1. Freeman SM, Palumbo MC, Lawrence RH, Smith AL, Goodman MM, Bales KL. {{Effect of age and autism spectrum disorder on oxytocin receptor density in the human basal forebrain and midbrain}}. {Translational psychiatry}. 2018; 8(1): 257.
The prosocial hormone oxytocin (OXT) has become a new target for research on the etiology and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a condition characterized by deficits in social function. However, it remains unknown whether there are alterations in OXT receptor (OXTR) levels in the ASD brain. This study quantified the density of OXTR and of the structurally related vasopressin 1a receptor (AVPR1a) in postmortem brain tissue from individuals with ASD and typically developing individuals. We analyzed two regions known to contain OXTR across all primates studied to date: the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM), which mediates visual attention, and the superior colliculus, which controls gaze direction. In the NBM specimens, we also analyzed the neighboring ventral pallidum (VP) and the external segment of the globus pallidus. In the superior colliculus specimens, we also analyzed the adjacent periaqueductal gray. We detected dense OXTR binding in the human NBM and VP and moderate to low OXTR binding in the human globus pallidus, superior colliculus, and periaqueductal gray. AVPR1a binding was negligible across all five regions in all specimens. Compared to controls, ASD specimens exhibited significantly higher OXTR binding in the NBM and significantly lower OXTR binding in the VP, an area in the mesolimbic reward pathway. There was no effect of ASD on OXTR binding in the globus pallidus, superior colliculus, or periaqueductal gray. We also found a significant negative correlation between age and OXTR binding in the VP across all specimens. Further analysis revealed a peak in OXTR binding in the VP in early childhood of typically developing individuals, which was absent in ASD. This pattern suggests a possible early life critical period, which is lacking in ASD, where this important reward area becomes maximally sensitive to OXT binding. These results provide unique neurobiological insight into human social development and the social symptoms of ASD.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
2. Gray HL, Sinha S, Buro AW, Robinson C, Berkman K, Agazzi H, Shaffer-Hudkins E. {{Early History, Mealtime Environment, and Parental Views on Mealtime and Eating Behaviors among Children with ASD in Florida}}. {Nutrients}. 2018; 10(12).
This study was a cross-sectional study to examine problematic mealtime behaviors among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Florida. Forty-one parents completed a 48-item survey. The mean age of their children was 8.1 years and 73% were male. The data were divided and compared by age group: Ages 2(-)6, 7(-)11, and 12(-)17. Data from the 3- to 6-year-old children were extracted and compared with the references from Provost et al. (2010). There were age differences in eating difficulties at home (p = 0.013), fast food restaurants (p = 0.005), and at regular restaurants (p = 0.016). The total mealtime behavior score was significantly higher in early childhood (p < 0.001) and mid-childhood (p = 0.005) than adolescents. More parents of ages 3(-)6 with ASD reported difficulties with breastfeeding (p < 0.01); concerns about eating (p < 0.001); difficulties related to mealtime locations (p < 0.05), craving certain food (p < 0.05), and being picky eaters (p < 0.01) compared to typically developing children. The total mealtime behavior score was significantly higher in children with ASD than typically developing children (p < 0.001). The results indicate that early childhood interventions are warranted and further research in adolescents is needed. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
3. Kozol RA. {{Prenatal Neuropathologies in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability: The Gestation of a Comprehensive Zebrafish Model}}. {Journal of developmental biology}. 2018; 6(4).
