Asperger’s syndrome, Autism, ASD

• Collection of Autism related articles at Nature – http://www.nature.com/news/specials/autism/index.html
• “Special issue on neuroscience: The autism enigma” (Nature, 2011.11.02) – http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111102/full/479021a.html – Published online 2 November 2011 | Nature 479, 21 (2011) | doi:10.1038/479021a
  • “The prevalence puzzle: Autism counts” by Karen Weintraub (Nature; 2011.11.02) – http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111102/full/479022a.html
    Shifting diagnoses and heightened awareness explain only part of the apparent rise in autism. Scientists are struggling to explain the rest.
  • “Scientists and autism: When geeks meet” by Lizzie Buchen (Nature; 2011.11.02) – http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111102/full/479025a.html
    Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen thinks scientists and engineers could be more likely to have a child with autism. Some researchers say the proof isn’t there.
  • “Changing perceptions: The power of autism” by Laurent Mottron (Nature; 2011.11.02) – http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v479/n7371/full/479033a.html
    Recent data — and personal experience — suggest that autism can be an advantage in some spheres, including science, says Laurent Mottron.
    
  • “Autism’s fight for facts: A voice for science” by Meredith Wadman – http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111102/full/479028a.html
    Convinced by the evidence that vaccines do not cause autism, Alison Singer started a research foundation that pledges to put science first.
  • “The mind’s tangled web” (Nature 279, 5; 2011.11.02) – http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v479/n7371/full/479005a.html>
    Efforts to elucidate how genes and the environment shape the development of autism, although making progress, still fall far short of their goal.
• “Autism in a mouse” (Nature 478, 9; 2011.10.06) – http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v478/n7367/full/478009c.html
• “Autism linked to hundreds of spontaneous genetic mutations” by Heidi Ledford (Nature; 2011.06.09)
  Analysis suggests that girls are partially shielded from effects of the changes.
• “Hopes grow over potential autism treatment” by Daniel Cressey (Nature; 2010.02.16) – http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100216/full/news.2010.73.html
  Oxytocin hormone shown to improve social interaction.
• ARC (Autism Research Center) – http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/
  • Downloadable Tests – http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/arc_tests
  • Professor Simon Baron-Cohen – http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/people_Baron-Cohen