Autism
Description
Autism is a spectrum of disorders that causes severe impairment in thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others. People with autism spectrum disorders show deficits in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. Autism spectrum disorders are usually first diagnosed in early childhood. Although recent studies indicate that the number of autism cases is increasing dramatically each year, the causes of this disorder are not well understood. Twin and family studies suggest an underlying genetic vulnerability to autism, and a growing area of research indicates that the disease may be caused by an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. One hypothesis is that the disease may be triggered during early fetal development, and that environmental exposures during pregnancy could cause or contribute to the disorder. NIEHS-funded investigators at the University of California, Davis are conducting a study of more than 1,000 children that will address the role of genetics and environmental exposures in the development of autism.
Health Studies & Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov Listing of NIEHS Autism Studies
- CHARGE: A Study to Understand the Causes of Autism and Other Developmental Disorders (English) (1MB)
- CHARGE: A Study to Understand the Causes of Autism and Other Developmental Disorders (Spanish) (614KB)
- Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment: The CHARGE Study (4MB)
What NIEHS is Doing on Autism
- Prenatal inflammation linked to autism risk (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2013/2/science-autism/index.htm)
- A Conversation on the State of Autism Research (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2011/december/science-autismresearch/index.cfm)
- A Genomics Approach Toward Understanding Autism (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2011/december/science-autism/index.cfm)
- A Mutation Linked with Autism Causes Cholinesterase Retention in the Endoplasmic Reticulum
- Addressing New Challenges in Children’s Environmental Health (314KB)
- ARRA Investments in Autism
- Autism Disorder Risk Increased in Babies of Mothers with Glutathione S-Transferase P1 Haplotype
- Autism Increase Not Due to Better Diagnosis
- Autism Panel Releases Strategic Plan (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2009/april/autism.cfm)
- Autism Research Network Launches Major New Study (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2009/july/spotlight-autism.cfm)
- Autism Town Hall Meeting Held in Sacramento (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2008/june/townhall.cfm)
- Birnbaum Addresses Mt. Sinai Autism Workshop (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2011/january/spotlight-birnbaum.cfm)
- Blood and Brain Mercury Content in Infant Monkeys after Exposure to Methylmercury or Thimerosal
- Child Development and Environmental Toxins (633KB)
- Environment and the Developing Brain (582KB)
- Former NIEHS Trainee Identifies Potential Risk Factor for Autism Subgroup (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/9/science-asd/index.htm)
- Guest Lecture Underscores Environmental Links to Autism (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2011/january/science-guest.cfm)
- Hundreds of Rare Genetic Variants May Cause a Common Autism Phenotype (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/1/science-geneticvariants/index.htm)
- Increased Immunoglobulin in Children with Autism
- NDAR Federation Creates Largest Source of Autism Research Data
- Neurotox27 Focuses on Environmentally Triggered Disorders (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2011/december/science-neurotox27/index.cfm)
- Newly Awarded Autism Centers of Excellence to Further Autism Research
- New Opportunities in Autism Research (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2010/october/science-new.cfm)
- NIEHS Collaborates on Autism Database Federation (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/1/spotlight-autismdatabase/index.htm)
- NIH Autism Center of Excellence Network Announces Launch of Most Comprehensive Study of Earliest Possible Causes of Autism
- NIMH Teams Up to Study ASD Rates in Somali-American Children: Members of a Federal Advisory Group on Autism Mobilize in Response to a Mother's Plea
- Researchers Confirm Link Between Maternal Age and Autism (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2010/march/science-researchers.cfm)
- Seminar Explores the Potential of Bioinformatics in Autism Research (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2012/1/science-bioinformatics/index.htm)
- Study Finds Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Autistic Children (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2011/january/science-mitochondrial.cfm)
- Succimer Found Ineffective for Removing Mercury
- UC Davis Researchers Identify Autism Clusters in California
- Women Who Start Prenatal Vitamins Early Less Likely to Have Children with Autism
General Information
- Autism and The Environment Meeting Report (189KB)
- Autism Research Made to Order
- EHPnet: Cure Autism Now
- New Thinking on Neurodevelopment
- Senate Hearing Focuses on Autism Research (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2010/september/spotlight-senate.cfm)
- Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms: Autism
- Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms: Family History
- Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms: Identical Twins
- Talking to Your Doctor - Resources from NIH
- Thimerosal Exposure in Pediatric Vaccines (113KB)
- Tracing the Origins of Autism: A Spectrum of New Studies (http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2006/114-7/focus-abs.html)
For Educators
- Autism: Genetic or Environmental - This resource includes video from WGBH (Boston) that explores theories about what causes autism. Resource includes discussion questions.
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Three is a Toxic Number (61KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Toxic Tic-Tac-To (59KB)
- EHP Student Edition Lesson: Tracing the Origins of Autism: A Spectrum of New Studies (158KB)
- Mutations, Proteins, and Autism: Modeling a Pathway (177KB)