1. Correction to: Testing the PEST hypothesis using relevant Rett mutations in MeCP2 E1 and E2 isoforms. Hum Mol Genet. 2025.

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2. Brown HK, Lunsky Y, Fung K, Santiago-Jimenez M, Camden A, Cohen E, Ray JG, Saunders NR, Telner D, Varner CE, Vigod SN, Zwicker J, Guttmann A. Maternal Disability and Emergency Department Use for Infants. JAMA Netw Open. 2025; 8(5): e258549.

IMPORTANCE: Infants have among the highest rates of emergency department (ED) visits of all age groups. Women with disabilities experience significant social disparities, may experience barriers accessing child primary care, and may seek care in the ED. OBJECTIVE: To compare ED use among newborns and infants (hereafter infants) of women with or without disabilities, overall and by timing and acuity of the ED visit. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based cohort study analyzed data for all live-born infants in Ontario, Canada, born to women with or without a disability from April 1, 2008, to March 31, 2021. Data were analyzed March 2023 to October 2024. EXPOSURE: Maternal physical, sensory, or intellectual or developmental disability or multiple disabilities status was ascertained using diagnostic algorithms applied to health care encounters before delivery. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The main outcome was any ED visit between an infant’s hospitalization discharge date and their first birthday, and by timing and acuity. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to generate hazard ratios (HRs) for the association between maternal disability and the main outcome, adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and infant sex and year of birth. RESULTS: Of 1 596 932 total infants, there were 139 698 (8.7%) born to women with a physical disability, 48 112 (3.0%) to women with a sensory disability, 2547 (0.2%) to women with an intellectual or developmental disability, and 10 312 (0.6%) to women with multiple disabilities. The remaining 1 396 263 infants (87.4%) were born to a woman without a recognized disability. Among women without a disability, 558 965 infants (40.0%) had an ED visit in the first year of life (incidence rate, 1.11 per 1000 person-days). Compared with this referent group, infants born to a woman with a disability of a physical (46.9%; 1.30 visits per 1000 person-days; adjusted HR [AHR], 1.14 [95% CI, 1.13-1.15]), sensory (45.2%; 1.25 visits per 1000 person-days; AHR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.07-1.10]), or intellectual or developmental (55.4%; 1.55 visits per 1000 person-days; AHR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.17-1.30]) nature or with multiple disabilities (51.0%; 1.42 visits per 1000 person-days; AHR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.15-1.22]) were more likely to have an ED visit. Similar patterns were observed for ED visits at fewer than 28 days from delivery, from 28 to 365 days, and for ED visits for high-acuity, moderate-acuity, and low-acuity reasons. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this population-based cohort study, infants of women with disabilities were more likely to use the ED, indicating a need for accessible family supports and improved early child primary care access.

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3. Davinelli S, Medoro A, Siracusano M, Savino R, Saso L, Scapagnini G, Mazzone L. Oxidative stress response and NRF2 signaling pathway in autism spectrum disorder. Redox Biol. 2025; 83: 103661.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and restricted/repetitive behavioral patterns, has increased significantly over the past few decades. The etiology of ASD involves a highly complex interplay of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental factors, contributing to significant heterogeneity in its clinical phenotype. In the evolving landscape of ASD research, increasing evidence suggests that oxidative stress, resulting from both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, may be a crucial pathophysiological driver in ASD, influencing neurodevelopmental processes that underlie behavioral abnormalities. Elevated levels of oxidative stress biomarkers, including lipid peroxides, protein oxidation products, and DNA damage markers, alongside deficient antioxidant enzyme activity, have been consistently linked to ASD. This may be attributed to dysregulated activity of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), a pivotal transcription factor that maintains cellular redox homeostasis by orchestrating the expression of genes involved in antioxidant defenses. Here, we summarize the converging evidence that redox imbalance in ASD may result from NRF2 dysregulation, leading to reduced expression of its target genes. We also highlight the most promising antioxidant compounds under investigation, which may restore NRF2 activity and ameliorate ASD behavioral symptoms.

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4. Dichter G, Grosser KF, Cummings KK, Bradley C, Garcia TP, Tapia AL, Pretzel RE, Nadler C, Moody EJ, Barger B, Reyes NM, Fallin MD, Daniels JL. Changes in Autism Traits from Early Childhood to Adolescence in the Study to Explore Early Development. medRxiv. 2025.

