Death row inmate in Pennsylvania was granted stay of execution in November based on Asperger syndrome appeal

Hubert Michael Jr. was sentenced to death in Pennsylvania for the 1993 murder of a 16 year old girl to which he pleaded guilty.  Defense attorneys argued that there should be an opportunity for the court to review the argument that as a result of having Asperger syndrome, Michael did not accept the original plea deal he was offered which would have given him life in prison instead of the death sentence.  The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the stay and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld it.  Read more about it at lancasteronline.com here:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/772714_Stay-of-execution-for-Hubert-Michael-Jr-.html

Analysis of studies testing the effectiveness of chelation therapy for autism did not find evidence it works

An article reporting a review of research done on the use of chelation therapy for the treatment of autism printed in the January 2013 issue of Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders analyzed five studies done on the efficacy of the treatment   Chelation involves injecting a chemical compound into the blood stream that bonds to heavy metals and causes them to be excreted in urine.  It is used to treat mercury poisoning for example.  Four of the five studies reviewed showed mixed results.  One showed positive results, but problems in the nature of the methods used in the research leaves it unable to not support the use of the therapy as an effective treatment according to the researchers.  Read more about it at reuters.com here:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/21/us-chelation-autism-idUSBRE8BK17220121221
Read the research article at sciencedirect.com here:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1750946712000724

Study appears to show link between mother having flu or lengthy fever during pregnancy and autism

A Danish study recently reported in the journal Pediatrics aimed to determine if there was a link between activation of a pregnant mothers immune system and the subsequent diagnosis of autism in the offspring.  Mothers of nearly 100,000 children were inteviewed by telephone during and following pregnancy and their responses were correlated with a central registry which identified approximately 1,000 children in the group that were later diagnosed with autism.  The results of the study suggested that influenza and fevers lasting longer than one week may be correlated with a two to three fold increase in the likelihood of developing autism.  Read more about it at usatoday.com here:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/11/12/autism-pregnancy-flu/1693083/
Find the abstract of the article in the journal Pediatrics at pediatrics.aappulications.org here:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/6/e1447.abstract?sid=ecec01e9-8807-452b-8545-5fae4c255138

Hacker that avoided extradition from UK to US because of Asperger syndrome and depression will not be prosecuted in the UK

A notorious hacker of the US military and NASA computers who recently won a decade-long fight against extradition from the UK to the US for prosecution there will likewise not be tried in the UK.  Gary McKinnon of Scotland, who suffers from "Asperger syndrome and depressive illness, as well as schizophrenia and other mental health issues," was spared from extradition for crimes he allegedly committed against the US because of his condition.  UK prosecutors have announced that they do not intend to pursue charges again McKinnon.  Read more about it at cnn.com here:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/14/world/europe/uk-us-hacker/index.html?iref=allsearch

Blood pressure drug being tested as possible treatment for Autism symptoms

New research has been conducted using a diuretic drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure to reduce the symptoms of autism and Asperger syndrome.  The drug, bumetanide, is believed to reduce the high levels of chloride ions in neurons sensitive to the neurotransmitter GABA and has been used for that purpose in epileptics.  In a study conducted on 60 children aged three to eleven where half recieved the drug and half recieved a placebo the drug appeared to be effective at reducing symptoms.  The effect wore off once the drug was discontinued.  More research is planned.  Read more at nature.com here:
http://www.nature.com/news/diuretic-drug-improves-symptoms-of-autism-1.12000
Read the research report in the journal Translational Psychiatry at nature.com here:
http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v2/n12/full/tp2012124a.html

More research indicates genetic link between Autism and Schizophrenia as well as Bipolar Disorder

The results of research conducted at Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sheba Medical Center were recently reported in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.  The research looked at three large databases of subjects in Israel and Sweden and found a link between subjects diagnosed with Autism to family members with Schizophrenia and to a lesser degree Bipolar Disorder signaling a genetic link.  Read more about it at psychcentral.com here:
http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/10/24/link-between-schizophrenia-bipolar-and-autism/46568.html

Book aims to help people with Asperger syndrome in the search for work

A new book by job coach Barbara A. Bissonnette titled, "The Complete Guide to Getting a Job for Individuals With Asperger's Syndrome: Find the Right Career and Get Hired" was recently published. Read a bit more about it at www.metro.us here:
http://www.metro.us/newyork/life/article/1154640--navigating-the-job-search-with-asperger-s-syndrome

Citing a risk of suicide UK's Home Secretary withdrew extradition order against NASA hacker Gary McKinnon who suffers from depression and has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome

Gary McKinnon, a hacker from Scotland diagnosed with Asperger syndrome will not be extradited from the UK to the US to face charges for computer hacking involving US military and NASA computers.  Following a decade-long battle over his extradition, the UK's Home Secretary Theresa May withdrew the extradition order against Gary McKinnon pointing out that extradition would put him at great risk of suicide thereby unacceptably compromising his human rights.  Read more about it at csmonitor.com here:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2012/1016/Britain-nixes-extradition-of-NASA-hacker-Gary-McKinnon-to-US

Man 57 with Asperger syndrome sentenced to life for smothering death of 91 year old father

Robert Cordingly, a 57 year old man with Asperger syndrome from Bradford, England, was recently given a life sentence for smothering his 91 year old father in their home last January.  After smothering his father with a pillow, Cordingly then left to locate a uniformed police officer outside a supermarket and confessed the crime.  Cordingly, who had lived with his father all his life and was his father's sole source for assistance, apparently acted out of desperation or frustration in dealing with his father who may have begun suffering from dementia.  Read more about it at dailymail.co.uk here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2218068/Robert-Cordingley-Life-sentence-Aspergers-sufferer-smothered-91-year-old-father-death.html

Survey of parents indicates autistic children may be more likely to wander from safety

A study conducted using online questionnaires completed by parents about their autistic children and non-autistic siblings may indicate that autistic children are more likely to wander from safety thereby increasing their risk of injury and death among other negative consequences.  Read more about it at nytimes.com here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/08/science/study-shows-autistic-children-are-likely-to-wander.html
Read the study results reported in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics at pediatrics.aappublications.org here:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/5/870

Study may indicate DSM-V not less likely to diagnose those with Asperger Syndrome

Study results reported in the October 1 issue of American Journal of Psychiatry seem to indicate that applying the diagnostic criteria as changed in the new DSM-V diagnostic manual to be published in the spring of 2013 will not exclude those diagnosed under the existing DSM-IV criteria.  This would include those previously diagnosed under the titles Asperger syndrome and PDD-NOS who will be grouped under the general diagnostic title Autism Spectrum Disorder under the new criteria.  Read more about it at news-medical.net here:
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20121003/Study-examines-newly-proposed-DSM-5-criteria-for-autism-spectrum-disorder.aspx
Read the journal article at ajp.psychiatryonline.org here:
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleid=1367803