1. Abdel Ghafar MA, Abdelraouf OR, Harraz EM, Seyam MK, Morsy WE, Amin WM, Abd-Elfattah HM. Virtual Reality Rehabilitation Helps to Improve Postural Balance in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Control Trial. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr;2025 (Mar 6):1-14.

BACKGROUND: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can have difficulty adapting to environmental changes and motor-tasks demands. OBJECTIVE: to investigate the effectiveness of non-immersive virtual reality (VR) combined with traditional physiotherapy versus traditional physiotherapy alone on static and functional balance in children with ASD, aged from 7 to 12 years. METHODS: Fifty-three children with ASD were randomly assigned to either the VR group, received virtual reality training combined with traditional physical therapy, or the control group, received traditional physical therapy alone. The Biodex balance system and the pediatric balance scale were used to evaluate the balance control before and after the 12-week treatment program. RESULTS: MANOVA results showed significant improvements in the pediatric balance scale scores for both the VR and control groups compared to the pre-intervention, and that the post-intervention results were significantly lower than the pre-intervention in terms of the overall sway index and all Biodex tested conditions (p < 0.05). However, post-intervention between-group comparisons showed that these significant improvements in all outcome measures were in the favor of the VR group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that virtual reality training could be an effective adjunct to traditional physical therapy for improving postural control in children with ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. Ashraf A, Zhao Q, Bangyal WH, Raza M, Iqbal M. Female autism categorization using CNN based NeuroNet57 and ant colony optimization. Comput Biol Med;2025 (Mar 7);189:109926.

Autism identification and classification using biomedical medical image analysis has advanced recently. Research shows autistic females have different phenotypic and age-related brain variations than males. Gender-specific hormones and genes affect autistic female brain circuitry, unfortunately, female phenotypic and genotypic data is quite deficient. Since physicians spend much time in assessing autistic females manually. Advanced large-scale deep learning algorithms are in dire need of accurate medical diagnosis. This research proposed a 57-layer CNN architecture called NeuroNet57 that can extract features from fMRI factually. After pre-training on the Brain Tumour dataset, the NeuroNet57 model extracts female phenotypic features from autism brain imagining data exchange (ABIDE)-I+II datasets using T1 modality fMRI scans, resulting in feature matrices of 14372 × 4096 for ABIDE_I and 16168 × 4096 for ABIDE_II. Our model uses ant colony optimization (ACO) to select feature subsets for dimensionality reduction. Further, nine machine learning classifiers are used to categorize females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from females with control behavior. The KNN-based fineKNN (FKNN) classifier had 92.21% accuracy on ABIDE-I and 93.49% on ABIDE-II. This proves the effectiveness of our proposed model.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Chen X, Tao J, Zhang Y, Xu Q, Dong C. Relationship between caregiver burden and family resilience among Chinese parents of children with autism spectrum disorder: The mediating role of social support and positive cognition. J Pediatr Nurs;2025 (Mar 5);82:57-64.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to assess the impact of caregiver burden on family resilience and explore the potential mediating role of social support and positive cognition in this association among Chinese families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 254 parents of children with ASD were recruited using convenience sampling from five ASD rehabilitation institutions in Wenzhou and Ningbo, Zhejiang Province from June to August 2021. The Zarit Burden Scale, Social Support Rate Scale, Illness Cognition Questionnaire-Parent Version, and Family Resilience Assessment Scale were employed to investigate the mediating mechanisms of social support and illness cognition between caregiver burden and family resilience. Structural equation models were conducted to evaluate the relationships among the variables. RESULTS: This study revealed that caregiver burden negatively associated with family resilience, with social support partially mediating this relationship (accounting for 17.86 % of the total effect), and both factors being indirectly linked through social support and positive cognition (accounting for 3.76 % of the total effect). CONCLUSIONS: The findings emphasize the need for interventions aimed at enhancing social support and positive cognition to alleviate the negative effects of caregiver burden on family resilience among parents of children with ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Costa CIS, Madanelo L, Wang JYT, da Silva Campos G, De Sanctis Girardi AC, Scliar M, Monfardini F, de Cássia Mingroni Pavanello R, Cória VR, Vibranovski MD, Krepischi AC, Lourenço NCV, Zatz M, Yamamoto GL, Zachi EC, Passos-Bueno MR. Understanding rare variant contributions to autism: lessons from dystrophin-deficient model. NPJ Genom Med;2025 (Mar 6);10(1):18.

Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy are dystrophinopathies with a prevalence of 1:5000-6000 males, caused by pathogenic variants in DMD. These conditions are often accompanied by neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) like autism (ASD; ~20%) and intellectual disability (ID; ~30%). However, their low penetrance in dystrophinopathies suggests additional contributing factors. In our study, 83 individuals with dystrophinopathies were clinically evaluated and categorized based on ASD (36 individuals), ID risk (12 individuals), or controls (35 individuals). Exome sequencing analysis revealed an enrichment of risk de novo variants (DNVs) in ASD-DMD individuals (adjusted p value = 0.0356), with the number of DNVs correlating with paternal age (p value = 0.0133). Additionally, DMD-ASD individuals showed a higher average of rare risk variants (RRVs) compared to DMD-Controls (adjusted p value = 0.0285). Gene ontology analysis revealed an enrichment of extracellular matrix-related genes, especially collagens, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome genes in ASD-DMD and DMD-ID groups. These findings support an oligogenic model for ASD in dystrophinopathies, highlighting the importance of investigating homogenized samples to elucidate ASD’s genetic architecture.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Fekih-Romdhane F, Sarra Chaibi L, Alhuwailah A, Sakr F, Helmy M, Ahmed H, Shuwiekh M, Boudouda NE, Zarrouq B, Naser AY, Jebreen K, Roubi ML, Hassan ARB, Merdad N, Amin R, Nawajah I, Mohammed AH, Farhan SS, AlAni OA, Dabbous M, Malaeb D, Obeid S, Loch AA, Cheour M, Hallit S. Loneliness and susceptibility to social pain mediate the association between autistic traits and psychotic experiences in young non-clinical adults. Sci Rep;2025 (Mar 6);15(1):7836.

Understanding of the mechanisms involved in the occurrence of psychotic experiences (PEs) in highly autistic individuals is crucial for identifying appropriate prevention and intervention strategies. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of susceptibility to social pain and loneliness in the relationship between autistic traits (ATs) and PEs in adults from the general population of 12 Arab countries. This cross-sectional study is part of a large-scale multi-country research project. A total of 7646 young adults (age range 18-35 years, mean age of 22.55 ± 4.00 years and 75.5% females) from twelve Arab countries (i.e., Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, and Tunisia) were included. Mediation analyses showed that, after adjusting over confounding variables, both loneliness (indirect effect: Beta = 0.18; Boot SE = 0.02; Boot CI 0.14; 0.21) and social pain (indirect effect: Beta = 0.03; Boot SE = 0.01; Boot CI 0.001; 0.05) partially mediated the association between ATs and PEs. Higher ATs were significantly associated with more loneliness and susceptibility to social pain, and directly associated with more severe PEs. Finally, higher loneliness and susceptibility to social pain were significantly associated with greater PEs scores. Findings indicated that individuals with higher ATs tend to experience greater loneliness and feel more pain from rejection, which can in turn be associated with higher levels of PEs. Interventions targeting susceptibility to social pain and loneliness as a means of mitigating PEs among highly autistic adults should be considered.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. Fontijn J, Engel C, Kreutzer KB, Poets C, Bassler D. Influence of antenatal steroids on the effect of early inhaled postnatal corticosteroids: a post-hoc analysis of the NEuroSIS trial. BMC Pediatr;2025 (Mar 7);25(1):172.

BACKGROUND: Few data are available on the interplay of antenatal and early inhaled postnatal corticosteroids. The NEuroSIS trial randomized extremely preterm infants to receive either early inhaled budesonide or placebo and analyzed the effect of study medication on bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death, as well as the effect on neurodevelopmental outcome at 18-22 months corrected age. Application of antenatal steroids may have had an influence on these outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To analyze if antenatal corticosteroids (ANS) influenced the short- (BPD and death before 36 weeks PMA) and long-term (disability at 18-22 months corrected age or death before time of assessment) effects of early inhaled postnatal budesonide in NEuroSIS study participants. METHODS: Post-hoc analysis of the intention-to-treat population of the NEuroSIS study. Generalized logits models were used to (1) predict risk of BPD, death before 36 weeks PMA and survival without BPD with application of ANS, NEuroSIS study treatment and gestational age as independent variables and (2) predict the risk of disability at 18-22 months corrected age, death before time of neurodevelopmental assessment and survival without disability, with ANS and gestational age as independent variables. RESULTS: Application of ANS, added as an independent variable, did not change the effect of study medication on developing BPD (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67-0.93) and there was no association with the risk of death (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.84-1.27) at 36 weeks PMA. ANS added as an independent variable showed an association with a reduced risk of death before time of completion of neurodevelopmental assessment (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44-0.81) and was associated with a reduced risk of disability at 18-22 months corrected age(OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.49-0.81). CONCLUSION: ANS did not alter the reduction of BPD risk by study medication and there was no association with increased mortality in NEuroSIS study participants.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. Hooshmandi M, Ho-Tieng D, Lister KC, Cai W, Wong C, Brown N, Fan J, Hovhannisyan V, Uttam S, Prager-Khoutorsky M, Sonenberg N, Gkogkas CG, Khoutorsky A. Postnatal downregulation of Fmr1 in microglia promotes microglial reactivity and causes behavioural alterations in female mice. Mol Autism;2025 (Mar 7);16(1):17.