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to investigate associations between co-occurring developmental, psychiatric, behavioral, and medical symptoms and conditions and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits, as well as predictors of changes in autistic traits from early childhood to adolescence. METHODS: Participants from the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) were identified as having autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (n=707), another developmental disorder (DD) (n=995), or as a population comparison group (POP) (n=898). Caregivers completed the Social Responsiveness Scale-2nd edition (SRS-2) to measure autistic traits and were asked about co-occurring symptoms and conditions when their child was 2-5 years old and 12-16 years old. Children completed the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) when they were 2-5 years old. RESULTS: Regression models revealed that in early childhood and adolescence, multiple co-occurring symptoms and conditions were significantly associated with higher SRS-2 scores (e.g., motor, sensory, and sleep problems for children with ASD and DD). Within the ASD and DD groups, but not the POP group, lower MSEL scores at childhood were associated with greater increases in SRS-2 scores between early childhood and adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that motor, sensory, and sleep problems may be important intervention targets for ASD and DD youth with elevated SRS-2 scores and that interventions that target cognitive functioning in childhood may be important to modify trajectories of autistic traits from childhood to adolescence.

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5. Dilbaz-Gürsoy M, Noyan-Erbaş A, Esen H, Köse A, Özcebe E. What Influences Parenting Stress? Examining Parenting Stress and Self-Efficacy Across Groups of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, at Risk of Developmental Language Disorder, and With Typically Developing Language. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2025: 1-14.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine whether there are differences in parenting stress levels and self-efficacy among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), at risk of developmental language disorder (rDLD), and with typically developing language (TDL). The study also investigated the children’s language abilities and/or behavioral problems as potential predictors of parents’ levels of stress and self-efficacy. METHOD: The study assessed children’s language skills and behavioral problems as well as parental stress and self-efficacy in a sample of 2- to 4-year-old children with ASD (n = 35), rDLD (n = 35), and with TDL (n = 25). RESULTS: The findings of the study revealed that parents of children with ASD experienced the highest level of parenting stress related to child characteristics and the lowest level of self-efficacy, whereas parents of children rDLD had higher parenting stress compared to parents of children with TDL. Furthermore, although behavioral problems were shown to be a predictor that explains parenting stress in all groups, expressive language was identified as a predictor only in the rDLD group. While parental self-efficacy was also found to be predicted by expressive language in the TDL group, it was discovered that self-efficacy affected parenting stress in parents of children with ASD and rDLD. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated that parental stress was a complex phenomenon impacted by several factors. This study may suggest the importance of interventions that aim to decrease parental stress and enhance self-efficacy, going beyond the children’s language skills and behavioral problems.

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6. Eghan K, Lee S, Yoo D, Kim WK. 2-Ethylhexanol induces autism-like neurobehavior and neurodevelopmental disorders in zebrafish. J Hazard Mater. 2025; 488: 137469.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors. The rising prevalence of ASD necessitates intensified research. 2-Ethylhexanol, is a synthetically produced branched-chain alcohol used in plasticizer synthesis. However, its role in ASD-like symptoms and potential neurotoxic effects remains largely unexplored. This study employed a multimodal neurotoxicity testing approach to evaluate the adverse effects of 2-ethylhexanol on zebrafish neurobehavior and neurodevelopment. Wild-type and transgenic zebrafish lines (tg(elavl3: eGFP) and tg(mbp:mGFP)) were exposed to 2-ethylhexanol for 120 hours post-fertilization (hpf). Significant disruptions were observed in early motor activities, such as tail coiling and touch-evoked responses, which aligned with later locomotor impairments, including reduced distance traveled and increased turn angle. These behavioral changes were accompanied by decreased levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and dopamine (DA). Deficits in social behavior (e.g., reduced body contact) were identified, potentially linked to altered transcription of autism-associated genes (adsl, eif4a1, mbd5, vps13b, and tsc1b). Abnormalities in neurogenesis, including reduced brain and spinal cord size, and demyelination of oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells, were evident. Additionally, transcriptional changes related to neurodevelopment (gap43, manf, sox2) and neurotransmitter signaling (drd1, mao, htr1bd) were observed. Our findings provide compelling evidence that 2-ethylhexanol exposure leads to neurodevelopmental impairments and behavioral alterations reminiscent of ASD. This research highlights the importance of further investigations to assess the potential risks of 2-ethylhexanol exposure and develop prevention and mitigation strategies.

