1. Al-Janabi RAA, Saleem ZA, Lami F, Jaber OA, Jasim SM, Dehghan Nayeri N, Shafiee Sabet M, Al-Gburi G. Demographic, ecological and social predictors of quality of life among parents of autistic children: A multi-centre cross-sectional study. Autism. 2025: 13623613251334166.

Parents experience lower quality of life due to the psychological, financial and social challenges of caring for an autistic child. This study aims to identify the independent demographic and social predictors of parents’ quality of life, to allocate support to parents who truly need it. Al-Subtain Academy and Baghdad’s National Center for Autism recruited 248 parents in a cross-sectional study from 3 January to 13 September 2024. Demographics, quality of life and social support were assessed using a structured self-administered questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models were significant for all domains except role functioning (p = 0.258). The explained variance ranged from 50.8% for health perception to 19.5% for physical functioning. Mothers reported lower health perception and physical functioning than fathers (p = 0.015, p < 0.001). Parents with chronic condition also reported lower health perception, mental health, social functioning and higher pain scores (p-values: <0.001, 0.029, 0.023, 0.014). In addition, parents of female children and those with comorbidities reported lower mental health (p-values: 0.018, 0.004). Marital satisfaction was positively associated with all domains except pain (negative association) and physical/role functioning (no association). In conclusion, mothers, younger parents, parents with chronic conditions or female children, or whose children have comorbidities should be prioritised during interventions that promote family functioning and social support.Lay AbstractParents can face emotional and social challenges when taking care of autistic children, which can lower their quality of life. These challenges do not affect all parents in the same way. That is why we need to find out which parents are having more trouble, so that we can give more support to those who need it the most. Our goal was to identify which background and social factors are linked to lower quality of life in parents of autistic children. First, we found that parents of autistic children have lower mental and social well-being than physical quality of life. We argued that the type of challenges faced by parents might be the cause. We also detected lower quality of life among mothers, younger parents, parents with long-term conditions or autistic daughters, or whose children have other conditions besides autism. Finally, we found that marital satisfaction was the most important element in social support. Marital satisfaction is linked to a better quality of life in all areas except being able to do normal daily tasks and physical activities.

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2. Alzahrani HM. Indicators of competitive employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in Saudi Arabia: A qualitative study. Acta Psychol (Amst). 2025; 257: 105049.

This research sought to better understand the indicators of competitive employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Seven coaches of individuals with IDDs who were working with businesses that hire workers with disabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were selected to participate. The qualitative phenomenological methodology was employed, with semi-structured interviews used for gathering data. An inductive method was utilized to generate themes during the coding process of the data analysis. To answer the first question regarding indicators of competitive employment for individuals with IDDs from coaches’ perspectives, the findings suggested vocational training, parental support and education were all important indicators. Regarding criteria that are considered when employing individuals with IDDs, the findings stressed the importance of a suitable work environment. Regarding basic indicators that will culminate into employment, vocational training, parental support, education and psychological and social quality of life were all included. The importance of a suitable work environment and adequate support were additional determinants allowing individuals with IDD to reach their full potential.

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3. Attar SM, Benavidez H, Gicheru C, Alabi C, Sapano R, W LS. Co-designing a novel service delivery pathway to increase access to autism identification and care within a non-profit community organization serving culturally and linguistically diverse families. Autism. 2025: 13623613251335702.

