1. Anand P, Kaur A, Singh S. Fucoxanthin mitigates valproic acid-induced autistic behavior through modulation of the AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway. Eur J Pharmacol;2024 (Feb 7);967:176335.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of fucoxanthin, a natural compound found in seaweed, on various aspects of autism using a rat model induced by valproic acid (VPA). Pregnant rats were administered VPA (600 mg/kg) on gestational day 12.5, and male pups were orally administered fucoxanthin at 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg beginning on post-natal day (PND) 23-43. Behavioral assessments were conducted on PND 45-53, and on PND 54, the animals were sacrificed for further biochemical analyses (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO)) via UV spectroscopy. Inflammatory markers (IL-17, TNF-α, and IL-1β) were also analyzed by sandwich ELISA, and the molecular parameters were evaluated through ELISA. The results revealed that, compared with VPA, fucoxanthin improved behavior and neuronal morphology. Specifically, fucoxanthin administration was found to enhance spatial memory, reduce pain sensitivity, and improve social interaction, locomotor activity, balance, and motor coordination. Fucoxanthin also exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, as indicated by the restoration of SOD and GSH levels and reduced inflammatory cytokine levels. Molecular analyses revealed that fucoxanthin restored the levels of GSK-3β and AKT. Furthermore, fucoxanthin regulates neurotransmitters, which are related to increasing GABA and reducing glutamate levels in the cortex and cerebellum. The therapeutic effects were dose-dependent, with higher doses (200 mg/kg) showing greater efficacy than lower doses (100 mg/kg) in improving behavioral, biochemical, neurotransmitter, and molecular parameters. Fucoxanthin is a potential treatment for autism, but further research, including clinical trials, is necessary to determine its effectiveness in humans.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. Ceranoglu TA, Hutt Vater C. Dr. Joseph Biederman’s Enduring Legacy: Illuminating the Path to Addressing Autistic Traits in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder With Transcranial Photobiomodulation. J Atten Disord;2024 (Feb 7):10870547231222599.

OBJECTIVE: To review the existing literature on transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) treatment effects on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in search for an effective treatment of a symptom cluster identified largely by contributions from late Dr. Biederman who asserted that they frequently present with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). METHOD: A survey of two databases, PubMed and PsycINFO, for clinical trials reporting on tPBM treatment in ASD was performed. Identified manuscripts that met eligibility criteria were then reviewed. RESULTS: Three original manuscripts reporting findings on a heterogenous group of study methods met the eligibility criteria. Despite the heterogenous nature of study designs, findings from all three studies reported tPBM treatment to be associated with improvements in ASD symptoms. No serious or treatment limiting adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: A nascent body of research suggests further clinical studies investigating efficacy of tPBM in treatment of ASD symptoms should be supported.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Colizzi M, Zhang F. Editorial: Case reports in autism. Front Psychiatry;2024;15:1357823.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Costa AA, Almeida MTC, Maia FA, Rezende LF, Saeger VSA, Oliveira SLN, Mangabeira GL, Silveira MF. Maternal and paternal licit and illicit drug use, smoking and drinking and autism spectrum disorder. Cien Saude Colet;2024 (Feb);29(2):e01942023.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal and paternal licit and illicit drug use, smoking and drinking and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We conducted a case-control study with children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD and neurotypical individuals. The data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire administered during interviews with the children’s mothers or guardians. The following variables were analyzed: child sex and age; maternal and parental age; use of medicines before and during pregnancy; classes of medicines used during pregnancy; maternal and paternal smoking; maternal and paternal drinking; maternal and paternal illicit drug use. The data were analyzed using logistic regression and crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR). After adjustment, the results showed an association between maternal use of antipyretics/pain killers during pregnancy (OR = 2.26; 95%CI 1.29-3.95; p < 0.040) and ASD. No association was found between maternal and paternal smoking, drinking and illicit drug use before and during pregnancy and ASD. The findings suggest that the development of ASD is influenced by environmental factors.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Date S, Munn E, Frey GC. Postural balance control interventions in autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A systematic review. Gait Posture;2024 (Feb 1);109:170-182.

