1. {{Massachusetts & New Hampshire. Insurance; autism spectrum disorders}}. {Ment Phys Disabil Law Rep}. 2010 Sep-Oct;34(5):812.
2. {{Salivary Testosterone Levels and Autism-spectrum Quotient in Adults}}. {Neuro Endocrinol Lett}. 2010 Dec 31;31(6).
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between salivary testosterone levels and autistic traits in adults. METHODS: A total of 92 male and female adults participated in the present study. Their salivary testosterone level (T) and score of Japanese version of Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) were assessed to examine the relationship between salivary testosterone level and autistic traits in adults. RESULTS: We observed a positive correlation between T and AQ in a group of both sexes. The correlation disappeared when we conducted correlation analysis by sex. However, although there was no sex difference in the score of the subscale of attention switching, attention switching was related to T. CONCLUSIONS: Although the relationship between T and AQ may mainly result from sex differences, the subscale of attention switching may be modulated by testosterone.
3. Bronsard G, Botbol M, Tordjman S. {{Aggression in low functioning children and adolescents with autistic disorder}}. {PLoS One}. 2010;5(12):e14358.
BACKGROUND: Parents, caregivers and mental health professionals have often reported violence and aggression in children or adolescents with autistic disorder. However, most of these observations derived from anecdotal reports, and studies on frequency and characterization of aggression in autism remain limited. Our objective was to better characterize and understand the different types of aggressive behaviors displayed by a large group of individuals with autism in different observational situations. METHODOLOGY/FINDINGS: The study was conducted on 74 children and adolescents with autism and 115 typically developing control individuals matched for sex, age and pubertal stage. Other-Injurious Behaviors (OIB) were assessed in three observational situations (parents at home, two caregivers at day-care, a nurse and a child psychiatrist during blood drawing) using validated scales. The frequency of OIB was significantly higher in individuals with autism compared to typically developing control individuals during the blood drawing (23% vs. 0%, P<0 .01). The parents observed significantly less OIB in their children than caregivers (34% vs. 58%, P<0.05). In addition, the most frequent concurrent behaviors occurring just before the appearance of OIB in individuals with autism were anxiety-related behaviors and excitation according to the parental as well as the caregiver observation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results suggest that in a stressful situation, such as the blood drawing, individuals with autism release their stress through behaviors such as OIB, whereas typically developing individuals regulate and express their stress through cognitive skills such as mental coping strategies, symbolization skills with representation and anticipation of the stressful situation, social interaction and verbal or non-verbal communication. The findings underline also the key role of the environment in assessing OIB and developing therapeutic perspectives, with an individual who modulates his/her behavior according to the environment, and an environment that perceives this behavior and reacts to it with different tolerance thresholds according to the observers.
4. Bruins B, Fine HF, Moorthy LN, Jain A, Jain AK, Milligan TW, et al. {{Index of suspicion * case 1: recurrent oral ulcers in an adolescent * case 2: visual impairment in an autistic child * case 3: Fever and hepatosplenomegaly in an infant}}. {Pediatr Rev}. 2011 Jan;32(1):35-40.
5. Catarino A, Luke L, Waldman S, Andrade A, Fletcher PC, Ring H. {{An fMRI investigation of detection of semantic incongruities in autistic spectrum conditions}}. {Eur J Neurosci}. 2010 Dec 29.
The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the brain’s haemodynamic response to semantically incongruent and congruent sentences in adults with an autistic spectrum condition (ASC) and a typically developing Control group. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure regional variations in neural activity during detection of semantic incongruities within written sentences. Whilst the 12 controls showed a pattern of activity extending from posterior cingulate cortices bilaterally and the left occipitotemporal region to the left superior and inferior temporal lobes, right anterior cingulate and right inferior frontal gyrus, the 12 participants with an ASC presented a more spatially restricted activation pattern, including the left inferior frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulate cortex and right middle frontal gyrus. These results are coherent with the hypothesis that impaired integration of multiple neural networks in people with an ASC is related to previous observations that this group have difficulties in the use of context to predict the final word of sentences.
6. Clark B, Vandermeer B, Simonetti A, Buka I. {{Is lead a concern in Canadian autistic children?}}. {Paediatr Child Health}. 2010 Jan;15(1):17-22.
