Pubmed du 07/04/25
1. Barghi O, Bazrafshan MR, Shirazi AJ. Alarming Number of Suicides Among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Prev Med. 2025; 16: 19.
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2. Lund HN, Drago A. Music Therapy and Pharmacotherapy as a Combination Treatment: A Case of Periodic Depression in Comorbidity With Subthreshold Autism. Clin Case Rep. 2025; 13(4): e70229.
Subthreshold Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can complicate depression treatment as ASD may hinder treatment benefits. In this case, a patient in treatment for recurring depression with traits of ASD showed symptom reduction, improved relational functioning, and emotion regulation skills by combining pharmacotherapy and music therapy.
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3. Mshimba MA, Kalabamu FS, Fataki M, Malasa L, Rutachunzibwa F. Early childhood development status and associated factors among preschool children attending routine well clinics in Temeke Municipal, Dar es Salaam-Tanzania: a cross-sectional study. Pan Afr Med J. 2024; 49: 137.
INTRODUCTION: Early Childhood Development (ECD) is a social and public health concern especially in low- and middle-income countries whereby around 43% of children living in these countries are at risk of developmental delays. This may negatively affect their potential including reduced productivity in adulthood. Data from the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey has shown that around 47.4% of children aged 24-59 months scored low in their early childhood scores. However, factors associated with low suboptimal ECD are not well understood. This study aimed to determine the magnitude and characteristics associated with low ECD scores among children aged 24-59 months attending RCH clinics in Temeke Municipal, Dar-es-salaam region. METHODS: the study was a facility-based cross-section study design involving Children aged 24 – 59 months attending RCH clinics in Temeke District, Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania. An interviewer-guided questionnaire was used to collect basic demographic information while ECD scores among participants were determined using a standardized ECD-I2030 tool. Data analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The magnitude of children not on track was expressed in frequency and percentages. Factors associated with poor ECD were determined by using binary logistic regression analysis. The alpha level of 0.05 or less was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: a total of 422 children were enrolled in the study. Among participants, only 144(34.1%) were on track based on their childhood development scores while 278 (65.9%) were off track. Young age (AOR=0.149 (0.354-0.63); p-value=0.001), nutritional status (AOR=7.729(2.234-26.735); p value=0.010) and parents’ employment status (AOR=3.730(1.937-7.184); p-value=0.001) were independently associated ECD scores. CONCLUSION: most children enrolled in this study were off-track in their ECD scores which may limit the realization of their full potential. Young age, malnutrition and unemployed parents were significant factors associated with EDC delays. Therefore, targeted interventions aimed at ensuring food security and nutrition, economic empowerment of families through formal employment, and early positive parenting practices may improve ECDs among this age group.
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4. Westmark CJ. Soy-based purified ingredient diet affects mouse gut permeability and the microbiome in fragile X mice. Front Mol Neurosci. 2025; 18: 1520211.
INTRODUCTION: Gastrointestinal problems including vomiting, reflux, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation and colic are common comorbidities in fragile X syndrome. There is accumulating evidence suggesting that leaky gut syndrome causes neurological phenotypes. Although fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein is ubiquitously expressed, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding its role outside of the brain including effects on gut dysfunction in fragile X. The aim of this study was to generate novel data on gastrointestinal barrier function and the gut microbiome in response to Fmr1 genotype, sex and diet in mice. METHODS: Fmr1(KO) male mice and littermate controls in an FVB background were maintained on two purified ingredient diets (AIN-93G with casein protein versus soy protein isolate) versus two standard chows (Teklad 2019 with wheat, corn and yeast protein versus Purina 5015 with wheat, soy, corn, yeast and whey protein sources). Gut permeability was quantified by FITC-dextran levels in blood plasma. The cecal microbiome was identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. In addition, gut permeability was tested in Fmr1(KO) mice in the C57BL/6 J background maintained on casein- and soy protein isolate-based AIN-93G versus Teklad 2019. RESULTS: Knockout of the Fmr1 gene in FVB mice did not affect gut permeability. Soy protein isolate-based AIN-93G increased gut permeability. Beta-diversity of the cecal microbiome was significantly altered as a function of the four test diets. Akkermansia_muciniphila was increased in Fmr1(KO) mice fed AIN-93G while unnamed species within the genus Anaerovorax and family Ruminococcaceae were increased and the order Clostridales decreased in Fmr1(KO) mice fed AIN-93G/soy. Fmr1(KO) mice in the C57BL/6 J background exhibited increased gut permeability in response to soy protein. DISCUSSION: These findings regarding the effects of diet on gut permeability and the microbiome have important implications for experimental design. Single-source diets are ubiquitously used to maintain laboratory animals for medical research and feed details are frequently not reported in publications. Diet/phenotype interactions could have a large impact on inter-laboratory replicability in premedical research. For infants with fragile X, early-life diet could impact the severity of disease outcomes.
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5. Zhu Q, Zhang T, Sun Y, Liu J, Liu Z, Wei F, Jin Y. Association of metallic elements with telomere length in children with autism spectrum disorder. PeerJ. 2025; 13: e19174.
BACKGROUND: Imbalances in metal elements have been identified as a potential risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and shortened telomere length (TL) is commonly observed in children with ASD. Metal elements may influence telomere homeostasis through oxidative stress, which could contribute to the pathogenesis of autism. However, studies examining the combined effects of metal elements on TL in children with ASD are limited. To fill the gaps in the current literature, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between six metallic elements: manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and iron (Fe), and TL in the whole blood of children with ASD. METHODS: A total of 83 children with ASD and 95 typically developing children were recruited. TL was measured using digital PCR, while metal concentrations were assessed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Linear regression analysis was first conducted to explore the correlations between metal elements and TL in both groups. Additionally, Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) was used to further examine the combined effects and potential interactions of these metals on TL in the ASD group. RESULTS: In the ASD group, Ca was found to have a protective effect on TL (β = 0.07, 95% CI [0.01-0.13], P = 0.027). In contrast, Mg showed a protective effect on TL in the control group (β = 0.10, 95% CI [0.01-0.18], P = 0.027). The BKMR model revealed a significant positive combined effect of the metal mixtures on TL in the ASD group, with Ca having the largest individual effect (PIP = 0.45). Further analysis indicated that increases in Zn and Mn concentrations from the 25th to the 75th percentile were negatively correlated with TL, while higher concentrations of Cu, Ca, Mg, and Fe were positively associated with TL. No significant interactions among the metals were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a potential link between metallic elements and TL in children with ASD, with Ca having the greatest effect. Our findings highlight the potential benefits of appropriate calcium supplementation as a protective strategy for lengthening telomeres in children with ASD, emphasizing the importance of early nutritional interventions to improve their overall health.
