1. Arciuli J, Bailey B. {{An acoustic study of lexical stress contrastivity in children with and without autism spectrum disorders}}. {J Child Lang};2018 (Sep 12):1-11.
In this exploratory study, we examined stress contrastivity within real word productions elicited via picture naming in 20 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and 20 typical peers group-wise matched on age and vocabulary. Targets had a dominant pattern of lexical stress beginning with a strong-weak pattern (SW: ‘caterpillar’, ‘butterfly’) or a non-dominant pattern of lexical stress beginning with a weak-strong pattern (WS: ‘tomato’, ‘potato’). Children produced each target twice (n = 320 productions). Acoustic measures were made for the duration, fundamental frequency, and intensity of the first two vowels for each word production. For vowel duration and fundamental frequency, children with ASD and typical peers produced a similar magnitude of stress contrastivity for SW and WS words. However, there was a significant group difference in the way contrastivity in intensity was realised for WS words whereby children with ASD produced less stress contrastivity than typical peers. Bayesian analyses were in line with our interpretation of our frequentist analyses.
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2. Bakker-Huvenaars MJ, Greven CU, Herpers P, Wiegers E, Jansen A, van der Steen R, van Herwaarden AE, Baanders AN, Nijhof KS, Scheepers F, Rommelse N, Glennon JC, Buitelaar JK. {{Saliva oxytocin, cortisol, and testosterone levels in adolescent boys with autism spectrum disorder, oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder and typically developing individuals}}. {Eur Neuropsychopharmacol};2018 (Sep 7)
The aim of the current study was to compare levels of oxytocin, cortisol, and testosterone in adolescents with either autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)/conduct disorder (CD), and in typically developing individuals (TDI), and relate hormone levels to severity and subtype of aggression and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Saliva concentrations of oxytocin, cortisol, and testosterone were assessed in 114 male participants (N=49 ASD, N=37 ODD/CD, N=28 TDI,) aged 12-19 years (M=15.4 years, SD=1.9). The ASD and the ODD/CD groups had significantly lower levels of oxytocin than the TDI group, and the ODD/CD group had significantly higher levels of testosterone than the ASD group. There were no group effects on cortisol levels. Group differences remained for oxytocin after correcting for the influence of CU traits, but were not significant after controlling for aggression. Results for testosterone became non-significant after correction for either CU traits or aggression. Across groups, higher levels of CU traits were related to higher levels of cortisol and testosterone, however, proactive and reactive aggression were unrelated to all three hormonal levels. The current findings show that, regardless of cognitive ability or comorbid disorders, the diagnostic groups (ASD, ODD/CD) differ from each other by their hormonal levels, with the ASD group characterized by relative low level of oxytocin, and the ODD/CD group by a relative low level of oxytocin and high level of testosterone. These group effects were partly driven by differences in CU traits between the groups.
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3. Cavallo A, Romeo L, Ansuini C, Podda J, Battaglia F, Veneselli E, Pontil M, Becchio C. {{Prospective motor control obeys to idiosyncratic strategies in autism}}. {Sci Rep};2018 (Sep 12);8(1):13717.
Disturbance of primary prospective motor control has been proposed to contribute to faults in higher mind functions of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, but little research has been conducted to characterize prospective control strategies in autism. In the current study, we applied pattern-classification analyses to kinematic features to verify whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children altered their initial grasp in anticipation of self- and other-actions. Results indicate that children with autism adjusted their behavior to accommodate onward actions. The way they did so, however, varied idiosyncratically from one individual to another, which suggests that previous characterizations of general lack of prospective control strategies may be overly simplistic. These findings link abnormalities in anticipatory control with increased variability and offer insights into the difficulties that individuals with ASD may experience in social interaction.
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4. Eggleston JD, Harry JR, Dufek JS. {{Lower extremity joint stiffness during walking distinguishes children with and without autism}}. {Hum Mov Sci};2018 (Sep 12);62:25-33.
