1. Alasmari M, Alduais A, Qasem F. Language competency in autism: a scientometric review. Front Psychiatry. 2024; 15: 1338776.

The study of atypical language acquisition in children with, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is crucial for both practical and theoretical reasons. Understanding the course of language development in ASD can inform potential interventions and treatments while shedding light on the necessary conditions for language development in typically developing children. This scientometric review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the research landscape in this field, identifying trends, patterns, and knowledge gaps. The methods employed in this review comprise a systematic search of three major databases: Scopus (5,026 documents), Web of Science (WoS; 4,570 documents), and Lens (3,235 documents). The analysis includes bibliometric indicators such as knowledge production size by year, country, university, source, subject area, author, and citation. Scientometric indicators consist of burst detection, silhouette, clusters, citation, and co-occurrence of keywords. The analysis reveals clusters focusing on various aspects of language development in ASD, such as motor skills, parental communication strategies, cognitive processes, and genetics. Key clusters include the relationship between fine motor gestures and language usage patterns, the role of expressive language skills and maternal gesture use, and the effectiveness of online parent training modules for improving prelinguistic predictors. Other noteworthy clusters explore the importance of core language skills, the role of natural language input and syntactic complexity, and the genetic underpinnings of language abilities in high-functioning adults with ASD. In conclusion, this scientometric review highlights the top 10 clusters and their respective Silhouette values, providing valuable insights into language acquisition in ASD. These findings have important implications for guiding future research directions and informing the creation of targeted and effective interventions to support language acquisition in this population.

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2. Basavaraja GV. Embracing Differences: Raising Awareness About Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome. Indian Pediatr. 2024; 61(4): 303-4.

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3. Bottema-Beutel K. Putting autism research in social contexts. Autism. 2024: 13623613241245642.

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4. Chattopadhyay N. Autism Screening in India: Many a Chasm to Bridge. Indian Pediatr. 2024; 61(4): 321-2.

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5. Chen Q, Chen M, Bao W, Strathearn L, Zang X, Meng L, Xu G. Association of cerebral palsy with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: a large-scale nationwide population-based study. BMJ Paediatr Open. 2024; 8(1).

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of cerebral palsy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), providing evidence for interdisciplinary medical service for children with cerebral palsy. DESIGN: A large-scale nationwide population-based study. SETTING: The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). PATIENTS: 177 899 children aged 3-17 years among NHIS participants from 1997 to 2003 and 2008 to 2018. RESULTS: Among the 177 899 children included in this analysis, 602 (0.33%) had cerebral palsy, 1997 (1.16%) had ASD, and 13 697 (7.91%) had ADHD. Compared with children without cerebral palsy, children with cerebral palsy had a higher prevalence of ASD (6.09% vs 1.15%; p<0.001) and ADHD (15.91% vs 7.89%; p<0.001). After adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, family highest education level, family income level and geographical region, the OR among children with cerebral palsy, compared with children without cerebral palsy, was 5.07 (95% CI 3.25 to 7.91) for ASD (p<0.001) and 1.95 (95% CI 1.43 to 2.66) for ADHD (p<0.001). Furthermore, the association of cerebral palsy with ASD and ADHD remained significant in all subgroups stratified by age, sex and race. CONCLUSION: In a large, nationally representative sample of US children, this study shows that children with cerebral palsy are at an increased risk of ASD and ADHD.

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6. Fu Z, Yang X, Jiang Y, Mao X, Liu H, Yang Y, Chen J, Chen Z, Li H, Zhang XS, Mao X, Li N, Wang D, Jiang J. Microbiota profiling reveals alteration of gut microbial neurotransmitters in a mouse model of autism-associated 16p11.2 microduplication. Front Microbiol. 2024; 15: 1331130.