Culturally and linguistically diverse families experience greater challenges accessing timely, autism-specialized care relative to non-culturally and linguistically diverse families, and ultimately experience less optimal health outcomes. Alternative pathways to access autism care for culturally and linguistically diverse families are needed; however, the features of a novel pathway remain unclear. A co-design process was used with a culturally embedded non-profit community organization to develop a novel service delivery pathway for increasing access to autism services for culturally and linguistically diverse families in the United States. Twenty-three individuals participated in eight, 2-hour co-design sessions. Participants included front-line staff (seven non-specialist providers), management leaders (two program supervisors and two organization directors), and eight end-users (caregivers) from seven understudied cultural and linguistic groups (i.e. Somali Mai Mai, Swahili, Arabic, Dari/Pashto, French, Amharic, and Tigrinya) and four autism specialists. The co-design identified five key design features: respecting diversity, prioritizing caregiver agency, increasing accessibility, minimizing stigma, and maximizing feasibility. These features informed the co-development of a novel pathway to access autism identification and care for culturally and linguistically diverse families that pairs navigation services with the dissemination of brief, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based parenting and coping strategies. This power-sharing, community-academic partnership may serve as a model for improving equity in autism care.Lay AbstractEarly, specialized support is important for helping young autistic children learn and develop. However, families from different cultural backgrounds often find it challenging to access this early help. A university lab and a community organization worked together to create a new way for these families to access autism services. We used a co-design approach, which involves gathering feedback from a variety of people involved in autism care, including service providers, community leaders, caregivers, and autism experts. Twenty-three individuals participated in eight co-design sessions that were two hours each. Participants were from different language groups, including Somali Mai Mai, Swahili, Arabic, Dari/Pashto, French, Amharic, and Tigrinya. These sessions helped us identify five important factors important for improving access to needed services: being mindful about cultural differences between groups, empowering caregivers, providing information and support for accessing services, reducing stigma around autism, and ensuring the service is practical to use. Based on these factors, we developed a new pathway for families to access autism care. This new approach includes providing help in navigating the medical and educational systems and provides short, culturally appropriate advice for parenting and coping. This project shows how working together with communities can create more fair and effective ways to provide autism support.

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4. Bast N, Polzer L, Raji N, Schnettler L, Kleber S, Lemler C, Kitzerow-Cleven J, Kim Z, Schaer M, Freitag CM. Early intervention increases reactive joint attention in autistic preschoolers with arousal regulation as mediator. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025.

Reactive joint attention (RJA) describes shared attention on a cued target. This key ability is attenuated in autistic compared to non-autistic preschoolers with low cognitive ability, and thus trained during early intervention. We evaluated the development of RJA in matched autistic preschoolers within a randomized controlled trial of the naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention A-FFIP (intervention [n = 32] versus early intervention-as-usual [EIAU, n = 28]), which is further compared to non-autistic preschoolers (n = 52). A screen-based eye-tracking paradigm assessed RJA at baseline, after 12 months (end-of-intervention, 78% retention), and after 36 months (follow-up, 44% retention). Corresponding pupil size changes were utilized to investigate arousal as a mediator in RJA group differences. Generalized linear mixed models were applied to compare RJA likelihood between groups and assessment timepoints. Across timepoints, RJA likelihood was lower in autistic versus non-autistic preschoolers (ORs = 0.07-0.27). The A-FFIP – but not the EIAU group – showed an increase in RJA likelihood at end-of-intervention (OR = 1.52) and follow-up (OR = 2.38). Across both autistic groups, an increase in RJA likelihood after 12 months predicted improved social responsiveness at 36-months follow-up (β = -1.22). A higher baseline pupil size within trials was associated with a lower RJA likelihood (β = -0.32) and mediated the autistic group difference on RJA likelihood in a causal mediation analysis. The A-FFIP early intervention increased eye-tracking derived RJA in autistic preschoolers up to two years after end of intervention, which likely cascaded on improved social responsiveness. Arousal regulation is outlined as a promising mediating mechanism.

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5. Chetcuti L, Uljarević M, Schuck RK, Hardan AY, Gengoux GW, Trembath D, Vadgama Y, Varcin KJ, Vivanti G, Whitehouse AJO, Helton M, Frazier TW. Characterizing predictors of response to behavioral interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analytic approach. Clin Psychol Rev. 2025; 119: 102588.

A comprehensive understanding of specific factors contributing to variability in responsiveness of children with autism to interventions is paramount for making evidence-based clinical and policy decisions. This meta-analysis examined child and family characteristics, as well as intervention design factors, associated with outcomes of behavioral interventions for children with autism. A systematic review identified 95 studies published between 1987 and 2024, encompassing 6780 children on the autism spectrum and 2150 independent effect sizes. Results indicated that stronger post-intervention effects were observed across intervention approaches for children with higher cognitive, language, and other developmental abilities, greater adaptive functioning, and fewer autism-related features. Additionally, interventions of longer duration and greater total hours were associated with stronger post-intervention outcomes. In contrast, intervention approach (Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions, or Developmental Interventions), delivery agent, and child age at intervention onset did not significantly predict the strength of post-intervention outcomes. While study methodology and reporting quality were marginally associated with predictive strength, adjusting for these factors had minimal impact on the reported findings. The insights from this meta-analysis have significant implications for the development of personalized intervention models for children with autism. These models have the potential to optimize outcomes and offer critical guidance for decision-making in both the service and policy levels, ensuring efficient and equitable allocation of resources.

