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Research
Feasibility of a 2-minute eye-tracking protocol to support the early identification of autismWe tested the potential for Gazefinder eye-tracking to support early autism identification, including feasible use with infants, and preliminary concurrent validity of trial-level gaze data against clinical assessment scores. We embedded the ~ 2-min 'Scene 1S4' protocol within a comprehensive clinical assessment for 54 consecutively-referred, clinically-indicated infants (prematurity-corrected age 9-14 months).
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Commentary: A spectrum for all? A response to Green et al. (2023), neurodiversity, autism and health careThe broadening of the clinical definition of autism over time-the so-called, autism spectrum-has run in parallel with the growth of a neurodiversity movement that has reframed the concept of autism entirely. Without a coherent and evidence-based framework through which both of these advances can be situated, the field is at risk of losing definition altogether.
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The Dyslexia Candidate Locus on 2p12 Is Associated with General Cognitive Ability and White Matter StructureTo further explore the effect of disorder-associated genes on cognitive functions, we investigated whether they play a role in broader cognitive traits.
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Fetal androgen exposure and pragmatic language ability of girls in middle childhoodPrenatal exposure to testosterone has been shown to affect fetal brain maturation as well as postnatal cognition and behavior in animal studies.
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Fetal androgen exposure and pragmatic language ability of girls in middle childhood:This is the first prospective study to identify an association between early life testosterone exposure and pragmatic language difficulties in girls
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Free testosterone levels in umbilical-cord blood predict infant head circumference in femalesFetal androgens influence fetal growth as well as postnatal neurocognitive ability
News & Events
New autism guideline a lifeline for familiesProfessor Andrew Whitehouse tells how Australia’s first national guideline for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is going to transform the way the condition is assessed and managed, vastly improving the experience for families.
Research
Caregiver broader autism phenotype does not moderate the effect of early caregiver-mediated support on infant language outcomesCaregiver-mediated supports in general have shown mixed evidence for enhancing language outcomes in infants at higher likelihood of autism. While caregivers play a substantial role in caregiver-mediated supports, little is known about whether caregivers' own subclinical autistic features - known as broader autism phenotype - may moderate infant language outcomes.
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Characterizing the Nature of Alexithymia in Autistic Adults: Validation of the Perth Alexithymia QuestionnaireAlexithymia—a trait characterized by difficulties in emotion processing—is of high interest in the autism field. However, the lack of validated alexithymia measures for autistic individuals limits progress. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the psychometric properties of the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) across autistic and non-autistic samples. Using the PAQ, we investigated how alexithymia manifests in autistic individuals and its links with poor mental health outcomes (anxiety).
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Co-occurring Neurodevelopmental Conditions in Children: Advocating for Transdiagnostic Approach to AssessmentsApproximately 8% of all children experience developmental and mental health conditions. Similarities in characteristics across neurodevelopmental conditions-such as difficulties in communication and language, social interaction, motor coordination, attention, activity regulation, behavior, mood, and sleep-make it challenging to attribute these characteristics exclusively to specific diagnoses and assessments. The purpose of this study was to identify symptomatic domains across neurodevelopmental conditions in children and to explore dimension reduction for transdiagnostic assessment.