The gut-brain axis is evident in modulating neuropsychiatric diseases including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Chromosomal 16p11.2 microduplication 16p11.2(dp/+) is among the most prevalent genetic copy number variations (CNV) linked with ASD. However, the implications of gut microbiota status underlying the development of ASD-like impairments induced by 16p11.2(dp/+) remains unclear. To address this, we initially investigated a mouse model of 16p11.2(dp/+), which exhibits social novelty deficit and repetitive behavior characteristic of ASD. Subsequently, we conducted a comparative analysis of the gut microbial community and metabolomic profiles between 16p11.2(dp/+) and their wild-type counterparts using 16S rRNA sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Our microbiota analysis revealed structural dysbiosis in 16p11.2(dp/+) mice, characterized by reduced biodiversity and alterations in species abundance, as indicated by α/β-diversity analysis. Specifically, we observed reduced relative abundances of Faecalibaculum and Romboutsia, accompanied by an increase in Turicibacter and Prevotellaceae UCG_001 in 16p11.2(dp/+) group. Metabolomic analysis identified 19 significantly altered metabolites and unveiled enriched amino acid metabolism pathways. Notably, a disruption in the predominantly histamine-centered neurotransmitter network was observed in 16p11.2(dp/+) mice. Collectively, our findings delineate potential alterations and correlations among the gut microbiota and microbial neurotransmitters in 16p11.2(dp/+) mice, providing new insights into the pathogenesis of and treatment for 16p11.2 CNV-associated ASD.

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7. Gale-Grant O, Chew A, Falconer S, França LGS, Fenn-Moltu S, Hadaya L, Harper N, Ciarrusta J, Charman T, Murphy D, Arichi T, McAlonan G, Nosarti C, Edwards AD, Batalle D. Clinical, socio-demographic, and parental correlates of early autism traits in a community cohort of toddlers. Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1): 8393.

Identifying factors linked to autism traits in the general population may improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying divergent neurodevelopment. In this study we assess whether factors increasing the likelihood of childhood autism are related to early autistic trait emergence, or if other exposures are more important. We used data from 536 toddlers from London (UK), collected at birth (gestational age at birth, sex, maternal body mass index, age, parental education, parental language, parental history of neurodevelopmental conditions) and at 18 months (parents cohabiting, measures of socio-economic deprivation, measures of maternal parenting style, and a measure of maternal depression). Autism traits were assessed using the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) at 18 months. A multivariable model explained 20% of Q-CHAT variance, with four individually significant variables (two measures of parenting style and two measures of socio-economic deprivation). In order to address variable collinearity we used principal component analysis, finding that a component which was positively correlated with Q-CHAT was also correlated to measures of parenting style and socio-economic deprivation. Our results show that parenting style and socio-economic deprivation correlate with the emergence of autism traits at age 18 months as measured with the Q-CHAT in a community sample.

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8. Gesi C, Giacovelli L, Reibman YL, Dell’Osso B. Beyond imagination: Sorting out and treating psychosis in the context of autism spectrum disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2024; 173: 363-6.

In the last decades, growing caseness for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been observed, owing to the diagnostic accretion of low-impairment forms, over and above other possible causes. Unrecognized ASD is likely to be mislabeled as a psychotic disorder (PD), as people in the spectrum may show ‘pseudopsychotic’ symptoms, resembling both negative and positive symptoms. On the other hand, PDs are likely to be overlooked when they arise in people with ASD, due to the ‘diagnostic overshadowing’ of new-onset conditions by lifelong core autistic symptoms. The three available metanalyses on the occurrence of psychosis in adults with ASD convergently reported a rate of PDs that is at least ten times higher than in the general population. Therefore, the lack of literature addressing risk factors, outcomes, and treatment options for psychosis in the context of ASD is utterly concerning. The present review aims to summarize up-to-date knowledge of PDs with comorbid ASD in terms of clinical features, course, and treatment.

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9. Gu T, Jin C, Lin L, Wang X, Li X, Jing J, Cao M. The relationship between executive function and the association of motor coordination difficulties and social communication deficits in autistic children. Front Psychiatry. 2024; 15: 1363406.

