Regression

Recent articles

Woman going over homework with distracted child.

Early language loss in autistic children not tied to later communication problems

Many autistic children experience language regression for about three months in early childhood, but this lapse does not appear to foretell future communication issues.

By Charles Q. Choi
28 February 2022 | 6 min read
Boy in brain-like tunnel looking towards the light

Puberty and autism: An unexplored transition

Researchers are just beginning to learn what happens in the brains of autistic children during adolescence to explain their unique social, cognitive and emotional challenges.

By Spectrum
24 March 2021 | 19 min read

Increase in intelligence scores may not alter autism traits

People with autism show significant improvements in cognitive ability from age 12 to 23 years, but their autism traits remain stable over this time.

By Peter Hess
4 February 2020 | 3 min read
Child hesitating in front of a giant eye showing areas of the brain, facial recognition and other connections related to sight.

Seeing connections between autism and blindness

Autism is unusually common among people with congenital blindness, in part because the ability to see drives much of brain development.

By Rubin Jure
12 November 2019 | 6 min read
linked hands in a pattern intertwined with DNA showing some broken parts, symbolizing mutations

Rett syndrome’s link to autism, explained

Studies of Rett syndrome hint at genes, cells and brain circuits that may be involved in autism — and may pave the way to treatments for both conditions.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
21 October 2019 | 5 min read

Language regression in autism tied to motor milestones

Autistic children who lose words reach key milestones earlier than autistic children without language regression.

By Tara Santora
9 October 2019 | 4 min read
Father helping boy brush teeth

Rapid regression distinguishes rare condition from autism

Some children who dramatically lose a range of abilities after age 2 may have a condition called childhood disintegrative disorder.

By Jessica Wright
7 February 2019 | 3 min read
Spectrum stories podcast logo.

Spectrum Stories: Resetting the autistic brain

Deep brain stimulation is not an approved treatment for autism but has helped some people with extreme obsessions and other severe traits. Host Ben Kuebrich investigates one success story.

By Ben Kuebrich
14 September 2018 | 1 min read
Photo: Autistic woman Becky Audette lies on a couch under a purple blanket.

Rebooting Becky’s brain

An electrical brain implant all but erased the obsessions that had consumed Becky Audette, years after her autism diagnosis. Could similar implants help other people with severe autism?

By Ingrid Wickelgren
12 September 2018 | 28 min read

Mutations in autism gene may trigger milder effects than does its loss

People with mutations in SHANK3 have milder features than do those missing a chunk of DNA that includes the gene.

By Bahar Gholipour
20 June 2018 | 4 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of fMRI scans showing decision-making across individuals.

During decision-making, brain shows multiple distinct subtypes of activity

Person-to-person variability in brain activity might represent meaningful differences in cognitive processes, rather than random noise.

By Claudia López Lloreda
18 April 2025 | 5 min read

Basic pain research ‘is not working’: Q&A with Steven Prescott and Stéphanie Ratté

Prescott and Ratté critique the clinical relevance of preclinical studies in the field and highlight areas for improvement.

By Sydney Wyatt
18 April 2025 | 7 min read

Proposed NIH budget cut threatens ‘massive destruction of American science’

A leaked draft of a Trump administration proposal includes an approximately 40 percent cut to the National Institutes of Health’s budget and a major reorganization of its 27 institutes and centers.

By Angie Voyles Askham
17 April 2025 | 3 min read