1. Bolton TAW, Jochaut D, Giraud AL, Van De Ville D. {{Brain dynamics in ASD during movie-watching show idiosyncratic functional integration and segregation}}. {Hum Brain Mapp}. 2018.
To refine our understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), studies of the brain in dynamic, multimodal and ecological experimental settings are required. One way to achieve this is to compare the neural responses of ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals when viewing a naturalistic movie, but the temporal complexity of the stimulus hampers this task, and the presence of intrinsic functional connectivity (FC) may overshadow movie-driven fluctuations. Here, we detected inter-subject functional correlation (ISFC) transients to disentangle movie-induced functional changes from underlying resting-state activity while probing FC dynamically. When considering the number of significant ISFC excursions triggered by the movie across the brain, connections between remote functional modules were more heterogeneously engaged in the ASD population. Dynamically tracking the temporal profiles of those ISFC changes and tying them to specific movie subparts, this idiosyncrasy in ASD responses was then shown to involve functional integration and segregation mechanisms such as response inhibition, background suppression, or multisensory integration, while low-level visual processing was spared. Through the application of a new framework for the study of dynamic experimental paradigms, our results reveal a temporally localized idiosyncrasy in ASD responses, specific to short-lived episodes of long-range functional interplays.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
2. Bos MGN, Diamantopoulou S, Stockmann L, Begeer S, Rieffe C. {{Emotion Control Predicts Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Boys With and Without an Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2018.
Children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often show comorbid emotional and behavior problems. The aim of this longitudinal study is to examine the relation between emotion control (i.e., negative emotionality, emotion awareness, and worry/rumination) and the development of internalizing and externalizing problems. Boys with and without ASD (N = 157; age 9-15) were followed over a period of 1.5 years (3 waves). We found that baseline levels of worry/rumination was a specific predictor of later externalizing problems for boys with ASD. Furthermore, the developmental trajectory of worry/rumination predicted the development of internalizing and externalizing problems in both groups. Our findings suggest that worry/rumination may constitute a transdiagnostic factor underlying both internalizing and externalizing problems in boys with and without ASD.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
3. Boxhoorn S, Lopez E, Schmidt C, Schulze D, Hanig S, Freitag CM. {{Attention profiles in autism spectrum disorder and subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder}}. {Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry}. 2018.
Attention problems are observed in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most neuropsychological studies that compared both disorders focused on complex executive functions (EF), but missed to contrast basic attention functions, as well as ASD- and ADHD subtypes. The present study compared EF as well as basic attention functioning of children with the combined subtype (ADHD-C), the predominantly inattentive subtype (ADHD-I), and autism spectrum disorder without ADHD (ASD-) with typically developing controls (TD). Basic attention functions and EF profiles were analysed by testing the comprehensive attention function model of van Zomeren and Brouwer using profile analysis. Additionally, neurocognitive impairments in ASD- and ADHD were regressed on dimensional measures of attention- and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms across and within groups. ADHD-C revealed a strong impairment across measures of EF compared to ASD- and TD. The ADHD-C profile furthermore showed disorder specific impairments in interference control, whereas the ASD- profile showed a disorder specific impairment in basic attention component divided attention. Attention- and hyperactive-impulsive symptom severity did not predict neurocognitive impairments across- or within groups. Study findings thus support disorder and subtype specific attention/EF profiles, which refute the idea of a continuum of ADHD-I, ADHD-C, and ASD with increasing neurocognitive impairments.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
4. Chenausky KV, Schlaug G. {{From intuition to intervention: developing an intonation-based treatment for autism}}. {Ann N Y Acad Sci}. 2018.
Autism affects approximately 1.5% of children under age 8; its core symptoms include impairment in social-communicative functioning and repetitive behaviors/restricted interests. Music-based interventions have been considered one modality through which to treat autism. This report discusses considerations to take into account when developing a music-based intervention for a core symptom of autism. Treatment modality must be matched to symptom both clinically and theoretically, the behavior to be treated must be carefully defined and assessed, and outcome measures must be capable of showing improvement in that behavior over the course of the study. Fidelity assessment and rater blinding reduce experimenter bias. High inter-rater reliability for perceptually determined outcome measures helps obtain accurate estimates of treatment response. Later stages of testing compare the experimental intervention to matched control treatments or other validated therapies, isolating the intervention’s « active ingredients. » Such systematic investigation of a new music-based intervention can provide information of different types, ranging from an assessment of whether the intervention has any effect at all to an assessment of its outcomes and risks in uncontrolled community settings. Findings ultimately compose the evidence base that clinicians and families can use to decide the most effective way of addressing symptoms of autism for particular children.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
5. Dixon MR, Wiggins SH, Belisle J. {{The effectiveness of the peak relational training system and corresponding changes on the VB-MAPP for young adults with autism}}. {Journal of applied behavior analysis}. 2018.