BACKGROUND: Fragile X syndrome is caused by the loss of the Fmr1 gene expression. Deletion of Fmr1 in various neuronal and non-neuronal subpopulations in the brain of mice leads to cell-type-specific effects. Microglia, immune cells critical for the refinement of neuronal circuits during brain development, have been implicated in various neurodevelopmental disorders, including fragile X syndrome. However, it is unknown whether reduced Fmr1 expression in microglia leads to molecular and behavioral phenotypes. METHODS: We downregulated Fmr1 in microglia during early and late postnatal development and studied the effect on microglial morphology and distinct behaviours. RESULTS: Female, but not male, adult mice with downregulation of Fmr1 in microglia during early development exhibited reactive microglia and behavioral phenotypes, including enhanced self-grooming and alterations in social interaction. Downregulation of Fmr1 in microglia during late development induced a milder phenotype, characterized by impaired preference for social novelty without affecting microglia morphology. CONCLUSIONS: The downregulation of Fmr1 and its encoded protein FMRP in microglia contributes to behavioural phenotypes in a sex-specific manner.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

8. Huang X, Zhao W, Feng R, Zhou Y, Wang J, Xiao J, Li L, Shan X, Feng Y, Ming Y, Cao J, Kang X, Wu L, Chen H, Duan X. Linking gut microbiome profiles and white matter integrity to social behavior in young autistic children: from the perspective of individual variation. Sci Bull (Beijing);2025 (Feb 25)

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

9. Keith RE, Shen Y, Janzen-Meza JA, Abramovitz J, Antonello PC, Hameed A, Mohana Krishnan B, Antoine MW. Perirhinal cortex abnormalities impair hippocampal plasticity and learning in Scn2a, Fmr1, and Cdkl5 autism mouse models. Sci Adv;2025 (Mar 7);11(10):eadt0780.

Learning and memory deficits, including spatial navigation difficulties, are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Several ASD mouse models (Scn2a(+/-), Fmr1(-/-), Cdkl5(-/-)) exhibit impaired spatial learning, with these deficits often attributed to hippocampal dysfunction. However, we identify the perirhinal cortex (PRC) as a critical driver of these deficits. Cortical-wide Scn2a reduction in excitatory neurons replicated the spatial learning and long-term potentiation (LTP) impairments-a cellular correlate of learning-seen in Scn2a(+/-) mice, while hippocampal-wide reduction did not. PRC-specific viral-mediated Scn2a reduction in excitatory neurons decreased release probability, which consequently disrupted synaptic transmission and LTP in the hippocampus, as well as spatial learning. As PRC activity was reduced, chemogenetic activation of the PRC reversed these deficits in Scn2a(+/-) mice and rescued spatial learning and LTP impairments in Fmr1 and Cdkl5 knockout mice. Thus, in several genetic models of ASD, PRC abnormalities may disrupt hippocampal function to impair learning and memory.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

10. Kuang C, Chen F, Yan J, Peng G. Reduced Context Effect on Lexical Tone Normalization in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Speech-Specific Mechanism. J Autism Dev Disord;2025 (Mar 7)

Existing literature has demonstrated that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit atypical use of contextual information in their surroundings. However, there is limited understanding regarding their integration of contextual cues in speech processing. This study aims to explore how Mandarin-speaking children with and without ASD identify lexical tones in speech and nonspeech contexts, and to determine whether the size of context effect would be modulated by children’s cognitive abilities. Twenty-five children with ASD and 25 typically developing (TD) children were asked to identify Mandarin lexical tones preceded by three types of contexts (speech, nonspeech, and nonspeech-flattened contexts). We also tested child participants’ verbal intelligence, nonverbal intelligence, and working memory capacity. Results revealed that the context effect was only observed in the speech contexts, where Mandarin-speaking children with ASD exhibited a reduced context effect compared to TD children. Moreover, TD children with higher verbal intelligence demonstrated a diminished context effect. However, nonverbal intelligence and working memory capacity were not significantly associated with the size of context effect in either group. These findings revealed a subtle yet important difference between ASD and TD children’s utilization of speech contexts in lexical tone identification, and validated a speech-specific mechanism underpinning children’s lexical tone normalization.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

