1. Allen AA, Shane HC. {{Autism spectrum disorders in the era of mobile technologies: Impact on caregivers}}. {Dev Neurorehabil};2014 (Apr);17(2):110-114.
Abstract Objective: This paper explores possible connections among existing literature on parental stress, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and use of mobile technology for persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: A narrative review of the literature. Results: Parental support contributes to positive outcomes for children who use AAC. Parents identify communication as a high priority, but describe the process as challenging. AAC is often used with children with ASD, a population in which parental stress is especially high. Though there is research evidence that mobile technology is a promising tool for individuals with ASD, potentially misleading media anecdotes exist, and the effects on parental expectations and stress remain unstudied questions. Conclusion: Increased understanding of the connections in these research areas should help clarify the potential impact of mobile technologies on parental stress level, help to define appropriate future research directions, and contribute to development of appropriate caregiver training.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
2. Bowler DM, Gaigg SB, Gardiner JM. {{Binding of Multiple Features in Memory by High-Functioning Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2014 (Apr 3)
Diminished episodic memory and diminished use of semantic information to aid recall by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are both thought to result from diminished relational binding of elements of complex stimuli. To test this hypothesis, we asked high-functioning adults with ASD and typical comparison participants to study grids in which some cells contained drawings of objects in non-canonical colours. Participants were told at study which features (colour, item, location) would be tested in a later memory test. In a second experiment, participants studied similar grids and were told that they would be tested on object-location or object-colour combinations. Recognition of combinations was significantly diminished in ASD, which survived covarying performance on the Color Trails Test (D’Elia et al. Color trails test. Professional manual. Psychological Assessment Resources, Lutz, 1996), a test of executive difficulties. The findings raise the possibility that medial temporal as well as frontal lobe processes are dysfunctional in ASD.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
3. Chabani E, Hommel B. {{Visuospatial Processing in Children with Autism: No Evidence for (Training-Resistant) Abnormalities}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2014 (Apr 3)
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been assumed to show evidence of abnormal visuospatial processing, which has been attributed to a failure to integrate local features into coherent global Gestalts and/or to a bias towards local processing. As the available data are based on baseline performance only, which does not provide insight into cognitive/neural plasticity and actual cognitive potential, we investigated how training-resistant possible visuospatial processing differences between children with and without ASD are. In particular, we studied the effect of computerized versus face-to-face visuospatial training in a group of normally intelligent children with ASD and typically developing children as control. Findings show that (a) children with and without ASD do not differ much in visuospatial processing (as assessed by a tangram-like task) and the few differences we observed were all eliminated by training; (b) training can improve visuospatial processing (equally) in both children with ASD and normally developing children; and (c) computer-based and face-to-face training was equally effective.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
4. Crais ER, McComish CS, Humphreys BP, Watson LR, Baranek GT, Reznick JS, Christian RB, Earls M. {{Pediatric Healthcare Professionals’ Views on Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening at 12-18 Months}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2014 (Apr 4)
This study explored North Carolina pediatric healthcare professional’s (PHP) perceptions of screening 12-18 month old infants for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Eight focus groups (66 PHPs) were conducted across practice settings. The purpose was to explore PHP’s perspectives to: inform development of ASD screening tools and ultimately impact their use in PHP settings. PHPs reported concerns, barriers, and the need for research to support early ASD screening. Additionally, they expressed the need for: (a) clear « red flags » of ASD for 12-18 month olds; (b) socioculturally sensitive and effective screening tools; (c) effective early interventions; (d) systems to handle potential increases in referrals; and (e) continuing education. PHPs also demonstrated preferences about screening tool characteristics and processes for enhancing screening efforts.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
5. Dardas LA, Ahmad MM. {{Validation of the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life Questionnaire with Parents of Children with Autistic Disorder}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2014 (Apr 3)
The World Health Organization’s Quality of Life Questionnaire-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) has been used in many studies that target parents of children with Autistic Disorder. However, the measure has yet to be validated and adapted to this sample group whose daily experiences are considered substantially different from those of parents of children with typical development and parents of children with other disabilities. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the psychometric properties and the theoretical structure of the WHOQOL-BREF with a sample of 184 parents of children with Autistic Disorder. The factor structure for the WHOQOL-BREF was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Our analyses provided no evidence of a better model than the original 4-domain model. Nevertheless, some items in the measure were re-distributed to different domains based on theoretical meanings and/or clean loading criteria. The new model structure gained the measure’s required validity with parents of children with Autistic Disorder.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
6. Guillon Q, Hadjikhani N, Baduel S, Roge B. {{Visual social attention in autism spectrum disorder: Insights from eye tracking studies}}. {Neurosci Biobehav Rev};2014 (Mar 30);42C:279-297.
