1. Baroud E, Bond JB, Lucarelli J, Olusunmade M, Henry ME, Abrams AN. Safe Administration of Electroconvulsive Therapy in a Patient With Catatonia and Neuropsychiatric Lupus Comorbid With Fragile X Syndrome. J ECT;2022 (May 5)

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2. Gatzia DE, Arnaud S. Loving Objects: Can Autism Explain Objectophilia?. Arch Sex Behav;2022 (May 10)

Objectophilia (also known as objectum-sexuality) involves romantic and sexual attraction to specific objects. Objectophiles often develop deep and enduring emotional, romantic, and sexual relations with specific inanimate (concrete or abstract) objects such as trains, bridges, cars, or words. The determinants of objectophilia are poorly understood. The aim of this paper is to examine the determining factors of objectophilia. We examine four hypotheses about the determinants of objectophilia (pertaining to fetishism, synesthesia, cross-modal mental imagery, and autism) and argue that the most likely determining factors of objectophilia are the social and non-social features of autism. Future studies on the determinants of objectophilia could enhance our understanding and potentially lessen the marginalization experienced by objectophiles.

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3. Ivashko-Pachima Y, Ganaiem M, Ben-Horin-Hazak I, Lobyntseva A, Bellaiche N, Fischer I, Levy G, Sragovich S, Karmon G, Giladi E, Shazman S, Barak B, Gozes I. SH3- and actin-binding domains connect ADNP and SHANK3, revealing a fundamental shared mechanism underlying autism. Mol Psychiatry;2022 (May 10)

De novo heterozygous mutations in activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) cause autistic ADNP syndrome. ADNP mutations impair microtubule (MT) function, essential for synaptic activity. The ADNP MT-associating fragment NAPVSIPQ (called NAP) contains an MT end-binding protein interacting domain, SxIP (mimicking the active-peptide, SKIP). We hypothesized that not all ADNP mutations are similarly deleterious and that the NAPV portion of NAPVSIPQ is biologically active. Using the eukaryotic linear motif (ELM) resource, we identified a Src homology 3 (SH3) domain-ligand association site in NAP responsible for controlling signaling pathways regulating the cytoskeleton, namely NAPVSIP. Altogether, we mapped multiple SH3-binding sites in ADNP. Comparisons of the effects of ADNP mutations p.Glu830synfs*83, p.Lys408Valfs*31, p.Ser404* on MT dynamics and Tau interactions (live-cell fluorescence-microscopy) suggested spared toxic function in p.Lys408Valfs*31, with a regained SH3-binding motif due to the frameshift insertion. Site-directed-mutagenesis, abolishing the p.Lys408Valfs*31 SH3-binding motif, produced MT toxicity. NAP normalized MT activities in the face of all ADNP mutations, although, SKIP, missing the SH3-binding motif, showed reduced efficacy in terms of MT-Tau interactions, as compared with NAP. Lastly, SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains protein 3 (SHANK3), a major autism gene product, interact with the cytoskeleton through an actin-binding motif to modify behavior. Similarly, ELM analysis identified an actin-binding site on ADNP, suggesting direct SH3 and indirect SHANK3/ADNP associations. Actin co-immunoprecipitations from mouse brain extracts showed NAP-mediated normalization of Shank3-Adnp-actin interactions. Furthermore, NAP treatment ameliorated aberrant behavior in mice homozygous for the Shank3 ASD-linked InsG3680 mutation, revealing a fundamental shared mechanism between ADNP and SHANK3.

