral Intervention. Thank you to the ASF community for suggesting this topic for the podcast!

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Podcast: If you want to know about people with autism, ask them

Published July 9, 2018

If you want to know about people with autism, ask them. Scientists are working on how they collect information from people with autism in order to better understand individual experiences and produce findings that may help improve services. Listen to the podcast episode here.

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Podcast: A tool to describe strengths of people with autism

Published July 2, 2018

For this week’s podcast, Soheil Mahdi of the Karolinska Institutet describes the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), a tool used being used to describe the strengths of people with autism in order to identify opportunities for them. ASF is collaborating with Mr. Mahdi on an employment policy brief.

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Podcast: Reusing and recycling autism data from brain tissue

Published June 25, 2018

On this week’s podcast, data obtained from brains of people with autism is reused and re-analyzed so that a new role of mitochondria and their relationship to the activity of synapse genes could be discovered. In addition, cellular stress is seen in the brains of people with autism. What comes first? Mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular […]

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Podcast: Ode to autism dads

Published June 18, 2018

On this week’s podcast, a special episode highlighting recent research focusing on fathers. This includes genetics, parental stress and quality of life, and broader autism phenotype features. Of note, two new studies that look at antidepressant exposure in father and probability of having a child with autism – a variation on studying maternal exposures.

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Podcast: Sobering statistics on suicide

Published June 4, 2018

Suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts have been shown to be increased in people with ASD. Rates are similar to those with bipolar depression and schizophrenia, but are higher even without psychosis. This is shocking and an urgent health issue in the autism community. This week’s podcast summarizes recent data, publications, presentations, and concerns of thought […]

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Podcast: In partial phrase of the DSM 5

Published May 28, 2018

On this week’s podcast, diagnosis with the DSM 5. While much work needs to be done to include individual abilities and disabilities into the DSM5, after the CDC prevalence numbers were published last month, it became clear the old DSM IV was not working. In a replication of a previous finding, it showed that the […]

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Podcast: The sticky subject of cost-effectiveness

Published May 21, 2018

On this week’s podcast, Dr. Tracy Yuen of University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children explains two different analyses of cost-effectiveness which looked at 1) universal screening for ASD and 2) use of genomic sequencing to identify novel variants in people with ASD.

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Podcast: A sampling of science from the International Meeting of Autism Research

Published May 15, 2018

This week’s podcast is a short summary of just a few of the presentations. There was more of an emphasis on what has been called “real life” research questions like employment, quality of life, and relationships. As a result, some of the more basic science questions around autism are now being presented at other meetings. […]

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Podcast: Where the wild new genetic hot spots are

Published May 7, 2018

On this week’s podcast, three genetics papers featuring three ASF fellows! All three deal with using whole genome sequencing (WGS) to study non-coding regulatory regions that may be associated with autism. These regions of DNA do not code for proteins but regulate the regions that do. Mutations in the non-coding regulatory regions that regulate the […]

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Podcast: Just to be clear, people with Aspergers are not Nazi’s

Published April 23, 2018

This week’s podcast covers the recent article published in Molecular Autism that looks into the history of Hans Asperger, the eponym of Asperger’s Syndrome and a physician with ties to eugenics in Nazi-era Vienna.

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Podcast: The ASF Day of Learning mini-recap

Published April 16, 2018

This week’s podcast is a mini-recap of the 5th Annual Day of learning. Hear what the speakers distilled in their TED-style talks on topics covered sleep, diet, and medical marijuana as a potential treatment for autism. Plus hear about the most recent ASF grantees.

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Podcast: Through the years

Published April 9, 2018

On this week’s podcast, studies tracking changes over time. The British Autism Study of Infant Siblings (BASIS) tracked changes in adaptive behaviors and cognitive skills in children at low-risk and high-risk of an ASD diagnosis, based on family history. The results point to the value in monitoring siblings of those with autism. Researchers at Kaiser […]

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Podcast: Here’s to understanding why people with autism have anxiety in adolescence

Published April 2, 2018

On this week’s ASF podcast: By looking directly at the brains of people with autism, researchers at UC Davis MIND Institute, led by Dr. Thomas Avino and Dr. Cyndi Schumann, show a disruption of neuron number in the amygdala in autism. The amygdala is important because it is linked to emotion, fear and anxiety in […]

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Podcast: Why the Environmental Protection Agency is important for autism