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7. Freud E, Ahmad Z, Shelef E, Hadad BS. Effective Autism Classification Through Grasping Kinematics. Autism Res. 2025.

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition, where motor abnormalities play a central role alongside social and communication difficulties. These motor symptoms often manifest in early childhood, making them critical targets for early diagnosis and intervention. This study aimed to assess whether kinematic features from a naturalistic grasping task could accurately distinguish autistic participants from non-autistic ones. We analyzed grasping movements of autistic and non-autistic young adults, tracking two markers placed on the thumb and index finger. Using a subject-wise cross-validated classifiers, we achieved accuracy scores of above 84%. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed strong classification performance with area under the curve values of above 0.95 at the subject-wise analysis and above 0.85 at the trial-wise analysis. These findings indicate strong reliability in accurately distinguishing autistic participants from non-autistic ones. These findings suggest that subtle motor control differences can be effectively captured, offering a promising approach for developing accessible and reliable diagnostic tools for autism.

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8. Kiani R, Firoozbakhsh P, Dokhani N, Alizadehasl A, Bakhshandeh H, Firouzi A, Zahedmehr A, Daneshzadeh M. Comparing the impact of transcatheter ASD closure on echocardiographic indices in adults below and above 50 years. Echo Res Pract. 2025; 12(1): 10.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter device closure is the method of choice for the closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) with appropriate anatomic characteristics, leading to symptomatic relief, increased survival rates, cardiac remodeling, and improved cardiac function. OBJECTIVE: Assessing the impact of transcatheter ASD closure on echocardiographic indices and comparing them between individuals younger and older than 50. METHOD: In this retrospective cohort study, 240 patients with isolated secundum ASD and complete documentation and follow-up data who underwent transcatheter device closure between 2015 and 2019 were included. Demographic, peri-procedural, and echocardiographic findings were compared before and after the procedure and among two age groups. RESULTS: A total of 240 patients (68% female, 44% younger than 50) with a median age of 51 underwent transcatheter ASD closure. ASD closure led to a significant decline in the size of four cardiac chambers and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP), in addition to a significant improvement in biventricular systolic function, LV diastolic function, and valvular insufficiencies. Although patients aged 50 and older had worse LV diastolic and RV systolic function, in addition to larger RV size and bi-atrial dimensions at the baseline, the extent of improvement of these parameters among them was significantly more pronounced than those younger than 50. There were no significant differences in the extent of the decline in SPAP between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Transcatheter ASD device closure is a beneficial procedure with high success rates and low complication rates among older individuals, eventually leading to improvements in cardiac form and function.

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9. Ladwig JC, Sibley KM, Ripat J, Glazebrook CM. Community-Informed Recommendations to Developing Inclusive Dance Opportunities: Engaging Community, Dance, and Rehabilitation Experts Using a Hybrid-Delphi Method. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2025; 38(3): e70060.

BACKGROUND: Amongst the growing number of examples of inclusive dance programming, community-informed recommendations for inclusive dance are scarce. Our purpose was to develop recommendations for inclusive dance with dancers with the lived experience of autism, intellectual, or developmental disability, and the professionals who work with them. METHOD: A Hybrid-Delphi method was used to generate and rank recommendations across three expert groups. The constraints model of motor development and the social model of disability framed three questions around: (i) physical environment and culture, (ii) instruction and strategies, and (iii) dance assistants. RESULTS: The experts (Community; dancers, support persons/carers (n = 5), Rehabilitation (n = 6) and Dance (n = 7) professionals) agreed to prioritise the community perspective, highlighting the need for ongoing education around inclusive instruction, communication, and sensory considerations. CONCLUSIONS: The centring of community perspectives facilitated the development of a comprehensive list of actionable recommendations to guide inclusive dance instruction in a variety of dance spaces.