We review different aspects of visual social attention in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) from infancy to adulthood in light of the eye-tracking literature. We first assess the assumption that individuals with ASD demonstrate a deficit in social orienting together with decreased attention to socially relevant stimuli such as faces compared to TD individuals. Results show that social orienting is actually not qualitatively impaired and that decreased attention to faces does not generalized across contexts. We also assess the assumption that individuals with ASD demonstrate excess mouth and diminished eye gaze compared to TD individuals. We find that this assumption receives little support across ages and discuss some factors that might have initially lead to this conjecture. We report that the assessment of the ability to follow the direction of another person’s gaze needs to be further examined and that eye-tracking studies add to the evidence that individuals with ASD demonstrate difficulties in interpreting gaze cues. Finally, we highlight innovative data acquisition and analyses that are increasingly shedding light on the more subtle nature of the profound social difficulties experienced by individuals with ASD.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
7. Harstad E, Mauras C, Weissman L, Augustyn M. {{Autism After DSM 5: The Potential Impact in One Child’s Case}}. {J Dev Behav Pediatr};2014 (Apr);35(3):228-229.
CASE: Max is a 21-month old boy with speech and language delay presenting for diagnostic clarification and treatment recommendations. Max was born at 37 weeks after a twin gestation. He is medically healthy and lives at home with supportive parents and a typically developing twin sister. Max began speech and language therapy when he was 14 months old.Max spoke his first word at 16 months. He uses fewer than 10 words or word approximations; however, he does not use these words spontaneously to communicate. Max has decreased use of eye contact and rarely uses nonverbal means of communication. Max whines but does not point or reference his parents to request their help when he wants something out of reach. Max responds to 1-step directions about 50% of the time. An audiology assessment was normal. Max does not bring objects of interest to show others, rarely initiates interactions and does not consistently respond to social overtures.Max is described as an easy-going child. He is content to play on his own and shows little interest in other children. He likes to spin wheels for the purpose of watching them. Max has no rigidities or rituals and is easy to redirect. He has no sensory seeking behaviors or aversions. He does not engage in any repetitive motor mannerisms.On formal evaluation, Max’s cognitive skills were assessed within the average range; language and gross motor skills were below average. Performance on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Toddler Module was concerning for an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).Max’s evaluation was concerning for deficits in social and communication functioning. A new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) was recently published, resulting in a change in the diagnostic criteria for ASDs. Max meets criteria for autistic disorder under DSM, 4th edition, text revision (DSM-4-TR), but does not meet criteria for an ASD under DSM-5. Specifically by DSM-4-TR, he met all criteria under social interaction, 2 criteria under communication, and 1 under restricted and repetitive behaviors. By DSM-5, he met all of criteria A and just 1 of criteria B. How would you proceed diagnostically and what treatment recommendations would you make?
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
8. Kimhi Y, Shoam-Kugelmas D, Agam Ben-Artzi G, Ben-Moshe I, Bauminger-Zviely N. {{Theory of Mind and Executive Function in Preschoolers with Typical Development Versus Intellectually Able Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2014 (Apr 3)
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in theory of mind (ToM) and executive function (EF), which may be linked because one domain (EF) affects the other (ToM). Group differences (ASD vs. typical development) were examined in both cognitive domains, as well as EF’s associations and regressions with ToM. Participants included 29 intellectually able preschoolers with ASD and 30 typical preschoolers, aged 3-6 years. EF tasks included planning and cognitive shifting measures. ToM tasks included predicting and explaining affective and location false-belief tasks. The novelty of this study lies in its in-depth examination of ToM explanation abilities in ASD alongside the role of verbal abilities (VIQ). Significant group differences emerged on most EF and ToM measures, in favor of typically developing children. Overall in the study group, EF-planning skills, EF-cognitive shifting and VIQ significantly contributed to the explained variance of ToM measures. Implications are discussed regarding the social-cognitive deficit in ASD.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
9. Luca R, Averna M, Zalfa F, Vecchi M, Bianchi F, La Fata G, Del Nonno F, Nardacci R, Bianchi M, Nuciforo P, Munck S, Parrella P, Moura R, Signori E, Alston R, Kuchnio A, Giulia Farace M, Michele Fazio V, Piacentini M, De Strooper B, Achsel T, Neri G, Neven P, Evans DG, Carmeliet P, Mazzone M, Bagni C. {{The Fragile X Protein binds mRNAs involved in cancer progression and modulates metastasis formation}}. {EMBO Mol Med};2014 (Apr 1);6(4):567-568.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
10. Murdaugh DL, Nadendla KD, Kana RK. {{Differential role of temporoparietal junction and medial prefrontal cortex in causal inference in autism: An independent component analysis}}. {Neurosci Lett};2014 (Mar 30);568C:50-55.