Published March 26, 2018

On this week’s podcast, highlights of a new study led by Dr. Amy Kalkbrenner of the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee published in Environmental Health Perspectives—certain air pollutants from cars and coal burning plants were associated with autism risk and severity. This scientific evidence supports policies which keep U.S. Environmental Protection Agency infrastructure intact to monitor […]

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Podcast: Loss of skills in autism partially explained

Published March 19, 2018

On this week’s ASF podcast, regression—what is it and who can see it? Using the right tools, both parents and clinicians can see that many more children with autism than thought show regression, a gradual decline or loss of skills starting at around 12 months of age and showing continual declines until 36 months of […]

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Podcast: What is true for males is not true for females

Published February 26, 2018

On this week’s podcast, Dr. Alycia Halladay focuses in on the Extreme Male Brain Theory of Autism. Amazingly, fetal testosterone levels are reflected in the length of the 2nd and 4th fingers and can be measured as a reflection of testosterone levels during pregnancy. But what may be true for one sex, may not be […]

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Podcast: The causes of social communication deficits in ASD

Published February 5, 2018

On this week’s podcast, Dr. Katherine Stavropoulos (ASF Grantee ’14) highlights her research with her UC Riverside colleague Dr. Leslie Carver on brain patterns that may explain the social communication deficits present in ASD. Plus, recent research from the Study to Explore Early Development led by Dr. Eric Rubenstein of UNC presented findings that demonstrated […]

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Podcast: Improving early detection of ASD by listening to parents

Published January 29, 2018

On this week’s podcast, Dr. Lori Sacrey of the University of Alberta highlights findings from a multi-site study she led that investigated how well parent report measures could predict an ASD diagnosis for at-risk infants. Plus, the journal Autism decided to move away from the puzzle piece symbol in this new era of autism research.

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Podcast: What is the can do vs. the will do of autism?

Published January 22, 2018

Often overlooked in intervention studies, it is becoming increasingly clearer that adaptive behavior, the “will do” vs. the “can do” of functioning, should receive more focus. On this week’s podcast, learn about adaptive behavior and hear about highlights of studies from the National Institutes of Health and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

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Podcast: Supporting the support staff, at least a first step

Published January 15, 2018

On this week’s podcast, the needs of #autism support staff are discussed. These important members of the community suffer burnout which can impact the quality of the services they provide individuals with ASD. A new study examines how to improve the psychological well being of autism support staff so interventions and prevention of burnout can […]

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Podcast: What is the real prevalence of ASD?

Published January 8, 2018

This week’s ASF podcast takes a look at the prevalence rate of autism diagnoses. Two national datasets have shown no further increase in autism prevalence in the last few years of looking. Also, folic acid proves to show an effect on the probability of not just an autism diagnosis but also autism symptoms, especially important […]

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Podcast: Gamma waves and autism brains

Published December 11, 2017

This week’s ASF podcast goes into some waves—gamma waves, which seem to help coordinate activity in different parts of the brain. Researchers at Oxford University led by Dr. David Menassa explore gamma waves in the brains of autistic adults who perform better on a visual processing task than those without a diagnosis. Dr. Menassa provides […]

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Let’s talk about sex (and sexuality) in people with autism

Published November 13, 2017

This week’s ASF podcast explores differences in sexuality and sexual relationships between those with autism and without, and also differences between males and females with autism.  While this is not a new topic, the number of publications and research has exploded this year.  Learn more here.

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What does Labor Day mean for people with autism spectrum disorders?

Published September 5, 2017

Labor Day is a time to appreciate and honor all those people who work to make this world a better place. People with autism do that, but they also want to get paid and be employed just like anyone else. This Labor Day, the podcast summarizes challenges to studying employment in people with ASD, what […]

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Help for people with minimal language

Published March 16, 2016

About 25-30% of children with autism show language impairment or no language at all, and these families often use assisted communication devices like picture exchange to help their children communicate.  Recently, electronic communication devices like the iPad have revolutionized the way that people communicate, but little research has been done on how and if they […]

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ASF co-hosts the 2nd environmental epigenetic of autism research webinar

Published March 7, 2016

On Thursday, ASF, the Escher Fund for Autism and Autism Speaks co-organized the second in a series of webinars on environmental epigenetics.  These webinars are open to the public and provide discussions on the role of gene/environment interactions in autism led by leading researchers in the field.  This month, the presentations were given by Dr. […]

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