11. Lenker KP, Felix LL, Cichy S, Lehman E, Logan JM, Murray M, Kraschnewski JL. Using the Community Resilience Model and Project ECHO to Build Resiliency in Direct Support Professionals: Protocol for a Longitudinal Survey. JMIR Res Protoc;2025 (Mar 6);14:e59913.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder (ID/A) sometimes require supportive services from direct support professionals (DSPs). The supportive care provided to individuals with ID/A by DSPs can vary from assistance with daily living activities to navigating society. The COVID-19 pandemic not only exacerbated poor outcomes for individuals with ID/A but also for DSPs, who report experiencing burnout in the aftermath of the pandemic. DSPs are critical to providing much-needed support to individuals with ID/A. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of the community resilience model on DSP burnout and neurodivergent client outcomes using the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) telementoring platform as a dissemination tool. METHODS: This protocol leverages community resilience theory and telementoring through the Project ECHO model to foster resilience in DSPs and their neurodiverse client population. ECHO participants’ resilience behaviors will be evaluated via surveys including the Connor Davison Resilience Scale and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. These surveys will be administered preprogram, at the end of the 8-week ECHO program, and 90 days after the ECHO program’s completion. Pre-post relationships will be assessed using generalized estimating equations. The main outcomes will be self-reported changes in knowledge, self-efficacy, and resilience. RESULTS: All ECHO program cohorts and follow-up data collection have concluded, with 131 survey participants. The project team is currently analyzing and interpreting the data. We anticipate having all data analyzed and interpreted by February 2025. CONCLUSIONS: DSPs provide critical services to individuals with ID/A. By providing skills in resiliency via the ECHO model, participants will be able to apply resiliency to their own professional lives while fostering resilience within their neurodiverse client base, leading to increased positive outcomes for both groups. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/59913.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

12. Lyu W, Li Y, Yao A, Tan QQ, Zhang R, Zhao JP, Guo K, Jiang YH, Tian R, Zhang YQ. Oxytocin improves maternal licking behavior deficits in autism-associated Shank3 mutant dogs. Transl Psychiatry;2025 (Mar 6);15(1):76.

Impaired social interaction and repetitive behavior are key features observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). SHANK3 is a high-confidence ASD risk gene that encodes an abundant scaffolding protein in the postsynaptic density. In wild-type (WT) domestic dogs, maternal behaviors such as licking and nursing (largely milk feeding) of puppies are most commonly observed. To address whether SHANK3 plays a role in social behaviors especially maternal behaviors, we analyzed Shank3 mutant dogs generated by CRISPR/Cas9 methodology. We found that Shank3 mutant dams exhibited a fewer and shorter licking behavior, as well as reduced nursing frequency when compared with WT dams. Additionally, a significant decrease in blood oxytocin (OXT) concentration was detected in Shank3 mutant dams. We thus conducted a vehicle-controlled experiment to examine whether a two-week intranasal OXT treatment, initiated on the 8(th) postpartum day, could rescue the maternal licking deficits in Shank3 mutant dams. We found that the decreased licking behavior in Shank3 mutant dams was significantly attenuated both acutely and chronically by OXT treatment. The rescue effect of OXT implicates an oxytocinergic contribution to the maternal defects in Shank3 mutant dams, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for SHANK3-associated ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

13. Ma X, Ma W, Zhang S. Managing interactional breakdowns with children with ASD: Therapists’ practices when directives face challenges in therapeutic interactions. Clin Linguist Phon;2025 (Mar 7):1-28.

Effective interventions to promote language competence, cognitive abilities and integrate these skills into daily activities for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often involve providing guidance and training through specific tasks, typically delivered by speech and language therapists through directive interactions. However, engaging children with ASD in such activities is not straightforward and often fraught with challenges. Yet we know very little about how practitioners cope when the interaction breaks down, for example, due to misunderstandings or failures to engage. This study employs a conversation analytic approach to uncover therapists’ intricate practices for managing breakdowns in therapeutic interactions. Over 200 hours of naturally occurring interactions between seven Mandarin-speaking children and their therapists were recorded and analysed. Using Conversation Analysis, we identified and analysed 1062 directive turns issued by therapists and subsequent responses of the children. The findings are in three aspects: 1) A crucial and effective premise for increasing engagement and improving the quality of therapeutic interactions lies in recognising, ascribing and utilising the specific interactive modes of children with ASD, including their repeated utterances and prosodic resources. 2) Therapists’ strategies are successful when they flexibly address and adapt the format of directives through tailored verbal iteration and embodied solicitation. 3) The importance of timing underscores the increased opportunities to positively influence turn-taking in children with ASD. It is proposed that practitioners can enhance their understanding of children with ASD by incorporating the profiling of interaction into their assessments and interventions, adapting ways to align with the unique patterns of children with ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

14. McCluskey KE, Stovell KM, Law K, Kostyanovskaya E, Schmidt JD, Exner CRT, Dea J, Brimble E, State MW, Willsey AJ, Willsey HR. Autism gene variants disrupt enteric neuron migration and cause gastrointestinal dysmotility. Nat Commun;2025 (Mar 6);16(1):2238.

