For those of you who have had students with any form of this disorder, you know some of the tell-tale signs, such as not looking anyone in the eyes or being seemingly shut off from interacting with others. It can, at times, become frustrating, even though we may not want to admit it.

Researchers from the National Center for Scientific Research in France led the study, which was published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. According to their findings, 13 adults with either a high-functioning form of autism or Asperger syndrome were given a nasal spray which contained the hormone oxytocin, a hormone that has been attributed to creating the bond between mothers and their babies. The patients who took the hormone "scored significantly better on a test that involved recognizing faces and performed much better in a game that involved tossing a ball with others."

Although this type of therapy has been used with success for years with children who have autism, "getting double-blind clinical studies like this one published helps to bring credibility to parental reports," according to Wendy Fournier, president of the National Autism Association.