BACKGROUND: Motor coordination difficulties could contribute to social communication deficits in autistic children. However, the exploration of the mechanism implicated in these claims has been limited by the lack of potential confounders such as executive function (EF). METHODS: We investigated the role that EF plays in the relationship between motor coordination and social communication in a school-aged autistic population via a structural model in a statistically robust manner. The results of questionnaires, including the Developmental Coordination Disorder questionnaire, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and the Social Responsiveness Scale, were collected to measure motor coordination, social communication deficits, and EF. RESULTS: A total of 182 autistic children (7.61±1.31 years, 87.9% boys) were included in the final analysis. In the model with EF as a mediator, the total effect (β=-0.599, P<0.001) and the direct effect (β=-0.331, P =0.003) of motor coordination function on social communication were both significant among autistic children without intellectual disability (ID), as were indirect effects through EF (β=-0.268, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: EF partially mediates the motor coordination and social communication correlation among autistic children. We suggest that motor coordination should be included in the routine evaluation of autistic surveillance and rehabilitation procedures.

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10. Guo X, Xu C, Chen J, Wu Z, Hou S, Wei Z. Disrupted cognitive and affective empathy network interactions in autistic children viewing social animation. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2024.

Empathy can be divided into two core components, cognitive empathy (CE) and affective empathy (AE), mediated by distinct neural networks. Deficient empathy is a central feature of autism spectrum conditions (ASC), but it is unclear if this deficit results from disruption solely within empathy networks or from disrupted functional integration between cognitive and affective empathy networks. To address this issue, we measured functional connectivity (FC) patterns both within and between empathy networks in autistic children (4-8 years, n = 31) and matched typically developing (TD) children (n = 26) using near-infrared spectroscopy during presentation of an animated story evoking CE and AE. Empathy and social communication ability were also assessed using the Empathy Quotient/Systemizing Quotient (EQ/SQ) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), respectively. The results showed that the FC in the AE network of autistic children did not differ from the TD group across conditions; however, ASC group showed weaker FC in the CE network under the CE condition and weaker FC between networks when processing AE information, the latter of which was negatively correlated with EQ scores in ASC. The empathy defect in ASC may involve abnormal integration of CE and AE network activities under AE condition.

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11. Jording M, Hartz A, Vogel DHV, Schulte-Rüther M, Vogeley K. Impaired recognition of interactive intentions in adults with autism spectrum disorder not attributable to differences in visual attention or coordination via eye contact and joint attention. Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1): 8297.

Altered nonverbal communication patterns especially with regard to gaze interactions are commonly reported for persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study we investigate and differentiate for the first time the interplay of attention allocation, the establishment of shared focus (eye contact and joint attention) and the recognition of intentions in gaze interactions in adults with ASD compared to control persons. Participants interacted via gaze with a virtual character (VC), who they believed was controlled by another person. Participants were instructed to ascertain whether their partner was trying to interact with them. In fact, the VC was fully algorithm-controlled and showed either interactive or non-interactive gaze behavior. Participants with ASD were specifically impaired in ascertaining whether their partner was trying to interact with them or not as compared to participants without ASD whereas neither the allocation of attention nor the ability to establish a shared focus were affected. Thus, perception and production of gaze cues seem preserved while the evaluation of gaze cues appeared to be impaired. An additional exploratory analysis suggests that especially the interpretation of contingencies between the interactants’ actions are altered in ASD and should be investigated more closely.

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12. Kentrou V, Livingston LA, Grove R, Hoekstra RA, Begeer S. Perceived misdiagnosis of psychiatric conditions in autistic adults. EClinicalMedicine. 2024; 71: 102586.