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4. Lyu QY, Yu XX, Wang JL, Wang XY, Ke QQ, Liu D, Yang QH. Self-esteem and family functioning mediates the association of symptom severity and parental affiliate stigma among families with children with ASD. J Pediatr Nurs;2022 (May 7)

PURPOSE: To investigate the level of affiliate stigma among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and to explore the mediating role of self-esteem and family functioning. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a large regional hospital and two childhood rehabilitation centers in Guangdong, China. Data related to demographics, parental self-esteem, family functioning, and affiliate stigma were collected from 180 parents of children diagnosed with ASD. We used t-tests, analysis of variance, and correlation analysis to explore the related factors of parental affiliate stigma. Path analysis was used to determine the mediating roles of self-esteem and family functioning in the relationship between symptom severity and affiliate stigma. RESULTS: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in China experienced low self-esteem, family functioning, and high affiliate stigma. Symptom severity was negatively correlated with self-esteem and family functioning. Self-esteem and family functioning were significantly negatively correlated with affiliate stigma. Symptom severity was positively correlated with affiliate stigma. Self-esteem and family functioning mediated the relationship between symptom severity and affiliate stigma. CONCLUSIONS: Symptom severity affects parental affiliate stigma among families with children with ASD. Self-esteem and family functioning are the two mediators in the relationship. We should take steps to improve self-esteem and family functioning in order to alleviate parental affiliate stigma. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This study emphasizes the importance of the influence of ASD severity and family functioning on affiliate stigma. In clinical practice, psychological support should be provided for parents of children with ASD to improve their mental health.

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5. McIntyre CL, Boucher TQ, Scheerer NE, Gurm M, Iarocci G. Correction to: Brief Report: Alexithymia Trait Severity, Not Autistic Trait Severity, Relates to Caregiver Reactions to Autistic Children’s Negative Emotions. J Autism Dev Disord;2022 (May 10)

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6. Piaton S, Roger-Leroi V, Vallet GT. Specific form of ageism in dental care: Convergent validity of the Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) and its implications for education. Eur J Dent Educ;2022 (May 11)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The World Health Organization considers ageism as an important barrier to age-appropriate care for older adults. An Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS) has been validated in the United States, Brazil, Greece, Romania and in France. At present, the convergent validity of ASDS has never been evaluated. Moreover, a specialized and disciplinary tool as the ASDS may not overlap with more general ageism assessment which may highlight the need for specific courses during the education of the future health professionals. METHOD: The survey was administered from December 2020 to January 2021. All the undergraduate students of the last three years of study at the dental school of Clermont-Ferrand were invited to complete both scales. 216 students were randomly divided into two equal groups. The first group answered first Ageing Semantic Differential- ASD then ASDS, the second in reverse order. The convergent validity between ASDS and ASD was assessed by computing a Pearson correlation coefficient and discriminant analysis between each component of the two scales. RESULTS: The response rate was of 53.7%. The correlation analysis conducted on the total scores of the ASDS and of the ASD shows a significant, yet weak relationship. The discriminant analysis indicates that only the first component of the ASDS is significantly associated with each dimension of the ASD, whereas the second component is totally independent from the ASD and the third component almost independent from the ASD, except for the integrity dimension. CONCLUSIONS: This specialized questionnaire may assess a form of ageism that is not captured at all in more general scales. Such a scale may help to identify the different dimensions of ageism among dental students which is required to reduce ageism in medical care. This reduction should pass by adapted courses in gerodontology.

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7. Qin Y, Du Y, Chen L, Liu Y, Xu W, Li Y, Leng J, Wang Y, Zhang XY, Feng J, Zhang F, Jin L, Qiu Z, Gong X, Wang H. Correction: A recurrent SHANK1 mutation implicated in autism spectrum disorder causes autistic-like core behaviors in mice via downregulation of mGluR1-IP3R1-calcium signaling. Mol Psychiatry;2022 (May 10)

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8. Taheri F, Esmaeilpour K, Sepehri G, Sheibani V, Ur Rehman N, Maneshian M. Histamine H3 receptor antagonist, ciproxifan, alleviates cognition and synaptic plasticity alterations in a valproic acid-induced animal model of autism. Psychopharmacology (Berl);2022 (May 11)

