The New Genetics of Autism – Why Environment Matters
By Thomas Insel on
Dr. Insel discusses how new research may help tie together seemingly disparate findings in genetic vs environmental risk factors in autism spectrum disorders.
Posts about ADHD
Autism Prevalence: More Affected or More Detected?
By Thomas Insel on
Dr. Insel discusses the CDC's latest report on autism prevalence.
From Paresis to PANDAS and PANS
By Thomas Insel on
Dr. Insel discusses the connection between mental disorders and infection in light of pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders PANS and PANDAS.
Join the Revolution
By Thomas Insel on
Dr. Insel discusses the state of science and math education in the U.S., scientific literacy, and Brain Awareness Week.
Highlights in Autism Progress -- for April, Autism Awareness Month
By Thomas Insel on
Today, the start of Autism Awareness Month, inspires us to focus on the highlights of our research progress, and look ahead to further strengthening our investigative efforts.
May 6th: Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day
By Thomas Insel on
May is Mental Health Month and this year NIMH teams up with SAMHSA to celebrate and promote Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day on May 6th. Dr. Insel talks about how mental illnesses are the chronic diseases of the young.
Diagnosis: Pediatric Bipolar Disorder?
By Thomas Insel on
NIMH is working to better define the boundaries of pediatric bipolar disorder, discover its causes and develop more effective treatments for such mood related syndromes affecting youth. Cross-cutting comparisons of mania-related and other forms of irritability and functional brain imaging studies will help to disentangle these syndromes so that clinicians can provide children with the best care. Our goal is nothing less than pre-emtive interventions and cures.
Autism Progress
By Thomas Insel on
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has made a substantial commitment to research designed to discover autism’s causes and improve diagnosis and treatment. Not only has NIMH become the lead institute for autism research at NIH, we have become the largest single source of funding for autism research in the country.
NIMH’s Response to New HRSA Autism Prevalence Estimate
By Thomas Insel on
On October 5, 2009, researchers with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Massachusetts General Hospital published a new estimate of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) among children in the United States. Published online ahead of print in Pediatrics, the new estimate that roughly 1 in 90 U.S. children ages 3–17 were given an ASD diagnosis in 2007 is significantly higher than previous reports.