The current investigation sought to extend prior research evaluating the use of the PEAK Relational Training System as a comprehensive treatment model in improving language skills demonstrated by individuals with autism. Baseline PEAK-Direct Training and Verbal Behavior Milestone Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) assessments were conducted across 3 adult male participants, and scores on the PEAK-Direct Training assessment were used to select targets for intervention. Language instruction guided by the PEAK-Direct Training module was implemented for 45 to 69 days across participants. Results suggest that participants mastered target skills throughout the training phase, and VB-MAPP test probes showed an increasing trend. Follow-up probes suggested that scores on the VB-MAPP maintained when training was discontinued. In addition, participants demonstrated an increase in assessment scores on the PEAK-Direct Training assessment in the follow-up phase, including the mastery of untargeted verbal skills.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
6. Duda M, Zhang H, Li HD, Wall DP, Burmeister M, Guan Y. {{Brain-specific functional relationship networks inform autism spectrum disorder gene prediction}}. {Translational psychiatry}. 2018; 8(1): 56.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder with strong evidence of genetic contribution, and increased research efforts have resulted in an ever-growing list of ASD candidate genes. However, only a fraction of the hundreds of nominated ASD-related genes have identified de novo or transmitted loss of function (LOF) mutations that can be directly attributed to the disorder. For this reason, a means of prioritizing candidate genes for ASD would help filter out false-positive results and allow researchers to focus on genes that are more likely to be causative. Here we constructed a machine learning model by leveraging a brain-specific functional relationship network (FRN) of genes to produce a genome-wide ranking of ASD risk genes. We rigorously validated our gene ranking using results from two independent sequencing experiments, together representing over 5000 simplex and multiplex ASD families. Finally, through functional enrichment analysis on our highly prioritized candidate gene network, we identified a small number of pathways that are key in early neural development, providing further support for their potential role in ASD.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
7. Ferri SL, Abel T, Brodkin ES. {{Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Review}}. {Curr Psychiatry Rep}. 2018; 20(2): 9.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Neurodevelopmental disorders disproportionately affect males. The mechanisms underlying male vulnerability or female protection are not known and remain understudied. Determining the processes involved is crucial to understanding the etiology and advancing treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we review current findings and theories that contribute to male preponderance of neurodevelopmental disorders, with a focus on autism. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent work on the biological basis of the male preponderance of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders includes discussion of a higher genetic burden in females and sex-specific gene mutations or epigenetic changes that differentially confer risk to males or protection to females. Other mechanisms discussed are sex chromosome and sex hormone involvement. Specifically, fetal testosterone is involved in many aspects of development and may interact with neurotransmitter, neuropeptide, or immune pathways to contribute to male vulnerability. Finally, the possibilities of female underdiagnosis and a multi-hit hypothesis are discussed. This review highlights current theories of male bias in developmental disorders. Topics include environmental, genetic, and epigenetic mechanisms; theories of sex chromosomes, hormones, neuroendocrine, and immune function; underdiagnosis of females; and a multi-hit hypothesis.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
8. Gwynette MF, Sidhu SS, Ceranoglu TA. {{Electronic Screen Media Use in Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America}. 2018; 27(2): 203-19.
Electronic and social media play a prominent role in the lives of children and teenagers. Evidence suggests youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) use media differently than typically developing peers, and some of these differences place them at greater risk for negative health outcomes related to unhealthy and improper use of media. Such outcomes include physiologic, cognitive, social, emotional, and legal/safety problems. However, several technology-aided interventions have emerged to help youth with ASD across multiple domains. Parents of youth with ASD may benefit from several recommendations and resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
9. Harbison AL, Woynaroski TG, Tapp J, Wade JW, Warlaumont AS, Yoder PJ. {{A new measure of child vocal reciprocity in children with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Autism Res}. 2018.