RATIONALE: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and cognitive behaviors. Histamine H3 receptor (H3R) antagonists are considered as therapeutic factors for treating cognitive impairments. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the H3R antagonist, ciproxifan (CPX), on cognition impairment especially, spatial learning memory, and synaptic plasticity in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in autistic rats. METHODS: Pregnant rats were injected with either valproic acid (VPA) (600 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline on an embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5). The effects of the H3R antagonist, ciproxifan (CPX) (1, 3 mg/kg, i.p.), were investigated on learning and memory in VPA-exposed rat pups and saline-exposed rat pups using Morris water maze (MWM) and social interaction tasks. The H2R antagonist, famotidine (FAM) (10, 20, 40 mg/kg, i.p.), was used to determine whether brain histaminergic neurotransmission exerted its procognitive effects through the H2R. In addition, synaptic reinforcement was evaluated by in vivo field potential recording. RESULTS: The results showed that VPA-exposed rat pups had significantly lower sociability and social memory performance compared to the saline rats. VPA-exposed rat pups exhibited learning and memory impairments in the MWM task. In addition, VPA caused suppression of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. Our results demonstrated that CPX 3 mg/kg improved VPA-induced cognitive impairments and FAM 20 mg/kg attenuated cognitive behaviors as well as electrophysiological properties. CONCLUSIONS: CPX 3 mg/kg improved VPA-induced impairments of LTP as well as learning and memory deficits through H2R.

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9. Yang G, Geng H, Hu C. Targeting 5-HT as a Potential Treatment for Social Deficits in Autism. Neurosci Bull;2022 (May 10)

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10. Yue X, Zhang G, Li X, Shen Y, Wei W, Bai Y, Luo Y, Wei H, Li Z, Zhang X, Wang M. Abnormal Dynamic Functional Network Connectivity in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Clin Neuroradiol;2022 (May 11)

PURPOSE: This study sought to explore changes of brain dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and investigate their relationship with clinical manifestations. METHODS: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were acquired from 78 adult ASD patients from autism brain imaging data exchange datasets, and 65 age-matched healthy controls subjects from the local community. Independent component analysis was conducted to evaluate dFNC patterns on the basis of 13 independent components (ICs) within 11 resting-state networks (RSN), namely, auditory network (AUDN), basal ganglia network (BGN), language network (LN), sensorimotor network (SMN), precuneus network (PUCN), salience network (SN), visuospatial network (VSN), dorsal default mode network (dDMN), high visual network (hVIS), primary visual network (pVIS), ventral default mode network (vDMN). Fraction time, mean dwell time, number of transitions, and RSN connectivity were calculated for group comparisons. Correlation analyses were performed between abnormal metrics and autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS) scores. RESULTS: Compared with controls, ASD patients had higher fraction time and mean dwell time in state 2 (P = 0.017, P = 0.014). Reduced dFNC was found in the SMN with PUCN, SMN with hVIS, and increased dFNC was observed in the dDMN with SN in state 2 in the ASD group. Fraction time and mean dwell time was positively correlated with stereotyped behavior scores of ADOS. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrated the importance of evaluating transient alterations in specific neural networks of adult ASD patients. The abnormal metrics and connectivity may be related to symptoms such as stereotyped behavior.

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11. Yurkovic-Harding J, Lisandrelli G, Shaffer RC, Dominick KC, Pedapati EV, Erickson CA, Yu C, Kennedy DP. Children with ASD establish joint attention during free-flowing toy play without face looks. Curr Biol;2022 (May 11)

Children’s ability to share attention with another person (i.e., achieve joint attention) is critical for learning about their environments in general(1-3) and supporting language and object word learning in particular.(1)(,)(4-14) While joint attention (JA) as it pertains to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often more narrowly operationalized as arising from eye gaze or explicit pointing cues alone,(2)(,)(5)(,)(10)(,)(15-19) recent evidence demonstrates that JA in natural environments can be achieved more broadly through multiple other pathways beyond gaze and gestures.(2)(,)(4)(,)(20-31) Here, we use dual head-mounted eye tracking to examine pathways into and characteristics of JA episodes during free-flowing parent-child toy play, comparing children with ASD to typically developing (TD) children. Moments of JA were defined objectively as both the child’s and parent’s gaze directed to the same object at the same time. Consistent with previous work in TD children,(4)(,)(21)(,)(25)(,)(30-32) we found that both TD and ASD children rarely look at their parent’s face in this unstructured free play context. Nevertheless, both groups achieved similarly high rates of JA that far exceeded chance, suggesting the use of alternative pathways into JA. We characterize these alternate pathways, find they occur at similar levels across both groups, and achieve similar ends: namely, for both groups, targets of JA are named more frequently by parents in those moments than non-jointly attended objects. These findings broaden the conceptualization of JA abilities and impairment in ASD and raise questions regarding the mechanistic role of the face-gaze-mediated JA pathway in ASD.

