1. {{Special issue on neuroscience: The autism enigma}}. {Nature};2011;479(7371):21.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
2. Alcantara J, Alcantara JD. {{A systematic review of the literature on the chiropractic care of patients with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Explore (NY)};2011 (Nov);7(6):384-390.
BACKGROUND: In addition to impacting the affected child and his/her family’s quality of life, recent estimates place the lifetime cost for an individual with ASD at $3.2 million and $35 billion for the entire birth cohort. Given the clinical heterogeneity of ASD, treatment approaches are multidisciplinary including alternative therapies, particularly when no pharmaceutical agent is effective for the core symptoms of ASD. Chiropractic is a popular alternative therapy for children. A systematic review of the literature was performed to provide context for future research endeavors in this field. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature on the chiropractic care of patients with ASD utilized 8 databases. Eligibility criteria for inclusion included: (1) the study was a primary investigation/report published in an English peer-reviewed journal; (2) the study involved patients </=18 years; and (3) patients are diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, PDD-NOS, or ASD. RESULTS: Our systematic review of the literature revealed a total of five articles consisting of three case reports, one cohort study and one randomized comparison trial. The literature is lacking on documenting the chiropractic care of children with ASD. DISCUSSION: At the heart of the core symptoms of ASD (ie, impaired social interactions, deficits in communication and repetitive or restricted behavioral patterns) is abnormal sensory processing. Preliminary studies indicate that the chiropractic adjustment may attenuate sensorimotor integration based on somatosensory evoked potentials studies. CONCLUSION: We encourage further research for definitive studies on chiropractic’s effectiveness for ASD. However, given the ineffectiveness of pharmaceutical agents, a trial of chiropractic care for sufferers of autism is prudent and warranted.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
3. Al-Yafee YA, Al-Ayadhi LY, Haq SH, El-Ansary AK. {{Novel metabolic biomarkers related to sulfur-dependent detoxification pathways in autistic patients of Saudi Arabia}}. {BMC Neurol};2011 (Nov 4);11(1):139.
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Xenobiotics are neurotoxins that dramatically alter the health of the child. In addition, an inefficient detoxification system leads to oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, and immune dysfunction. The consensus among physicians who treat autism with a biomedical approach is that those on the spectrum are burdened with oxidative stress and immune problems. In a trial to understand the role of detoxification in the etiology of autism, selected parameters related to sulfur-dependent detoxification mechanisms in plasma of autistic children from Saudi Arabia will be investigated compared to control subjects. METHODS: 20 males autistic children aged 3-15 years and 20 age and gender matching healthy children as control group were included in this study. Levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), total (GSH+GSSG), glutathione status (GSH/ GSSG), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione- s-transferase (GST), thioredoxin (Trx), thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and peroxidoxins (Prxs I and III) were determined. RESULTS: Reduced glutathione, total glutathione, GSH/GSSG and activity levels of GST were significantly lower, GR shows non-significant differences, while, Trx, TrxR and both Prx I and III recorded a remarkably higher values in autistics compared to control subjects. CONCLUSION: The impaired glutathione status together with the elevated Trx and TrxR and the remarkable over expression of both Prx I and Prx III, could be used as diagnostic biomarkers of autism.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
4. Buchen L. {{Scientists and autism: When geeks meet}}. {Nature};2011;479(7371):25-27.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
5. Chung RH, Ma D, Wang K, Hedges DJ, Jaworski JM, Gilbert JR, Cuccaro ML, Wright HH, Abramson RK, Konidari I, Whitehead PL, Schellenberg GD, Hakonarson H, Haines JL, Pericak-Vance MA, Martin ER. {{An X-chromosome-wide association study in autism families identifies TBL1X as a novel autism spectrum disorder candidate gene in males}}. {Mol Autism};2011 (Nov 4);2(1):18.
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component. The skewed prevalence toward males compared to females and evidence of suggestive linkage to the X chromosome in some studies suggest the presence of X-linked susceptibility genes for ASD. METHODS: We analyzed genome-wide association study (GWAS) data on the X chromosome in three independent autism GWAS datasets: two family datasets and one case-control dataset. We performed meta- and joint analyses on the combined family and case-control datasets. In addition to the meta- and joint analyses, we performed replication analysis by using the two family datasets as a discovery dataset and the case-control dataset as a validation dataset. RESULTS: One SNP rs17321050 in the TBL1X (transducin (beta)-like 1X-linked, OMIM: 300196) gene showed chromosome-wide significance in the meta-analysis (p-value=4.86x10E-6) and joint analysis (p-value=4.53x10E-6) in males. The SNP was also close to the replication threshold of 0.0025 in the discovery dataset (p=5.89x10E-3) and passed the replication threshold in the validation (p=2.56x10E-4) dataset. Two other SNPs in the same gene in LD linkage disequilibrium (LD) with rs17321050 also showed significance close to the chromosome-wide threshold in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: TBL1X is in the Wnt signaling pathway, which has previously been implicated in autism. Deletions in the Xp22.2-Xp22.3 region containing TBL1X and surrounding genes are associated with several genetic syndromes that include intellectual disability and autistic features. Our results, through both meta- and joint and replication analyses, suggest that TBL1X may play a role in ASD risk.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
6. Hussein H, Taha GR, Almanasef A. {{Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders in a Sample of Egyptian and Saudi Patients: Transcultural cross sectional study}}. {Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health};2011 (Nov 3);5(1):34.