Children’s vocal development occurs in the context of reciprocal exchanges with a communication partner who models « speechlike » productions. We propose a new measure of child vocal reciprocity, which we define as the degree to which an adult vocal response increases the probability of an immediately following child vocal response. Vocal reciprocity is likely to be associated with the speechlikeness of vocal communication in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two studies were conducted to test the utility of the new measure. The first used simulated vocal samples with randomly sequenced child and adult vocalizations to test the accuracy of the proposed index of child vocal reciprocity. The second was an empirical study of 21 children with ASD who were preverbal or in the early stages of language development. Daylong vocal samples collected in the natural environment were computer analyzed to derive the proposed index of child vocal reciprocity, which was highly stable when derived from two daylong vocal samples and was associated with speechlikeness of vocal communication. This association was significant even when controlling for chance probability of child vocalizations to adult vocal responses, probability of adult vocalizations, or probability of child vocalizations. A valid measure of children’s vocal reciprocity might eventually improve our ability to predict which children are on track to develop useful speech and/or are most likely to respond to language intervention. A link to a free, publicly-available software program to derive the new measure of child vocal reciprocity is provided. Autism Res 2018. (c) 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Children and adults often engage in back-and-forth vocal exchanges. The extent to which they do so is believed to support children’s early speech and language development. Two studies tested a new measure of child vocal reciprocity using computer-generated and real-life vocal samples of young children with autism collected in natural settings. The results provide initial evidence of accuracy, test-retest reliability, and validity of the new measure of child vocal reciprocity. A sound measure of children’s vocal reciprocity might improve our ability to predict which children are on track to develop useful speech and/or are most likely to respond to language intervention. A free, publicly-available software program and manuals are provided.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
10. Hartley C, Fisher S. {{Do Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Share Fairly and Reciprocally?}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2018.
This study investigated whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing children matched on receptive language share resources fairly and reciprocally. Children completed age-appropriate versions of the Ultimatum and Dictator Games with real stickers and an interactive partner. Both groups offered similar numbers of stickers (preferring equality over self-interest), offered more stickers in the Ultimatum Game, and verbally referenced ‘fairness’ at similar rates. However, children with ASD were significantly more likely to accept unfair offers and were significantly less likely to reciprocate the puppet’s offers. Failure to reciprocate fair sharing may significantly impact on social cohesion and children’s ability to build relationships. These important differences may be linked to broader deficits in social-cognitive development and potentially self-other understanding.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
11. Lashewicz B. {{Our Ultimate Fellow Travelers: A Pilot Exploration of Sibling Support for Adults with Developmental Disabilities}}. {Issues in mental health nursing}. 2018: 1-7.
People with developmental disabilities often experience needs for support that extend beyond the caregiving capacity of their aging parents and their siblings tend to be looked to as next-generation support providers. Yet, sibling support relationships are distinct for their simultaneously obligatory and voluntary nature. This pilot exploration, using in-depth focus group data from five siblings of people with developmental disabilities, is aimed at enriching understandings of the nature of, and expectations surrounding, sibling support for brothers and sisters with developmental disabilities. Findings reflect how sibling support evolves over time and can manifest in siblings assuming roles of: 1-companion and protector, 2-follower, 3-caregiver, and 4-within family protector. Siblings are a vital resource, yet not one that can be assumed as automatically forthcoming.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
12. Medina MA, Andrade VM, Caracci MO, Avila ME, Verdugo DA, Vargas MF, Ugarte GD, Reyes AE, Opazo C, De Ferrari GV. {{Wnt/beta-catenin signaling stimulates the expression and synaptic clustering of the autism-associated Neuroligin 3 gene}}. {Translational psychiatry}. 2018; 8(1): 45.
