NYDailyNews.com - Fashion Mogul, Tommy Hilfiger, teamed up with Autism Speaks in a PSA last year comparing the odds of having a child on the spectum to the odds of succeeding in the fashion industry. In this link from NYDailyNews.com, he also addresses his stepson's autism and the startling lack of research and focus on Autism Spectrum Disorders in the United States.

A new study from Arizona State University published this week indicates statistically significant differences in the nutritional and metabolic status of children with Autism in comparison to Neurotypical peers. The differences include: biomarkers indicative of vitamin insufficiency, increased oxidative stress, reduced capacity for energy transport, sulfation and detoxification. Additionally, several of the biomarkers were significantly associated with variations in the severity of Autism. The good news? These biomarkers are likely to be "amenable" to treatment with nutritional supplements.

By mutating the Shank3 gene in mice, researchers at MIT and Duke have produced compulsive and repetitive behaviors along with avoidance of social interaction. As these are common traits of individuals with Autism, the researchers are hopeful that the new information gained from this study will help guide future treatments and drugs for humans with Autism.

Air pollution is just one of the issues that researches take issue with when studying the environmental factors that might lead to autism. A recent study exploring air pollution in neighborhoods near highways confirms what many have speculated for years. Follow the link to learn more.

A donation of $20 million was made to the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine by the John P. Hussman Foundation. The donation is earmarked for the research into the causes, treatment options and treatment for autism and other complex diseases.

Released today is a report in the journal Nature detailing a recent study, the largest of its kind, that show that many people with autism share a common genetic variation. This study compared the genomes of thousands affected by the disorder. New technology made this discovery, that has long been theorized, possible, giving a lot of credible evidence.

In an effort to raise awareness in her country of Jamaica, Maia Chung-Smith started a foundation that would assist autistic and disabled children.