1. Brosnan M, Johnson H, Grawmeyer B, Chapman E, Benton L. {{Emotion Recognition in Animated Compared to Human Stimuli in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {Journal of autism and developmental disorders}. 2015 Jan 8.
There is equivocal evidence as to whether there is a deficit in recognising emotional expressions in Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study compared emotion recognition in ASD in three types of emotion expression media (still image, dynamic image, auditory) across human stimuli (e.g. photo of a human face) and animated stimuli (e.g. cartoon face). Participants were 37 adolescents (age 11-16) with a diagnosis of ASD (33 male, 4 female). 42 males and 39 females served as typically developing, age-matched controls. Overall there was significant advantage for control groups over the ASD group for emotion recognition in human stimuli but not animated stimuli, across modalities. For static animated images specifically, those with ASD significantly outperformed controls. The findings are consistent with the ASD group using atypical explicit strategies.
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2. Choi CH, Schoenfeld BP, Weisz ED, Bell AJ, Chambers DB, Hinchey J, Choi RJ, Hinchey P, Kollaros M, Gertner MJ, Ferrick NJ, Terlizzi AM, Yohn N, Koenigsberg E, Liebelt DA, Zukin RS, Woo NH, Tranfaglia MR, Louneva N, Arnold SE, Siegel SJ, Bolduc FV, McDonald TV, Jongens TA, McBride SM. {{PDE-4 Inhibition Rescues Aberrant Synaptic Plasticity in Drosophila and Mouse Models of Fragile X Syndrome}}. {The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience}. 2015 Jan 7;35(1):396-408.
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the leading cause of both intellectual disability and autism resulting from a single gene mutation. Previously, we characterized cognitive impairments and brain structural defects in a Drosophila model of FXS and demonstrated that these impairments were rescued by treatment with metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) antagonists or lithium. A well-documented biochemical defect observed in fly and mouse FXS models and FXS patients is low cAMP levels. cAMP levels can be regulated by mGluR signaling. Herein, we demonstrate PDE-4 inhibition as a therapeutic strategy to ameliorate memory impairments and brain structural defects in the Drosophila model of fragile X. Furthermore, we examine the effects of PDE-4 inhibition by pharmacologic treatment in the fragile X mouse model. We demonstrate that acute inhibition of PDE-4 by pharmacologic treatment in hippocampal slices rescues the enhanced mGluR-dependent LTD phenotype observed in FXS mice. Additionally, we find that chronic treatment of FXS model mice, in adulthood, also restores the level of mGluR-dependent LTD to that observed in wild-type animals. Translating the findings of successful pharmacologic intervention from the Drosophila model into the mouse model of FXS is an important advance, in that this identifies and validates PDE-4 inhibition as potential therapeutic intervention for the treatment of individuals afflicted with FXS.
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3. Dickstein-Fischer L, Fischer GS. {{Combining psychological and engineering approaches to utilizing social robots with children with Autism}}. {Conference proceedings : Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Annual Conference}. 2014 Aug;2014:792-5.
It is estimated that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects 1 in 68 children. Early identification of an ASD is exceedingly important to the introduction of an intervention. We are developing a robot-assisted approach that will serve as an improved diagnostic and early intervention tool for children with autism. The robot, named PABI(R) (Penguin for Autism Behavioral Interventions), is a compact humanoid robot taking on an expressive cartoon-like embodiment. The robot is affordable, durable, and portable so that it can be used in various settings including schools, clinics, and the home. Thus enabling significantly enhanced and more readily available diagnosis and continuation of care. Through facial expressions, body motion, verbal cues, stereo vision-based tracking, and a tablet computer, the robot is capable of interacting meaningfully with an autistic child. Initial implementations of the robot, as part of a comprehensive treatment model (CTM), include Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy where the child interacts with a tablet computer wirelessly interfaced with the robot. At the same time, the robot makes meaningful expressions and utterances and uses stereo cameras in eyes to track the child, maintain eye contact, and collect data such as affect and gaze direction for charting of progress. In this paper we present the clinical justification, anticipated usage with corresponding requirements, prototype development of the robotic system, and demonstration of a sample application for robot-assisted ABA therapy.
