NBC News (10/1, Szabo) reports a genetic analysis found “that people with autism spectrum disorder diagnosed in late childhood or adolescence actually have ‘a different form of autism,’ not a less severe one.” Senior author Dr. Varun Warrier, an autism researcher at the University of Cambridge, explained that “the ‘genetic profile’ of people with late-diagnosis autism actually looks more like depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder than early childhood autism.” The study suggests that some children with autism “develop differently and may not receive a diagnosis earlier on because their features may not yet have clearly emerged,” Warrier said. Overall, experts believe the study “illustrates that autism is not a single condition with one root cause, but rather an umbrella term for a cluster of conditions with similar – although not identical – features.” The study was published in Nature.

Related Links:

— “Autism isn’t one disorder, a genetic analysis shows,”Liz Szabo, NBC News, October , 2025

Healio (9/30, Gawel) reports a study found that “cannabis amplifies the effects of childhood trauma as a key driver of paranoia, indicating opportunities for trauma-informed clinical approaches and cannabis harm reduction strategies.” The study cohort “included 2,482 individuals (52%) who reported some form of trauma, including abuse (24.6%), neglect (19.1%), household discord (30.3%) and bullying (20.6%), based on a modified version of the Childhood Trauma Screen questionnaire adapted for this study. Results from the Green Paranoid Thoughts Scale yielded mean scores of 54.96 for those exposed to trauma and 43.67 for those with no exposure.” Researchers observed “associations between heightened paranoia symptoms and physical and emotional abuse strong, adding that physical and emotional abuse were the strongest predictors of paranoia.” In addition, the researchers “said participants exposed to sexual abuse had the highest weekly standard THC unit consumption.” They noted that “positive associations between weekly standard THC unit exposure also included emotional and physical abuse.” The study was published in Psychological Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Cannabis use exacerbates impact of childhood trauma on paranoia risk,”Richard Gawel, Healio, September 30, 2025

HealthDay (9/30, Neff) reports a study “suggests that older adults, particularly Generation X women, have high rates of addiction to ultra-processed foods, such as fast food, sugary drinks and packaged snacks.” The study “found that 21% of women and 10% of men in Gen X and the last wave of Baby Boomers met the criteria for ultra-processed food addiction.” Researchers observed that “men who reported fair or poor mental health were four times more likely to meet the criteria for ultra-processed food addiction, while women were nearly three times as likely. Men and women who said they sometimes or often felt isolated were more than three times as likely to show signs of addiction.” One possible reason why ultra-processed food addiction is more common in older women, according to researchers, “is the aggressive marketing of ‘diet’ ultra-processed foods to women in the 1980s. These low-fat or low-calorie products were formulated with addictive nutrient profiles.” The study was published in Addiction.

Related Links:

— “Gen X Older Adults Show High Rates of Ultra-Processed Food Addiction,”Deanna Neff, HealthDay, September 30, 2025

The Washington Post (9/30, Weber, Thadani) reports that millions of American seniors “could lose access to telehealth appointments with their doctors if Congress fails to fund them amid a looming government shutdown, while thousands more who have been receiving high-level, acute care at home face being sent back to the hospital or discharged.” Most Medicare reimbursements to physicians and hospitals will continue in the event of a government shutdown, but “payments for video health care visits – which gained in popularity during the pandemic and must be separately authorized for an extension by Congress – face elimination.” Without payment or guarantee that “they would be compensated retroactively, doctors and hospitals say they will be unable to provide services. Particularly for elderly people with limited mobility or transportation hurdles, telehealth has become a vital service improving their access to care, advocates say.”

Related Links:

— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

Reuters (9/29, Choudhury, Sunny) reports the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) announced Monday it would launch a new website, to be called AmericasMedicines.com, “to help patients buy prescription drugs directly from manufacturers, bypassing pharmacy benefit managers and other middlemen.” The website, set to be launched in January, “will allow drugmakers to list medicines available for direct purchase and connect patients with programs that offer lower prices and fewer barriers to access.”

Related Links:

— “US lobby group PhRMA plans website to boost access to cheaper drugs, Reuters, September 29, 2025