How children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and peers with typical development (TD) modulate lower extremity stiffness during walking could identify a mechanism for gait differences between groups. We quantified differences in lower extremity joint stiffness and linear impulses, along the vertical and anterior/posterior axes during over-ground walking in children with ASD compared to age- and gender-matched children with TD. Nine age- and gender-matched pairs of children, aged 5-12years, completed the current study. Joint stiffness and linear impulses were computed in four sub-phases of stance: loading response, mid-stance, terminal stance, and pre-swing. The Model Statistic technique (alpha=0.05) was used to test for statistical significance between the matched-pairs for each variable and sub-phase. Furthermore, dependent t-tests (alpha=0.05) were utilized, at the group level, to determine whether significant differences existed between sub-phases. Results indicate that children with ASD may exhibit greater stiffness in pre-swing, and thus, produce inefficient propulsive forces during walking. We attribute these differences to sensory processing dysfunction previously observed in children with ASD.
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5. Ghanouni P, Jarus T, Zwicker JG, Lucyshyn J, Mow K, Ledingham A. {{Social Stories for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Validating the Content of a Virtual Reality Program}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2018 (Sep 10)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects socio-emotional skills and perspective-taking abilities. Although social stories in a form of virtual reality program can help children with ASD, developing them and identifying appropriate responses might be subjective and thus challenging. Using Delphi method, and guided by general case training, we involved 63 parents and clinicians of individuals with ASD, in two rounds of online iteration to refine the stories. Scenarios that reached a 75% agreement level were accepted. This project is the first study to develop and validate a library of 75 short socio-emotional stories that illustrate various types and intensities of emotion in three social contexts of home, school, and community as the content of a virtual reality program.
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6. Healy S, Marchand G, Williams E. {{« I’m not in this alone » the perspective of parents mediating a physical activity intervention for their children with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Res Dev Disabil};2018 (Sep 12);83:160-167.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Web-based, parent-mediated interventions have shown to be beneficial for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a variety of domains. We aimed to examine how parents of children with ASD perceive mediating a physical activity intervention delivered via a private Facebook group. METHODS: Thirteen families participated in a four-week trial of Project CHASE. Inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews and interactions within the Facebook group were conducted to elicit the perspective of the parents. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Thematic analysis resulted in three themes emerging: (1) ‘Remembering to Act’ encompassed the participants’ perspectives of Project CHASE as being an intervention that reminded them of the importance of physical activity, and served as a prompt for them to take action; (2) ‘A sharing community’ included the subthemes of ‘sharing success and struggles’ and ‘sharing ideas’; and, (3) ‘Taking control: possibilities and problems’ encapsulates the dichotomy between participants who spoke of embracing and rising to the challenge of taking control, with the parents who spoke of the need for more support, direction, and guidance. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION: The current study suggests parent-mediated, web-based interventions may have the potential for improving the effectiveness of physical activity interventions for children with ASD.
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7. Hsieh WH, Lee WC, Hsieh RL. {{Effects of a family-centered workshop for children with developmental delays}}. {Medicine (Baltimore)};2018 (Sep);97(36):e12106.
This study investigated the effects of a short-term family-centered workshop for children with developmental delays.This study was conducted in a rehabilitation outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital. We recruited 30 children with developmental delays and their parents as the study group and 57 age- and sex-matched children with typical development and their parents as the control group. The workshop was conducted for the children with developmental delays and their parents in the form of one 2-hour session per week for 6 weeks by health and education professionals by using a family-centered multidisciplinary approach. The Mandarin-Chinese Communicative Developmental Inventory and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-Second Edition were used to assess the communication and motor skills of the children with developmental delays. The parent form of the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument, Child Health Questionnaire, Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) Inventory, and PedsQL Family Impact Module were administered to the parents of both groups.On study commencement, no significant differences were noted in functional performance and family impact between the children with developmental delays and those without delays. The children with developmental delays had lower health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores than the children with typical development. Following the workshop, the study group exhibited significant improvements in physical health (94.2 vs 80.2, effect size: 1.00, P = .026), global function (94.8 vs 78.7, effect size: 0.88, P = .006), impact of the child’s health on parental HRQOL (85.0 vs 70.4, effect size: 0.81, P = .043), and parental HRQOL (81.3 vs 65.0, effect size: 0.81, P = .015). No significant differences were recorded in function, health, HRQOL, or family impact between the children with developmental delays and those with typical development after 6 weeks.The multidisciplinary short-term family-centered workshop for children with developmental delays improved the children’s physical health and global functional skills, and it reduced the impact of the child’s health on parental HRQOL while also improving parental HRQOL.