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6. Hassib L, Kanashiro A, Pedrazzi JFC, Vercesi BF, Higa S, Arruda Í, Soares Y, de Jesus de Souza A, Barichello T, Guimarães FS, Ferreira FR. Microbiota-based therapies as novel targets for autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2025; 139: 111385.

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent deficits in social interaction and communication. Emerging evidence suggests that alterations in the gut-brain axis play a key role in the pathophysiology of ASD, and that microbiota-targeted interventions may offer therapeutic benefits. However, no clear consensus has been reached regarding the effectiveness of these strategies in ameliorating behavioral characteristics. This systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO registration ID: CRD42023494067) aimed to evaluate the impact of microbiota-based interventions-including synbiotics, prebiotics, single-strain probiotics, probiotic blends, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)-on behavioral outcomes in individuals with ASD, with particular emphasis on social functioning. RESULTS: Of the 373 records initially identified, 20 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 16 randomized controlled trials and 4 open-label studies. The overall effect size indicated a statistically significant improvement in ASD-related behavioral symptoms following microbiota manipulation (Hedges’ g = 0.47; 95 % CI: 0.30-0.64; p < 0.001; I(2) = 33.01 %), representing a small but clinically relevant effect. Heterogeneity was classified as moderate. Among the interventions, FMT and probiotic blends yielded the most substantial effects. All major limitations of the current studies were thoroughly addressed and discussed to guide future experimental designs. Additionally, we examined preclinical evidence supporting the involvement of neural, immune, and metabolic pathways in mediating the observed behavioral improvements. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the potential of microbiota-based therapies as a promising and well-tolerated strategy for improving behavioral symptoms in individuals with ASD. FMT and multi-strain probiotic formulations appear particularly effective. Nevertheless, further high-quality randomized controlled trials-especially involving FMT-are urgently needed to validate these results and guide clinical implementation. Thus, these findings provide a critical foundation for future investigations seeking to refine microbiota-based interventions and uncover the underlying mechanisms through which they influence ASD-related behaviors.

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7. Ledbetter DH, Finucane B, Moreno-De-Luca D, Myers SM. Mainstreaming Diagnostic Genetic Testing and Precision Medicine for Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2025; 48(2): 343-60.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental psychiatric condition that shares significant clinical and genetic overlap with intellectualdisability (ID) and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Genetic testingin ASD lags far behind that for ID, even though Professional Societiesrecommend genetic testing for all ASD individuals and insurance reimbursement is relatively good. The core competencies for child and adolescent psychiatrists include determining the etiology and diagnosisfor all childhood psychopathology, including ID and ASD. Child psychiatrists should recommend and order genetic testing by exomeor genome sequencing on all children with ASD.

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8. Moraglia LE, Weigman B, Abdi H, Styner M, Kim SH, Burrows CA, Shen MD, Ravi S, Wolff JJ, Dager SR, Hazlett HC, Pandey J, Schultz RT, Girault JB, Botteron KN, Marrus N, Estes AM, St John T, Zheng G, Piven J, Swanson MR. Brain Morphometry in Infants Later Diagnosed With Autism is Related to Later Language Skills. Hum Brain Mapp. 2025; 46(7): e70221.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents early in life with distinct social and language differences. This study explores the association between infant brain morphometry and language abilities using an infant-sibling design. Participants included infants who had an older sibling with autism (high likelihood, HL) who were later diagnosed with autism (HL-ASD; n = 31) and two non-autistic control groups: HL-Neg (HL infants not diagnosed with autism; n = 126) and LL-Neg (typically developing infants who did not have an older sibling with autism; n = 77). Using a whole-brain approach, we measured cortical thickness and surface area at 6 and 12 months and expressive and receptive language abilities at 24 months. Partial least squares correlation analyses were computed separately for each of the three groups. Results from the HL-ASD group indicated negative associations between surface area in the left inferior frontal gyrus and 24-month language abilities. Notably, regions outside the standard adult language network were also associated with language in the HL-ASD group. Results in the HL-ASD group highlight the distinct processing guiding development of surface area and cortical thickness; associations were mostly negative for surface area at 6 months but mostly positive for cortical thickness at the same time point. Results from this data-driven study align with the theory of interactive specialization-a theory highlighting the dynamic nature of the infant brain-and advocate for a whole-brain approach in investigating early brain-behavior neurodevelopment in ASD.

