Fighting parents hurt children’s ability to recognize and regulate emotions

Exposure to verbal and physical aggression between parents may hurt a child s ability to identify and control emotions, according to a longitudinal study led by NYU s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. The findings, which appear in the journal Development and Psychopathology, also suggest that household chaos and prolonged periods of poverty during early childhood may take a substantial toll on the emotional adjustment of young children. Our study points to ways in which aggression between parents may powerfully shape children s emotional adjustment, says C. Cybele Raver, professor of applied psychology at NYU Steinhardt and the study s lead author. Arguing and fighting is psychologically stressful for the adults caught in conflict; this study demonstrates the costs of that conflict for children in the household as well. Research has demonstrated that exposure to conflict and violence in the home can shape children s neurobiological, cognitive, and behavio
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Spontaneous mutations in key brain gene are a cause of autism, study concludes

Autism is a disorder of brain development which leads to difficulties with social interaction and communication. Disorders such as autism are often caused by genetic mutations, which can change the shape of protein molecules and stop them from working properly during brain development. In some individuals with autism, inherited genetic variants put them at risk. But research in recent years has shown that severe cases of autism can result from new mutations occurring in the sperm or egg these genetic variants are found in a child, but not in his or her parents, and are known as de novo mutations. Scientists have sequenced the DNA code of thousands of unrelated children with severe autism and found that a handful of genes are hit by independentde novo mutations in more than one child. One of the most interesting of these genes is TBR1, a key gene in brain development. Strong impact on protein function In their study, Pelagia Deriziotis and colleagues from the MPI s Language and Genetic
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Brain development in schizophrenia strays from normal path

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Language Delay Leaves Signature in Brains of Adults with Autism

A new study suggests that a common characteristic of autism – language delay in early childhood – results in lasting differences in the brain. Understanding such differences may lead to the identification of autism subtypes and the development of more-personalized supports and treatments, the authors propose. Their report appears in the journal Cerebral Cortex. It was funded, in part, by European Autism Interventions – a Multicentre Study for Developing New Medications (EU-AIMS). “The identification of underlying differences in anatomy and physiology – in the brain and throughout the body – are important for understanding autism and advancing personalized, more effective interventions and treatments,” comments Daniel Smith, Autism Speaks senior director of discovery neuroscience. “If these findings pan out, it might make sense for researchers and therapists to double-down on speech and language interventions and medicines that specifically engage the altered brain regi
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Can Brainwave Test Improve Autism Diagnosis and Subtyping?

The report, by investigators at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City, appears online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities. One of the challenges in autism is that we don t know how to classify patients into subgroups or even what those subgroups might be, says study leader Sophie Molholm. This has greatly limited our understanding of the disorder and how to treat it. In addition, Dr. Molholm says, autism diagnosis tends to be “highly subjective and require a tremendous amount of clinical expertise. “ We clearly need a more objective way to diagnose and classify this disorder. An earlier study by Dr. Molholm’s team suggested that brainwave electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings might be useful in measuring the severity of autism. That study found that children with autism process sensory information such as sight, sound and touch less rapidly than typically developing children do. In their new study, Dr. Molholm’s team looked at how sensory-pr
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About Autism…

What is Autism? Autism is a lifelong disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them. Children with autism have difficulty relating to others in a meaningful way. Their ability to develop friendships is generally limited as is their capacity to understand other people s emotional expression. Some children, but not all, have accompanying learning disabilities. All children with autism have impairments in social interaction, social communication and imagination. This is known as the triad of impairments . Some children may be diagnosed as having Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism. Children with Asperger syndrome have fewer problems with language than those with autism, often speaking fluently, though their words can sometimes sound formal or stilted. People with Asperger syndrome do not usually have the accompanying learning disabilities associated with autism; in fact, children with Asperger syndrome are often of average or above averag
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Dan Marino Shares How Autism has Affected Him

Autism doesn’t make exceptions for anyone. Whether you’re a superstar, professional athlete, or computer genius, it doesn’t mean autism won’t affect you. Former Miami Dolphins quarterback, Dan Marino, experienced this firsthand when his son Michael was diagnosed with autism at two-and-a-half years old. The Marinos knew something was wrong when they noticed their son Michael wasn’t developing as fast as children should at his age. First told by their pediatrician not to worry because boys tend to be late bloomers, their instincts were right. After placing Michael in a program for children with developmental delays, shortly after he was diagnosed on the spectrum. Watch how early intervention and intensive therapy has helped Michael learn the social and communication skills he was lacking. The Marinos remind us that it’s extremely important to get the proper care and therapy for your child when you notice something isn’t right. Let’s raise awareness for autism!
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Dr. Phil’s Show On Autism Says What?

If you are a Dr. Phil fan, or if you love someone with autism, you might be about to have a pretty great Monday. On September 15, we have it on good account that Dr. Phil is going to air a controversial show. That s nothing new. It s ok to be controversial. Controversy makes you think. That s a good thing. Monday s show is on autism and Dr. Phil has Dr. Frank Lawlis on the show to help with one of the show s guests apparently a family with a little girl who is on the spectrum. Dr. Lawlis is a New York Times Best-Selling Author and well known researcher in the fields of autism, IQ, Stress, Addiction and PTSD. We re looking forward to seeing what all this controversy is all about. Watch the Dr. Phil Show with us on Monday, September 15, 2014, and let s see what all the fuss is American Health Review requested an advanced summary of the show, but was told that we would have to wait for Monday morning To be continued
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20 surprising, science-backed health benefits of music

Research suggests that music not only helps us cope with pain — it can also benefit our physical and mental health in numerous other ways. Read on to learn how listening to tunes can ramp up your health. RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT MUSIC CAN Help Physically: 1. Ease pain. Music can meaningfully reduce the perceived intensity of pain, especially in geriatric care, intensive care, or palliative medicine (an area of healthcare that focuses on preventing and relieving the suffering of patients). 2. Motivate people to bike harder. A study of healthy male college students found that, while riding stationary bicycles, the participants work harder while listening to fast music. Extra bonus: They also enjoyed the music more. 3. Improve running motivation and performance. Here s an easy way to beat your best time if you re a runner: Listen to your favorite pump-up music. Listening to music may help people run faster, boost their workout motivation, and enhance their endurance. 4. Increase
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