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are neurodevelopmental disorders with overlapping diagnostic behaviors and risk factors. These include embryonic exposure to teratogens and mutations in genes that have important functions prenatally. Animal models, including rodents and zebrafish, have been essential in delineating mechanisms of neuropathology and identifying developmental critical periods, when those mechanisms are most sensitive to disruption. This review focuses on how the developmentally accessible zebrafish is contributing to our understanding of prenatal pathologies that set the stage for later ASD-ID behavioral deficits. We discuss the known factors that contribute prenatally to ASD-ID and the recent use of zebrafish to model deficits in brain morphogenesis and circuit development. We conclude by suggesting that a future challenge in zebrafish ASD-ID modeling will be to bridge prenatal anatomical and physiological pathologies to behavioral deficits later in life.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
4. Lee SC, Quinn TP, Lai J, Kong SW, Hertz-Picciotto I, Glatt SJ, Crowley TM, Venkatesh S, Nguyen T. {{Solving for X: Evidence for sex-specific autism biomarkers across multiple transcriptomic studies}}. {American journal of medical genetics Part B, Neuropsychiatric genetics : the official publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics}. 2018.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a markedly heterogeneous condition with a varied phenotypic presentation. Its high concordance among siblings, as well as its clear association with specific genetic disorders, both point to a strong genetic etiology. However, the molecular basis of ASD is still poorly understood, although recent studies point to the existence of sex-specific ASD pathophysiologies and biomarkers. Despite this, little is known about how exactly sex influences the gene expression signatures of ASD probands. In an effort to identify sex-dependent biomarkers and characterize their function, we present an analysis of a single paired-end postmortem brain RNA-Seq data set and a meta-analysis of six blood-based microarray data sets. Here, we identify several genes with sex-dependent dysregulation, and many more with sex-independent dysregulation. Moreover, through pathway analysis, we find that these sex-independent biomarkers have substantially different biological roles than the sex-dependent biomarkers, and that some of these pathways are ubiquitously dysregulated in both postmortem brain and blood. We conclude by synthesizing the discovered biomarker profiles with the extant literature, by highlighting the advantage of studying sex-specific dysregulation directly, and by making a call for new transcriptomic data that comprise large female cohorts.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
5. Lima Antao JYF, Oliveira ASB, Almeida Barbosa RT, Crocetta TB, Guarnieri R, Arab C, Massetti T, Antunes TPC, Silva APD, Bezerra LMP, Mello Monteiro CB, Abreu LC. {{Instruments for augmentative and alternative communication for children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review}}. {Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil)}. 2018; 73: e497.
New technologies designed to improve the communication of autistic children can also help to promote interaction processes and cognitive and social development. The aim of this study was to analyze the instruments used to improve the communication skills of children with autism spectrum disorder. We searched the PubMed and Web of Science databases using the descriptors « autism », « Asperger », « education », « children » and « assistive technology » and selected articles that met the following inclusion criteria: (i) original research; (ii) written in English; (iii) based on participants with a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder; and (iv) tested an instrument designed to promote communication in children with autism spectrum disorder. Our search retrieved 811 articles, of which 34 met the inclusion criteria. Data on 26 instruments were extracted, and the measurement properties of the instruments were combined with information about their outcomes and presentation. The most commonly used interventions were the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children program and the Picture Exchange Communication System. The Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children program was shown to produce improvements in the communication skills, socialization and self-care skills of children with autism spectrum disorder. The Picture Exchange Communication System produced inconsistent results. The results of the identified studies confirm the significant importance of these instruments in improving the communicative process of autistic children.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
6. Livingston LA, Carr B, Shah P. {{Recent Advances and New Directions in Measuring Theory of Mind in Autistic Adults}}. {Journal of autism and developmental disorders}. 2018.
‘Theory of Mind’ (ToM) is the ability to attribute mental states to others to make sense of their behaviour. ToM research has informed understanding of (a)typical social behaviour, including the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This began with research on ToM in autistic children and there has been a noticeable increase in the study of ToM in autistic adults. However, methodological limitations in adult ToM research may be limiting its explanatory power of ASD symptoms and their management, therefore we discuss recent advances in measuring ToM aimed at addressing these issues. We also examine previously overlooked approaches and propose several new directions that have potential to improve the sensitivity, accuracy, and clinical utility of ToM measurement in autistic adulthood.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
7. Thiemann-Bourque KS, Brady N, Hoffman L. {{Application of the Communication Complexity Scale in Peer and Adult Assessment Contexts for Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorders}}. {American journal of speech-language pathology}. 2018: 1-14.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure changes in communication of preschoolers with autism using the Communication Complexity Scale (CCS; Brady et al., 2012) and to examine the utility of the CCS in measuring pretreatment and posttreatment changes within peer and adult assessment contexts. Method: The CCS was used to code preassessment and postassessment for 23 children with autism randomly assigned to a treatment that incorporated a peer-mediated approach and a speech-generating device and 22 assigned to a business-as-usual condition with untrained peers. Children were assessed in 2 structured 30-min contexts-1 with an adult examiner and 1 with a peer partner coached by an adult. Results: Children in both groups showed significant changes in communication complexity CCS scores from pretreatment to posttreatment in the adult and peer contexts. At both occasions, CCS scores were higher with adult partners yet showed greater improvements over time with peer partners. Conclusions: Results showed that the CCS was sensitive to change over time but did not discriminate changes in communication complexity associated with maturation versus treatment. It did show some differences based on interactions with peer versus adult partners. Outcomes provide preliminary support for using this scale to measure communication changes in different contexts. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.7408856.