Synaptic abnormalities have been described in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The cell-adhesion molecule Neuroligin-3 (Nlgn3) has an essential role in the function and maturation of synapses and NLGN3 ASD-associated mutations disrupt hippocampal and cortical function. Here we show that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling increases Nlgn3 mRNA and protein levels in HT22 mouse hippocampal cells and primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons. We characterized the activity of mouse and rat Nlgn3 promoter constructs containing conserved putative T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancing factor (TCF/LEF)-binding elements (TBE) and found that their activity is significantly augmented in Wnt/beta-catenin cell reporter assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays and site-directed mutagenesis experiments revealed that endogenous beta-catenin binds to novel TBE consensus sequences in the Nlgn3 promoter. Moreover, activation of the signaling cascade increased Nlgn3 clustering and co- localization with the scaffold PSD-95 protein in dendritic processes of primary neurons. Our results directly link Wnt/beta-catenin signaling to the transcription of the Nlgn3 gene and support a functional role for the signaling pathway in the dysregulation of excitatory/inhibitory neuronal activity, as is observed in animal models of ASD.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
13. Nankoo MMA, Palermo R, Bell JA, Pestell CM. {{Examining the Rate of Self-Reported ADHD-Related Traits and Endorsement of Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Autistic-Like Traits in Australian University Students}}. {Journal of attention disorders}. 2018: 1087054718758901.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the rate of ADHD-related traits among young adults in an Australian university, and to examine whether higher endorsement of ADHD-related symptoms is associated with self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, distress, and autistic-like traits. METHOD: In total, 1,002 students aged 17 to 25 years completed the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), and the Autism Quotient (AQ). RESULTS: About 17.3% of students reported « at-risk » levels of ADHD-related symptoms. Regression analyses revealed that CAARS scores explained unique variance in self-reported levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and autism-related traits. CONCLUSION: The rate of self-reported ADHD symptoms is higher in Australian undergraduate students than that reported in previous studies using the CAARS to investigate rates of diagnosed students. Problems with self-concept accounted for the most unique variance in DASS subscale scores. Hyperactivity/restlessness and inattention/memory problems accounted for the most unique variance in AQ-Social and AQ-Attention-to-Detail scores, respectively.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
14. O’Connell KS, McGregor NW, Lochner C, Emsley R, Warnich L. {{The genetic architecture of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism spectrum disorder}}. {Molecular and cellular neurosciences}. 2018.
Considerable evidence suggests that autism spectrum disorders (ASD), schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) share a common molecular aetiology, despite their unique clinical diagnostic criteria. The aim of this study was therefore to determine and characterise the common and unique molecular architecture of ASD, SCZ, BD and OCD. Gene lists were obtained from previously published studies for ASD, BD, SCZ and for OCD. Genes identified to be common to all disorders, or unique to one specific disorder, were included for enrichment analyses using the web-server tool Enrichr. Ten genes were identified to be commonly associated with the aetiology of ASD, SCZ, BD and OCD. Enrichment analyses determined that these genes are predominantly involved in the dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways, the voltage-gated calcium ion channel gene network, folate metabolism, regulation of the hippo signaling pathway, and the regulation of gene silencing and expression. In addition to well-characterised and previously described pathways, regulation of the hippo signaling pathway was commonly associated with ASD, SCZ, BD and OCD, implicating neural development and neuronal maintenance as key in neuropsychiatric disorders. In contrast, a large number of previously associated genes were shown to be disorder-specific. And unique disorder-specific pathways and biological processes were presented for ASD, BD, SCZ and OCD aetiology. Considering the current global incidence and prevalence rates of mental health disorders, focus should be placed on cross-disorder commonalities in order to realise actionable and translatable results to combat mental health disorders.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
15. Reaven J, Moody EJ, Grofer Klinger L, Keefer A, Duncan A, O’Kelley S, Meyer A, Hepburn S, Blakeley-Smith A. {{Training clinicians to deliver group CBT to manage anxiety in youth with ASD: Results of a multisite trial}}. {Journal of consulting and clinical psychology}. 2018; 86(3): 205-17.