The co-occurrence of autism and gastrointestinal distress is well-established, yet the molecular underpinnings remain unknown. The identification of high-confidence, large-effect autism genes offers the opportunity to identify convergent, underlying biology by studying these genes in the context of the gastrointestinal system. Here we show that the expression of these genes is enriched in human prenatal gut neurons and their migratory progenitors, suggesting that the development and/or function of these neurons may be disrupted by autism-associated genetic variants, leading to gastrointestinal dysfunction. Here we document the prevalence of gastrointestinal issues in patients with large-effect variants in sixteen autism genes, highlighting dysmotility, consistent with potential enteric neuron dysfunction. Using Xenopus tropicalis, we individually target five of these genes (SYNGAP1, CHD8, SCN2A, CHD2, and DYRK1A) and observe disrupted enteric neuronal progenitor migration for each. Further analysis of DYRK1A reveals that perturbation causes gut dysmotility in vivo, which can be ameliorated by treatment with either of two serotonin signaling modulators, identified by in vivo drug screening. This work suggests that atypical development of enteric neurons contributes to the gastrointestinal distress commonly seen in individuals with autism and that serotonin signaling may be a productive therapeutic pathway.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

15. McDonald K, Brodeur M, Schwartz A. Risks and Safeguards in Social-Behavioural Research With Adults With Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Systematic Review. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil;2025 (Mar);38(2):e70031.

BACKGROUND: We identified participant-level risks and safeguards in social-behavioural research with adults with developmental disabilities. METHOD: We conducted a qualitative systematic review on risks and safeguards in peer-reviewed research with adults with developmental disabilities. We identified research reporting on risks and safeguards published between 2009 and 2023 by searching eight databases and conducting hand searches of reference lists. We conducted thematic analysis using independent data extraction and coding, and investigator triangulation. RESULTS: From 23 manuscripts, we identified: (1) risks associated with research participation of adults with developmental disabilities (e.g., physical, relational, psychological, and social risks as well as a loss of privacy and confidentiality) and (2) safeguards (e.g., using guiding frameworks, reducing participant burden, securing privacy and confidentiality, and fostering psychological and relational well-being). CONCLUSIONS: We encourage researchers to foster positive experiences so research participants feel valued and respected, and enjoy having the experience and opportunity to contribute to scientific discoveries.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

16. McNaughton KA, Dziura S, Lemay EP, Jr., Yarger HA, Redcay E. Neural similarity and interaction success in autistic and non-autistic adolescents. Sci Rep;2025 (Mar 7);15(1):7996.

High-quality social interactions promote well-being for typically developing and autistic youth. One factor that may contribute to the quality of social interactions is neural similarity, a metric which may capture shared perspectives and experiences of the world. The current research investigates relations between neural similarity to peers and day-to-day interaction success as measured through ecological momentary assessment in a sample of autistic and non-autistic youth aged 11-14 years old. Neural similarity was operationalized as the between-participant correlation of participants’ neural response to naturalistic video stimuli in areas of the brain implicated in mental state understanding and reward processing. Neural similarity did not have a main effect on interaction success. However, across the full sample, neural similarity significantly interacted with reported closeness, such that there were more positive relations between neural similarity and interaction success for closer interactions. Neural similarity also marginally interacted with social partner (i.e., interactions featuring peers versus others) to predict interaction success, suggesting more positive relations between neural similarity and interaction success in peer interactions. In addition, non-autistic youth reported significantly better peer interactions than autistic youth. These findings suggest that similarity to one’s peers in neural processing in mentalizing and reward regions is important for understanding interaction success. They also highlight the challenge peer interactions may pose for autistic youth and propose novel links between peer interaction success and the brain’s mentalizing processes.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

17. Miranda JM, Browne RAV, da Silva WQA, Rodrigues Dos Santos JP, Campbell CSG, Ramos IA. Effects of a Session of Exergames and Traditional Games on Inhibitory Control in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial. JMIR Serious Games;2025 (Mar 5);13:e65562.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in executive functions, such as inhibitory control, which affect behavior and social adaptation. Although physical activity-based interventions, such as exergames, have shown potential to improve these functions, their comparative effects with active traditional games remain underexplored, particularly regarding inhibitory control in children with ASD. OBJECTIVE: We aim to analyze the effects of a session of exergames and active traditional games on inhibitory control in children with ASD. METHODS: This randomized controlled crossover trial included 9 male children with ASD (mean age 8.6, SD 1.4 y). Participants completed three 20-minute experimental sessions in random order, with a minimum interval of 48 hours: (1) active traditional games, (2) exergames using Just Dance 2022, and (3) a control session with manual painting activities. Inhibitory control was assessed 5 minutes postsession using a modified flanker task in the E-Prime (version 3.0; Psychological Software Tools Inc) program, recording reaction time (RT) and accuracy in congruent and incongruent phases. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare RT and accuracy between experimental and control conditions. Data are presented as means and 95% CIs. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant effect of condition on RT in the incongruent phase (P=.02). RT in the exergame session (849 ms, 95% CI 642 to 1057) was lower compared to the traditional games (938 ms, 95% CI 684 to 1191; P=.02) and control (969 ms, 95% CI 742, 1196 to P=.01) sessions. No significant differences were observed in RT during the congruent phase or in accuracy across either phase. CONCLUSIONS: A 20-minute session of exergame improved inhibitory control performance in children with ASD compared to active traditional games and painting activities.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