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9. Okazaki T, Aoki C, Shinzato S, Adachi K, Nanba E. Awareness and knowledge of pediatricians regarding genetic testing for Fragile X syndrome in Japan: A National Survey of Pediatricians Managing Developmental Delay/Intellectual disability. Brain Dev. 2025; 47(4): 104367.

BACKGROUND: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) commonly cause developmental delay, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder. Although genetic testing has been available and included in Japan’s national health insurance since 2016, the number of cases diagnosed with FXS remains low. This study aimed to explore the levels of awareness and understanding of FXS among pediatricians managing developmental delay/ intellectual disability in Japan, particularly between pediatrician with and without clinical genetics certification (or clinical experience with FXS). METHODS: A survey involving 1217 certified pediatric neurologists from the Japanese Society of Pediatric Neurology and 367 members of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Genetics was conducted. Additional participants were recruited from an online mailing list of 1469 pediatric neurologists. The survey comprised questions on demographics, knowledge about FXS, and genetic testing practices. The responses were analyzed using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, and a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Out of 386 respondents, 326 had experience ordering some kind of genetic testing, including 78 certified clinical geneticists. Knowledge gaps were significant between clinical geneticists and non-genetic specialists. While 20 % of non-genetic specialists were unaware of insurance-covered FXS genetic testing, this percentage was lower among those with clinical experience in FXS cases. Many respondents, irrespective of certification, struggled to determine the indications for requesting FXS genetic testing. Furthermore, non-genetic specialists reported more difficulty providing genetic counseling owing to the psychological burden on mothers. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the necessity for expanding education and training on FXS among pediatricians in Japan. Addressing these knowledge gaps may enhance FXS diagnostic rates and improve the management of affected individuals and families. Future efforts should focus on strengthening the collaboration between clinical geneticists and general pediatricians and establishing reliable genetic counseling support systems.

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10. Peristeri E, Drakoulaki K, Boznou A, Nerantzini M, Varlokosta S. Linguistic Markers of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Narrative Production: Evidence From the Monkey Cartoon Storytelling Task of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Autism Dev Lang Impair. 2025; 10: 23969415251331045.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) is considered a « gold standard » diagnostic instrument in the assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Monkey Cartoon task is an optional pictured storytelling task in ADOS-2, which has been designed to assess gestural and verbal communication in autistic children while telling a story. It is well established that storytelling is challenging for autistic children, particularly for the content and coherent organization of the story, also known as narrative macrostructure. Existing evidence on the efficacy of the Monkey Cartoon task to pinpoint differences between autistic and neurotypical individuals in narrative macrostructure is scant. In this study, we used a version of the Monkey Cartoon task with modified scoring to analyze the narrative macrostructural skills of two groups of children with and without ASD. We also investigated the relations between narrative macrostructure and language ability in each group. METHODS: A group of 16 Greek-speaking autistic children and 16 age- and IQ-matched neurotypical children were administered the Monkey Cartoon storytelling task. Children’s vocabulary and syntactic skills were also measured. Narratives were analyzed in terms of macrostructural features, including story completeness and story grammar, as well as units denoting the setting, internal responses and added details. RESULTS: The autistic children had lower scores in communicating the story content rather than story grammar. Moreover, the autistic group tended to include less information on the story’s setting and more off-topic utterances than their neurotypical peers. Regarding the relations between narrative macrostructure and language ability, the two groups dissociated since the autistic children tended to rely on vocabulary at the expense of including irrelevant information in their narratives, while neurotypical children relied on both lexical and syntactic skills, especially when instantiating references to the story characters’ mental states and the setting of the story, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The Monkey Cartoon storytelling task seems to be efficient at revealing pragmatic weaknesses mainly at the thematic content level in autistic children. Also, the frequent use of semantically- and pragmatically-irrelevant information in storytelling differentiated autistic from neurotypical children, and may thus be treated as a distinguishing feature of ASD in narrative production. IMPLICATIONS: The findings demonstrate the viability of the Monkey Cartoon task in highlighting language markers of ASD in narrative macrostructure, with clinical implications for enhancing clinical practice in countries like Greece that face a shortage of narrative assessment tools for autistic children.