BACKGROUND: Postural control (PC) disturbances in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are associated with its severity. Varied sensorimotor interventions have been used for the management of these symptoms. However, there is a lack of a review elucidating all the available postural control interventions in ASD. RESEARCH QUESTION: To comprehensively present the variety of interventions targeted at improving PC in ASD and to provide future research recommendations. METHODS: PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, Cochrane, ScienceDirect and Web of Science databases were searched for publications examining the effects of PC targeting interventions in those with ASD. Included articles were in English, published after 2000 in the peer-reviewed journals with full text available and used intervention targeted at improving PC or balance with a predefined objective outcome measure for accessing PC or balance. Initial database search yielded 1022 studies and 21 articles were included in this review after screening. RESULTS: We identified diverse PC interventions including animal assisted therapies, karate/martial arts, aquatic exercises, virtual reality-based training, standard and customized exercises, and physical activity programs. The effect of long- and short-term interventions on PC improvement in children and adults with ASD is mixed. Future research should focus on undertaking randomized controlled trials with large sample size and participants with varying severity of ASD to improve generalizability of the study findings. The lack of population-specific, reliable, and validated motor outcome measures including neuro-imaging techniques should be addressed. SIGNIFICANCE: While many of the interventions improved PC in those with ASD, the sample size and methodological quality of the studies was highly variable. There are limited studies exploring the long-term effects of the interventions. Rigorous study methods with population-specific objective outcome measures are warranted to draw generalizable conclusions regarding the PC interventions in individuals with ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. Drmic I, Brian J, Roncadin C, Shaver C, Pase M, Rugajs N, Tofano K, Dowds E, Zwaigenbaum L, Smith IM, Bryson SE. Community implementation of a brief parent mediated intervention for toddlers with probable or confirmed autism spectrum disorder: feasibility, acceptability, and drivers of success (IE Drmic et al.). Front Pediatr;2023;11:1295294.

BACKGROUND: Social ABCs is a caregiver-mediated Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention for toddlers with confirmed/suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with evidence in controlled research settings. Information is lacking on implementation in community settings. We reported on the treatment effectiveness of this program within a community setting, and the current paper describes the implementation phase of this work. Distinguishing between treatment and implementation effectiveness is critical for transporting interventions from laboratory to community. OBJECTIVES: Describe the implementation of Social ABCs through a large public autism service, supported by a research-community partnership. METHODS: We describe this project through the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework as it focuses on implementation of evidence-based practices in publicly funded services. We apply this framework to the reporting stage. This project took place in the context of a 3-year government-funded pilot at a hospital-based publicly funded autism service. Participants: Program developers; Autism Service team; toddlers with suspected/confirmed ASD aged 14-34 months (M = 25.18 months) and their caregivers. Training/supervision: Provided by program developers at tapering intensity. Evaluation: Caregivers completed the Caregiver Diary and satisfaction surveys. We explored training processes, intervention uptake, acceptability, adaptations to fit community context, appropriateness, perceived impact, and facilitators/barriers. RESULTS: Six coaches were trained to fidelity, and three of these were further trained as Site Trainers. 183 clinically referred families enrolled and 89.4% completed the 12-week program. Caregivers reported increases in adherence and competence, high satisfaction and perceived benefits for their children. Coaches reported high satisfaction. Toddlers were appropriately identified to receive the intervention. Referral processes improved, including decreased referral age, and increased family readiness for diagnostic assessment and subsequent services. CONCLUSIONS: Social ABCs was successfully implemented in a community service through a research-community partnership. The program was feasible, acceptable, and appropriate within a community context. Drivers of success included funding, institutional support, shared decision-making, adaptations to fit context, leadership support, perceived positive impact, and commitment to evaluation.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. Duale HA, Gele A. Exploring knowledge of autism, its causes and treatment among immigrant and nonimmigrant parents in Somalia\Somaliland. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health;2024 (Feb 7);18(1):22.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has increased over the recent years; however, little is known about the experience of parents of children with autism in Africa such as Somalia. The aim of this study is to understand the knowledge on autism of Somali parents of children with autism and their perceptions of causes and treatment of ASD. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study involving 22 parents of children with autism who lived in Mogadishu and Hargeisa; the two largest cities in Somalia. In-depth interviews were used to collect the data. Of the 22 participants, 9 were returned immigrants and 13 were local people (non-immigrants). Data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The data revealed that most of the parents hold the belief that their children’s autism were caused by the measles vaccine. The findings demonstrated that parents sought diagnosis and treatment care from outside Somalia due to the lack of experience of health providers in the diagnosis and treatment of autism. The data also revealed a lack of knowledge about autism among the public with resultant stigma and discrimination against children with autism and their families. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to increase public knowledge on autism, its causes and treatments are of paramount importance, while a public health campaign designed to eliminate the stigma subjected to children with autism is necessary to improve the quality of life of children with autism and their caregivers. Finally, to counteract vaccine hesitancy, particularly in response to the measles vaccine, health policy makers should take steps to separate the cooccurrence of the onset of autism symptoms and the provision of the measles vaccine.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