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10. Mandelli V, Busuoli EM, Godel M, Kojovic N, Sinai-Gavrilov Y, Gev T, Contaldo A, Courchesne E, Pierce K, Golan O, Narzisi A, Muratori F, Colombi C, Rogers SJ, Vivanti G, Schaer M, Ruta L, Lombardo MV. Mega-analytic support for Early Start Denver Model, age at intervention start, and pre-intervention developmental level as factors differentiating early intervention outcomes in autism. medRxiv. 2025.

OBJECTIVE: Autism early intervention meta-analyses have provided initial answers to questions such as ‘what types of interventions work’ and ‘for what outcomes’? However, we also want to know ‘for whom’ is early intervention most effective for? Mega-analysis can offer up complementary insights to meta-analyses regarding the ‘what works’ and ‘for what’, while also offering unique insights into the ‘for whom’ question. METHODS: Here we conduct a mega-analysis with linear mixed effect modeling on AEIR consortium early intervention datasets totaling n=645 children spanning several countries (e.g., USA, Switzerland, Italy, Israel, and Australia). Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and other non-ESDM approaches (e.g., EIBI, NDBI, other community/treatment as usual approaches) was evaluated as contrasting intervention types. Models also evaluated intervention intensity, type, participant sex, age at intervention start, and pre-intervention developmental quotient. Subscales of Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS), and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) were utilized as outcome measures. RESULTS: Neither intervention intensity nor participant sex affected outcomes. ESDM showed faster growth in language and non-verbal cognition compared to non-ESDM intervention. Irrespective of intervention type, earlier intervention start was associated with increased MSEL and VABS scores and decreased ADOS severity. Growth trajectories on the MSEL also varied by pre-intervention developmental quotient, with higher quotients predicting faster growth irrespective of intervention type. CONCLUSIONS: Age at intervention start and pre-intervention developmental quotient are important individualized factors that predict early intervention response. ESDM also impacts language, non-verbal cognition, and core autism features.

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11. O’Sharkey K, Mitra S, Chow T, Thompson L, Su J, Cockburn M, Ritz B. Air Pollution and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Unveiling Multipollutant Risks and Sociodemographic Influences in California. Environ Health Perspect. 2025.

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition of increasing prevalence worldwide. Air pollution may be a major contributor to the rise in ASD cases. This study investigated how the risk of ASD from prenatal and early postnatal exposure to specific air pollutants is being modified by key sociodemographic factors exploring vulnerable exposure periods. METHODS: We conducted a California (CA) population-based cohort study of 44,173 ASD cases among 2,371,379 children born between 2013-2018 (CA birth registry) linked to CA Department of Developmental Services (DDS) records to extract ASD diagnoses prior to the end of 2022. Prenatal and 1-year postnatal air pollution exposures (fine particulate matter – PM(2.5), nitrogen dioxide – NO(2), and Ozone – O(3)) were estimated using an advanced land-use regression (LUR) spatiotemporal model with machine learning. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for four models: single-pollutant at a single-period (prenatal or postnatal), multi-pollutant at a single-period, single-pollutant with dual-periods (prenatal and postnatal), and multi-pollutant with dual-time period co-adjustment, adjusting for relevant individual and regional covariates. RESULTS: Prenatal and postnatal PM(2.5) exposure increased ASD odds in all models. NO(2) was associated with ASD pre- and postnatally in single and multi-pollutant but postnatally only in dual time period models. In contrast, O(3) showed the opposite pattern of NO(2) with slightly negative associations in single and multi-pollutant models that turned positive for the prenatal period in dual time period models. The postnatal NO(2) effect was strongest among Black and Hispanic children, suggesting higher contributions from traffic-related exposures. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to specific air pollutants during pregnancy and in the postnatal periods are associated with an increased risk of ASD, with sociodemographic differences potentially highlighting exposure hot spots and sources as well as subpopulation vulnerabilities. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP15573.

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12. Ostrolenk A, Boisvert M, Mottron L. What do autistic children who are interested in letters and numbers do with them? A qualitative study. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2025; 20(1): 2500851.