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11. Prinsen J, Alaerts K. Endogenous and exogenous oxytocin modulate interpersonal motor resonance in autism: A context-dependent and person-specific approach. Autism. 2025: 13623613251335730.

Understanding and interpreting non-verbal actions are critical components of social cognition, which are often challenging for autistic individuals. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide known to modulate social behavior and enhance the salience of social stimuli, is being explored as a therapeutic option for improving social mirroring. However, its effects are mediated by context- and person-dependent factors. This study examines the impact of a single intranasal dose of oxytocin (24 IU) on interpersonal motor resonance in young adult men with and without autism. Neurophysiological assessments of corticomotor excitability were performed using transcranial magnetic stimulation while participants observed real-time hand movements displayed by an experimenter demonstrating varying social intent (i.e. showing direct vs averted gaze). While no overall effect of oxytocin on interpersonal motor resonance was observed across groups, person-specific factors significantly influenced outcomes. In the autism group, individuals with higher endogenous oxytocin levels exhibited greater motor resonance during action observation. Autistic individuals with heightened social difficulties or avoidant attachment styles showed enhanced motor resonance following oxytocin administration. These findings highlight the nuanced role of both endogenous and exogenous oxytocin in shaping neurophysiological motor resonance and emphasize the importance of individual variability in assessing oxytocin’s therapeutic potential for addressing social challenges in autism.Lay abstractThis study explores how oxytocin, a hormone that influences social behaviors, affects the ability to interpret and respond to non-verbal cues, particularly in autistic adults. Understanding others’ actions and intentions, often guided by observing body language and eye contact, is a critical part of social interaction. Autistic individuals frequently face challenges in these areas. Using a safe, non-invasive brain stimulation technique, the study measured participants’ brain responses as they observed real-time hand movements paired with the interaction partner’s direct eye contact or averted gaze. Participants included young autistic and non-autistic adult men who received a placebo and a single dose of oxytocin via nasal spray. Results showed no overall differences between the two groups in their brain responses to these movements. However, in the autism group, several factors significantly influenced the effects of oxytocin. Participants with higher natural oxytocin levels or those who reported greater social challenges showed stronger responses after oxytocin administration, particularly when observing hand movements combined with direct gaze. These findings suggest that oxytocin may enhance social understanding in autistic individuals, especially for those experiencing greater difficulties. This highlights the potential of personalized approaches when considering oxytocin as a therapeutic option to improve social interactions.

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12. Pye K, Gold L, Le HND, Iacono T. « What My Son Needs Is Me. What I Need Is… Guidance »: Caregiver Perspectives About Early Autism Supports Amid Changing Attitudes and Policies. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

The effectiveness of early supports for Autistic children has predominantly been measured in terms of changes in their development, such as language, cognition or adaptive behaviour. The benefits of early supports to children include, and are moderated by, effects on caregivers and families. We sought to understand perspectives of primary caregivers of children who, whether or not formally diagnosed, they believed to be Autistic, about the value of different aspects of early supports. We interviewed 19 caregivers, selected from a larger survey sample (n = 95) to cover a range of backgrounds and experiences accessing supports. We conducted reflexive thematic analysis to identify themes. We identified four themes through reflexive thematic analysis. Themes reflected common aspirations to optimise their children’s future wellbeing. Despite public funding for early supports, families’ other resources (especially time and mental load) were under pressure, impacting other activities such as employment and family relationships. Participants preferred supports that were adaptable to their changing needs, neuroaffirming and practical; they particularly valued authentic emotional support from therapists and sought providers they could trust. Our analysis suggests that family experiences of accessing supports might be just as important as the intended outcomes.