8. He J, Li Q, Zhang Q. rvTWAS: identifying gene-trait association using sequences by utilizing transcriptome-directed feature selection. Genetics;2024 (Feb 7);226(2)

Toward the identification of genetic basis of complex traits, transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) is successful in integrating transcriptome data. However, TWAS is only applicable for common variants, excluding rare variants in exome or whole-genome sequences. This is partly because of the inherent limitation of TWAS protocols that rely on predicting gene expressions. Our previous research has revealed the insight into TWAS: the 2 steps in TWAS, building and applying the expression prediction models, are essentially genetic feature selection and aggregations that do not have to involve predictions. Based on this insight disentangling TWAS, rare variants’ inability of predicting expression traits is no longer an obstacle. Herein, we developed « rare variant TWAS, » or rvTWAS, that first uses a Bayesian model to conduct expression-directed feature selection and then uses a kernel machine to carry out feature aggregation, forming a model leveraging expressions for association mapping including rare variants. We demonstrated the performance of rvTWAS by thorough simulations and real data analysis in 3 psychiatric disorders, namely schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. We confirmed that rvTWAS outperforms existing TWAS protocols and revealed additional genes underlying psychiatric disorders. Particularly, we formed a hypothetical mechanism in which zinc finger genes impact all 3 disorders through transcriptional regulations. rvTWAS will open a door for sequence-based association mappings integrating gene expressions.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

9. Jordan A, Parchment A, Gauntlett-Gilbert J, Jones A, Donaghy B, Wainwright E, Connell H, Walden J, Moore DJ. Understanding the impacts of chronic pain on autistic adolescents and effective pain management: a reflexive thematic analysis adolescent-maternal dyadic study. J Pediatr Psychol;2024 (Feb 7)

OBJECTIVE: Sensory elements are core features in chronic pain and autism, yet knowledge of the pain experience in autistic adolescents is limited. Little is known regarding how autistic adolescents experience chronic pain, manage their pain and perceive psychological treatment for their chronic pain. METHODS: Ten autistic adolescents (6 female, 3 male, and 1 self-identified as agender) with chronic pain and their mothers (n = 10) participated in semistructured interviews concerning their perceptions of living with chronic pain. Participants were recruited from U.K. pain management services. According to preference, interviews were conducted individually (n = 10) or dyadically (n = 10 participants across 5 dyads). Data were analyzed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Two themes were generated. Theme 1, « overstimulated and striving for control » described how adolescents’ experience of heightened sensitivity enhanced adolescents’ levels of anxiety and subsequent pain, illustrating a reciprocal relationship between anxiety, pain, and sensory elements. Theme 2, « not everyone fits the mold » captured how autistic adolescents positioned themselves as distinct from others due to the unique nature of being autistic and living with pain. This sense of difference negatively impacted adolescents’ ability to engage with and benefit from the standard treatment for chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that autistic adolescents living with pain experience pain and face barriers to effective pain treatment. Our results identify the need for educational resources to facilitate clinicians to better understand the experience of autistic adolescents living with pain. In turn, such understanding may improve treatment and outcomes in this population.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

10. Kirsal AO, Kahveci G. Using varied technological agents-assisted simultaneous prompting for teaching discrete skills to children with developmental disabilities. Int J Dev Neurosci;2024 (Feb 7)

This study examines the effectiveness of combining simultaneous prompting method with small group teaching through computer projection, SMART board, tablet computer and humanoid robot to teach discrete skills to children with developmental disabilities (CDD). The study included 14 CDD aged 10-15. It utilizes a multiple probe design across behaviors and probe conditions and replicates them across subjects. Each participant is taught discrete skills within a small group teaching arrangement. The study includes daily probes, full probes, teaching sessions, generalization, and follow-up sessions. It also collects interobserver reliability and application reliability data. Graphical analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of computer-based simultaneous prompting incorporating different technologies in a small group teaching setting. Additionally, we examined differences in children’s responses to different technological agents in teaching discrete skills to children with developmental disabilities. The study provided preliminary data on which of these agents is best. The results demonstrate its effectiveness by showing that participants maintained the learned behaviors and applied them to a variety of tools, equipment, and individuals in the first, third, and fourth weeks after the intervention. Additionally, the study highlights the subjects’ high accuracy in acquiring behavior through observational learning. Finally, simple humanoid robots, tablets, smart SMART boards, and computer projections have been effective in teaching discrete skills to CDD, respectively.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