BACKGROUND: Many autistic people, particularly women, do not receive an autism diagnosis until adulthood, delaying their access to timely support and clinical care. One possible explanation is that autistic traits may initially be misinterpreted as symptoms of other psychiatric conditions, leading some individuals to experience misdiagnosis of other psychiatric conditions prior to their autism diagnosis. However, little is currently known about the frequency and nature of psychiatric misdiagnoses in autistic adults. METHODS: Using data collected in the first half of 2019 from an ongoing longitudinal register of autistic adults in the Netherlands, this study explored the frequency of perceived psychiatric misdiagnoses before receiving an autism diagnosis. Gender differences were also explored. A sample of 1211 autistic adults (52.6% women, mean age 42.3 years), the majority of whom were Dutch and relatively highly educated, was evaluated. FINDINGS: Results showed that 24.6% (n = 298) of participants reported at least one previous psychiatric diagnosis that was perceived as a misdiagnosis. Personality disorders were the most frequent perceived misdiagnoses, followed by anxiety disorders, mood disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome/burnout-related disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Autistic women (31.7%) reported perceived misdiagnoses more frequently than men (16.7%). Women were specifically more likely than men to report perceived misdiagnoses of personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and mood disorders. Women also reported prior psychiatric diagnoses more often in general (65.8% versus 34.2% in men). Within the group of individuals with a prior diagnosis, perceived misdiagnoses were equally likely for men and women. INTERPRETATION: One in four autistic adults, and one in three autistic women, reported at least one psychiatric diagnosis, obtained prior to being diagnosed with autism, that was perceived as a misdiagnosis. Inaccurate diagnoses are linked to long diagnostic pathways and delayed recognition of autism. These findings highlight the need for improved training of mental health practitioners, in order to improve their awareness of the presentation of autism in adulthood and of the complex relationship between autism and co-occurring conditions. The current study constitutes a first step towards showing that autistic adults, and particularly women, may be at greater risk of experiencing misdiagnoses. Future studies based on larger, more representative samples are required, to replicate current findings and provide more reliable estimates of the overall frequency of misdiagnoses as well as the frequency of misdiagnoses for specific psychiatric conditions. FUNDING: This study was made possible by funding from the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMW), project number 60-63600-98-834.

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13. Kim H, Baker D, Kim S, Liu C, Cook K. The impact of educational and medical systems on autistic children from multilingual American homes: A systematic review. Autism. 2024: 13623613241242839.

Research has found that autistic children can navigate multilingual schools and communities without harming their language skills or school success. However, they may encounter specific challenges within the United States, where educational and healthcare systems are insufficiently equipped to meet their needs. This review examined 46 US-based studies on the topic and findings reveal persistent deficit-based ideas about multilingualism and autism (e.g., professionals recommending that autistic students only speak and learn in English) accompanied by patterns of unequal identification of autism among multilingual children. These findings highlight issues of disproportionality and inadequate access to educational and healthcare resources. However, recent studies indicate that incorporating a child’s native language in education not only enhances learning and behavioral outcomes but also boosts cognitive functions like problem-solving and planning. Taken as a whole, current research suggests that intentionally addressing linguistic diversity will allow educational and medical systems to better serve autistic children.

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14. Lee KS, Choi YY, Kim YS, Kim Y, Kim MH, Lee N. Association between the COVID-19 pandemic and childhood development aged 30 to 36 months in South Korea, based on the National health screening program for infants and children database. BMC Public Health. 2024; 24(1): 989.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on the neurodevelopment of children. However, the precise effects of the virus and the social consequences of the pandemic on pediatric neurodevelopment are not yet fully understood. We aimed to compare the neurodevelopment of children between before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as examine the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) and regional differences on the development. METHODS: The study used the Korean Developmental Screening Test to compare the difference in the risk of neurodevelopmental delay between before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the relationship between experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic and the risk of neurodevelopmental delay. Stratified analyses were performed to determine whether the developmental delays caused by the pandemic’s impact varied depending on SES or regional inequality. RESULTS: This study found an association between the experience of COVID-19 and a higher risk of neurodevelopmental delay in communication (adjusted OR [aOR]: 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19, 1.22; P-value: < 0.0001) and social interaction (aOR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.17; P-value: < 0.0001) domains among children of 30-36 months' ages. Notably, the observed association in the Medicaid group of children indicates a higher risk of neurodevelopmental delay compared to those in the non-Medicaid group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the need to be concerned about the neurodevelopment of children who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also calls for increased training and support for Medicaid children, parents, teachers, and healthcare practitioners. Additionally, policy programs focused on groups vulnerable to developmental delays are required.

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15. Mao Y, Lin X, Wu Y, Lu J, Shen J, Zhong S, Jin X, Ma J. Additive interaction between birth asphyxia and febrile seizures on autism spectrum disorder: a population-based study. Mol Autism. 2024; 15(1): 17.

