co-occurring conditions – ASF Weekly Science Podcasts

This week we talk to Dr. Emily Hotez from UCLA, (and a sibling to an autistic adult) who has focused her research on reducing stigma and marginalization, which will ultimately improve research participation to increase scientifically valid options for families. She also works on a nationwide project to improve health outcomes in autistic individuals, from birth through adulthood. Her new project focuses on chronic stress on physical health in adolescents with autism. She explains the focus of her research, the study and why it is important, and other work she is doing to improve health care in those with a diagnosis and their family members. You can read more about her study here: https://uclasharelab.org/

This week the @WSJ reported that the upcoming MAHA report will include acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol in the United States, although it is used all over the world) use during pregnancy as a cause of autism. Acetaminophen is used in about 7.5 % of pregnant women. This is one of many environmental exposures that … Continue reading "Let’s Talk Tylenol"

As the autistic brain ages, is it more vulnerable to other brain disorders? Recent scientific discoveries in Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease show that there may be an underlying mechanism between these diseases and autism. However diagnosing someone with autism with an additional brain disorder, especially dementia, can be difficult. This week’s podcast covers the increased risk of Parkinson’s Disease in autism, as well as provides advice from a group of experts on how to diagnose an autistic person with dementia, since there may be overlap in features. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2834684?guestAccessKey=4961ce0b-24e8-412a-b1cc-35fc5826fbe1&utm_source=fbpage&utm_medium=social_jamaneur&utm_term=17468134139&utm_campaign=article_alert&linkId=837634061 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12144002

Are you the grandparent, cousin, aunt, uncle, sibling, or half-sibling of someone with autism and wondered “what is the likelihood of autism in families, and the likelihood of comorbid conditions if I have a family member with autism?” Researchers at the AJ Drexel Autism Research Institute and Aarhus University in Denmark collaborated to calculate probabilities … Continue reading "Health Concerns Across 3 Generations"

This week, special correspondent Mia Kotikovski discusses challenges in getting emergency care for those with autism, what doctors and hospitals can do to ease the stressors associated with places like the ER. This is a huge issue for families as many “simple” ER visits for their autistic family members can cause such stress it provokes severe reactions, especially in those with sensory issues, intellectual disability or those who cannot express their pain. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/137/Supplement_2/S205/34011/Toward-Practice-Advancement-in-Emergency-Care-for

A new paper in Translational Psychiatry this week outlines the reasons why some conditions that occur with autism are actually co-morbid, and not co-occurring. The podcast will break down clues on why sometimes they are co-morbid, and present an argument on why they are important in understanding the vast heterogeneity of autism. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aur.2898 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-023-02374-w

At this year’s International Society of Autism Research meeting in Austin, TX, there was a variety of themes explored. From early development and milestones, to intervention and supports, to different features like sensory issues, treatment, and how to solve the problem of heterogeneity. It comes down to this: Autism means different things to different people. … Continue reading "Autism means different things to different people"

This week is a pharmacopeia of inflation. The #ASFpodcast talks debilitating gastrointestinal issues and new efforts to understand and treat them (including the CANDID meeting www.candidgi.com), a new method to understand adverse events in those that cannot report them on their own, and new news on Celexa, which is used to treat anxiety. www.candidgi.com [email protected] … Continue reading "What’s in the medicine jar?"

The answer is obviously “no”, however, animal models are necessary to help understand brain circuitry and improve interventions and supports for not just core symptoms but associated issues like anxiety, OCD, seizures and GI issues. Scientists view behaviors consistent with an ASD diagnosis differently, and this has created some problems in interpretation of animal model … Continue reading "Can animals be autistic?"