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8. Iritani S, Torii Y, Habuchi C, Sekiguchi H, Fujishiro H, Yoshida M, Go Y, Iriki A, Isoda M, Ozaki N. {{The neuropathological investigation of the brain in a monkey model of autism spectrum disorder with ABCA13 deletion}}. {Int J Dev Neurosci};2018 (Sep 7);71:130-139.
The precise biological etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the neuropathology of a monkey model of autism Human ABCA13 is the largest ABC transporter protein, with a length of 5058 amino acids and a predicted molecular weight of >450 kDa. However, the function of this protein remains to be elucidated. This protein is thought to be associated with major psychiatric disease. Using this monkey model of autism with an ABCA13 deletion and a mutation of 5HT2c, we neuropathologically investigated the changes in the neuronal formation in the frontal cortex. As a result, the neuronal formation in the cortex was found to be disorganized with regard to the neuronal size and laminal distribution in the ABCA13 deletion monkey. The catecholaminergic and GABAergic neuronal systems, serotoninergic neuronal formation (5HT2c) were also found to be impaired by an immunohistochemical evaluation. This study suggested that ABCA13 deficit induces the impairment of neuronal maturation or migration, and the function of the neuronal network. This protein might thus play a role in the neurodevelopmental function of the central nervous system and the dysfunction of this protein may be a pathophysiological cause of mental disorders including autism.
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9. Kumazaki H, Yoshikawa Y, Yoshimura Y, Ikeda T, Hasegawa C, Saito DN, Tomiyama S, An KM, Shimaya J, Ishiguro H, Matsumoto Y, Minabe Y, Kikuchi M. {{The impact of robotic intervention on joint attention in children with autism spectrum disorders}}. {Mol Autism};2018;9:46.
Background: A growing body of anecdotal evidence indicates that the use of robots may provide unique opportunities for assisting children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, previous studies investigating the effects of interventions using robots on joint attention (JA) in children with ASD have shown insufficient results. The robots used in these studies could not turn their eyes, which was a limitation preventing the robot from resembling a human agent. Methods: We compared the behavior of children with ASD with that of children with typical development (TD) during a JA elicitation task while the children interacted with either a human or a robotic agent. We used the robot « CommU, » which has clear eyes and can turn its eyes, for the robotic intervention. The age range of the participants was limited to 5-6 years. Results: Sixty-eight participants participated in this study, including 30 (10 females and 20 males) children with ASD and 38 (13 females and 25 males) children with TD. The participants were randomly assigned to one of the following two groups: the robotic intervention group or the control group. JA in the children with ASD was better during the robotic intervention than during the human agent intervention. These children exhibited improved performance in the JA task with human after interacting with the robot CommU. JA was differentially facilitated by the human and robotic agents between the ASD and TD children. Conclusions: The findings of this study significantly contribute to the literature on the impact of robots on JA and provide information regarding the suitability of specific robot types for therapeutic use.
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10. Lindor E, Rinehart N, Fielding J. {{Distractor Inhibition in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence of a Selective Impairment for Individuals with Co-occurring Motor Difficulties}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2018 (Sep 10)
Although most researchers agree that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit atypical attention, there is little consensus on the exact nature of their deficits. We explored whether attentional control in ASD varies as a function of motor proficiency. Nineteen children with ASD and 26 typically-developing controls completed the Movement Assessment Battery for Children and two ocular motor tasks requiring them to generate a saccade toward, and fixate, a visual target in the presence or absence of a distractor. The ASD group demonstrated poorer accuracy than typically-developing controls when distractors were present. Importantly, however, ASD symptomology was only related to poorer accuracy in individuals with motor difficulties. These findings suggest that distractor inhibition may be selectively impaired in this subgroup.