OBJECTIVE: Few guidelines are available regarding optimal training models for practitioners delivering cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study systematically compared 3 instructional conditions for delivering the Facing Your Fears program (FYF) to children with ASD and anxiety. METHOD: Thirty-four clinicians (Mage = 34 years; 94% women, 88% Caucasian) and an intent-to-treat sample of 91 children with ASD and anxiety (Mage = 11; 84% male 53% Caucasian) met eligibility criteria across 4 sites. A 3-group parallel design via a Latin square procedure was used to randomize 9 teams of clinicians to 1 of 3 training conditions: Manual, Workshop, Workshop-Plus. The effectiveness of instructional condition was assessed via implementation (CBT knowledge, treatment fidelity) and treatment outcomes (reductions in anxiety as measured by the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-Parent (ADIS-P). RESULTS: Clinicians in both Workshop conditions significantly increased CBT knowledge postworkshop, F(1, 18) = 19.8, p < .001. Excellent treatment fidelity was obtained across conditions (above 89%), although clinicians in the Workshop conditions obtained significantly higher fidelity ratings and delivered FYF with greater quality than the Manual condition. Children with ASD demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety symptoms for three of the four anxiety diagnoses, with no differences noted across instructional condition. Rates of improvement were lower than those obtained in a previous controlled trial. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that although there may be some advantage to participating in a Workshop, clinicians in all conditions could deliver FYF with excellent fidelity and yield positive treatment outcomes. Lack of a no-treatment comparison group limits interpretation of findings. (PsycINFO Database Record Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
16. Romero V, Fitzpatrick P, Roulier S, Duncan A, Richardson MJ, Schmidt RC. {{Evidence of embodied social competence during conversation in high functioning children with autism spectrum disorder}}. {PLoS One}. 2018; 13(3): e0193906.
Even high functioning children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit impairments that affect their ability to carry out and maintain effective social interactions in multiple contexts. One aspect of subtle nonverbal communication that might play a role in this impairment is the whole-body motor coordination that naturally arises between people during conversation. The current study aimed to measure the time-dependent, coordinated whole-body movements between children with ASD and a clinician during a conversational exchange using tools of nonlinear dynamics. Given the influence that subtle interpersonal coordination has on social interaction feelings, we expected there to be important associations between the dynamic motor movement measures introduced in the current study and the measures used traditionally to categorize ASD impairment (ADOS-2, joint attention and theory of mind). The study found that children with ASD coordinated their bodily movements with a clinician, that these movements were complex and that the complexity of the children’s movements matched that of the clinician’s movements. Importantly, the degree of this bodily coordination was related to higher social cognitive ability. This suggests children with ASD are embodying some degree of social competence during conversations. This study demonstrates the importance of further investigating the subtle but important bodily movement coordination that occurs during social interaction in children with ASD.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
17. Sommer M, Dohnel K, Jarvers I, Blaas L, Singer M, Noth V, Schuwerk T, Rupprecht R. {{False Belief Reasoning in Adults with and without Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Similarities and Differences}}. {Front Psychol}. 2018; 9: 183.
A central diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the qualitative impairment in reciprocal social interaction and a prominent hypotheses that tried to explain this impairment is the Theory of Mind (ToM) deficit hypotheses. On a behavioral level the critical test for having a ToM, the understanding of false beliefs (FB), is often used for testing ToM abilities in individuals with ASD. Investigating the neural underpinnings several neuroimaging studies revealed a network of areas involved in FB reasoning in neurotypical individuals. For ASD individuals the neural correlates of false belief processing are largely unknown. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging and an adapted unexpected transfer task, that makes it possible to distinguish between the computation of diverging beliefs and the selection of a belief-associated response, we investigated a group of adult high-functioning individuals with ASD (N = 15) and an age and IQ matched group of neurotypical adults (NT; N = 15). On the behavioral level we found no group differences. On the neural level, results were two-fold: In the story phase, in which participants had to compute whether the character’s belief is congruent or incongruent to their own belief, there were no differences between neurotypical participants and those diagnosed with ASD. But, in the subsequent question phase, participants with ASD showed increased activity in the bilateral anterior prefrontal cortex, the left posterior frontal cortex, the left superior temporal gyrus, and the left temporoparietal area. These results suggest that during the story phase in which the participants processed observable actions the neural correlates do not differ between adult individuals with ASD and NT individuals. But in the question phase in which participants had to infer an unobservable mental state results revealed neural differences between the two groups. Possibly, these subtle neural processing differences may contribute to the fact that adult ASD individuals are able to master explicit false belief tasks but fail to apply their strategies during everyday social interaction.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
18. Stanley CR, Belisle J, Dixon MR. {{Equivalence-based instruction of academic skills: Application to adolescents with autism}}. {Journal of applied behavior analysis}. 2018.
