It’s hard to think of an aspect of life that hasn’t changed since the novel coronavirus began spreading across the globe. Many aspects of life — from work, to school, to travel, shopping and socializing — are dramatically different than they were just a few months ago.
Research
School closure strains families with children who have disabilities
Waisman investigator Sigan Hartley, PhD, was recently featured in a Wisconsin State Journal article about the difficulties being faced by children with special needs and their families while schools are currently shut down. This article …
UW–Madison’s EdNeuroLab tackling math learning through brain imaging
In 2012, Edward Hubbard, a cognitive neuroscientist and assistant professor with UW‒Madison’s Department of Educational Psychology, created the Educational Neuroscience Lab to understand — through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) — how the physical changes that occur in children’s brains as they learn may help improve education practices.
Improved technique illuminates fragile X protein
Researchers at the Waisman Center made a significant step in understanding the function of a specific protein, FMR1, whose absence causes fragile X syndrome, or FXS. Waisman investigators Xinyu Zhao, PhD, and Anita Bhattacharyya, PhD, with research associate Meng Li, published their paper “Identification of FMR1-regulated molecular networks in human neurodevelopment” in the March issue of the journal Genome Research.
New Researcher Uses Machine Learning to Decode Genomic Information
Recent advances in genome sciences — the study of an organism’s complete set of DNA — present a golden opportunity to identify the genetic causes and underlying mechanisms of intellectual and developmental disabilities. These discoveries …
Low genetic risk for ADHD may protect against negative life experiences
A recent study shows that people at low genetic risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are not only less likely to have the disorder, they also have better than expected economic, health and behavioral outcomes in later life.
In Wisconsin, 3 in 5 people with Down syndrome diagnosed with dementia by age 55
Not so many years ago, people with Down syndrome rarely survived to middle age. Many died young due to heart problems associated with the congenital condition.
Today, advances in treatment have allowed them to live longer, healthier lives.
New funding for Down syndrome research and biobank
The Waisman Center is one of 25 recipients to receive funding through a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant that focuses on advancing research on Down syndrome. The grant is part of the NIH Investigation …
Emotion-detection applications built on outdated science, report warns
Facial Movements Are Unreliable Signals of Emotion, Researchers Say Software that purportedly reads emotions in faces is being deployed or tested for a variety of purposes, including surveillance, hiring, clinical diagnosis, and market research. But …
Athletes from Special Olympics add important perspectives to research
For many, a mention of Special Olympics invokes images of accomplished athletes, a community of inclusion and support, and the joy of athletic competition. But what many may not know is that Special Olympics is …