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12. Le J, Zhang L, Zhao W, Zhu S, Lan C, Kou J, Zhang Q, Zhang Y, Li Q, Chen Z, Fu M, Montag C, Zhang R, Yang W, Becker B, Kendrick KM. Infrequent Intranasal Oxytocin Followed by Positive Social Interaction Improves Symptoms in Autistic Children: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. Psychother Psychosom;2022 (May 11):1-13.

INTRODUCTION: There are currently no approved drug interventions for social behavior dysfunction in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous trials investigating effects of daily intranasal oxytocin treatment have reported inconsistent results and have not combined it with positive social interaction. However, in two preclinical studies we established that treatment every other day rather than daily is more efficacious in maintaining neural and behavioral effects by reducing receptor desensitization. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to establish whether a 6-week intranasal oxytocin compared with placebo treatment, followed by a period of positive social interaction, would produce reliable symptom improvements in children with ASD. METHODS: A pilot double-blind, randomized, crossover design trial was completed including 41 children with ASD aged 3-8 years. Primary outcomes were the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) and social responsivity scale-2 (SRS-2). Secondary measures included cognitive, autism- and caregiver-related questionnaires, and social attention assessed using eye-tracking. RESULTS: Significant improvements were found for oxytocin relative to placebo in primary outcome measures (total ADOS-2 and SRS-2 scores, ps < 0.001) and in behavioral adaptability and repetitive behavior secondary measures. Altered SRS-2 scores were associated with increased saliva oxytocin concentrations. Additionally, oxytocin significantly increased time spent viewing dynamic social compared to geometric stimuli and the eyes of angry, happy, and neutral expression faces. There were no adverse side effects of oxytocin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results demonstrate that a 6-week intranasal oxytocin treatment administered every other day and followed by positive social interactions can improve clinical, eye tracking, and questionnaire-based assessments of symptoms in young autistic children.

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13. Wöhr M, Fong WM, Janas JA, Mall M, Thome C, Vangipuram M, Meng L, Südhof TC, Wernig M. Myt1l haploinsufficiency leads to obesity and multifaceted behavioral alterations in mice. Mol Autism;2022 (May 10);13(1):19.

BACKGROUND: The zinc finger domain containing transcription factor Myt1l is tightly associated with neuronal identity and is the only transcription factor known that is both neuron-specific and expressed in all neuronal subtypes. We identified Myt1l as a powerful reprogramming factor that, in combination with the proneural bHLH factor Ascl1, could induce neuronal fate in fibroblasts. Molecularly, we found it to repress many non-neuronal gene programs, explaining its supportive role to induce and safeguard neuronal identity in combination with proneural bHLH transcriptional activators. Moreover, human genetics studies found MYT1L mutations to cause intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder often coupled with obesity. METHODS: Here, we generated and characterized Myt1l-deficient mice. A comprehensive, longitudinal behavioral phenotyping approach was applied. RESULTS: Myt1l was necessary for survival beyond 24 h but not for overall histological brain organization. Myt1l heterozygous mice became increasingly overweight and exhibited multifaceted behavioral alterations. In mouse pups, Myt1l haploinsufficiency caused mild alterations in early socio-affective communication through ultrasonic vocalizations. In adulthood, Myt1l heterozygous mice displayed hyperactivity due to impaired habituation learning. Motor performance was reduced in Myt1l heterozygous mice despite intact motor learning, possibly due to muscular hypotonia. While anxiety-related behavior was reduced, acoustic startle reactivity was enhanced, in line with higher sensitivity to loud sound. Finally, Myt1l haploinsufficiency had a negative impact on contextual fear memory retrieval, while cued fear memory retrieval appeared to be intact. LIMITATIONS: In future studies, additional phenotypes might be identified and a detailed characterization of direct reciprocal social interaction behavior might help to reveal effects of Myt1l haploinsufficiency on social behavior in juvenile and adult mice. CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral alterations in Myt1l haploinsufficient mice recapitulate several clinical phenotypes observed in humans carrying heterozygous MYT1L mutations and thus serve as an informative model of the human MYT1L syndrome.