PURPOSE: Over a third of autistic children exhibit an intense or exclusive interest in letters and numbers at the time of diagnosis. This article aims to qualitatively investigate the atypical manifestations of this interest in autism compared to typically developing children and determine if and how it can benefit children and their families. METHODS: The participants were the parents of 138 autistic children (84% were non-speaking or minimally speaking) and 76 typically developing children ages 2-6. They were administered a questionnaire on their child’s interest in letters and numbers, the manifestations of these interests, the parental attitude towards it, and the child’s oral language. An inductive thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data to establish recurring themes. RESULTS: Eight themes were identified: atypical behaviours related to written material, emotional attachment to letters and numbers, language acquisition, use of screens, solitary behaviour, reduction of the interest over time, parental attitudes, and other special abilities. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that the interest in written material manifests itself in atypical ways in autism and is not comparable to the development of an interest in reading in a typically developing context. This interest also presents multiple beneficial aspects for children and their families.

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13. Qi C, Sima W, Mao H, Hu E, Ge J, Deng M, Chen A, Ye W, Xue Q, Wang W, Chen Q, Wu S. Anterior cingulate cortex parvalbumin and somatostatin interneurons shape social behavior in male mice. Nat Commun. 2025; 16(1): 4156.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is essential for social behavior, and its dysfunction is implicated in social interaction deficits in autism. Pyramidal neuron activity in the ACC is modulated by parvalbumin (PV) and somatostatin (SST) interneurons, though their specific roles in social interactions remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that PV and SST interneurons differentially contribute to the regulation of social interactions. In a Shank3-deficient autistic model, the expression of Kcnh7, a risk gene for autism, is reduced in both PV and SST interneurons. Knocking out Kcnh7 in either interneuron subtype leads to social interaction deficits. Furthermore, projections from the lateral posterior thalamic nucleus (mediorostral part, LPMR) to PV interneurons and from the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) to SST interneurons differentially modulate social interactions. These findings provide new insights into the distinct roles of PV and SST interneurons in social processes and their contributions to autism-related pathophysiology.

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14. Rosales MR, Butera CD, Wilson RB, Zhou J, Maus E, Zhao H, Chow JC, Dao A, Freeman J, Dusing SC. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Motor Intervention on Cognition, Communication, and Social Interaction in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr. 2025: 1-23.

AIMS: Conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of motor intervention on social, communication, and cognitive skills in individuals (0-21 years) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: Seven databases were used to search for randomized control trials (RCT) implementing a motor intervention for children with ASD; and measured social, communication, and cognitive outcomes. Twenty-three RCTs were selected with 66 outcomes and 636 participants (range of mean age: 4.3 - 12.3 years). RESULTS: Motor interventions had a significant, positive effect on (1) all outcomes combined (i.e. social, communication, and cognitive) (SSMD: 0.41, p = .01), (2) social (SSMD: 0.46, p = .012) and (3) combined social/communication (SSMD: 0.47, p = .01) domains, but not for the motor domain (SSMD: 0.45, p = .25) or cognitive domain alone (SSMD: 0.22, p = .18). In children above age nine, a 1-year increase in age corresponded to a 0.29 decrease in SSMD (less effective). CONCLUSIONS: Motor interventions have a positive impact and should be considered when planning interventions for children with ASD.

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15. Soden PA, Bhat A, Anderson AK, Friston K. The meltdown pathway: A multidisciplinary account of autistic meltdowns. Psychol Rev. 2025.

Autistic meltdowns are fits of intense frustration and often physical violence elicited by sensory and cognitive stressors. Despite the high prevalence of meltdowns among autistic individuals, the neural mechanisms that underlie this response are not yet well understood. This has thus far hampered progress toward a dedicated therapeutic intervention-beyond traditional medications-that limits their frequency and severity. Here, we aim to initiate an interdisciplinary dialogue on the etiology of sensory meltdowns. In doing so, we frame meltdowns as a consequence of underlying chronic hypervigilance and acute hyperreactivity to objectively benign stressors driven by differences in the insular cortex-a multimodal integration hub that adapts autonomic state and behavior to meet environmental demands. We first discuss meltdowns through the lens of neurophysiology and argue that intrainsular hypoconnectivity engenders vagal withdrawal and sympathetic hyperarousal in autism, driving chronic hypervigilance and reducing the threshold of stressors those with autism can tolerate before experiencing a meltdown. Next, we turn to neuropsychology and present evidence that meltdowns reflect a difference in how contextual evidence, particularly social cues, is integrated when acutely assessing ambiguous signs of danger in the environment-a process termed neuroception. Finally, we build on contemporary predictive coding accounts of autism to argue that meltdowns may be ultimately driven by differences in sensory attenuation and coherent deep inference within the interoceptive hierarchy, possibly linked to oxytocin deficiency during infancy. Throughout, we synthesize each perspective to construct a multidisciplinary, insula-based model of meltdowns. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

