Autism Science Foundation Weekly Science Report

Latest Episodes
Let’s talk about catatonia
Catatonia is a syndrome which includes immobility, stupor, and sometimes regression in psychiatric wellness or even ability to feed or take care of ones self. This syndrome is seen in autism about 10%
Contextual Factors in Autism: What took us so long?
Contextual factors, or external factors, are environmental influences and can impact not just a diagnosis but the life course of a person with autism and their families. A recent commentary by autism
Is folate an evidence-based treatment for autism?
Todays #ASFpodcast explains the potential and the unknowns behind folate, known as leucovorin when prescribe, for treating autism. CBSNews reported on a miraculous study using leucovorin that will
An Explanation of Some of the Recent Scientific Research Announcements
The past couple of weeks have been a flurry of decisions involving government funding for research and health and wellness services. Its been difficult to understand their impact without understandin
How IQ impacts the “will do” of skills: adaptive behaviors
On this weeks podcast, Dr. Elaine Clarke from @RutgersU discusses the role of adaptive behavior. This refers to the wide range of skills that a person with autism can exhibit. Can they hold a convers
Do Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Direct Current Stimulation help people with autism? The latest science here.
Two therapies that are meant to alter brainwave activity, called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation are receiving a lot of attention for potential efficacy i
We missed one for the 2024 year end summary: Proof of the importance of genetic testing in autism
It happens every year this one belonged in the 2024 year end highlights but was published late in the year. Researchers at UCSD, UCLA and CHLA followed families with autism whose genetic test reveal
The 2024 Autism Science Year in Review
New Technologies, New Data, New Solutions This years progress in autism research includes promising findings, clarifications, explanations, and the uncovering of new avenues of inquiry. The focus is
Online autism assessments as a perk of the pandemic
While it may not seem like it, the COVID-19 pandemic brought some advances in care and understanding for people on the spectrum. One example is the development and validity of remotely administered as
An update on why there are fewer autistic females compared to males
This week, special podcast correspondent #MiaKotikovski summarizes new research on the increasing prevalence of autism, with a focus on females. While the number of diagnosed females is increasing fas