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14. Nawaz W, Naveed M, Zhang J, Noreen S, Saeed M, Sembatya KR, Ihsan AU, Mohammad IS, Wang G, Zhou X. Cardioprotective effect of silicon-built restraint device (ASD), for left ventricular remodeling in rat heart failure model. J Mater Sci Mater Med;2022 (May 10);33(5):42.

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and cardio-protective effects of biocompatible silicon-built restraint device (ASD) in the rat’s heart failure (HF) model. The performance and compliance characteristics of the ASD device were assessed in vitro by adopting a pneumatic drive and ball burst test. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into four groups (n = 6); control, HF, HF + CSD, and HF + ASD groups, respectively. Heart failure was developed by left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation in all groups except the control group. The ASD and CSD devices were implanted in the heart of HF + ASD and HF + CSD groups, respectively. The ASD’s functional and expansion ability was found to be safe and suitable for attenuating ventricular remodeling. ASD-treated rats showed normal heart rhythm, demonstrated by smooth -ST and asymmetrical T-wave. At the same time, hemodynamic parameters of the HF + ASD group improved systolic and diastolic functions, reducing ventricular wall stress, which indicated reverse remodeling. The BNP values were reduced in the HF + ASD group, which confirmed ASD feasibility and reversed remodeling at a molecular level. Furthermore, the HF + ASD group with no fibrosis suggests that ASD has significant curative effects on the heart muscles. In conclusion, ASD was found to be a promising restraint therapy than the previously standard restraint therapies. Stepwise ASD fabrication process (a) 3D computer model of ASD was generated by using Rhinoceros 5.0 software (b) 3D blue wax model of ASD (c) Silicon was prepared by mixing the solutions (as per manufacturer instruction) (d) Blue wax model of ASD was immersed into liquid Silicon (e) ASD model was put into the oven for 3 hours at 50 °C. (f) Blue wax started melting from the ASD model (g) ASD model was built from pure silicon (h) Two access lines were linked to the ASD device, which was connected with an implantable catheter (Port-a-cath), scale bar 100 µm. (Nikon Ldx 2.0).

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15. Alnemary FM, Simon-Cereijido G, Aldhalaan HM, Hernandez A, Alyahya A, Alenezi S. Factors associated with age of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder among children in Saudi Arabia: new insights from a cross-sectional study. BMC Res Notes;2022 (May 10);15(1):161.

OBJECTIVES: Research examining the age of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its influencing factors mostly originate from developed Western countries, providing little to no systematic information about the understanding and management of ASD in the rest of the world. The present exploratory study examined the influence of child and family characteristics on the age of ASD diagnosis in Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis was 3.0 years and was associated with some child and family characteristics. A 1 year increase in child’s age was associated with a 0.1 year increase in age of diagnosis (95% CI 0.05, 0.12). Children who did not respond to their name were diagnosed 0.3 years earlier than other children (95% CI – 0.60, – 0.05), and engaging in challenging behavior was associated with a 0.5 year increase in age of diagnosis (95% CI 0.20, 0.81). A lack of comorbidity was associated with a 0.6 year increase in the age of diagnosis compared to the diagnosis age of children with comorbidity (95% CI 0.13, 1.01). Finally, those residing outside of Saudi Arabia were diagnosed with ASD 0.9 years earlier than those residing in Saudi Arabia (95% CI – 0.171, – 0.11).

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16. Dimitrova N, Özçalışkan Ş. Identifying Patterns of Similarities and Differences between Gesture Production and Comprehension in Autism and Typical Development. J Nonverbal Behav;2022;46(2):173-196.