This study evaluated the efficacy of three equivalence-based instruction procedures on the acquisition of novel academic skills by 3 adolescents diagnosed with autism in a school setting. The skills targeted for instruction were related to topics in history, science, and mathematics, and were taught using different training structures from the PEAK-E curriculum. All participants demonstrated mastery of the trained relations and the tested derived relations following all variants of equivalence-based instruction.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
19. Turi M, Burr DC, Binda P. {{Pupillometry reveals perceptual differences that are tightly linked to autistic traits in typical adults}}. {eLife}. 2018; 7.
The pupil is primarily regulated by prevailing light levels but is also modulated by perceptual and attentional factors. We measured pupil-size in typical adult humans viewing a bistable-rotating cylinder, constructed so the luminance of the front surface changes with perceived direction of rotation. In some participants, pupil diameter oscillated in phase with the ambiguous perception, more dilated when the black surface was in front. Importantly, the magnitude of oscillation predicts autistic traits of participants, assessed by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient AQ. Further experiments suggest that these results are driven by differences in perceptual styles: high AQ participants focus on the front surface of the rotating cylinder, while those with low AQ distribute attention to both surfaces in a more global, holistic style. This is the first evidence that pupillometry reliably tracks inter-individual differences in perceptual styles; it does so quickly and objectively, without interfering with spontaneous perceptual strategies.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
20. Tyndall I, Ragless L, O’Hora D. {{Effects of perceptual load and socially meaningful stimuli on crossmodal selective attention in Autism Spectrum Disorder and neurotypical samples}}. {Consciousness and cognition}. 2018; 60: 25-36.
The present study examined whether increasing visual perceptual load differentially affected both Socially Meaningful and Non-socially Meaningful auditory stimulus awareness in neurotypical (NT, n=59) adults and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, n=57) adults. On a target trial, an unexpected critical auditory stimulus (CAS), either a Non-socially Meaningful (‘beep’ sound) or Socially Meaningful (‘hi’) stimulus, was played concurrently with the presentation of the visual task. Under conditions of low visual perceptual load both NT and ASD samples reliably noticed the CAS at similar rates (77-81%), whether the CAS was Socially Meaningful or Non-socially Meaningful. However, during high visual perceptual load NT and ASD participants reliably noticed the meaningful CAS (NT=71%, ASD=67%), but NT participants were unlikely to notice the Non-meaningful CAS (20%), whereas ASD participants reliably noticed it (80%), suggesting an inability to engage selective attention to ignore non-salient irrelevant distractor stimuli in ASD.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
21. Yu TY, Chou W, Chow JC, Lin CH, Tung LC, Chen KL. {{IQ discrepancy differentiates levels of fine motor skills and their relationship in children with autism spectrum disorders}}. {Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat}. 2018; 14: 597-605.
Purpose: We investigated 1) the impact of differences in intelligence quotient discrepancy (IQD) on motor skills of preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); 2) the relationships between IQD and motor skills in preschool-aged children with ASD. Methods: A total of 127 ASD preschool-aged children were divided into three groups according to the size of the IQD: IQD within 1 standard deviation (1SD; EVENIQ; n=81), discrepantly higher verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ; n=22; VIQ>performance intelligence quotient [PIQ] above 1SD [>/=15 points]), and discrepantly higher PIQ (n=24; PIQ>VIQ above 1SD [>/=15 points]). Children’s IQD and motor skills were determined with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Fourth Edition and the motor subtests of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers (CDIIT), respectively. Results: One-way analysis of variance revealed significant group differences for the fine motor domain of the CDIIT and the visual-motor coordination subtest (F=3.37-4.38, p<0.05). Children with discrepantly higher PIQ were associated with better fine motor skills than were children with even IQD and those with discrepantly higher VIQ, and vice versa. IQD (PIQ - VIQ) had significant positive correlations with the fine motor domain and fine motor subtests of the CDIIT (r=0.18-0.29, p<0.05). Conclusion: The IQD can identify different levels of fine motor skills in preschool-aged children with ASD. This study suggests important implications for clinicians, therapists, and researchers: discrepantly higher PIQ could be related to better visual-motor coordination, and discrepantly higher VIQ could be related to poor visual-motor coordination. Furthermore, the results support that when therapists are working with preschool-aged children with ASD who are developing fine motor skills or undertaking fine motor tasks related to visual-motor coordination, they may need to pay attention to the children's IQD. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
