SPECIAL NEEDS NEWS - 19 August 2014 -Dogs & Autism, ADHD & Heart Problems and Autism & the Brain's Switchboard

Dog trained to read visual clues from nonverbal children with autism

Drake, a golden retriever, is trained to respond to cues on flashcards. This method allows nonverbal children with autism to communicate with Drake. Children can use flashcards to have Drake come, sit or even go for a walk with them.  Drake is working at the Comprehensive Autism Center in California.  He was trained by Good Dog Autism Companions.

ADHD medications increase the risk of heart problems

A Danish study of over 700,000 children found the risk of heart problems

Credit:  Microsoft

doubled for children taking medication for ADHD. The risk rose from .5 percent to almost 1 percent for children on ADHD medication.  

"The result is worrying. It shows that clinicians need to be aware of the risk of heart ailments when they prescribe medicine to ADHD patients," said study leader Søren Dalsgaard. He added "I was surprised that the increased risk of heart problems was so high and that the risk did not only apply to children, who were already susceptible to heart ailments."

One criticism of the study is the lack of a definition of heart problems.

More information on this study is available from Science Nordic.

The study "Cardiovascular Safety of Stimulants in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Nationwide Prospective Cohort Study" is published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology.

Researchers discover switchboard in the brain that may lead to autism treatments

Credit:  Microsoft

Researchers discovered a layer of cells within the brain that controls the flow of information from the body to the cerebral cortex - a processing center within the brain.  This layer of cells or so called switchboard is the thalamic reticular nucleus or TRN.  Using a mouse model, scientists were able to monitor the activity from the TRN.  In addition, they were able to manipulate 
the signals sent from the TRN.  

This research may help people with autism as researchers know problems with this "switchboard" are responsible for at least some symptoms of the disorder.

"Now we may have a handle on how this tiny part of the brain exerts tremendous control over our thoughts and perceptions," said Michael Halassa, M.D., Ph.D., a lead investigator of the study. "These results may be a gateway into understanding the circuitry that underlies neuropsychiatric disorders."

Although the research was done on mice, researchers believe people have the same brain circuitry.  

The study "State-dependent architecture of thalamic reticular sub-networks" is published in the journal Cell.

©Mary M Conneely T/A Advocacy in Action