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that can significantly impact an individual’s ability to socially integrate and adapt. It’s crucial to identify key factors associated with ASD. Recent studies link both birth asphyxia (BA) and febrile seizures (FS) separately to higher ASD prevalence. However, investigations into the interplay of BA and FS and its relationship with ASD are yet to be conducted. The present study mainly focuses on exploring the interactive effect between BA and FS in the context of ASD. METHODS: Utilizing a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling, we initially recruited 84,934 Shanghai children aged 3-12 years old from June 2014 to June 2015, ultimately including 74,251 post-exclusion criteria. A logistic regression model was conducted to estimate the interaction effect after controlling for pertinent covariates. The attributable proportion (AP), the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), the synergy index (SI), and multiplicative-scale interaction were computed to determine the interaction effect. RESULTS: Among a total of 74,251 children, 192 (0.26%) were diagnosed with ASD. The adjusted odds ratio for ASD in children with BA alone was 3.82 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.42-6.02), for FS alone 3.06 (95%CI 1.48-6.31), and for comorbid BA and FS 21.18 (95%CI 9.10-49.30), versus children without BA or FS. The additive interaction between BA and FS showed statistical significance (P < 0.001), whereas the multiplicative interaction was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). LIMITATIONS: This study can only demonstrate the relationship between the interaction of BA and FS with ASD but cannot prove causation. Animal brain experimentation is necessary to unravel its neural mechanisms. A larger sample size, ongoing monitoring, and detailed FS classification are needed for confirming BA-FS interaction in ASD. CONCLUSION: In this extensive cross-sectional study, both BA and FS were significantly linked to ASD. The coexistence of these factors was associated with an additive increase in ASD prevalence, surpassing the cumulative risk of each individual factor.

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16. Nautiyal H, Jaiswar A, Jha PK, Dwivedi S. Exploring key genes and pathways associated with sex differences in autism spectrum disorder: integrated bioinformatic analysis. Mamm Genome. 2024.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogenous neurodevelopmental disorder marked by functional abnormalities in brain that causes social and linguistic difficulties. The incidence of ASD is more prevalent in males compared to females, but the underlying mechanism, as well as molecular indications for identifying sex-specific differences in ASD symptoms remain unknown. Thus, impacting the development of personalized strategy towards pharmacotherapy of ASD. The current study employs an integrated bioinformatic approach to investigate the genes and pathways uniquely associated with sex specific differences in autistic individuals. Based on microarray dataset (GSE6575) extracted from the gene expression omnibus, the dysregulated genes between the autistic and the neurotypical individuals for both sexes were identified. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed to ascertain biological activities linked to the dysregulated genes. Protein-protein interaction network analysis was carried out to identify hub genes. The identified hub genes were examined to determine their functions and involvement in the associated pathways using Enrichr. Additionally, hub genes were validated from autism-associated databases and the potential small molecules targeting the hub genes were identified. The present study utilized whole blood transcriptomic gene expression analysis data and identified 2211 and 958 differentially expressed unique genes in males and females respectively. The functional enrichment analysis revealed that male hub genes were functionally associated with RNA polymerase II mediated transcriptional regulation whereas female hub genes were involved in intracellular signal transduction and cell migration. The top male hub genes exhibited functional enrichment in tyrosine kinase signalling pathway. The pathway enrichment analysis of male hub genes indicates the enrichment of papillomavirus infection. Female hub genes were enriched in androgen receptor signalling pathway and functionally enriched in focal adhesion specific excision repair. Identified drug like candidates targeting these genes may serve as a potential sex specific therapeutics. Wortmannin for males, 5-Fluorouracil for females had the highest scores. Targeted and sex-specific pharmacotherapies may be created for the management of ASD. The current investigation identifies sex-specific molecular signatures derived from whole blood which may serve as a potential peripheral sex-specific biomarkers for ASD. The study also uncovers the possible pharmacological interventions against the selected genes/pathway, providing support in development of therapeutic strategies to mitigate ASD. However, experimental proofs on biological systems are warranted.

