Brain's 'Spaces' Hold Clues to Origins of Autism
The fluid-filled spaces around the brain's blood vessels need proper waste "clearance" every few hours. When that fails to happen, a baby's risk for autism appears to rise, new research shows.
It's too early to say that trouble within these "perivascular" spaces causes autism, but it seems to be an early marker for the condition, a team from the University of North Carolina (UNC) reports.
“Our findings were striking, given that neuro-radiologists typically view enlarged perivascular spaces as a sign of neuro-degeneration in adults, but this study reported it in toddlers,” noted study co-author Dea Garic, a research assistant professor in UNC's department of psychiatry.
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Brain's 'Spaces' Hold Clues to Origins of Autism (usnews.com)
Reinforcers are the topic of the month because they happen to be critical to the success of an ABA therapy program. Reinforcers are instrumental in teaching and shaping desired behaviors, especially for children diagnosed with ASD.
They can be tangible or intangible objects or actions that are used to increase the occurrence of a certain behavior, such as treats, toys, kisses, praise, and anything else that reinforces the positive behavior.
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New Instructor Directory
The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) announces on its official website a new instructor directory resource. It contains instructors from ABAI-accredited programs and verified course sequences. The directory was created to help advance the field of ABA by facilitating search and contact among colleagues to fulfill teaching-related services, especially in areas with few behavior analysts.
Click on the following link for more details:
Could mitochondria be the key to a healthy brain?
Richard Frye, a pediatric neurologist and autism researcher at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Arizona, and his colleagues have found that the amount of air pollution that children with autism were exposed to before birth altered the rates at which their mitochondria produced ATP. In another, the researchers found correlations between early-life exposure to both nutritional metals such as zinc as well as toxic metals such as lead, and how well the organelles functioned in those with autism later in life. These, along with other findings suggest that mitochondria may be the missing link between autism and the environmental influences that contribute to the condition.
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What is the latest research on autism?
The website Medical News Today for medical information and news has published a recent article about de latest research on autism field. The report is based on many studies exploring enviromental and neurologycal contributing factors, gene variants that could play a role in the development of ASD, the incidence of gut microbiome in ASD symptoms, as well as new horizons of diagnostics and testing.
Extinction refers to a procedure used in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) in which reinforcement that is provided for problem behavior (often unintentionally) is discontinued in order to decrease or eliminate occurrences of these types of negative (or problem) behaviors
While this procedure is most commonly used in children with Autism and Down Syndrome, it can also be used very successfully to address a broader array of problema behaviors, including those exhibited by individuals without developmental disabilities
New hope for people living with a genetic cause of autism
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, report in the journal Neurobiology of Disease they were able to ameliorate Fragile X syndrome symptoms after inserting the Fmr1 gene into the brains of very young transgenic mice that had been genetically engineered to lack this gene.
When the researchers measured brain activity for signs of anxiety and hyperactivity in response to stimuli such as stresses and sounds, they found that the reactivation of the gene in these mice had led them to no longer show Fragile X syndrome symptoms.
Find out about these promising results at:
More Arizona kids are being diagnosed with autism than ever before
Centers for Desease Control (CDC) has published new data on the prevalence autism. The CDC compiled data from 11 states including Arizona. The research found 1 in 36 kids who are 8 years old have an autism diagnosis compared to 1 in 44 in 2018. Results also show that more younger kids in Arizona are being diagnosed. According to the data, 1 in 64 (or 1.6%) 4-year-olds are on the spectrum in Arizona.
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Brain 'Organoid' Study Hints at the Origins of Autism
Research using three-dimensional replicas of the developing brain created in a lab dish is shedding new light on autism spectrum disorder. “It’s amazing that children with the same symptoms end up with two distinct forms of altered neural networks", co-senior author Dr. Flora Vaccarino said in a university news release.
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Autism Fun Festival
Autism Fun Festival
Date: Sunday, April 21, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location: Kelly's Cottage Ranch 6601 S El Mirage Rd, Tolleson, AZ 85353.
Next month, April, will be Autism Month. And since our hearts are painted in blue, we will be celebrating in a special way our Autism Fun Festival. We look forward to seeing the entire ABS Family there to share, have fun, learn, play, and express ourselves in the unique and special way we all have!
50th Annual Convention
50th Annual Convention
Date: Preconvention workshops: May 23–24, 2024
Convention: May 25–27, 2024
The Association for Behavior Analysis International announces their
50th Annual Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!
Find out more details here: :
ABAI - 18th Annual Autism Conference
Science-Informed Applications in Autism Spectrum Disorders
ABAI - 18th Annual Autism Conference
Science-Informed Applications in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Date: March 18-20, 2024
The Association for Behavior Analysis International announces the 2024 Autism Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada!
For more details follow the link:
Inclusive Cookie Decorating Class - Christmas Themed
Inclusive Cookie Decorating Class - Christmas Themed
Date: December 13, 2023 at 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Glassy Brown Cookies, 224 High Street, Burlington, NJ 08016
Glassy Brown Cookies offer cookie classes that support individuals with disabilities, including autism and more. Join Glassy Brown Cookies and the team for a 1hour class where you'll learn how to decorate 2 Christmas-themed cookies with royal icing. Don't worry if you don't have any decorating experience because it's unnecessary! The best part? Boxes will be provided to transport your treats home and enjoy them safely.
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Halloween Bash
Halloween Bash
Date: Saturday, November 4th, from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Join Autism Society of Grater Phoenix and SEEDs for Autism for their annual Halloween Bash! This event is intended for Autistic Teens and Adults. There will be games, music, food and fun! Costumes are encouraged!
For more details follow the link:
Arizona Walk
Arizona Walk
Date: October 14, 2023
Location: Riverview Park, 2100 W Rio Salado Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85201, United States.
For more details and registration click on the following link:
AzABA Annual Conference
AzABA Annual Conference
Practicing with Integrity Values in action
Date: October 13-14, 2023
The AzABA Annual Conference is the largest ABA specific event in Arizona. This year’s hybrid conference will feature engaging speakers from around the country. Join us for two, 3-hour workshops on Friday and conference sessions on Saturday. The full agenda will be announced soon.
Stay up to date and register at:
AzABA Event
AzABA Event
Free CEU for members: Current research in the use of ABA to treat feeding disorders
Date: Thursday, June 1
Time: 10:00 - 11:00 am
Find more details on the official website by clicking on the following link:
11th Annual ETHICS in Professional Practice Conference
11th Annual ETHICS in Professional Practice Conference
Hybrid Event
Date: Friday, August 4
Find more details on the official website by clicking on the following link:
ABAI 49th Annual Convention
ABAI 49th Annual Convention
Pre-convention workshops: Thursday, May 25 - Friday, May 26
Convention: Saturday, May 27 - Monday, May 29
Follow the link for more details:
