1. Boddaert N, Zilbovicius M, Philipe A, Robel L, Bourgeois M, Barthelemy C, Seidenwurm D, Meresse I, Laurier L, Desguerre I, Bahi-Buisson N, Brunelle F, Munnich A, Samson Y, Mouren MC, Chabane N. {{MRI findings in 77 children with non-syndromic autistic disorder}}. {PLoS ONE};2009;4(2):e4415.
BACKGROUND: The clinical relevance of MR scanning in children with autism is still an open question and must be considered in light of the evolution of this technology. MRI was judged to be of insufficient value to be included in the standard clinical evaluation of autism according to the guidelines of the American Academy of Neurology and Child Neurology Society in 2000. However, this statement was based on results obtained from small samples of patients and, more importantly, included mostly insufficient MRI sequences. Our main objective was to evaluate the prevalence of brain abnormalities in a large group of children with a non-syndromic autistic disorder (AD) using T1, T2 and FLAIR MRI sequences. METHODOLOGY: MRI inspection of 77 children and adolescents with non-syndromic AD (mean age 7.4+/-3.6) was performed. All met the DSM-IV and ADI -R criteria for autism. Based on recommended clinical and biological screenings, we excluded patients with infectious, metabolic or genetic diseases, seizures or any other neurological symptoms. Identical MRI inspections of 77 children (mean age 7.0+/-4.2) without AD, developmental or neurological disorders were also performed. All MRIs were acquired with a 1.5-T Signa GE (3-D T1-FSPGR, T2, FLAIR coronal and axial sequences). Two neuroradiologists independently inspected cortical and sub-cortical regions. MRIs were reported to be normal, abnormal or uninterpretable. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: MRIs were judged as uninterpretable in 10% (8/77) of the cases. In 48% of the children (33/69 patients), abnormalities were reported. Three predominant abnormalities were observed, including white matter signal abnormalities (19/69), major dilated Virchow-Robin spaces (12/69) and temporal lobe abnormalities (20/69). In all, 52% of the MRIs were interpreted as normal (36/69 patients). CONCLUSIONS: An unexpectedly high rate of MRI abnormalities was found in the first large series of clinical MRI investigations in non-syndromic autism. These results could contribute to further etiopathogenetic research into autism.
2. {{Ghanizadeh A. Does risperidone improve hyperacusia in children with autism?}} {Psychopharmacol Bull};2009;42(1):108-110.
Introduction: Many of children with autism have hyperacusia, an increased sensation to sound. It can lead to their avoidance from some sounds or they may cover their ears. There was not found any published report about possible effect of any medication for improving hyperacusia in children with autism. Case Report: The patient is a 5 and half year old girl with autism and hyperacusia. According to her mother’s report, severity of hyperacusia was improved after taking risperidone. Conclusion: Hyperacusia was improved after initiation of risperidone and disappeared after discontinuation of risperidone. It re-happened in the re-challenge test. This supports the possible role of risperidone. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first report of possible risperidone effect on hyperacusia in the literature.
3. Tabares-Seisdedos R, Rubenstein JL. {{Chromosome 8p as a potential hub for developmental neuropsychiatric disorders: implications for schizophrenia, autism and cancer}}. {Mol Psychiatry};2009 (Feb 10)
Defects in genetic and developmental processes are thought to contribute susceptibility to autism and schizophrenia. Presumably, owing to etiological complexity identifying susceptibility genes and abnormalities in the development has been difficult. However, the importance of genes within chromosomal 8p region for neuropsychiatric disorders and cancer is well established. There are 484 annotated genes located on 8p; many are most likely oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes. Molecular genetics and developmental studies have identified 21 genes in this region (ADRA1A, ARHGEF10, CHRNA2, CHRNA6, CHRNB3, DKK4, DPYSL2, EGR3, FGF17, FGF20, FGFR1, FZD3, LDL, NAT2, NEF3, NRG1, PCM1, PLAT, PPP3CC, SFRP1 and VMAT1/SLC18A1) that are most likely to contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, autism, bipolar disorder and depression), neurodegenerative disorders (Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease) and cancer. Furthermore, at least seven nonprotein-coding RNAs (microRNAs) are located at 8p. Structural variants on 8p, such as copy number variants, microdeletions or microduplications, might also contribute to autism, schizophrenia and other human diseases including cancer. In this review, we consider the current state of evidence from cytogenetic, linkage, association, gene expression and endophenotyping studies for the role of these 8p genes in neuropsychiatric disease. We also describe how a mutation in an 8p gene (Fgf17) results in a mouse with deficits in specific components of social behavior and a reduction in its dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. We finish by discussing the biological connections of 8p with respect to neuropsychiatric disorders and cancer, despite the shortcomings of this evidence.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 10 February 2009; doi:10.1038/mp.2009.2.
