Pubmed du 07/02/21
1. Dance CJ, Jaquiery M, Eagleman DM, Porteous D, Zeman A, Simner J. What is the relationship between Aphantasia, Synaesthesia and Autism ?. Consciousness and cognition. 2021 ; 89 : 103087.
For people with aphantasia, visual imagery is absent or markedly impaired. Here, we investigated the relationship between aphantasia and two other neurodevelopmental conditions also linked to imagery differences : synaesthesia, and autism. In Experiment 1a and 1b, we asked whether aphantasia and synaesthesia can co-occur, an important question given that synaesthesia is linked to strong imagery. Taking grapheme-colour synaesthesia as a test case, we found that synaesthesia can be objectively diagnosed in aphantasics, suggesting visual imagery is not necessary for synaesthesia to occur. However, aphantasia influenced the type of synaesthesia experienced (favouring ‘associator’ over ‘projector’ synaesthesia – a distinction tied to the phenomenology of the synaesthetic experience). In Experiment 2, we asked whether aphantasics have traits associated with autism, an important question given that autism – like aphantasia – is linked to weak imagery. We found that aphantasics reported more autistic traits than controls, with weaknesses in imagination and social skills.
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2. Mansour R, Ward AR, Lane DM, Loveland KA, Aman MG, Jerger S, Schachar RJ, Pearson DA. ADHD severity as a predictor of cognitive task performance in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Res Dev Disabil. 2021 ; 111 : 103882.
BACKGROUND : In recent years, a number of studies have begun to explore the nature of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this study, we examined the relationship between both symptoms of ADHD and symptoms of ASD on cognitive task performance in a sample of higher-functioning children and adolescents with ASD. Participants completed cognitive tasks tapping aspects of attention, impulsivity/inhibition, and immediate memory. AIMS : We hypothesized that children with ASD who had higher levels of ADHD symptom severity would be at higher risk for poorer sustained attention and selective attention, greater impulsivity/disinhibition, and weaker memory. METHODS AND PROCEDURES : The sample included 92 children (73 males) diagnosed with ASD (Mean Age = 9.41 years ; Mean Full Scale IQ = 84.2). OUTCOMES AND RESULTS : Using regression analyses, more severe ADHD symptomatology was found to be significantly related to weaker performance on tasks measuring attention, immediate memory, and response inhibition. In contrast, increasing severity of ASD symptomatology was not associated with higher risk of poorer performance on any of the cognitive tasks assessed. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS : These results suggest that children with ASD who have more severe ADHD symptoms are at higher risk for impairments in tasks assessing attention, immediate memory, and response inhibition-similar to ADHD-related impairments seen in the general pediatric population. As such, clinicians should assess various aspects of cognition in pediatric patients with ASD in order to facilitate optimal interventional and educational planning.
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3. Dechsling A, Shic F, Zhang D, Marschik PB, Esposito G, Orm S, Sütterlin S, Kalandadze T, Øien RA, Nordahl-Hansen A. Virtual reality and naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder. Res Dev Disabil. 2021 ; 111 : 103885.
BACKGROUND : Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI) have been evaluated as the most promising interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder. In recent years, a growing body of literature suggests that technological advancements such as Virtual Reality (VR) are promising intervention tools. However, to the best of our knowledge no studies have combined evidence-based practice with such tools. AIM : This article aims to review the current literature combining NDBI and VR, and provide suggestions on merging NDBI-approaches with VR. METHODS : This article is divided into two parts, where we first conduct a review mapping the research applying NDBI-approaches in VR. In the second part we argue how to apply the common features of NDBI into VR-technology. RESULTS : Our findings show that no VR-studies explicitly rely on NDBI-approaches, but some utilize elements in their interventions that are considered to be common features to NDBI. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS : As the results show, to date, no VR-based studies have utilized NDBI in their intervention. We therefore, in the second part of this article, suggests ways to merge VR and NDBI and introduce the term Virtual Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (VNDBI). VNDBI is an innovative way of implementing NDBI which will contribute in making interventions more accessible in central as well as remote locations, while reducing unwanted variation between service sites. VNDBI will advance the possibilities of individually tailoring and widen the area of interventions. In addition, VNDBI can provide the field with new knowledge on effective components enhancing the accuracy in the intervention packages and thus move forward the research field and clinical practice.