BACKGROUND: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) threshold for intervention for blood lead level (BLL) is greater than 0.48 mumol/L, but new research suggests that there are adverse effects at any level of exposure. Children with autism are at increased risk for lead exposure and intoxication, and have later and more prolonged exposures because of exploratory oral behaviours and pica. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the mean BLL and prevalence of high BLL in a convenience sample of autistic children living in northern Alberta, based on the CDC threshold for intervention. METHODS: Children with autism were recruited from the clinics at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. A complete blood count and differential, serum ferritin and BLL were requested after consent was obtained. Summary statistics were reported. For dichotomous outcomes, proportions were presented. Continuous outcomes for the two groups with a BLL of 0.1 mumol/L or greater, or less than 0.1 mumol/L were compared. RESULTS: None of the children tested had a BLL exceeding 0.48 mumol/L. Nine children (19%) had BLLs of 0.1 mumol/L or greater but less than 0.48 mumol/L, and 39 (81%) had BLLs of less than 0.1 mumol/L. Those with a BLL of 0.1 mumol/L or greater had significantly more pica or oral exploratory behaviours. CONCLUSION: Children with autism in northern Alberta may not be at risk for elevated BLLs that exceed the CDC threshold for intervention. They should be screened for lead exposure risk factors and tested if there are risks, especially behaviours relating to pica and oral exploration of objects. Clinicians may need to further explore the reasons for low-level exposures to lead in the autistic population.
7. Di Martino A, Kelly C, Grzadzinski R, Zuo XN, Mennes M, Mairena MA, et al. {{Aberrant Striatal Functional Connectivity in Children with Autism}}. {Biol Psychiatry}. 2010 Dec 31.
BACKGROUND:: Models of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as neural disconnection syndromes have been predominantly supported by examinations of abnormalities in corticocortical networks in adults with autism. A broader body of research implicates subcortical structures, particularly the striatum, in the physiopathology of autism. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging has revealed detailed maps of striatal circuitry in healthy and psychiatric populations and vividly captured maturational changes in striatal circuitry during typical development. METHODS:: Using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined striatal functional connectivity (FC) in 20 children with ASD and 20 typically developing children between the ages of 7.6 and 13.5 years. Whole-brain voxelwise statistical maps quantified within-group striatal FC and between-group differences for three caudate and three putamen seeds for each hemisphere. RESULTS:: Children with ASD mostly exhibited prominent patterns of ectopic striatal FC (i.e., functional connectivity present in ASD but not in typically developing children), with increased functional connectivity between nearly all striatal subregions and heteromodal associative and limbic cortex previously implicated in the physiopathology of ASD (e.g., insular and right superior temporal gyrus). Additionally, we found striatal functional hyperconnectivity with the pons, thus expanding the scope of functional alterations implicated in ASD. Secondary analyses revealed ASD-related hyperconnectivity between the pons and insula cortex. CONCLUSIONS:: Examination of FC of striatal networks in children with ASD revealed abnormalities in circuits involving early developing areas, such as the brainstem and insula, with a pattern of increased FC in ectopic circuits that likely reflects developmental derangement rather than immaturity of functional circuits.
8. Dufour-Rainfray D, Vourc’h P, Tourlet S, Guilloteau D, Chalon S, Andres CR. {{Fetal exposure to teratogens: evidence of genes involved in autism?}}. {Neurosci Biobehav Rev}. 2010 Dec 29.
Dufour-Rainfray, D., Vourc’h, P., Tourlet, S., Guilloteau, D., Chalon, S. and Andres, C.R. Fetal exposure to teratogens: evidence of genes involved in autism? NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV XX(X) XXX-XXX, 2010.-Environmental challenges during the prenatal period can result in behavioral abnormalities and cognitive deficits that appear later in life such as autism. Prenatal exposure to valproic acid, ethanol, thalidomide and misoprostol has been shown to be associated with an increased incidence of autism. In addition, rodents exposed in utero to some of these drugs show autism-like abnormalities, including brain changes and lifelong behavior dysfunction. Our aim is to summarize current understanding of the relationship between in utero exposure to these drugs and autism in humans and in autism-like animal model phenotypes. It also highlights the importance of these models to understanding the neurobiology of autism, particularly in the identification of susceptibility genes. These drugs are able to modulate the expression of many genes involved in processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, neuronal differentiation and migration, synaptogenesis and synaptic activity. It seems essential to focus research on genes expressed during early neurodevelopment which may be the target of mutations or affected by drugs such as those included in this review.
9. Ghanizadeh A. {{Methionine sulfoximine may improve inflammation in autism, a novel hypothesized treatment for autism}}. {Arch Med Res}. 2010 Nov;41(8):651-2.
10. Kim KC, Kim P, Go HS, Choi CS, Yang SI, Cheong JH, et al. {{The critical period of valproate exposure to induce autistic symptoms in Sprague-Dawley rats}}. {Toxicol Lett}. 2010 Dec 29.
Prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) induces neural tube defects and impairment in social behaviors related to autistic spectrum disorder in newborns, which make it a useful animal model of autism. In this study, we compared the effects of different time window of prenatal valproic acid exposure for inducing the altered social behaviors relevant to autism from embryonic day 7 to embryonic day 15 in Sprague-Dawley rats to determine the critical periods for the impairment. Compared to E7, E9.5 and E15 exposure, VPA exposure at E12 showed most significant changes in behaviors over control animals with reduced sociability and social preference. E9.5 exposure to valproic acid showed strong reproductive toxicity including decrease in the number of live birth. In general, exposure at E15 showed only marginal effects on reproduction and social behaviors. Finally, VPA-exposed rats at E12 were more sensitive to electric shock than VPA-exposed rats at any other periods. These results suggested that E12 is the critical period in rats when valproate exposure has prominent effects for inducing the altered social behavior similar to human autistic behavior.
11. Magiati I, Moss J, Yates R, Charman T, Howlin P. {{Is the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist a useful tool for monitoring progress in children with autism spectrum disorders?}}. {J Intellect Disabil Res}. 2011 Jan 4.
Background There are few well validated brief measures that can be used to assess the general progress of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) over time. In the present study, the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was used as part of a comprehensive assessment battery to monitor the progress of 22 school-aged children with ASD who had previously taken part in intensive home- or school-based intervention programmes in their pre-school years. Methods Parents completed the ATEC when the children were on average 5.5 years and then again 5-6 years later (mean age 10.4 years). Standardised measures were also used to assess cognitive, language and adaptive behaviour skills and severity of autism symptoms over the same period. Results The ATEC had high internal consistency at both time points. ATEC total and sub-scale scores remained relatively stable over time and were highly and significantly correlated with cognitive, language and adaptive behaviour skills and severity of autism symptoms at both assessment points. Initial ATEC total scores predicted 64% of the variance in scores at the subsequent follow-up. However, there was also considerable variation in the patterns of scores shown by individual children over time. Conclusions This study provides some preliminary evidence of the ATEC’s potential value for monitoring progress of children with ASD over time. Its advantages and limitations are discussed in the context of the need systematically to monitor the progress of children with ASD over time or in response to intervention.
12. Samson F, Hyde KL, Bertone A, Soulieres I, Mendrek A, Ahad P, et al. {{Atypical processing of auditory temporal complexity in autistics}}. {Neuropsychologia}. 2010 Dec 27.
Autistics exhibit a contrasting combination of auditory behavior, with enhanced pitch processing abilities often coexisting with reduced orienting towards complex speech sounds. Based on an analogous dissociation observed in vision, we expected that autistics’ auditory behavior with respect to complex sound processing may result from atypical activity in non-primary auditory cortex. We employed fMRI to explore the neural basis of complex non-social sound processing in 15 autistic and 13 non-autistics, using a factorial design in which auditory stimuli varied in spectral and temporal complexity. Spectral complexity was modulated by varying the harmonic content, whereas temporal complexity was modulated by varying frequency modulation depth. The detection task was performed similarly by autistics and non-autistics. In both groups, increasing spectral or temporal complexity was associated with activity increases in primary (Heschl’s gyrus) and non-primary (anterolateral and posterior superior temporal gyrus) auditory cortex Activity was right-lateralized for spectral and left-lateralized for temporal complexity. Increasing temporal complexity was associated with greater activity in anterolateral superior temporal gyrus in non-autistics and greater effects in Heschl’s gyrus in autistics. While we observed similar hierarchical functional organization for auditory processing in both groups, autistics exhibited diminished activity in non-primary auditory cortex and increased activity in primary auditory cortex in response to the presentation of temporally, but not of spectrally complex sounds. Greater temporal complexity effects in regions sensitive to acoustic features and reduced temporal complexity effects in regions sensitive to more abstract sound features could represent a greater focus towards perceptual aspects of speech sounds in autism.
13. Sayers N, Oliver C, Ruddick L, Wallis B. {{Stereotyped behaviour in children with autism and intellectual disability: an examination of the executive dysfunction hypothesis}}. {J Intellect Disabil Res}. 2011 Jan 4.
Background Increasing attention has been paid to the executive dysfunction hypothesis argued to underpin stereotyped behaviour in autism. The aim of this study is to investigate one component of this model, that stereotyped behaviours are related to impaired generativity and compromised behavioural inhibition, by examining whether episodes of these behaviours terminate naturally without external intervention. Methods Using a naturalistic observational methodology the stereotyped behaviours of six participants with autism were recorded in real time over periods ranging from 3.59 to 9.20 h. Data were also recorded for teaching staff interactions with participants and environmental settings (one-to-one, group and freetime). Results In comparison with one-to-one settings stereotyped behaviours were more frequent when participants were in freetime settings with the exception of one participant. For the termination of stereotyped behaviours these behaviours stopped with no ongoing physical or verbal adult contact being evident for a median of 73.25% of the time. Additionally, for a median of 89.40% of the time stereotyped behaviour stopped without the initiation of adult contact. Discussion The termination of bouts of stereotyped behaviour was frequently not associated with any adult contact and thus this form of external intervention. This finding warrants explanation by extending the hypothesis that compromised impaired generativity and behavioural inhibition offers a complete explanation of stereotyped behaviours.