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11. Nagano M, Takumi T, Suzuki H. {{Critical roles of serotonin-oxytocin interaction during the neonatal period in social behavior in 15q dup mice with autistic traits}}. {Sci Rep};2018 (Sep 12);8(1):13675.
Disturbance of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators is thought to underlie the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies of 15q dup mouse models of ASD with human 15q11-13 duplication have revealed that restoring serotonin (5-HT) levels can partially reverse ASD-related symptoms in adults. However, it remains unclear how serotonin contributes to the behavioral symptoms of ASD. In contrast, oxytocin (OXT) has been found to involve social and affiliative behaviors. In this study, we examined whether serotonin-OXT interaction during the early postnatal period plays a critical role in the restoration of social abnormality in 15q dup mice. OXT or the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8OH-DPAT treatment from postnatal day 7 (PD7) to PD21 ameliorated social abnormality in the three-chamber social interaction test in adult 15q dup mice. The effect of 8OH-DPAT was inhibited by blockade of OXT receptors in 15q dup mice. Thus, serotonin-OXT interaction via 5-HT1A receptors plays a critical role in the normal development of social behavior in 15q dup mice. Therefore, targeting serotonin-OXT interaction may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for treatment of ASD.
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12. Parsons D, Cordier R, Lee H, Falkmer T, Vaz S. {{A Randomised Controlled Trial of an Information Communication Technology Delivered Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Living in Regional Australia}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2018 (Sep 12)
This exploratory randomised controlled trial tested the effectiveness of a tablet-based information communication technology early intervention application to augment existing therapy with the aim of improving visual motor, imitation, language and social skills in young children with ASD who reside in regional areas. Fifty-nine participants were recruited and randomised to either a therapy-as-usual group or intervention group. With the exception of the expressive language subscale on the Mullen Scales of Early Learning, no significant between-group differences were recorded for visual motor, imitation, receptive language and social skills of participants between baseline and post-intervention. When all participants were pooled and measured over time, improvements were shown in receptive and pragmatic language and social skills; these gains were maintained, thus suggesting skill acquisition.
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13. Patusco R, Ziegler J. {{Role of Probiotics in Managing Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Update for Practitioners}}. {Adv Nutr};2018 (Sep 7)
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are 4 times as likely to experience gastrointestinal symptoms as children without ASD. The gut microbiota has increasingly been the subject of investigation as a contributing factor to these symptoms in this population because there is evidence to suggest that alterations in the intestinal microflora are correlated with gastrointestinal and ASD symptom severity. Probiotic therapy has been proposed as a treatment for augmented gastrointestinal symptom severity in children with ASD. This narrative review systematically searched the literature to provide an update for practitioners on the state of the evidence surrounding probiotic therapy in children with ASD as a treatment option for reducing gastrointestinal symptoms. A total of 186 articles were screened and 5 articles met the inclusion criteria. A collective sample of 117 children with ASD is represented and outcomes addressed include improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms as well as influence of probiotic supplementation on the gut microbiota and ASD symptoms and behavior. There is promising evidence to suggest that probiotic therapy may improve gastrointestinal dysfunction, beneficially alter fecal microbiota, and reduce the severity of ASD symptoms in children with ASD. Future research is still warranted in this area because there are methodologic flaws in the available literature and optimal species, strains, dosages, and duration of treatment have not been identified.