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Autism is a biological disorder with clearly defined phenomenology. Studies from the Middle East on this topic have been particularly rare. Little is known about the influence of culture on clinical features, presentations and management of autism. The current study was done to compare characteristics of autism in two groups of Egyptian as well as Saudi children. Methods: The sample included 48 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. They were recruited from the Okasha Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt and Al-Amal Complex for Mental Health, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They were grouped into an Egyptian group (n= 20) and a Saudi group (n=28). They were assessed both clinically and psychometrically using the GARS, the Vineland adaptive behavioral scale, and the Stanford Binnet IQ test. Results: Typical autism was more prevalent than atypical autism in both groups. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical variables like regression, hyperactivity, epilepsy or mental retardation. Delayed language development was significantly higher in the Egyptian group while delay in all developmental milestones was more significant in the Saudi group. The Vineland communication subscale showed more significant severe and profound communication defects in the Saudi group while the Gilliam developmental subscale showed significantly more average scores in the Egyptian group. Both groups differed significantly such that the age of noticing abnormality was younger in the Saudi group. The age at diagnosis and at the commencement of intervention was lower in the Egyptian group. The Saudi group showed a higher percentage of missing examinations, older birth order and significantly higher preference to drug treatment, while the Egyptian group showed a high preference to behavioral and phoniatric therapies, higher paternal and maternal education, higher employment among parents and higher family concern. Conclusion: Cultural context may significantly influence the age of noticing abnormality, the age of starting intervention, developmental and perinatal problems, family concerns about managing the problem as well as familial tendency for neurodevelopmental disorders, all of which have important impact on clinical symptomatology and severity of autism. Culture also influences significantly the ways of investigating and treating autism.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
7. Mines MA, Jope RS. {{Glycogen synthase kinase-3: a promising therapeutic target for fragile x syndrome}}. {Front Mol Neurosci};2011;4:35.
Recent advances in understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to fragile X syndrome (FXS) have increased optimism that drug interventions can provide significant therapeutic benefits. FXS results from inadequate expression of functional fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). FMRP may have several functions, but it is most well-established as an RNA binding protein that regulates translation, and it is thought that by this mechanism FMRP is capable of affecting numerous cellular processes by selectively regulating protein levels. The multiple cellular functions regulated by FMRP suggest that multiple interventions may be required for reversing the effects of deficient FMRP. Evidence that inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) may contribute to the therapeutic treatment of FXS is reviewed here. Lithium, a GSK3 inhibitor, improved function in the Drosophila model of FXS. In mice lacking FMRP expression (FX mice), GSK3 is hyperactive in several brain regions. Significant improvements in several FX-related phenotypes have been obtained in FX mice following the administration of lithium, and in some case other GSK3 inhibitors. These responses include normalization of heightened audiogenic seizure susceptibility and of hyperactive locomotor behavior, enhancement of passive avoidance learning retention and of sociability behaviors, and corrections of macroorchidism, neuronal spine density, and neural plasticity measured electrophysiologically as long term depression. A pilot clinical trial of lithium in patients with FXS also found improvements in several measures of behavior. Taken together, these findings indicate that lithium and other inhibitors of GSK3 are promising candidate therapeutic agents for treating FXS.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
8. Mottron L. {{Changing perceptions: The power of autism}}. {Nature};2011;479(7371):33-35.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
9. Wadman M. {{Autism’s fight for facts: A voice for science}}. {Nature};2011;479(7371):28-31.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
10. Weintraub K. {{The prevalence puzzle: Autism counts}}. {Nature};2011;479(7371):22-24.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
11. Wilson NJ. {{Book Review Editor: Rachel Mayes B. Marks , J. Sisarak , & T. Heller (Eds.). Health Matters for People with Developmental Disabilities: Creating a Sustainable Health Promotion Program . Baltimore, MD : Brookes . 2010 . 152 pp. US $29.95 . ISBN 978-1-59857-000-7}}. {J Intellect Dev Disabil};2011 (Nov 4)