Production and comprehension of gesture emerge early and are key to subsequent language development in typical development. Compared to typically developing (TD) children, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit difficulties and/or differences in gesture production. However, we do not yet know if gesture production either shows similar patterns to gesture comprehension across different ages and learners, or alternatively, lags behind gesture comprehension, thus mimicking a pattern akin to speech comprehension and production. In this study, we focus on the gestures produced and comprehended by a group of young TD children and children with ASD-comparable in language ability-with the goal to identify whether gesture production and comprehension follow similar patterns between ages and between learners. We elicited production of gesture in a semi-structured parent-child play and comprehension of gesture in a structured experimenter-child play across two studies. We tested whether young TD children (ages 2-4) follow a similar trajectory in their production and comprehension of gesture (Study 1) across ages, and if so, whether this alignment remains similar for verbal children with ASD (M (age) = 5 years), comparable to TD children in language ability (Study 2). Our results provided evidence for similarities between gesture production and comprehension across ages and across learners, suggesting that comprehension and production of gesture form a largely integrated system of communication.

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17. Pedapati EV, Schmitt LM, Ethridge LE, Miyakoshi M, Sweeney JA, Liu R, Smith E, Shaffer RC, Dominick KC, Gilbert DL, Wu SW, Horn PS, Binder DK, Lamy M, Axford M, Erickson CA. Neocortical localization and thalamocortical modulation of neuronal hyperexcitability contribute to Fragile X Syndrome. Commun Biol;2022 (May 11);5(1):442.

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a monogenetic form of intellectual disability and autism in which well-established knockout (KO) animal models point to neuronal hyperexcitability and abnormal gamma-frequency physiology as a basis for key disorder features. Translating these findings into patients may identify tractable treatment targets. Using source modeling of resting-state electroencephalography data, we report findings in FXS, including 1) increases in localized gamma activity, 2) pervasive changes of theta/alpha activity, indicative of disrupted thalamocortical modulation coupled with elevated gamma power, 3) stepwise moderation of low and high-frequency abnormalities based on female sex, and 4) relationship of this physiology to intellectual disability and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Our observations extend findings in Fmr1(-/-) KO mice to patients with FXS and raise a key role for disrupted thalamocortical modulation in local hyperexcitability. This systems-level mechanism has received limited preclinical attention but has implications for understanding fundamental disease mechanisms.

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18. Kapral E. Overcoming barriers to dental care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Quintessence Int;2022 (May 11);53(6):469-470.

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19. Hampton LH, Stern YS, Fipp-Rosenfield H, Bearss K, Roberts MY. Parent-Implemented Positive Behavior Support Strategies for Young Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Pilot Investigation. J Speech Lang Hear Res;2022 (May 11);65(5):1921-1938.

PURPOSE: Parents of children on the autism spectrum enrolled in early intervention often receive coaching to address both social communication and disruptive behavior, which are the two most frequently reported concerns by parents. Intervention techniques for both are often recommended to be implemented across daily routines and require the parents to learn new ways of interacting with their child. A sequential approach to instructing parents in these key intervention targets may reduce burden and increase adherence. METHOD: This multiple-baseline design pilot study included three mother-child dyads who received instruction in a disruptive behavior intervention immediately following a social communication intervention. Maternal maintenance of social communication strategies and child disruptive behaviors were measured during probes throughout the study. RESULTS: Results indicate that although mothers readily learned to implement the techniques, fidelity of implementing social communication strategies declined after introduction of the positive behavior support strategies. CONCLUSIONS: A sequenced approach to parent-mediated intervention is feasible and acceptable. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.19528978.

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20. Goris J, Braem S, Van Herck S, Simoens J, Deschrijver E, Wiersema JR, Paton B, Brass M, Todd J. Reduced Primacy Bias in Autism during Early Sensory Processing. J Neurosci;2022 (May 11);42(19):3989-3999.