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16. Türkel NN, Vurallı D, Bolay Belen H, Kuruoğlu A. The association of migraine and autistic traits effects on anxiety, depression, and headache-related disability. Headache. 2025.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the frequency of autistic traits in patients with migraine and to examine the effect of autistic traits on migraine-related disability, as well as anxiety and depressive symptoms, through the mediating factors of anxiety sensitivity and sensory sensitivity. BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and migraine are two distinct clinical conditions marked by impaired sensory processing. Both conditions induce widespread alterations in the brain and exhibit symptoms associated with sensory sensitivity. Research examining the relationship between migraine and autistic traits is sparse. Moreover, the occurrence of autistic traits in patients with migraine and their effect on headache-related disability and psychiatric comorbidities has not been thoroughly investigated. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 169 patients with migraine and 112 healthy controls. Data collection for the study was conducted from November 2022 to May 2023. The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index, and Dunn Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile were given to participants. The Headache Impact Test-6 and the Visual Analogue Scale were used to evaluate quality of life and headache intensity for patients with migraine. Analyses examined how autism affects migraine-related disability, anxiety, and depressive symptoms through anxiety and sensory sensitivity. RESULTS: While 35% of patients with migraine were found to have autistic traits (AQ ≥ 23), this rate was found to be 17% in healthy controls. In the migraine group, autistic traits were positively correlated with sensory sensitivity, anxiety sensitivity, and depressive symptoms. Although autistic traits did not have a direct effect on headache-related disability and anxiety symptoms, indirect effects through anxiety sensitivity and sensory sensitivity were found to be significant (total indirect effect = 0.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.08, 0.25], total indirect effect = 0.24, 95% CI = [0.14, 0.33]). In addition, autistic traits had a direct effect on depressive symptoms. Indirect effects through anxiety sensitivity and sensory sensitivity were also significant (total indirect effect = 0.14, 95% CI = [0.08, 0.21]). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that autistic traits are more frequent among patients with migraine and that these traits exhibit indirect effects on headache-related disability and psychiatric comorbidities. Recognizing autistic traits in patients with migraine may be crucial for formulating methods to mitigate comorbidities and enhance the quality of life in this population. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Autism and migraine are two different conditions that affect the brain and sensory traits. We do not know much about how these two conditions affect each other, so we compared autism traits in people with migraine and healthy controls. We found that people with migraine are more likely to have autism traits, which can make migraine disability, anxiety, and depression worse; understanding and treating these traits could improve life quality for migraine patients.

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17. Williams JM, Coxen K, Palacio C, Jacob R. Emergency Department Utilization Among Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Comparison of Those Using the Program for Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Those Using Alternative Primary Care Clinics. Cureus. 2025; 17(4): e81667.

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience higher rates of emergency department (ED) utilization compared to the general population due to complex medical needs, healthcare access barriers, and social determinants of health. Although prior research has identified predictors of ED use, including socioeconomic status, primary care continuity, and housing stability, the role of specialized primary care programs in reducing reliance on emergency services remains understudied. This study examines the impact of the Program for Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (PAIDD) at the University of Florida (UF) Health Jacksonville on ED utilization rates among adults with IDD. Using a retrospective cohort design, we compared ED visit frequencies between PAIDD patients and a control group of adults with IDD who receive care outside the program. Additionally, we explored whether housing status, living with family, independently, or in a facility, affects ED utilization. Findings revealed a statistically significant reduction in ED visits among PAIDD patients compared to the control group (p=0.004), suggesting that structured, multidisciplinary healthcare models improve continuity of care and reduce avoidable ED utilization. However, housing status alone did not emerge as an independent predictor of ED use (p=0.093), indicating that other factors, such as access to primary care and caregiver support, may play a greater role. These results underscore the need for expanded university-based IDD healthcare programs to bridge gaps in care, enhance preventive health strategies, and reduce emergency healthcare dependence in this population. The study supports the integration of dedicated IDD clinics in academic medical centers to improve long-term health outcomes and health equity for individuals with IDD.

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