Research Findings
Themes which emerged from this qualitative study included healthcare experiences, family dynamics and mental health.
The Infant Brain Imaging Study is the first to demonstrate overgrowth of the amygdala in the first year of life, before babies show most of the behavioral symptoms that later consolidate into a diagnosis of autism.
Researchers in the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS) use MRIs to image the brains of infants at higher likelihood of autism. They have discovered differences as early as 6 months of age in the children who were later diagnosed with autism. Study website: ibis-network.com
Researchers at the UNC Neuroscience Center study the interactions between environmental exposures and gene changes that impact autism and ADHD.
SPARKforAutism is the largest study of autism ever. By studying behavioral and medical information from hundreds of thousands of people, SPARK is accelerating autism research. Here is the 5-Year SPARK Progress Report. You can learn what the community has accomplished since SPARK’s launch in 2016. Study website:
SPARKforAutism.org
Brain imaging results add to our understanding of emotional symptoms common in autistic individuals. Depression, tantrums, meltdowns and irritability have a basis in neurology and should be a focus of clinical services.
To help bridge science and practice, researchers at FPG’s National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice have created a report of an extensive review of intervention research. Project website:
ncaep.fpg.unc.edu
North Carolina Surveillance site of the CDC Autism Monitoring Network, released the report of the prevalence rates of children in NC who were born in 2008. The rates in the North Carolina cohort were higher than the national cohort.
Researchers in the UNC School of Allied Health report findings from a study about community involvement and social support in autistic adults in NC.
This study explored the possible benefits of broccoli extract for young men with autism. Results did not demonstrate differences between responses between the supplement and placebo groups.
Dr. Julie Daniels, director of the North Carolina Surveillance site of the CDC Autism Monitoring Network, releases the report of the prevalence rates of children in NC who were born in 2012 and 2008. The rates in the North Carolina cohort was higher than the national cohort.