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13. Sterrett K, Pizzano M. Sensitivity and Expected Change of Commonly Used Social Communication Measures in Longitudinal Research of Young Autistic Children. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

Social communication measures used to track change in autistic children have not undergone rigorous psychometric evaluation. There is little data on their expected change or sensitivity to change. Meta-analytic techniques were used to examine sensitivity to change and expected change over time and whether these are influenced by factors like children’s age and the presence of intervention. Pooled effect sizes were generated within measures, rather than within broader constructs. Change over time was small to medium, although there was variability. Most outcomes were not sensitive to change over time. Change in some measures was influenced by child characteristics and methodological characteristics of included studies such as study quality and the method of scoring measures (e.g., using age-equivalents versus standard scores). Tests measuring similar constructs can vary in their expected change, and so care is needed when selecting them.

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14. van Heurck R, Hammar EB, Ville D, Lebon S, Chatron N, Marconi C, Royer-Bertrand B, Lesca G, Superti-Furga A, Abramowicz M, Korff C. Comprehensive genetic diagnosis and therapeutic perspectives in 155 children with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2025; 56: 97-103.

We studied a retrospective cohort of children with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), a group of neurological conditions characterized by early onset epilepsy and severe developmental delay. Cases were recruited from three university hospitals based on clinical criteria, after a blinded cross-validation process, and most were subject to both array-CGH and exome-based gene panel analyses. 155 subjects were included. A genetic diagnosis was identified in 105 (68 %). A majority of patients (71 %) had onset of symptoms before the age of one year. In this age group a disease-causing variant was identified in 73 % of children, the highest proportion of cases reported so far. Genetic heterogeneity was high, involving 40 different genes. The most prevalent gene was SCN1A. Eight genes were identified in multiple patients and accounted for 50 % of all diagnoses. The remaining genes represented ultra-rare disorders. In many cases, molecular diagnosis leads to treatment adaptation and allows for genetic counseling. Those results highlight the growing importance of genetic investigations especially in children with symptoms onset before the age of 1. Finally, we evaluated the disease-causing variants in an intention-to-treat approach and found that almost half would theoretically be amenable to personalized therapy using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs).

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15. Vassall SG, Wallace MT. Sensory and Multisensory Processing Changes and Their Contributions to Autism and Schizophrenia. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2025.

Natural environments are typically multisensory, comprising information from multiple sensory modalities. It is in the integration of these incoming sensory signals that we form our perceptual gestalt that allows us to navigate through the world with relative ease. However, differences in multisensory integration (MSI) ability are found in a number of clinical conditions. Throughout this chapter, we discuss how MSI differences contribute to phenotypic characterization of autism and schizophrenia. Although these clinical populations are often described as opposite each other on a number of spectra, we describe similarities in behavioral performance and neural functions between the two conditions. Understanding the shared features of autism and schizophrenia through the lens of MSI research allows us to better understand the neural and behavioral underpinnings of both disorders. We provide potential avenues for remediation of MSI function in these populations.

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16. Wang F, Gao Y, Liu Z, Cheng Z, Liu S, Zhang Y, Jiang Y, Zhang M, Yang X, Zou M, Sun C. Boosting 2-arachidonoylglycerol, but not N-acylethanolamine, ameliorates autism symptoms in VPA-exposed rats by modulating abnormal neuroinflammation. Neuropharmacology. 2025; 276: 110501.

Research has implicated endocannabinoids (eCBs) as significant regulators of neuroinflammation that may contribute to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study investigated the effect of the main eCBs, namely N-acylethanolamine (NAE) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), on ASD and their underlying mechanisms through in vivo and in vitro experiments. Results showed that elevating NAE or 2-AG ameliorated social deficits and restricted and repetitive behaviors and corrected neuropathological damage. Additionally, enhancing 2-AG protected valproic acid (VPA)-exposed rats against nerve damage by modulating abnormal neuroinflammation, as evidenced by the fact that 2-AG decreased microglial reactivity with reduced pro-inflammatory responses and increased anti-inflammatory responses. While, NAE only had a subtle effect on regulating neuroinflammation. Collectively, these findings suggested that elevating both NAE and 2-AG could improve ASD symptoms. Elevating 2-AG may play a neuroprotective role by generating a reparative milieu reactive to abnormal neuroinflammation, but NAE does not. Therefore, eCBs may be a promising therapeutic target for ASD.