Neuroimaging studies have consistently identified a network of brain regions responsible for making inferences of others’ mental states. This network includes the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) at the temporoparietal junction (TPJ), and temporal poles. Although TPJ and MPFC are key nodes of the Theory of Mind (ToM) network, their relative functional roles are still debated. This study sought to examine the contribution of these regions in causal attribution and to explore the nature of the ToM network in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Participants watched a series of comic strip vignettes in the MRI scanner, and identified the most logical ending to each vignette, which sometimes required intentional causal attribution. Independent component analysis was done to isolate temporally correlated brain networks. The functional networks for intentional causality included the TPJ and MPFC, with an increased contribution of TPJ. There was also a significant group difference in the TPJ, with reduced response in participants with ASD. These results suggest an increased role of TPJ in intentional causality. In addition, the reduced response in ASD in TPJ may reflect their difficulties in social cognition.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
11. Schaafsma SM, Pfaff DW. {{Etiologies underlying sex differences in Autism Spectrum Disorders}}. {Front Neuroendocrinol};2014 (Apr 4)
The male predominance of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is one of the best-known, and at the same time, one of the least understood characteristics of these disorders. In this paper we review genetic, epigenetic, hormonal, and environmental mechanisms underlying this male preponderance. Sex-specific effects of Y-linked genes (including SRY expression leading to testicular development), balanced and skewed X-inactivation, genes that escape X-inactivation, parent-of-origin allelic imprinting, and the hypothetical heterochromatin sink are reviewed. These mechanisms likely contribute to etiology, instead of being simply causative to ASD. Environments, both internal and external, also play important roles in ASD’s etiology. Early exposure to androgenic hormones and early maternal immune activation comprise environmental factors affecting sex-specific susceptibility to ASD. The gene-environment interactions underlying ASD, suggested here, implicate early prenatal stress as being especially detrimental to boys with a vulnerable genotype.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
12. Scheele D, Kendrick KM, Khouri C, Kretzer E, Schlapfer TE, Stoffel-Wagner B, Gunturkun O, Maier W, Hurlemann R. {{An Oxytocin-Induced Facilitation of Neural and Emotional Responses to Social Touch Correlates Inversely with Autism Traits}}. {Neuropsychopharmacology};2014 (Apr 3)
Social communication through touch and mutual grooming can convey highly salient socio-emotional signals and has been shown to involve the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) in several species. Less is known about the modulatory influence of OXT on the neural and emotional responses to human interpersonal touch. The present randomized placebo (PLC)-controlled within-subject pharmaco-functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was designed to test the hypothesis that a single intranasal dose of synthetic OXT (24 IU) would facilitate both neural and emotional responses to interpersonal touch in a context (female vs male touch) and trait (autistic trait load) specific manner. Specifically, the experimental rationale was to manipulate the reward value of interpersonal touch independent of the intensity and type of actual cutaneous stimulation administered. Thus forty heterosexual males believed they were touched by either a man or a woman, although in fact an identical pattern of touch was always given by the same female experimenter blind to condition type. Our results show that OXT increased the perceived pleasantness of female, but not male touch, and associated neural responses in the insula, precuneus, orbitofrontal and pregenual anterior cingulate cortex. Moreover, the behavioral and neural effects of OXT were negatively correlated with autistic-like traits. Taken together, this is the first study to show that the perceived hedonic value of human heterosexual interpersonal touch is facilitated by OXT in men, but that its behavioral and neural effects in this context are blunted in individuals with autistic traits.Neuropsychopharmacology accepted article peview online, 03 April 2014; doi:10.1038/npp.2014.78.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
13. Srivastava AK, Schwartz CE. {{Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorders: Causal Genes and Molecular Mechanisms}}. {Neurosci Biobehav Rev};2014 (Apr 4)
Intellectual disability (ID) and Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) are the most common developmental disorders present in humans. Combined, they affect between 3-5% of the population. Additionally, they can be found together in the same individual thereby complicating treatment. The causative factors (genes, epigenetic and environmental) are quite varied and likely interact so as to further complicate the assessment of an individual patient. Nonetheless, much valuable information has been gained by identifying candidate genes for ID or ASD. Understanding the etiology of either ID or ASD is of utmost importance for families. It allows a determination of the risk of recurrence, the possibility of other comorbidity medical problems, the molecular and cellular nature of the pathobiology and hopefully potential therapeutic approaches.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
14. Uljarevic M, Prior MR, Leekam SR. {{First evidence of sensory atypicality in mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)}}. {Mol Autism};2014;5(1):26.
BACKGROUND: Atypical reactions to sensory stimuli show heritability in the general population and are a known risk factor for affective disorders. As sensory problems are highly prevalent in individuals with ASD and their siblings, and the occurrence of affective disorders is elevated in parents of children with ASD, investigating sensory symptoms in parents is important both from clinical and theoretical standpoints.Fifty mothers of children and adolescents with ASD completed the Adolescent and Adult Sensory Profile (AASP). The AASP is a norm-referenced questionnaire that provides scores for four types of responses to sensory stimuli (sensory quadrants): hypo-sensitivity, hyper-sensitivity, sensation seeking, and sensory avoiding. FINDINGS: Mothers’ scores were compared with AASP norms. Ninety eight percent of mothers had sensory scores at least one standard deviation (SD) above the normative mean and 44% were two or more SDs above the mean for at least one sensory quadrant. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first evidence for sensory atypicality in parents of children with ASD. Further research is needed to elucidate the contribution of genetic and environmental influences on the expression of sensory problems in ASD.