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17. Pirinen V, Eggers K, Dindar K, Helminen T, Kotila A, Kuusikko-Gauffin S, Mäkinen L, Ebeling H, Hurtig T, Mäntymaa M, Loukusa S. Associations between social anxiety, physiological reactivity, and speech disfluencies in autistic young adults and controls. J Commun Disord. 2024; 109: 106425.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine possible associations of social anxiety (SA) and speaking-related physiological reactivity with the frequencies of a) total disfluencies, b) typical disfluencies, and c) stuttering-like disfluencies, as well as d) stuttering-severity in autistic young adults and controls. METHODS: Thirty-two autistic young adults and 35 controls participated in this study. Participants were presented with video clips (viewing condition) and were then asked to talk about the videos (narrating condition). SA was measured by the self-report Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI). Speaking-related physiological reactivity was measured by the electrodermal activity (EDA), an index of emotional arousal. The speech samples from the narrating condition were analyzed for type and frequency of speech disfluencies and used for determining the stuttering severity. SA and speaking-related physiological reactivity were compared between the groups. Correlation between SA, physiological reactivity, disfluency frequencies, and stuttering severity were tested separately for both groups. RESULTS: No between-group differences were found in the overall SA, yet differences were found in SPAI subscales of social interaction, group interaction, and avoidance, as well as in agoraphobia. Both groups had higher physiological arousal in narrating condition in comparison to the video viewing condition, yet there was no between-group difference in the reactivity. No associations were found between SPAI measures, physiological reactivity, disfluency frequencies, and stuttering severity in the autistic group. In the control group, a negative association was found between physiological reactivity and total and typical disfluency frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: SA or speaking-related physiological reactivity were not associated with disfluency frequencies or stuttering severity in autistic persons. Negative association between physiological reactivity and disfluency frequencies found in the control group may indicate that the physiological arousal may impact the speech production process by reducing the overt disfluencies.

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18. Saad K, Shabaan I, Hassan AM, Ezzat M, Abouzed MA, Hamed Y, Ibrahim MFM, Gad EF. Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case-Controlled Study. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2024; 16(Suppl 1): S905-s8.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Numerous therapeutic and dietary interventions have been examined in the last thirty years for pediatric patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our interventional study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet in a cohort of Egyptian children with ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present clinical trial was conducted as a prospective 12-month, open-label, case-controlled interventional study. Thirty-six ASD children who were newly diagnosed and had not taken any prior psychiatric or rehabilitation therapy were included in this study. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups: group A, which received the GFCF diet, and group B, which served as the control group and was not restricted to food containing gluten and casein for 12 months. All patients were followed up for 1 year. RESULTS: Following the implementation of the GFCF diet in group A, significant improvements in CARS scores were observed compared to group B after 6-month and 1-year follow-up periods. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of the GFCF diet could be helpful and promising for autistic children. Conclusive evidence regarding the effectiveness of the GFCF diet remains a subject of controversy. Nonetheless, our study contributes some evidence supporting its potential benefits for children with ASD. It is recommended that future research on the GFCF diet employ a more sophisticated research design, incorporating a consistent baseline measure that can effectively assess the therapeutic effects of these interventions for individuals with ASD.

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19. Sape RM, Shead DA, Maseko BC. Global pharmaceutical care approaches to autism spectrum disorder: a scoping review protocol. JBI Evid Synth. 2024.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the review is to map the literary evidence on pharmaceutical care approaches and trends being seen globally in the treatment of the signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). INTRODUCTION: ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition synonymous with sliding-scale behavioral, communication, and social problems. Causes include genetic and environmental factors. Pharmaceuticals are prescribed to treat the behavioral patterns of ASD. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review will incorporate studies that report on the pharmaceutical care approaches used to treat the signs and symptoms of ASD as well as to identify the global trends related to their use. Studies not falling under the ASD umbrella will be excluded. All primary, secondary, and gray literature will be included. No language restrictions will be applied. Studies from January 1, 1984 will be included. METHODS: This review will be conducted in line with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. A preliminary search of MEDLINE will be followed by searches of Emcare (Ovid), Nursing and Allied Health Premium (ProQuest), and Google Scholar. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts and extract data from selected sources. A third reviewer will adjudicate any conflicts until consensus is reached. The findings will be presented in a narrative summary with accompanying gap maps, figures, and tables. REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: Open Science Framework https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/C234M.

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