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17. Wu X, Cao T, Ye J, Shi R, Bao X, Ge Y, Li D, Hao S, Liu F, Liu X. Supplementation of 2′-Fucosyllactose during the Growth Period Improves Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Offspring Mice Induced by Maternal Immune Activation. J Agric Food Chem. 2025; 73(20): 12292-307.

Autism spectrum disorder is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder whose early onset significantly affects an individual’s social interactions and cognitive function. Recent research suggests that modulating the gut microbiota could be a potential intervention strategy for autism spectrum disorder symptoms. 2′-Fucosyllactose has been identified as a regulator of gut microbiota homeostasis, however, its effectiveness in addressing autism spectrum disorder remains unclear. In this study, the effects of daily supplementation of 2′-FL in 3-week-old male offspring mice for 5 weeks were examined. The results showed that 2′-fucosyllactose significantly improved autism spectrum disorder-like behavioral deficits. Furthermore, supplementation with 2′-fucosyllactose restored intestinal barrier integrity and increased relative abundance of beneficial gut bacteria, particularly Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium that are closely related to bile acid metabolism. Notably, 2′-fucosyllactose treatment elevated the content of bile acids and upregulated the expression of bile acid receptors in the brain. Co-housing experiments further confirmed the crucial role of gut microbiota in mediating the beneficial effects of 2′-fucosyllactose. Overall, this study suggests that 2′-fucosyllactose could alleviate maternal immune activation-induced behavioral deficits and neuroinflammation through the regulation of the gut-brain axis, offering potential therapeutic value.

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18. Zhang E, Alduraidi W, Snyder M, Kaiser E, Hunley S, Davis A, Nelson EL, Cheak-Zamora N. Pilot rural-urban comparison of health care experiences among autistic adolescents and young adults. Autism. 2025: 13623613251337506.

Autistic adolescents and young adults face barriers to accessing health care, particularly during the pediatric-to-adult care transition. This study compared health care access, utilization, and provider interactions between rural and urban autistic adolescents and young adults. Autistic adolescents and young adults (N = 180) aged 14-25 were recruited through autism registries and community agencies across multiple US states from October 2022 to June 2023. They completed the Health Care Transition Experience Survey, a 51-item questionnaire evaluating health care experiences. Rural-urban differences were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Rural autistic adolescents and young adults (n = 84) relied more on a single health care location, while urban autistic adolescents and young adults (n = 96) more often used multiple providers (72.6% vs 56.3%, p = 0.046). Rural autistic adolescents and young adults reported greater challenges with providers lacking autism-specific knowledge (40.5% vs 24.0%, p = 0.017) and limited nearby providers (57.1% vs 26.0%, p < 0.001). They also encountered more issues with dental insurance acceptance (46.4% vs 12.5%, p = 0.015), while urban autistic adolescents and young adults more often lacked dental insurance (33.3% vs 3.6%, p = 0.008). Significant rural-urban disparities were found in health care experiences, particularly provider availability and autism expertise in rural areas. Targeted interventions addressing rural health care barriers and enhanced provider training in autism care are needed.Lay abstractHealth care can be especially challenging for young autistic people, particularly when they move from child to adult health care. Our pilot study looked at whether the health care experiences are similar or different for autistic young people living in rural areas versus urban areas. We surveyed 180 autistic people aged 14-25 years about their health care experiences, including 96 from urban areas and 84 from rural areas. The survey asked about their experiences in finding providers, getting appointments, working with providers, and how well their providers understood autism. The results showed that rural young autistic people face some unique challenges. They often had to travel farther to find providers. They were more likely to work with one provider and report that their providers did not understand autism well compared to urban young autistic people, who often could choose between different providers. Interestingly, both rural and urban participants felt similarly about how well they could talk with their providers once they started working with them. Dental care stood out as particularly challenging among different health care services-rural participants had trouble finding dentists who accepted their insurance, while urban participants were more likely to have no dental insurance at all. These findings highlight important areas for improvement. Rural communities need more autism-trained providers and better access to nearby health services. In urban areas, addressing gaps in insurance coverage is critical. Together, we should improve care for all young autistic people, no matter where they live.

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