Recent theories of autism propose that a core deficit in autism would be a less context-sensitive weighting of prediction errors. There is also first support for this hypothesis on an early sensory level. However, an open question is whether this decreased context sensitivity is caused by faster updating of one’s model of the world (i.e., higher weighting of new information), proposed by predictive coding theories, or slower model updating. Here, we differentiated between these two hypotheses by investigating how first impressions shape the mismatch negativity (MMN), reflecting early sensory prediction error processing. An autism and matched control group of human adults (both n = 27, 8 female) were compared on the multi-timescale MMN paradigm, in which tones were presented that were either standard (frequently occurring) or deviant (rare), and these roles reversed every block. A well-replicated observation is that the initial model (i.e., the standard and deviant sound in the first block) influences MMN amplitudes in later blocks. If autism is characterized by faster model updating, and thus a smaller primacy bias, we hypothesized (and demonstrate using a simple reinforcement learning model) that their MMN amplitudes should be less influenced by the initial context. In line with this hypothesis, we found that MMN responses in the autism group did not differ between the initial deviant and initial standard sounds as they did in the control group. These findings are consistent with the idea that autism is characterized by faster model updating during early sensory processing, as proposed by predictive coding accounts of autism.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Recent theories of autism propose that a core deficit in autism is that they are faster to update their models of the world based on new sensory information. Here, we tested this hypothesis by investigating how first impressions shape brain responses during early sensory processing, and hypothesized that individuals with autism would be less influenced by these first impressions. In line with earlier studies, our results show that early sensory processing was influenced by first impressions in a control group. However, this was not the case in an autism group. This suggests that individuals with autism are faster to abandon their initial model, and is consistent with the proposal that they are faster to update their models of the world.

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21. Cho AB, Otte K, Baskow I, Ehlen F, Maslahati T, Mansow-Model S, Schmitz-Hübsch T, Behnia B, Roepke S. Motor signature of autism spectrum disorder in adults without intellectual impairment. Sci Rep;2022 (May 10);12(1):7670.

Motor signs such as dyspraxia and abnormal gait are characteristic features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, motor behavior in adults with ASD has scarcely been quantitatively characterized. In this pilot study, we aim to quantitatively examine motor signature of adults with ASD without intellectual impairment using marker-less visual-perceptive motion capture. 82 individuals (37 ASD and 45 healthy controls, HC) with an IQ > 85 and aged 18 to 65 years performed nine movement tasks and were filmed by a 3D-infrared camera. Anatomical models were quantified via custom-made software and resulting kinematic parameters were compared between individuals with ASD and HCs. Furthermore, the association between specific motor behaviour and severity of autistic symptoms (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2, Autism Spectrum Quotient) was explored. Adults with ASD showed a greater mediolateral deviation while walking, greater sway during normal, tandem and single leg stance, a reduced walking speed and cadence, a greater arrhythmicity during jumping jack tasks and an impaired manual dexterity during finger tapping tasks (p < 0.05 and |D|> 0.48) compared to HC. Furthermore, in the ASD group, some of these parameters correlated moderately to severity of ASD symptoms. Adults with ASD seem to display a specific motor signature in this disorder affecting movement timing and aspects of balance. The data appear to reinforce knowledge about motor signs reported in children and adolescents with ASD. Also, quantitative motor assessment via visual-perceptive computing may be a feasible instrument to detect subtle motor signs in ASD and perhaps suitable in the diagnosis of ASD in the future.

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22. de Korte MWP, van Dongen-Boomsma M, Oosterling IJ, Buitelaar JK, Staal WG. Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) parent group training for young children with autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study. Sci Rep;2022 (May 11);12(1):7691.

Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) is a promising intervention addressing core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with parent involvement as key component. Parent group-delivered PRT may be an effective treatment model, but currently the evidence is limited. Also, little attention has been paid to therapeutic involvement of multiple important contexts (e.g. home, school, community) of the young child. The current study explores a 14-week protocol of PRT parent group training (PRT-PG), complemented with individual parent-child sessions and involvement of teachers and other childcare providers. Children aged 2-6 years old with ASD and their parents (n = 20) were included. Preliminary results showed a significant increase in spontaneous initiations during a semi-structured therapist-child interaction together with widespread gains in clinical global functioning. No significant improvement on parent-rated general social-communication skills was observed. These findings justify further research on parent group delivered PRT models.

