1. {{Autism: the international journal of research and practice}}. {Autism}. 2012 Nov;16(6):660-1.
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2. Bekhet AK, Johnson NL, Zauszniewski JA. {{Effects on Resilience of Caregivers of Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role of Positive Cognitions}}. {Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association}. 2012 Nov 8.
Background: Approximately 2.8 million people in the United States are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Family caregivers manage many aspects of their care, which is demanding, overwhelming, and can affect their mental health. Objective: This study examined the effects of caregiver burden (risk factor) and positive cognitions (protective factors) on resourcefulness (resilience indicator) in 95 caregivers of persons with ASD. Design: Descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional. Results: Positive cognitions explained 32% of the variance in resourcefulness, F(1, 93) = 44.49, p < .001, and as positive cognitions increased, caregivers' resourcefulness increased. A substantial drop in the beta weight of caregiver burden from B = -.36 to -.04 when positive cognitions was entered the equation suggested that positive cognitions mediated the effect of caregiver burden on resourcefulness. Conclusion: The results support resilience theory and suggest a need for developing interventions to strengthen positive thinking among caregivers of persons with ASD. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
3. Bhatti I, Thome A, Smith PO, Cook-Wiens G, Yeh HW, Gaffney GR, Hellings JA. {{A Retrospective Study of Amitriptyline in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2012 Nov 8.
We performed a retrospective chart review of 50 youths with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), prescribed amitriptyline (AMI) for hyperactivity and impulsivity. Data was systematically extracted from 50 outpatient clinic charts, including AMI treatment duration, dose, trough levels and adverse events. Mean age was 9.4 years (4.6-17.9); 40 were males and 10 females. 30 % had failed atomoxetine and 40 % had failed >/=3 ADHD medications. Mean dose was 1.3 +/- 0.6 mg/kg/day, mean trough level 114.1 +/- 50.5 ng/ml, mean duration 3.4 years. Clinical Global Impressions Scale-Improvement (CGI-I) was Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
4. Hadjixenofontos A, Schmidt MA, Whitehead PL, Konidari I, Hedges DJ, Wright HH, Abramson RK, Menon R, Williams SM, Cuccaro ML, Haines JL, Gilbert JR, Pericak-Vance MA, Martin ER, McCauley JL. {{Evaluating Mitochondrial DNA Variation in Autism Spectrum Disorders}}. {Annals of human genetics}. 2012 Nov 6.
Despite the increasing speculation that oxidative stress and abnormal energy metabolism may play a role in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and the observation that patients with mitochondrial defects have symptoms consistent with ASD, there are no comprehensive published studies examining the role of mitochondrial variation in autism. Therefore, we have sought to comprehensively examine the role of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation with regard to ASD risk, employing a multi-phase approach. In phase 1 of our experiment, we examined 132 mtDNA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped as part of our genome-wide association studies of ASD. In phase 2 we genotyped the major European mitochondrial haplogroup-defining variants within an expanded set of autism probands and controls. Finally in phase 3, we resequenced the entire mtDNA in a subset of our Caucasian samples ( approximately 400 proband-father pairs). In each phase we tested whether mitochondrial variation showed evidence of association to ASD. Despite a thorough interrogation of mtDNA variation, we found no evidence to suggest a major role for mtDNA variation in ASD susceptibility. Accordingly, while there may be attractive biological hints suggesting the role of mitochondria in ASD our data indicate that mtDNA variation is not a major contributing factor to the development of ASD.
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5. Harris C, Card B. {{A pilot study to evaluate nutritional influences on gastrointestinal symptoms and behavior patterns in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {Complementary therapies in medicine}. 2012 Dec;20(6):437-40.
BACKGROUND: One in 110 children in the US have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a debilitating and life-long disorder that affects the health, relationships, and learning of affected children. Existing research on the etiology, contributing factors, and treatment for ASD is limited and controversial. Studies suggest that GI symptoms are related to behavior issues in children with ASD, which may be improved by a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between a GFCF diet and gastrointestinal symptoms and behavior patterns in children with ASD. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional design in which parents completed an online survey regarding general health, diet (adapted food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ)), gastrointestinal symptoms, and behavior patterns of their children with ASD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Scores on the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS) and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). RESULTS: Seven of thirteen children (median age 9years) were on a GFCF diet, consuming significantly fewer gluten- and casein-containing foods than those not on a GFCF diet. GSRS and CARS scores did not differ significantly according to diet. Parents of all the children on a GFCF diet reported improved GI symptoms and behavior patterns. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that the adapted FFQ is an effective tool for evaluating adherence to a GFCF diet. Continued well-controlled research is necessary to elucidate the gut-brain relationship in ASD.
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6. Roxburgh CA, Carbone VJ. {{The Effect of Varying Teacher Presentation Rates on Responding During Discrete Trial Training for Two Children With Autism}}. {Behavior modification}. 2012 Nov 8.
Recent research has emphasized the importance of manipulating antecedent variables to reduce interfering behaviors when teaching persons with autism. Few studies have focused on the effects of the rate of teacher-presented instructional demands as an independent variable. In this study, an alternating treatment design was used to evaluate the effects of varied rates of teacher-presented demands (1 s, 5 s, 10 s) on the occurrence of problem behavior, opportunities to respond, responses emitted, accuracy of responding, and magnitude and rate of reinforcement for two children with autism. Results indicated that fast presentation rate (1 s) resulted in lower rates of problem behavior, higher frequencies of instructional demands, higher frequencies of participant responding, and greater magnitudes and rates of reinforcement. Differential effects on accuracy of responding across conditions were not observed. Implications for manipulating the rate of teacher-presented instructional demands as an antecedent variable to reduce problem behavior are discussed.
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7. Takahashi J, Gyoba J, Yamawaki N. {{Brief Report: Effect of Spatial Complexity on Visual Short-Term Memory and Self-Reported Autistic-Like Traits in Typically Developed Individuals}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2012 Nov 7.
This report examines effects of the spatial complexity of configurations on visual short-term memory (VSTM) capacity for individuals from the general population differing on autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) scores. During each trial, nine-line segments with various orientations were arrayed in simple or complex configurations and presented in both memory and test displays. Typically, VSTM capacity decreases with increasing configuration complexity. We found that VSTM capacity for simple configurations was larger than for complex configurations in individuals reporting low AQ, whereas for individuals reporting high AQ, there were no significant differences between these configurations. These results suggest that the effects of spatial complexity on VSTM capacity could be observed in individuals reporting low AQ, but not in individuals reporting high AQ.
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8. Travers BG, Powell PS, Klinger LG, Klinger MR. {{Motor Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Linking Symptom Severity and Postural Stability}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2012 Nov 7.
Postural stability is a fundamental aspect of motor ability that allows individuals to sustain and maintain the desired physical position of one’s body. The present study examined postural stability in average-IQ adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Twenty-six individuals with ASD and 26 age-and-IQ-matched individuals with typical development stood on one leg or two legs with eyes opened or closed on a Wii balance board. Results indicated significant group differences in postural stability during one-legged standing, but there were no significant group differences during two-legged standing. This suggests that static balance during more complex standing postures is impaired in average-IQ individuals with ASD. Further, current ASD symptoms were related to postural stability during two-legged standing in individuals with ASD. Future directions and clinical implications are discussed.
