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Research Finds Neurons Look Different in Children With Autism
There is new evidence that the cells responsible for communication in the brain may be structured differently in children with autism.
Researchers at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester discovered that in some areas of the brain neuron density varies in children with autism when compared to the general population.
“We’ve spent many years describing the larger characteristics of brain regions, such as thickness, volume, and curvature,” said Zachary Christensen, MD/Ph.D. candidate at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and first author of the paper out today in Autism Research.
Researchers used brain imaging data collected from more than 11,000 children ages 9–11. They compared the imaging of the 142 children in that group with autism, to the general population and found there was lower neuron density in regions of the cerebral cortex.
Some of these regions of the brain are responsible for tasks like memory, learning, reasoning, and problem-solving.
In contrast, the researchers also found other brain regions, such as the amygdala — an area responsible for emotions — that showed increased neuron density.
In addition to comparing the scans of children with autism to those of children without any neurodevelopmental diagnosis, they also compared the children with autism to a large group of children diagnosed with common psychiatric disorders like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD and anxiety.
The results were the same, suggesting that these differences are specific to autism.
Toxic Chemicals Could Be the Scariest Thing About Your Halloween Costume
Anti-fast-fashion advocates frequently bemoan that clothing is now designed to be worn just a few times and thrown away.
But what about the ultimate ultra-fast fashion: Halloween costumes?
These are designed, quite literally, to be worn once.
By the following year, the pop-culture reference is stale, and the flimsy polyester is in the landfill.
With no incentive for quality, costume makers can get sloppy.
The Center for Environmental Health has found substances such as lead, cadmium and BPA in costume pieces from both Halloween Express and Spirit Halloween at levels that “would have exceeded the amount deemed by [California] to require a warning”, says CEH science lead Mihir Vohra.
Exposure to such substances has been linked to harm for humans.
For instance, there is no “safe” level of lead exposure. Lead is especially damaging for children, and regular exposure can lead to nervous system damage and intellectual disabilities.
Ingestion of cadmium can cause acute gastroenteritis, with permanent damage at high enough levels. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which harms the hormonal system, and thus the regulation of all the important systems in our bodies, including the cardiovascular system and the brain.
Outdoor Play Linked to Lower Obesity Risk in Children
New research published in Acta Paediatrica suggests that children who engage in outdoor play during their preschool years have a lower risk of developing obesity later in childhood.
The study included children born in Japan during two weeks in Jan. and July 2001.
Of 53,575 children born, 42,812 had data on outdoor play habits at age 2.5 years.
In a survey, parents were asked, “Where do your children usually play (excluding home residences and daycare centers attended)?”
Available options for answers included “in my garden or on the grounds of my apartment complex,” “in parks,” “in natural areas such as fields, forests, and beaches,” “on the street,” “in shrines and temples,” “in playgrounds in department stores and supermarkets,” “other,” and “don’t play anywhere but inside my home.”
If one or more of the first five items were chosen, a child was considered to have exposure to outdoor play — this was the case for 91% of the children.
Compared with children without exposure to outdoor play, children with outdoor play habits had 15% lower odds of being overweight or obese, after adjusting for other influencing factors.
“We suggest that parents and caregivers encourage outdoor play habits in their children at an early age, as this may help prevent obesity later in life.” — Takahiro Tsuge, MPH, corresponding author of Kurashiki Medical Center.
Senator Urges DOJ to Investigate Youth Treatment Centers After Probe Uncovers ‘Rampant Abuse’
The Department of Justice (DOJ) should investigate four of the nation’s biggest operators of youth residential treatment facilities for civil rights violations and fraud, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., argued Wednesday in letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
In two letters, obtained by NBC News, Wyden stated that his recent Senate investigation into the corporations — Universal Health Services, Acadia Healthcare, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health and Vivant Behavioral Healthcare — turned up evidence of “rampant abuse, neglect and substandard care.”
He alleged that many facilities “fail to provide the treatment they purport to” and instead provide “worthless services” that don’t meet federal standards.
Wyden asked the DOJ to probe whether states are violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by placing children in residential facilities when they could be getting services at home.
And he requested the department look into whether the companies are committing fraud by providing substandard care and violating Medicaid regulations, which apply to these facilities because they serve thousands of foster youth and children from low-income families each year.
Study Finds Parents Relying on ChatGPT for Health Guidance About Children
New research from the University of Kansas Life Span Institute highlights a key vulnerability to misinformation generated by artificial intelligence and a potential model to combat it.
The study, appearing in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, reveals parents seeking health care information for their children trust artificial intelligence, or AI more than health care professionals when the author is unknown, and parents also rate AI generated text as credible, moral and trustworthy.
“When we began this research, it was right after ChatGPT first launched — we had concerns about how parents would use this new, easy method to gather health information for their children,” said lead author Calissa Leslie-Miller, KU doctoral student in clinical child psychology.
“Parents often turn to the internet for advice, so we wanted to understand what using ChatGPT would look like and what we should be worried about.”
