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The New Frontier of Autism Research & Factors We Need to Consider with Dr. Karen Parker

Dr. Karen J. Parker is the inaugural Truong-Tan Broadcom Endowed Professor, Chair of the Major Laboratories Steering Committee, and Associate Chair for Research Strategy and Oversight, in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. Dr. Parker directs the Social Neurosciences Research Program, which seeks to advance understanding of the biological basis of social functioning across a range of species, and to leverage these fundamental insights to drive diagnostic and treatment advances for people with social impairments. She is an Affiliate Scientist at the California National Primate Research Center, a Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and a Kavli Fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Parker currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, three children, and two Australian shepherds.


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Has our understanding of autism changed how we treat and diagnose the disorder?

According to the CDC, one in thirty-six children in the US have autism. Unlike many other medical conditions, the diagnosis of autism is based purely on behavior. That ignores the environmental and genetic factors that can contribute to autism. It can also cause children to be misdiagnosed for years in their early development. But this might start to change.

I’m excited to welcome Dr. Karen Parker to the show today. Dr. Parker directs the Social Neurosciences Research Program at Stanford University. She seeks to understand the biological basis of social functioning to drive diagnostic and treatment advances in people with social impairment.

Autism is a very poorly understood disorder and there are still many obstacles in the field of autism research. But exciting research coming out of Stanford University might lead to pivotal insights into a new theory about a key driving force for autism. Listen in as Dr. Parker shares her insights on autism research, contributing factors, and how early interventions and treatments can help your child.

To find out more about Dr.Parker’s Lab and Fundraising contact Lyra Ghose at lghose@stanford.edu.

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"As a parent, I want every single child to reach their full potential. "

Dr. Karen Parker

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**This week’s show notes are taken from the video — enjoy!**

  • This is our current definition of autism and how it’s diagnosed. [2:22]
  • Clinicians are able to diagnose autism as early as two years old. Here’s why that doesn’t always happen. [3:43]
  • Dr. Parker shares traditional early interventions and their limitations. [4:56]
  • Do we know what causes autism? The answer is complicated. [6:27]
  • Dr. Parker and her team’s research have led to a new theory on what causes autism. [7:36]
  • How effectively your brain makes these chemicals can determine social behavior in addition to other important bodily functions. [9:51]
  • Dr. Parker wanted to understand if these same chemicals played a role in autism. This is what she found. [11:36]
  • This is one of the biggest questions in terms of developing more advanced treatment for autism. [13:34]
  • This is Dr. Parker’s goal for autism research. [14:58]
  • These are the current challenges that Dr. Parker and her team have to overcome to further autism treatment. [16:39]
  • Ideally, this would be the future of autism research for Dr. Parker. [19:33]
  • Take a screenshot, tag me (@jimkwik), and share your biggest takeaway from this episode.
  • If you want to learn more about Dr. Parker’s research, visit her website, here.
  • Dr. Parker and her team respond to every email. You can reach out to her at karen.parker@stanford.edu.
  • If you’re interested in donating, please reach out to Lyra Ghose at lghose@stanford.edu.
  • You can also dive into the articles below:

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