11. Mournet AM, Gunin G, Shinall J, Brennan E, Jadav N, Istvan E, Kleiman EM, Bal VH. The impact of measurement on clinical trials: Comparison of preliminary outcomes of a brief mobile intervention for autistic adults using multiple measurement approaches. Autism Res;2024 (Feb 6)

Initial studies of the emotional safety plan (ESP), a new, brief telehealth and mobile intervention to support autistic adults to cope with periods of distress, have reported feasibility and acceptability (Bal et al., 2023, Autism, 1-13). Herein we report the preliminary clinical outcomes of thirty-six autistic adults who developed a personalized ESP, with a specific interest in comparing « outcomes » demonstrated by different instruments and assessment frequencies in order to inform outcome measurement in future clinical trials. Comparison of pre-intervention baseline to post-monitoring outcome (pre-post) anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 [GAD-7]) and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]) revealed medium effect sizes for reduction in symptoms, though, low effect sizes were observed for pre-post Adult Self-report Anxiety and Depressive Problems scales and the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory Reactivity and Dysphoria scales. Weekly assessments showed an initial decrease in GAD-7 anxiety symptoms but no effect on weekly PHQ-9 depressive ratings. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data suggested that, when participants reported feeling sad or agitated and used the ESP, reduced negative feelings and increased positive states were reported in subsequent EMA. Perhaps not surprisingly, preliminary outcomes of these feasibility trials differed depending on measure chosen. Implications for the design of clinical trials are discussed.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

12. Neklyudova A, Kuramagomedova R, Voinova V, Sysoeva O. Atypical brain responses to 40-Hz click trains in girls with Rett syndrome: Auditory steady-state response and sustained wave. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci;2024 (Feb 6)

AIM: The current study aimed to infer neurophysiological mechanisms of auditory processing in children with Rett syndrome (RTT)-rare neurodevelopmental disorders caused by MECP2 mutations. We examined two brain responses elicited by 40-Hz click trains: auditory steady-state response (ASSR), which reflects fine temporal analysis of auditory input, and sustained wave (SW), which is associated with integral processing of the auditory signal. METHODS: We recorded electroencephalogram findings in 43 patients with RTT (aged 2.92-17.1 years) and 43 typically developing children of the same age during 40-Hz click train auditory stimulation, which lasted for 500 ms and was presented with interstimulus intervals of 500 to 800 ms. Mixed-model ancova with age as a covariate was used to compare amplitude of ASSR and SW between groups, taking into account the temporal dynamics and topography of the responses. RESULTS: Amplitude of SW was atypically small in children with RTT starting from early childhood, with the difference from typically developing children decreasing with age. ASSR showed a different pattern of developmental changes: the between-group difference was negligible in early childhood but increased with age as ASSR increased in the typically developing group, but not in those with RTT. Moreover, ASSR was associated with expressive speech development in patients, so that children who could use words had more pronounced ASSR. CONCLUSION: ASSR and SW show promise as noninvasive electrophysiological biomarkers of auditory processing that have clinical relevance and can shed light onto the link between genetic impairment and the RTT phenotype.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

13. O’Connor M, Qiao H, Odamah K, Cerdeira PC, Man HY. Heterozygous Nexmif female mice demonstrate mosaic NEXMIF expression, autism-like behaviors, and abnormalities in dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis. Heliyon;2024 (Feb 15);10(3):e24703.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic basis. ASDs are commonly characterized by impairments in language, restrictive and repetitive behaviors, and deficits in social interactions. Although ASD is a highly heterogeneous disease with many different genes implicated in its etiology, many ASD-associated genes converge on common cellular defects, such as aberrant neuronal morphology and synapse dysregulation. Our previous work revealed that, in mice, complete loss of the ASD-associated X-linked gene NEXMIF results in a reduction in dendritic complexity, a decrease in spine and synapse density, altered synaptic transmission, and ASD-like behaviors. Interestingly, human females of NEXMIF haploinsufficiency have recently been reported to demonstrate autistic features; however, the cellular and molecular basis for this haploinsufficiency-caused ASD remains unclear. Here we report that in the brains of Nexmif(±) female mice, NEXMIF shows a mosaic pattern in its expression in neurons. Heterozygous female mice demonstrate behavioral impairments similar to those of knockout male mice. In the mosaic mixture of neurons from Nexmif(±) mice, cells that lack NEXMIF have impairments in dendritic arborization and spine development. Remarkably, the NEXMIF-expressing neurons from Nexmif(±) mice also demonstrate similar defects in dendritic growth and spine formation. These findings establish a novel mouse model of NEXMIF haploinsufficiency and provide new insights into the pathogenesis of NEXMIF-dependent ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