18. Mitchell RA, Lami F, Barton SM, Harvey AS, Williams K. Deep developmental phenotyping in children with tuberous sclerosis complex, with and without autism. Dev Med Child Neurol;2025 (Mar 7)

AIM: To characterize autism and co-occurring tuberous sclerosis-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (TAND) in children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), addressing evidence gaps by using deep developmental phenotyping in a single cohort. METHOD: This cohort study assessed autism characteristics, intelligence, adaptive function, language, and co-occurring conditions, using multidisciplinary direct assessment, in 50 children with TSC, comparing those with and without autism. RESULTS: Autistic children (28, 56%) had moderate mean scores for autistic characteristics (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule calibrated severity scores; social affect, 6.9 [standard deviation 2.5]; restricted and repetitive behaviour, 7.1 [standard deviation 2.3], but with considerable variation). Autistic children were more likely to be male (54% vs. 18%) and have intellectual disability (79% vs. 32%), language impairment (89% vs. 50%), executive dysfunction (70% vs. 29%), and externalizing behaviours (46% vs. 14%). Inattentive attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms were frequent in autistic and not-autistic children (74% vs. 78%), and not influenced by intellectual ability. Language impairment occurred in 27% without autism or intellectual disability. INTERPRETATION: TAND are complex and heterogenous in children with and without autism. Formal assessment of language function and ADHD symptoms should be considered in all children with TSC, regardless of autism categorization or intellectual ability. Language function needs greater consideration within TAND levels and clusters.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

19. Nelson B, Emmelin M, Agardh A, Löfgren L, Stafström M. Shifting participatory approach when ideology meets reality: a grounded theory study based on project leaders’ experiences with peer-led sex education programs for and by persons with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. Reprod Health;2025 (Mar 6);22(1):34.

BACKGROUND: This study explored peer-led sex education for individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or autism (ID/ASD) from the perspective of project leaders within Swedish non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The purpose of this Grounded Theory study was to develop a conceptual model that characterizes the ways in which peer-led sex education is implemented by Swedish NGOs. This was done by exploring what the concept of peer-led sex education means to NGO project leaders, and how they experience, explain and reason about the application of peer education in their daily operations. METHODS: This study conducted 12 qualitative in-depth interviews with project leaders working with peer-led sex education initiatives. Grounded Theory enabled the construction of a conceptual model. RESULTS: The study identified the core category, « Shifting participatory approach when ideology meets reality, » encapsulating project leaders’ experiences in managing peer-led sex education programs. Three distinct approaches were discerned: (1) The Radical approach, where project leaders prioritize empowerment and norm criticism, striving to create an inclusive and equitable environment for individuals with ID/ASD. This approach resonates with Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of the oppressed, emphasizing liberation through education. (2) The Pragmatic approach, which navigates the tension between ideology and pragmatism, recognizing the co-dependency between project leaders and persons with ID/ASD. External pressures from funders and the requirements to achieve tangible project outcomes inform this approach. (3) The Skeptical approach, which exhibits caution, doubting the capabilities and willingness of individuals with ID/ASD to challenge societal norms and work equally with people without ID/ASD. CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the complexity of peer-led sex education programs and highlight the need for a balanced approach that addresses both ideological aspirations and practical constraints. Empowerment and norm criticism are central to fostering agency and challenging oppressive systems. However, the pragmatic realities of project management and external pressures necessitate a delicate balance. Understanding these diverse approaches can inform the design of more effective initiatives, ultimately contributing to sexual and reproductive health and rights of individuals with ID/ASD. This study is about sex education for and by people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism (ID/ASD). This research focuses on peer education programs managed by Swedish non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Through interviews with the program project leaders we discovered that they use three main approaches (1) A Radical Approach that emphasizes empowering peer educators with disabilities as well as challenging societal norms. The aim is to create an inclusive environment where everyone’s voice is heard. Here inspiration is drawn from Paulo Freire’s idea of using education to liberate and empower marginalized groups. (2) A Pragmatic Approach which tries to find a balance between ideals and the practical demands of running a program and where the need to meet specific goals and fulfill the requirements of funders is recognized. (3) Finally, a Skeptical Approach which is marked by caution and skepticism. In this approach there is uncertainty about whether participants with ID/ASD can challenge societal norms effectively. Awareness of the limitations when running projects with people with intellectual disability may lead to prioritizing stability over empowerment. In conclusion, running peer-led sex education programs for people with ID/ASD is not straightforward. Balancing empowerment and practicality is challenging. Understanding these different approaches can create more effective programs that empower individuals while addressing real-world constraints. Future research should involve the perspectives of peer educators and program participants for a comprehensive view of these programs’ impact and challenges. eng

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

20. Pförtner TK, Deisz S, Köster S, Gube M. Parental Education and Unmet Therapeutic Needs Among School-Aged Children With Developmental Delays: A Pooled Cross-Sectional Survey in Aachen, Germany. Int J Public Health;2025;70:1608050.

