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Improving the Quality of Life of mothers of children with autism and intellectual disability

We wanted to explore the quality of life of mothers of children with autism and intellectual disability and identify factors that impact their quality of life.

Maternal Vitamin D Levels and the Autism Phenotype Among Offspring

We tested whether maternal vitamin D insufficiency during pregnancy is related to the autism phenotype.

Are autistic traits in the general population stable across development?

There is accumulating evidence that autistic traits (AT) are on a continuum in the general population.

Autistic-like traits in childhood predict later age at menarche in girls

We investigated the relationship between autistic-like traits in early childhood and age at menarche in typically developing girls.

Are autistic traits in the general population stable across development?

The current investigation measured AT in 360 males and 400 males from the general population close to two decades apart, using the Pervasive Developmental...

Autism and intellectual disability are differentially related to sociodemographic background at birth

We used population data on Western Australian singletons born from 1984 to 1999 (n = 398,353) to examine the sociodemographic characteristics of children...

Eye Gaze in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Neural Evidence for the Eye Avoidance Hypothesis

Reduced 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.

Facial asymmetry in parents of children on the autism spectrum

Greater facial asymmetry has been consistently found in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) relative to children without ASD. There is substantial evidence that both facial structure and the recurrence of ASD diagnosis are highly heritable within a nuclear family. Furthermore, sub-clinical levels of autistic-like behavioural characteristics have also been reported in first-degree relatives of individuals with ASD, commonly known as the 'broad autism phenotype'.

Autism-related dietary preferences mediate autism-gut microbiome associations

There is increasing interest in the potential contribution of the gut microbiome to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, previous studies have been underpowered and have not been designed to address potential confounding factors in a comprehensive way.

Effect of Preemptive Intervention on Developmental Outcomes Among Infants Showing Early Signs of Autism: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Outcomes to Diagnosis

Intervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically commences after diagnosis. No trial of an intervention administered to infants before diagnosis has shown an effect on diagnostic outcomes to date.