by Joe Arnold WHAS11.com Posted on August 9, 2012 at 6:47 PM Updated yesterday at 7:01 PM LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- A local teenager who has spent years raising money and awareness for autism said she has a big dream - to make Louisville the home of autism research. We first introduced you to Michaela Riggle eight years ago, then just 7-years-old and already battling to find a cure for her 4-year-old brother who was diagnosed with autism. She started the Beading to Beat Autism campaign where she, along with help from others, sold hand-made beaded bracelets to raise money for autism research. Michala is now 15-years-old and is still looking out for Evan. Evan has come a long way, but despite progress his family said autism still dominates their lives. She started the Beading to Beat Autism campaign where she, along with help from others, sold hand-made beaded bracelets to raise money for autism research. After five years of selling bracelets, Michala is now taking her effort to the next level, a local campaign to raise $5 million to buy land and hire staff for a Louisville autism and research facility. She's asking 60,000 of her Kentuckiana neighbors to … Continue reading →

A skull implant that can detect an epileptic seizure and deliver therapeutic electrical impulses can reduce the length of these events by 60% in rats. The device, tested on nine rats with a petit mal form of epilepsy, is described today in Science1. Most electrical stimulation devices, such as those that deliver deep-brain stimulation (DBS) to treat Parkinsons disease and depression, operate continuously, delivering impulses regardless of the patients brain activity. But this can cause a range of undesirable side effects, such as headaches. Seizure-responsive versions of DBS devices are coming to market, such as the Responsive Neurostimulator System developed by NeuroPace, based in Mountain View, California. The system is awaiting approval by the US Food and Drug Administration and will be aimed at adults with certain types of partial-onset seizures, which tend to be localized to certain regions of the brain. But as the name implies, DBS uses electrodes that penetrate the brain, which can also carry certain risks, such as a worsening of epilepsy symptoms. In the latest study, Gyrgy Buzski, a neuroscientist at the New York University School of Medicine, and his colleagues used a less invasive approach that involves transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) of neurons using … Continue reading →

Autism research foundation looks to expand It began as a movement started by a 10-year-old girl to fight autism. Now, Michala Riggle is impacting the world of autism research yet again. In 2007, Michala got national attention for selling homemade beaded bracelets for $3 each. She wanted to raise $200,000 for an autism study her younger brother, Evan, was in, along with other autistic children at Kosair Children's Hospital. Within six months, her Beading to Beat Autism campaign exceeded her goal. "What we're here to announce today, we're going to kick off Campaign 7," said Riggle. Five years and $500,000 later, Michala's mission has grown just like she has. Evan, now 12 years old, is doing well with his treatment. With their success, Michala and her family have set another goal, called Campaign 7. "We're going to kick that off and we're going to try and get people to commit donating $7 a month for one year so we can raise the money to buy the land we want the center in and hire staff and kick off our national campaign to raise the money," said Riggle. The center will be a world-class autism research and treatment facility built in … Continue reading →

Public release date: 9-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Jane E. Rubinstein jrubinstein@rubenstein.com 212-843-8287 Autism Speaks NEW YORK, N.Y. (August 9, 2012) Over 400 attendees from across the U.S. and around the world participated in the first national conference for families and professionals, "Treating the Whole Person with Autism: Comprehensive Care for Children and Adolescents with ASD." Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, organized and hosted the conference in collaboration with educational partners at Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). "Autism Speaks' Autism Treatment Network (ATN) is a key initiative aimed at improving the health and well-being of individuals with ASD," remarked Daniel Coury, M.D., ATN medical director and chief of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "It provides "whole person," family-centered medical care which aims to address the individual's and the family's unique set of needs and challenges. We're excited to build upon these efforts through this national conference with Autism Speaks and our other conference partners." The conference provided a forum for both families and professionals to learn about current guidance … Continue reading →