OBJECTIVES: Early intervention in the context of developmental delays is crucial for mitigating the adverse effects of developmental delays. The purpose of this study was to determine inequalities in the unmet therapy needs of school-aged children with developmental delays by parental education. METHODS: Data from the 2015-2019 school-entry survey of Aachen, Germany, were used (N = 7,211). We assessed unmet therapy needs by parental education for global developmental delays and for delays in physical coordination, selective attention, visual-motor skills, visual perception and reasoning, knowledge of numbers and quantities, and speech and language. RESULTS: Inequalities in unmet therapy needs were identified across all domains to the disadvantage of children with low parental education. Significant disparities in unmet therapy needs were found for global developmental delay and for delays in physical coordination, selective attention, visual‒motor skills, and speech and language. CONCLUSION: Unmet therapy needs affect children with lower parental education more frequently across all areas of developmental delay, highlighting the need for further studies and interventions to explain and reduce disparities in the unmet therapy needs of children with developmental delays.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

21. Raja R, Sharma A, Ramesh B, Ramassamy E, Esai Amudhan N, Prasath NH, Govindasamy E. Comparative Evaluation of Music and Movement Therapy and Visual Pedagogy as Interventional Tools in Promoting Oral Health in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Spec Care Dentist;2025 (Mar-Apr);45(2):e70015.

AIM: To compare the effectiveness of music and movement therapy (M&MT) and visual pedagogy (VP) as interventional tools in promoting oral health in children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two children with ASD aged 7-15 years were randomized into two groups (N = 36), Group I received M&MT and Group II received VP. Plaque and gingival indices were recorded at baseline and the end of first, second, and third months. Perception questionnaires and a checklist to evaluate toothbrushing skills were distributed to their parents. An inter-group comparison with independent t-test and Intra group Comparison using paired t-test were performed. RESULTS: The mean plaque index score for Group I and II at the end of third month (0.27 + 0.71, 0.71 + 0.26), and the mean gingival index score for Group I and II at the end of third month 0.29 + 0.15, 0.62 + 0.26 which was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Significant improvement in toothbrushing skills was observed in children of Group I. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ASD in Group I learnt toothbrushing skills expeditiously when compared to children in Group II. Therefore, it can be concluded that M&MT could be an effective tool in training toothbrushing skills. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTRI/2022/10/046615 (Clinical Trial Registry).

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

22. Razavi SZ, Amini-Khoei H, Rahimi-Madiseh M, Bijad E, Lorigooini Z. Modulation of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress by Echinacea purpurea extract: Therapeutic potential in maternal separation-induced autism spectrum disorder. J Psychiatr Res;2025 (Feb 24);184:118-127.

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined by ongoing problems in social interaction and communication and repetitive, constrained behavior patterns. The link between oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation with ASD has been shown in previous studies. E. purpurea is well-known for its potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pharmacological properties. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of E. purpurea hydroalcoholic extract on autistic-like behaviors following a mouse model of maternal separation (MS) stress, focusing on possible anti-neuroinflammation and antioxidative stress. METHODS: 70% hydro-ethanolic extract was macerated from the aerial parts of E. purpurea. Standardization was done by determining the amount of chicoric acid in the extract using the UHPLC method. Then, behavioral analysis was done on 75 male mice that underwent MS. Mice were treated with normal saline or 75, 150, and 300 mg/kg of the extract. Sociability behaviors and stereotyping behaviors have been evaluated. Also, their total antioxidant capacity (TAC), nitrite levels, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in the hippocampus. In addition, the expression of inflammatory factors, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), NLRP3, and TLR4, has been determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Data were analyzed after collection using PRISM statistical software. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that MS caused autistic-like behaviors in mice (increased sociability index and social preference index) and increased repetitive behaviors (increased number of buried marbles). These autistic-like behaviors are associated with increased MDA, nitrite, over-expression of inflammatory genes, decreased MDA, nitrite, over-expression of inflammatory genes, and decreased TAC in the hippocampus. E. purpurea extract significantly reversed these adverse effects of MS. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that E. purpurea extract might reduce autistic-like behaviors in MS by attenuating neuroinflammation and oxidative stress states.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

