Signs of neurodegeneration in individuals with Down syndrome may start as early as birth, a critical stage of brain development, a new study shows. The research, from investigators at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides an atlas of early brain development in Down syndrome that could inform potential targeted treatments to address the developmental and degenerative aspects of the condition.
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)
Drug shifts a key hormone after newborn brain injury – but only in females
A blood test alone cannot tell the full story of what’s happening inside a newborn’s brain after a brain injury. New research from the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that the hippocampus—a brain region critical for learning and memory—maintains its own powerful, locally regulated steroid environment during early development and after brain injury.
Eagles Autism Foundation funds new research on use of nanotechnology to deliver gene-editing tools to the brain
A new research study at the Waisman Center has been funded by the Eagles Autism Foundation to develop a precise, safe, and broadly applicable method for correcting a single-gene mutation associated with symptoms of autism spectrum disorders including learning deficits, anxiety, depression, and reduced social interactions.
Gallery Walk: The Pandemic Cancelled It, and They Never Brought It Back
The gallery walk goes from Monday, April 6 through Thursday, April 30, 2026 and will be accessible during regular business hours in the John D. Wiley Conference Center hallway at the Waisman Center on the second floor, north tower.
Developmental markers have the potential to make diagnosing autism in individuals with Down syndrome easier
Down syndrome, a neurodevelopmental condition caused by a triplicated 21st chromosome, often presents with co-occurring developmental conditions such as autism. But diagnosing autism in someone with Down syndrome can be difficult as they have overlapping symptoms.
Understanding why individuals with disabilities continue to be left out of health research
Individuals with disabilities face significant health disparities, yet remain underrepresented in health research. There is substantial evidence that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are systematically excluded from health research, even when it involves a condition that disproportionately impacts them.
The newly funded Autism Research Consortium seeks to accelerate timely access to care for autistic individuals
Researchers at the Waisman Center’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) were recently awarded a grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) to support research to improve the health and well-being of children and youth with autism.
New algorithm helps decipher complex biological data to advance neurodevelopmental research
A new machine learning algorithm developed at UW-Madison is helping researchers untangle a complex puzzle: the molecular mechanisms behind developmental disabilities and neurodegenerative diseases. COSIME, created by the lab of Waisman investigator Daifeng Wang, PhD, associate professor of biostatistics and medical informatics, and computer sciences, offers a powerful new way to integrate and interpret multiple types of biological data which can give scientists a clearer view of how different cellular clues come together to shape disease outcomes.
New research reinforces the link between a cellular quality control system and rare forms of autism
Just like a car factory relies on inspectors to ensure that every vehicle is built correctly, cells depend on internal quality control systems to keep proteins functioning as they should. New research from Waisman Center investigator Luigi Puglielli, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, reveals that disruptions in one such system—the endoplasmic reticulum’s acetylation pathway—can lead to rare forms of autism and progeria, offering fresh insights into the cellular roots of these complex conditions.
As Trump warns of danger with acetaminophen, autism community calls for support, not cure
Natalie Eilbert Milwaukee Journal Sentinel At 40, Erin Miller takes solace in the ordinary joys of life. She goes on nature walks, watches the seasonal butterflies, enjoys a good bowl of ice cream, and plays …