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Research
Experiences of Parents of Specialist Peer Mentored Autistic University StudentsParents continue to support to autistic university students, and consequently, experience considerable stress. The aim was to explore the experiences of parents of specialist peer mentored university students and to examine these using the ICF as a theoretical framework.
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Eye Gaze in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Neural Evidence for the Eye Avoidance HypothesisReduced eye contact early in life may play a role in the developmental pathways that culminate in a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. However, there are contradictory theories regarding the neural mechanisms involved. According to the amygdala theory of autism, reduced eye contact results from a hypoactive amygdala that fails to flag eyes as salient. However, the eye avoidance hypothesis proposes the opposite-that amygdala hyperactivity causes eye avoidance. This review evaluated studies that measured the relationship between eye gaze and activity in the 'social brain' when viewing facial stimuli.
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No relationship between autistic traits and salivary testosterone concentrations in men from the general populationThe current data add to the increasing evidence for the lack of relationship between autistic traits and postnatal levels of testosterone in men
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Characterizing the interplay between autism spectrum disorder and comorbid medical conditions: An integrative reviewWe review medical conditions that have been repeatedly highlighted as sharing the strongest associations with ASD-epilepsy, sleep, as well as gastrointestinal and immune functioning
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Atypical nested 22q11.2 duplications are associated with neurodevelopmental phenotypes including autism spectrum disorder with incomplete penetranceOur findings contribute to the genotype–phenotype data for atypical nested 22q11.2 duplications, with implications for genetic counseling
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A national guideline for the assessment and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in AustraliaThe Guideline aims to create greater consistency in diagnostic practices across the country to ensure individuals on the autism spectrum can receive the optimal care
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Parental perspectives of the everyday experiences of uncertainty among young children on the autism spectrumAnxiety commonly co-occurs in autism. Exploring and understanding potential underpinning mechanisms contributing to and maintaining anxiety in the early years is important in managing anxiety. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), a tendency to find uncertainty difficult, is a transdiagnostic mechanism contributing to anxiety, but little is known about how IU may be experienced in young children on the autism spectrum. This study investigated parental perspectives of children's experiences of uncertainty.
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Psychosocial and neurocognitive correlates of suicidal thoughts and behaviours amongst siblings of persons with and without neurodevelopmental conditionsSiblings of individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) have greater incidence of neuropsychiatric diagnoses and neurocognitive difficulties compared to siblings of persons without NDCs. Despite suicidality being labelled a global health crisis (WHO, 2014) and NDC siblings experiencing risk factors implicated in suicidality, no previous studies examined suicidality amongst adolescent and young adult siblings of persons with NDCs. Our study aimed to bridge this gap.
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Risk of Developmental Disorders in Children of Immigrant Mothers: A Population-Based Data Linkage EvaluationIncreased risk of autism spectrum disorder with intellectual disability and cerebral palsy with intellectual disability for mothers of some foreign-born groups
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Maternal pre-pregnancy weight and autistic-like traits among offspring in the general populationThis study provides further evidence that maternal pre-pregnancy obesity is associated with autism-like behaviors in offspring