By: Doug Bennett – UF Health
While the number of adults affected by autism is growing, very little is known about the way the condition is impacted by aging. Now, a University of Florida Health researcher and his colleagues are launching one of the largest and most comprehensive studies of what happens to autistic adults as they grow older.
The study aims to better understand the brain and cognitive changes that occur in people with autism. The researchers expect their findings will ultimately help other scientists and doctors pursue answers to even bigger questions: Is aging accelerated in people with autism? If so, how and why does that happen and what can be done to optimize health in people living with autism?
The questions have never been timelier. Since the 1990s, the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has risen dramatically and consistently. That means more adults are now living with the communication, speech, motor and social skill challenges that characterize autism.