14. Pugsley K, Namipashaki A, Bellgrove MA, Hawi Z. Evaluating the regulatory function of non-coding autism-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms on gene expression in human brain tissue. Autism Res;2024 (Feb 7)

Common variants account for most of the estimated heritability associated with autism spectrum disorder (autism). Although several replicable single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for the condition have been detected using genome-wide association study (GWAS) methodologies, their pathophysiological relevance remains elusive. Examining this is complicated, however, as all detected loci are situated within non-coding regions of the genome. It is therefore likely that they possess roles of regulatory function as opposed to directly affecting gene coding sequences. To bridge the gap between SNP discovery and mechanistic insight, we applied a comprehensive bioinformatic pipeline to functionally annotate autism-associated polymorphisms and their non-coding linkage disequilibrium (i.e., non-randomly associated) partners. We identified 82 DNA variants of probable regulatory function that may contribute to autism pathogenesis. To validate these predictions, we measured the impact of 11 high-confidence candidates and their GWAS linkage disequilibrium partners on gene expression in human brain tissue from Autistic and non-Autistic donors. Although a small number of the surveyed variants exhibited measurable influence on gene expression as determined via quantitative polymerase chain reaction, these did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. Additionally, no significant genotype-by-diagnosis effects were observed for any of the SNP-gene associations. We contend that this may reflect an inability to effectively capture the modest, neurodevelopmental-specific impact of individual variants on biological dysregulation in available post-mortem tissue samples, as well as limitations in the existing autism GWAS data.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

15. Tweedie-Cullen RY, Leong K, Wilson BC, Derraik JGB, Albert BB, Monk R, Vatanen T, Creagh C, Depczynski M, Edwards T, Beck K, Thabrew H, O’Sullivan JM, Cutfield WS. Protocol for the Gut Bugs in Autism Trial: a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of faecal microbiome transfer for the treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms in autistic adolescents and adults. BMJ Open;2024 (Feb 6);14(2):e074625.

INTRODUCTION: Autism (formally autism spectrum disorder) encompasses a group of complex neurodevelopmental conditions, characterised by differences in communication and social interactions. Co-occurring chronic gastrointestinal symptoms are common among autistic individuals and can adversely affect their quality of life. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of oral encapsulated faecal microbiome transfer (FMT) in improving gastrointestinal symptoms and well-being among autistic adolescents and adults. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial will recruit 100 autistic adolescents and adults aged 16-45 years, who have mild to severe gastrointestinal symptoms (Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS) score ≥2.0). We will also recruit eight healthy donors aged 18-32 years, who will undergo extensive clinical screening. Recipients will be randomised 1:1 to receive FMT or placebo, stratified by biological sex. Capsules will be administered over two consecutive days following an overnight bowel cleanse with follow-up assessments at 6, 12 and 26 weeks post-treatment. The primary outcome is GSRS score at 6 weeks. Other assessments include anthropometry, body composition, hair cortisol concentration, gut microbiome profile, urine/plasma gut-derived metabolites, plasma markers of gut inflammation/permeability and questionnaires on general well-being, sleep quality, physical activity, food diversity and treatment tolerability. Adverse events will be recorded and reviewed by an independent data monitoring committee. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval for the study was granted by the Central Health and Disability Ethics Committee on 24 August 2021 (reference number: 21/CEN/211). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented to both scientific and consumer group audiences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12622000015741.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

16. Uliana JC, Del’ Agnese CC, Antoniazzi RP, Kantorski KZ. Autistic individuals have worse oral status than neurotypical controls: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Clin Oral Investig;2024 (Feb 6);28(2):137.