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4. Jadhav PN, Shanamugan D, Chourasia A, Ghole AR, Acharyya A, Naik G. {{Automated detection and correction of eye blink and muscular artefacts in EEG signal for analysis of Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {Conference proceedings : Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Annual Conference}. 2014 Aug;2014:1881-4.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neural development disorder affecting the information processing capability of the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses interconnect and organize. Electroencephalograph or EEG signals records the electrical activity of the brain from the scalp which can be utilized to identify and investigate the brain wave pattern which are specific to individuals with ASD. Therefore, the analysis of ASD can be done by scrutinizing the specific bands (Theta, Mu and Beta) of the EEG signal. However, EEG signals are mainly contaminated by Ocular (Eye-blink) and Myogenic artefacts which pose problems in EEG interpretation. In this paper an automated real-time method for detection and removal of Ocular and Myogenic artefacts for multichannel EEG signal is proposed which would enhance the diagnostic accuracy. The proposed methodology has been validated against 20 subjects from Caltech, Physionet, Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience and the computed average correlation and regression are 0.7574 and 0.6992 respectively.
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5. Prakash P, Kuehl P, McWilliams B, Rubenthaler S, Schnell E, Singleton G, Warren S. {{Sensors and instrumentation for unobtrusive sleep quality assessment in autistic children}}. {Conference proceedings : Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Annual Conference}. 2014 Aug;2014:800-3.
Little is understood about the sleep quality of children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Conventional sensors and instrumentation for objective sleep quality assessment, such as those used in polysomnography, are highly obtrusive and not well-suited to this patient population. This paper presents a set of sensors and instrumentation for unobtrusive measurement of physiological and behavioral parameters indicative of sleep quality. Specifically, load cells, an electromechanical film, and thermocouples are used to measure respiratory rate, pulse rate, and physical activity of a subject lying on a bed. The sensor suite is being developed to monitor sleep quality of children at Heartspring, a residential and educational facility in Wichita, KS that serves children with severe developmental disabilities. These technologies have the potential to provide objective sleep quality assessment for children in their home environment.
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6. Schutte JL, McCue MP, Parmanto B, McGonigle J, Handen B, Lewis A, Pulantara IW, Saptono A. {{Usability and Reliability of a Remotely Administered Adult Autism Assessment, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Module 4}}. {Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association}. 2015 Jan 8.
Abstract Introduction: The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Module 4 is an autism assessment designed for verbally fluent adolescents and adults. Because of a shortage of available clinical expertise, it can be difficult for adults to receive a proper autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnostic assessment. A potential option to address this shortage is remote assessment. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility, usability, and reliability of administering the ADOS Module 4 remotely using the Versatile and Integrated System for Telerehabilitation (VISYTER). Materials and Methods: VISYTER consists of computer stations at the client site and clinician site for video communication and a Web portal for managing and coordinating the assessment process. Twenty-three adults with an ASD diagnosis participated in a within-subject crossover design study in which both a remote ADOS and a face-to-face ADOS were administered. After completing the remote ADOS, participants completed a satisfaction survey. Results: Participant satisfaction with the remote ADOS delivery system was high. The kappa value was greater than 0.61 on 21 of 31 ADOS items. There was substantial agreement on ADOS classification (i.e., diagnosis) between assessments delivered face-to-face versus assessments delivered remotely (interclass coefficient=0.92). Non-agreement may have been due to outside factors or practice effect despite a washout period. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that an autism assessment designed to be delivered face to face can be administered remotely using an integrated Web-based system with high levels of usability and reliability.
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7. Singleton G, Warren S, Piersel W. {{Clinical overview of the need for technologies for around-the-clock monitoring of the health status of severely disabled autistic children}}. {Conference proceedings : Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Annual Conference}. 2014 Aug;2014:789-91.
Despite the growing incidence and costs of autism, little has been done to apply technology advancements to the challenges faced by autistic individuals. The recent introduction of digital data collection to track the progress of treatment interventions has been an important contribution, but there are many other opportunities for technology to facilitate the development of autistic children and to assist the clinical staff who work with them. The realization of wearable devices to identify and track behaviors would significantly reduce the manual input of data into digital devices, and wireless physiological monitoring has the potential to provide predictors of unwanted behaviors. The development of such tools would change the intervention paradigms that currently exist.
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8. Taffoni F, Focaroli V, Keller F, Iverson JM. {{A technological approach to studying motor planning ability in children at high risk for ASD}}. {Conference proceedings : Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Annual Conference}. 2014 Aug;2014:3638-41.
In this work we propose a new method to study the development of motor planning abilities in children and, in particular, in children at high risk for ASD. Although several modified motor signs have been found in children with ASD, no specific markers enabling the early assessment of risk have been found yet. In this work, we discuss the problem posed by objective and quantitative behavioral analysis in non-structured environment. After an initial description of the main constraints imposed by the ecological approach, a technological and methodological solution to these issues is presented. Preliminary results on 12 children are reported and briefly discussed.