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4. Gallucci A, Patterson KC, Weit AR, Van Der Pol WJ, Dubois LG, Percy AK, Morrow CD, Campbell SL, Olsen ML. Microbial community changes in a female rat model of Rett syndrome. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021 ; 109 : 110259.
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder that is predominantly caused by alterations of the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene. Disease severity and the presence of comorbidities such as gastrointestinal distress vary widely across affected individuals. The gut microbiome has been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as a regulator of disease severity and gastrointestinal comorbidities. Although the gut microbiome has been previously characterized in humans with RTT compared to healthy controls, the impact of MECP2 mutation on the composition of the gut microbiome in animal models where the host and diet can be experimentally controlled remains to be elucidated. By evaluating the microbial community across postnatal development as behavioral symptoms appear and progress, we have identified microbial taxa that are differentially abundant across developmental timepoints in a zinc-finger nuclease rat model of RTT compared to WT. We have additionally identified p105 as a key translational timepoint. Lastly, we have demonstrated that fecal SCFA levels are not altered in RTT rats compared to WT rats across development. Overall, these results represent an important step in translational RTT research.
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5. Kim JH, Yan Q, Uppal K, Cui X, Ling C, Walker DI, Heck JE, von Ehrenstein OS, Jones DP, Ritz B. Metabolomics analysis of maternal serum exposed to high air pollution during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring. Environmental research. 2021 : 110823.
BACKGROUND : Previously, numerous epidemiologic studies reported an association, between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and exposure to air pollution during pregnancy. However, there have been no metabolomics studies investigating the impact of pregnancy pollution exposure to ASD risk in offspring. OBJECTIVES : To identify differences in maternal metabolism that may reflect a biological response to exposure to high air pollution in pregnancies of offspring who later did or did not develop ASD. METHODS : We obtained stored mid-pregnancy serum from 214 mothers who live in California’s Central Valley, showing worst air quality. We estimated each woman’s average traffic-related air pollution exposure (carbon monoxide, nitric oxides, and particulate matter <2.5μm) during the first trimester using the California Line Source Dispersion Model, version 4 (CALINE4). By utilizing liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry, we identified the metabolic profiles of maternal serum for 116 mothers with offspring who later develop ASD and 98 control mothers. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was employed to select metabolic features associated with air pollution exposure or autism risk in offspring. We also conducted extensive pathway enrichment analysis to elucidate potential ASD-related changes in metabolome of pregnant women. RESULTS : We extracted 4022 and 4945 metabolic features from maternal serum samples in hydrophilic interaction (HILIC) chromatography (positive ion mode) and C18 (negative ion mode) columns, respectively. After controlling for potential confounders, we identified 167 and 222 discriminative features (HILIC and C18, respectively). Pathway enrichment analysis to discriminate metabolic features associated with ASD risk indicated that various metabolic pathway perturbations linked to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and mitochondrial function, including carnitine shuttle, amino acid metabolism, bile acid metabolism, and vitamin A metabolism. CONCLUSION : Using HRM, we identified several metabolic pathways disturbed in mothers with ASD offspring among women under high exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. These findings provide us a better understanding of metabolic disturbance involved in the development of ASD under adverse environmental conditions.
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6. Hillier A, Poto N, Schena D, 2nd, Dorey J, Buckingham A, Santangelo M, Frye A. Overview of a Life Skills Coaching Program for Adults on the Autism Spectrum : Coaches’ Perspectives. Psychological reports. 2021 : 33294121991021.
There is considerable need to identify effective service provision models to support adults on the autism spectrum as they seek to lead independent lives. This study outlines an individualized life skills coaching program for adults with autism, « LifeMAP », and the experiences and perspectives of the coaches. Responses on a tailored questionnaire provided detailed insight into how the coaches were performing their job, the strategies they utilized, reasons for client success and difficulty, challenges faced by the coaches, and ways they were supported by program staff. Coaches’ job self-efficacy and satisfaction were also examined. This study serves as a preliminary examination of individualized coaching for adults with autism from the coaches’ perspective.
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7. Bölte S. « We believe in good jobs, fair jobs, dignifying jobs that give you a good sense of identity » : Career and job guidance counseling in autism. Autism. 2021 : 1362361321990325.