OBJECTIVE: To compare dental caries, oral hygiene, periodontal status, bruxism, malocclusion, tooth loss, and salivary alterations between autistic and typical developing individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational studies presenting clinical measures of oral outcomes between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) individuals and controls. EMBASE, LILACS, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ProQuest were searched up to June 26, 2023. Pairs of reviewers independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and assessments of methodological quality and certainty of evidence. Meta-analyses of standardized mean differences (SMD) and risk ratio (RR) were performed. RESULTS: A total of 47 studies comprising 6885 autistic individuals were included in the review. Autistic individuals had significantly higher severity of dental-caries experience in primary teeth (SMD 0.29, 95%CI 0.02, 0.56), of dental plaque presence (SMD 0.59, 95%CI 0.24, 0.94), and of gingivitis (SMD 0.45, 95%CI 0.02, 0.88). Autistic individuals showed higher probability of occurrence of gingivitis (RR 1.34, 95%CI 1.08, 1.66,), bruxism (RR 4.23, 95%CI 2.32, 7.74), overjet (RR 2.16, 95%CI 1.28, 3.64), overbite (RR 1.62, 95%CI 1.02, 2.59), crossbite (RR 1.48, 95%CI 1.02, 2.13), and openbite (RR 2.37, 95%CI 1.46, 3.85), when compared to neurotypical individuals. Most estimates showed a small effect size with very low certainty of evidence. CONCLUSION: Autistic individuals show worse oral health status than controls. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings reported herein can help to build health policies to better serve autistic individuals including prevention actions and access to specialized dental care.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

17. van der Putten WJ, Mol AJJ, Groenman AP, Radhoe TA, Torenvliet C, van Rentergem JAA, Geurts HM. Is camouflaging unique for autism? A comparison of camouflaging between adults with autism and ADHD. Autism Res;2024 (Feb 7)

Camouflaging (using (un)conscious strategies to appear as non-autistic) is thought to be an important reason for late autism diagnoses and mental health difficulties. However, it is unclear whether only autistic people camouflage or whether people with other neurodevelopmental or mental health conditions also use similar camouflaging strategies. Therefore, in this preregistered study (AsPredicted: #41811) study, we investigated if adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD) also camouflage. Adults aged 30-90 years filled in the Dutch Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q-NL), the ADHD Self-Report (ADHD-SR) and the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). We investigated differences in camouflaging between adults with ADHD, autism, and a comparison group in an age and sex-matched subsample (N = 105 per group). We explored if autism and ADHD traits explained camouflaging levels in adults with an autism and/or ADHD diagnosis (N = 477). Adults with ADHD scored higher on total camouflaging and assimilation subscale compared to the comparison group. However, adults with ADHD scored lower on total camouflaging, and subscales compensation and assimilation than autistic adults. Autism traits, but not ADHD traits, were a significant predictor of camouflaging, independent of diagnosis. Thus, camouflaging does not seem to be unique to autistic adults, since adults with ADHD also show camouflaging behavior, even though not as much as autistic adults. However, as the CAT-Q-NL specifically measures camouflaging of autistic traits it is important to develop more general measures of camouflaging, to compare camouflaging more reliably in people with different mental health conditions. Furthermore, focusing on camouflaging in adults with ADHD, including potential consequences for late diagnoses and mental health seems a promising future research avenue.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

18. Yoon N, Kim S, Oh MR, Kim M, Lee JM, Kim BN. Intrinsic network abnormalities in children with autism spectrum disorder: an independent component analysis. Brain Imaging Behav;2024 (Apr);18(2):1-14.

Aberrant intrinsic brain networks are consistently observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. However, studies examining the strength of functional connectivity across brain regions have yielded conflicting results. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the functional connectivity of the resting brain in children with low-functioning autism, including during the early developmental stages. We explored the functional connectivity of 43 children with autism spectrum disorder and 54 children with typical development aged 2 to 12 years using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. We used independent component analysis to classify the brain regions into six intrinsic networks and analyzed the functional connectivity within each network. Moreover, we analyzed the relationship between functional connectivity and clinical scores. In children with autism, the under-connectivities were observed within several brain networks, including the cognitive control, default mode, visual, and somatomotor networks. In contrast, we found over-connectivities between the subcortical, visual, and somatomotor networks in children with autism compared with children with typical development. Moderate effect sizes were observed in entire networks (Cohen’s d = 0.43-0.77). These network alterations were significantly correlated with clinical scores such as the communication sub-score (r = - 0.442, p = 0.045) and the calibrated severity score (r = - 0.435, p = 0.049) of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. These opposing results observed based on the brain areas suggest that aberrant neurodevelopment proceeds in various ways depending on the functional brain regions in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)