The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (10/30, Smeltz) reports that according to two studies published online Oct. 29 in the journal Nature and funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Simons Foundation, “small variations in as many as 1,000 human genes could contribute to the risk of autism.” After analyzing “14,000 genetic samples collected from” children with autism, the youngsters’ parents, and other individuals over the past 15 years, researchers “used the data to count at least 33 genes that have definitive links to autism.”

The San Jose (CA) Mercury News (10/30, Krieger) reports that investigators found that 60 genes “met a ‘high-confidence’ threshold, indicating that there is a greater than 90 percent chance that mutations in those genes contribute to” the risk for autism. According to the Mercury News, “The finding that autism can result from mutations in so many genes suggests that it is not a single condition, but rather an umbrella term for patients with similar sets of conditions.”

Related Links:

— “CMU, Pitt researchers help identify genes that contribute to autism,” Adam Smeltz, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 29, 2014.

HealthDay (10/28, Dotinga) reports that according to a study published online Oct. 27 in JAMA Neurology, “a mild concussion after age 65 might” increase the risk for dementia. After analyzing data on some 52,000 California emergency department patients from 2005 to 2011, researchers found that “at 55 and older, moderate to severe brain injury was associated with increased risk of dementia.” However, “by 65 and older, even mild brain injury increased the dementia risk, the study authors said.”

Related Links:

— “,” Randy Dotinga, HealthDay, October 27, 2014.

Reuters (10/24, Neumann), citing a paper set for publication in an upcoming issue of the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, reported that researchers led by Joseph Spinazzola determined that psychological cruelty children suffer at the hands of parents or guardians can be as – or more – emotionally damaging than physical and sexual abuse are.

This diagnosis is being overlooked and undertreated relative to physical forms of abuse, said Spinazzola, executive director of the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, Massachusetts. His study drew on the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Core Data set to analyze the cases of 5,616 young people with histories of psychological, physical, or sexual abuse.

Related Links:

— “For kids, psychological abuse may leave the deepest scars,” Janice Neumann, Reuters, October 24, 2014.

Reuters (10/25, Lehman) reported that having a connection with an adult at school may be associated with a lower likelihood of fighting and suicide attempts among lesbian, gay and bisexual high school students who have been bullied. The findings were published online in the Journal of School Health.

Related Links:

— “Adult support of bullied LGB youths tied to fewer suicide attempts,” Shereen Lehman, Reuters, October 24, 2014.

HealthDay (10/25, Reinberg) reported that two studies published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia suggest that herpes simplex may be associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In one study, which included approximately “3,500 people followed for an average of 11 years,” investigators “found that having certain antibodies to a herpes infection doubled the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.”

In the other study, “blood samples were taken from 360 Alzheimer’s patients an average of 9.6 years before being diagnosed with the disease.” Those samples were compared to samples of individuals without the disease. When all of the samples were compared, the investigators saw no link between the virus and Alzheimer’s risk. But, “when they looked only at people who’d had their blood taken at least 6.6 years prior, there was a significant association between the herpes virus and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.”

Related Links:

— “Studies Link Cold Sore Virus to Alzheimer’s Risk,” Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, October 24, 2014.