14. Simpson K, Keen D. {{Music Interventions for Children with Autism: Narrative Review of the Literature}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2011 Jan 4.
It is widely reported that music can be beneficial to individuals with autism. This review was undertaken to determine the evidence base for the use of music as an intervention for children with autism. After searching relevant databases, 128 articles were identified of which 20 articles met the study’s inclusion criteria. Composed songs and improvisational music therapy were the predominant music techniques used. There was somewhat limited evidence to support the use of music interventions under certain conditions to facilitate social, communicative and behavioural skills in young children with autism. The implications of these findings in terms of use of music interventions, issues related to generalization and maintenance, and future research are discussed.
15. Theoharides TC, Angelidou A, Alysandratos KD, Zhang B, Asadi S, Francis K, et al. {{Mast cell activation and autism}}. {Biochim Biophys Acta}. 2010 Dec 27.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by varying degrees of dysfunctional communication and social interactions, repetitive and stereotypic behaviors, as well as learning and sensory deficits. Despite the impressive rise in the prevalence of autism during the last two decades, there are few, if any, clues for its pathogenesis, early detection or treatment. Increasing evidence indicates high brain expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the presence of circulating antibodies against brain proteins. A number of papers, mostly based on parents’ reporting on their children’s health problems, suggest that ASD children suffer from « allergic-like » problems in the absence of elevated serum IgE, and chronic urticaria. These findings suggest non-allergic mast cell activation, probably in response to environmental and stress triggers that could contribute to inflammation. In utero inflammation can lead to preterm labor and has itself been strongly associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Premature babies have about 4 times higher risk of developing ASD and are also more vulnerable to infections, while delayed development of their gut-blood-brain barriers makes exposure to potential neurotoxins likely. Perinatal mast cell activation by infectious, stress-related, environmental or allergic triggers can lead to release of pro-inflammatory and neurotoxic molecules, thus contributing to brain inflammation and ASD pathogenesis, at least in a subgroup of ASD patients.
16. Umeda T, Takashima N, Nakagawa R, Maekawa M, Ikegami S, Yoshikawa T, et al. {{Evaluation of pax6 mutant rat as a model for autism}}. {PLoS One}. 2010;5(12):e15500.
Autism is a highly variable brain developmental disorder and has a strong genetic basis. Pax6 is a pivotal player in brain development and maintenance. It is expressed in embryonic and adult neural stem cells, in astrocytes in the entire central nervous system, and in neurons in the olfactory bulb, amygdala, thalamus, and cerebellum, functioning in highly context-dependent manners. We have recently reported that Pax6 heterozygous mutant (rSey(2)/+) rats with a spontaneous mutation in the Pax6 gene, show impaired prepulse inhibition (PPI). In the present study, we further examined behaviors of rSey(2)/+ rats and revealed that they exhibited abnormality in social interaction (more aggression and withdrawal) in addition to impairment in rearing activity and in fear-conditioned memory. Ultrasonic vocalization (USV) in rSey(2)+ rat pups was normal in male but abnormal in female. Moreover, treatment with clozapine successfully recovered the defects in sensorimotor gating function, but not in fear-conditioned memory. Taken together with our prior human genetic data and results in other literatures, rSey(2)/+ rats likely have some phenotypic components of autism.
17. Villafuerte S. {{Suggestive evidence on the genetic link between mitochondria dysfunction and autism}}. {Acta Psychiatr Scand}. 2011 Feb;123(2):95.
18. Wan CY, Schlaug G. {{Neural pathways for language in autism: the potential for music-based treatments}}. {Future Neurol}. 2010 Nov;5(6):797-805.
Language deficits represent the core diagnostic characteristics of autism, and some of these individuals never develop functional speech. The language deficits in autism may be due to structural and functional abnormalities in certain language regions (e.g., frontal and temporal), or due to altered connectivity between these brain regions. In particular, a number of anatomical pathways that connect auditory and motor brain regions (e.g., the arcuate fasciculus, the uncinate fasciculus and the extreme capsule) may be altered in individuals with autism. These pathways may also provide targets for experimental treatments to facilitate communication skills in autism. We propose that music-based interventions (e.g., auditory-motor mapping training) would take advantage of the musical strengths of these children, and are likely to engage, and possibly strengthen, the connections between frontal and temporal regions bilaterally. Such treatments have important clinical potential in facilitating expressive language in nonverbal children with autism.