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23. Veneruso M, Varallo G, Franceschini C, Mercante A, Rossetti M, Rebuttini A, Mantovani A, Musetti A, Castelnuovo G, Nobili L, Nardocci F, Plazzi G. Short report. Cooking for autism: a pilot study of an innovative culinary laboratory for Italian adolescents and emerging adults with autism spectrum disorder. Res Dev Disabil;2022 (May 11);126:104259.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence and emerging adulthood are critical periods for young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there is a lack of appropriate and affordable services available. AIMS: The Il Tortellante® is an Italian project aimed at promoting adaptive behavior and social skills, and at reducing the severity of symptomatology through a culinary group intervention in which young people with ASD learn to make fresh pasta by hand. METHODS: A longitudinal study was conducted. PROCEDURE: Before and after the intervention, 20 participants were assessed based on the severity of symptoms, social skills, and adaptive behaviors. OUTCOME AND RESULTS: According to our findings, severity of symptoms and daily living skills improved significantly. CONCLUSION: A culinary intervention may be useful for adolescents and young adults with ASD to improve daily living skills and reduce ASD-related symptomatology. IMPLICATION: Services and associations may consider developing a culinary laboratory for people with ASD to improve group intervention proposals for adolescents and emerging adults. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS?: This paper offers one of the first investigations of the impact of a culinary laboratory on ASD symptoms, social skills, and adaptive behavior in adolescents and young adults diagnosed with ASD. This group intervention could contribute to expand the range of interventions targeted at adolescents and young adults with ASD, to reduce the severity of symptoms, and to promote adaptive behaviors.

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24. McGinley JM, Marsack-Topolewski CN. A Comparative Case Study of Hospice and Hospital End-of-Life Care for Aging Adults With Developmental Disabilities. Glob Qual Nurs Res;2022 (Jan-Dec);9:23333936221087626.

Greater attention is being paid to issues surrounding end-of-life care for aging adults with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the end-of-life experiences of two aging adults with developmental disabilities and life-limiting serious illnesses who received care in settings in the United States. Using a comparative case study design, data from three sources (records, staff, surrogates) were collected sequentially and triangulated via within and cross-case analyses. Although the setting and design limit the generalizability of these findings, the feasibility of delivering high quality care to adults with developmental disabilities as they age and experience terminal illnesses is supported. Insights are presented regarding how nurses can address barriers by adapting policies and practices to accommodate the distinct needs that arise as people with developmental disabilities age, become seriously ill, and reach life’s end.

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25. Li Z, Yang L, Chen H, Fang Y, Zhang T, Yin X, Man J, Yang X, Lu M. Global, regional and national burden of autism spectrum disorder from 1990 to 2019: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci;2022 (May 10);31:e33.

AIMS: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition, with symptoms appearing in the early developmental period. Little is known about its current burden at the global, regional and national levels. This systematic analysis aims to summarise the latest magnitudes and temporal trends of ASD burden, which is essential to facilitate more detailed development of prevention and intervention strategies. METHODS: The data on ASD incidence, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2019 came from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The average annual percentage change was calculated to quantify the secular trends in age-standardised rates (ASRs) of ASD burden by region, sex and age. RESULTS: In 2019, there were an estimated 60.38 × 104 [95% uncertainty interval (UI) 50.17-72.01] incident cases of ASD, 283.25 × 105 (95% UI 235.01-338.11) prevalent cases and 43.07 × 105 (95% UI 28.22-62.32) DALYs globally. The ASR of incidence slightly increased by around 0.06% annually over the past three decades, while the ASRs of prevalence and DALYs both remained stable over the past three decades. In 2019, the highest burden of ASD was observed in high-income regions, especially in high-income North America, high-income Asia Pacific and Western Europe, where a significant growth in ASRs was also observed. The ASR of ASD burden in males was around three times that of females, but the gender difference was shrunk with the pronounced increase among females. Of note, among the population aged over 65 years, the burden of ASD presented increasing trends globally. CONCLUSIONS: The global burden of ASD continues to increase and remains a major mental health concern. These substantial heterogeneities in ASD burden worldwide highlight the need for making suitable mental-related policies and providing special social and health services.

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