23. Shin YS, Christensen D, Wang J, Shirley DJ, Orlando AM, Romero RA, Vaillancourt DE, Wilkes BJ, Coombes SA, Wang Z. Transcallosal white matter and cortical gray matter variations in autistic adults aged 30-73 years. Mol Autism;2025 (Mar 6);16(1):16.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong condition that profoundly impacts health, independence, and quality of life. However, research on brain aging in autistic adults is limited, and microstructural variations in white and gray matter remain poorly understood. To address this critical gap, we assessed novel diffusion MRI (dMRI) biomarkers, free water, and free water corrected fractional anisotropy (fwcFA), and mean diffusivity (fwcMD) across 32 transcallosal tracts and their corresponding homotopic grey matter origin/endpoint regions of interest (ROIs) in middle and old aged autistic adults. METHODS: Forty-three autistic adults aged 30-73 and 43 age-, sex-, and IQ-matched neurotypical controls underwent dMRI scans. We examined free water, fwcFA, fwcMD differences between the two groups and age-related pattern of each dMRI metric across the whole brain for each group. The relationships between clinical measures of ASD and free water in regions that significantly differentiated autistic adults from neurotypical controls were also explored. In supplementary analyses, we also assessed free water uncorrected FA and MD using conventional single tensor modeling. RESULTS: Autistic adults exhibited significantly elevated free water in seven frontal transcallosal tracts compared to controls. In controls, age-related increases in free water and decreases in fwcFA were observed across most transcallosal tracts. However, these age-associated patterns were entirely absent in autistic adults. In gray matter, autistic adults showed elevated free water in the calcarine cortices and lower fwcMD in the dorsal premotor cortices compared to controls. Lastly, age-related increases in free water were found across all white matter and gray matter ROIs in neurotypical controls, whereas no age-related associations were detected in any dMRI metrics for autistic adults. LIMITATIONS: We only recruited cognitively capable autistic adults, which limits the generalizability of our findings across the full autism spectrum. The cross-sectional design precludes inferences about microstructural changes over time in middle and old aged autistic adults. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed increased free water load in frontal white matter in autistic adults and identified distinct age-associated microstructural variations between the two groups. These findings highlight more heterogeneous brain aging profiles in autistic adults. Our study also demonstrated the importance of quantifying free water in dMRI studies of ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

24. Vartanian B, Perlman S, Rader R, Rastovic V, Holder M. Standing for Those With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities. Compend Contin Educ Dent;2025 (Feb);46(2):102-104.

It is time for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD), their families, the village that supports them, and the healthcare professionals that are responsible for their well-being to grab their pitchforks and storm the castle to end the purposeful exclusion by our government to designate them a medically underserved population (MUP). We (the authors) define IDD as people having a diagnosis of autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and hundreds of other genetic syndromes.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

25. Wo SW, Alagappar PN, Yahya AN, Woo PJ. Validation of the English version of the TOY8 developmental screening tool: examining measurement invariance across languages, gender and income groups. BMC Psychol;2025 (Mar 7);13(1):214.

BACKGROUND: The National Health and Morbidity Survey in Malaysia (2022) revealed a significant increase in developmental delays among young children. Early detection using valid, accessible, and cross-culturally appropriate developmental screening tools is essential. Thus, English-language and Malay versions of the TOY EIGHT developmental screening tool (TOY8) were developed using artificial intelligence and a standardized parent-proxy questionnaire. This study aimed to examine the construct validity and reliability of the English version of TOY8, building on the previously validated Malay TOY8, and to examine measurement invariance across language versions, gender, and income groups. METHODS: TOY8 was designed and developed to screen for developmental problems in children aged 3-5 years in Malay and English by an interdisciplinary research team drawing upon both national and international guidelines, and then reviewed by an expert panel (n = 5). Two samples of parents and their children were recruited: 1767 dyads to complete the English TOY8 and another 1724 dyads to complete the Malay TOY8. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis results indicated that the model structure of the English TOY8 matched that of the Malay TOY8. The split-half reliability coefficient indicated adequate to high reliability, which is also consistent with the Malay TOY8. Our results showed that all configural and metric invariance models across groups had a good fit to the data, demonstrating that multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis was appropriate. Finally, scalar invariance was only achieved in certain domains across gender and not in language versions or income groups. CONCLUSION: The English TOY8 demonstrates construct validity and reliable screening tool for identifying developmental milestones in children aged 3-5 years in Malaysia. In addition, configural and metric invariances across groups in all domains were established, indicating the cross-cultural equivalence of the items, and scalar invariance was established across genders in most 3- to 5-year-old domains. These findings provide preliminary evidence supporting reliability and validity that aligns with previous literature on child development, which indicates a general similarity in the gender and cross-cultural development domains in the first years of life, but not for older children, in terms of language and socioemotional skills.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)