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14. Rogers SJ, Estes A, Vismara L, Munson J, Zierhut C, Greenson J, Dawson G, Rocha M, Sugar C, Senturk D, Whelan F, Talbott M. {{Enhancing Low-Intensity Coaching in Parent Implemented Early Start Denver Model Intervention for Early Autism: A Randomized Comparison Treatment Trial}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2018 (Sep 10)
Short-term low intensity parent implemented intervention studies for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have found it difficult to demonstrate significantly improved developmental scores or autism severity compared to community treatment. We conducted a randomized comparative intent-to-treat study of a parent implemented intervention to (1) test the effects of an enhanced version on parent and child learning, and (2) evaluate the sensitivity to change of proximal versus distal measures of child behavior. We randomized 45 children with ASD, 12-30 months of age, into one of two versions of parent-implemented Early Start Denver Model (P-ESDM), the basic model, in which we delivered 1.5 h of clinic-based parent coaching weekly, and an enhanced version that contained three additions: motivational interviewing, multimodal learning tools, and a weekly 1.5-h home visit. We delivered the intervention for 12 weeks and measured child and parent change frequently in multiple settings. We found a time-by-group interaction: parents in the enhanced group demonstrated significantly greater gains in interaction skills than did parents in the non-enhanced group. Both interventions were associated with significant developmental acceleration; however, child outcomes did not differ by group. We found a significant relationship between degree of change in parental interaction skill and rate of children’s improvement on our proximal measure. Parents in both groups reported satisfaction with the intervention. These findings suggest that parent skills improved more in the enhanced group than the comparison group. Children in the two groups showed similar improvements. Rate of individual parent learning was associated with greater individual child progress on a measure quite proximal to the treatment, though not on standardized assessments.
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15. Saavedra MJ, Aziz J, Cacchiarelli San Roman N. {{Scurvy due to restrictive diet in a child with autism spectrum disorder: case report}}. {Arch Argent Pediatr};2018 (Oct 1);116(5):e684-e687.
Scurvy is a very uncommon entity in pediatric population. Some case reports have been published in infants fed with boiled milk, in patients with iron overload secondary to hematological diseases and in children with food restrictions secondary to neurodevelopmental disorders. We report a case of a 4-year-old male patient with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, which developed scurvy secondary to a long-term selective eating habit without fruit or vegetable intake. The objective of this case report is to announce the pediatrician and other professionals dedicated to primary health care about scurvy as a potential consequence of restrictive diets in children with autism spectrum disorders as well as the importance of dietary history in sick patients to prevent associated micronutrient deficiencies.
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16. Sukmak V, Sangsuk N. {{Living a tormented life: Caregivers’ experiences of caring for a child with autism in Northeastern Thailand}}. {Arch Psychiatr Nurs};2018 (Oct);32(5):745-750.
Caring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be a demanding challenge to caregivers. The aim of this study was to learn what caring for children with ASD means to caregivers who live in rural Thailand. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to analyze narrative data from interviews of five caregivers. Three themes emerged: (a) being sensitive to the word autism, (b) being trapped in a tunnel of distress, and (c) being the universe for the child. Healthcare professionals need to be sensitive to the caregivers’ cultural customs in order to meet their expectations in a respectful way.
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17. Swatt AJ, Schwartz AE, Kramer JM. {{Youth’s Perspective of Responsibility: Exploration of a Construct for Measurement with Youth with Developmental Disabilities}}. {Phys Occup Ther Pediatr};2018 (Sep 11):1-13.
AIMS: There is a need to develop self-reports that measure youth’s responsibility for major life tasks. We examined if the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test’s (PEDI-CAT) operationalization of responsibility is salient to youth with developmental disabilities (DD). The PEDI-CAT defines responsibility as, « the extent to which the young person…take[s] control over organizing and managing major life tasks. » METHODS: During six focus groups (n = 43), youth generated examples of behaviors and actions that demonstrated responsibility. Data were coded as « responsibility » or « discrete skills » per PEDI-CAT definitions. We reviewed examples in both categories and compared and contrasted how youth described responsibility. RESULTS: Youth’s descriptions of responsibility aligned with the PEDI-CAT’s responsibility construct 42.75% of the time. In these instances, youth perceived themselves as causal agents who had to make decisions and self-regulate to manage and organize major life tasks. Otherwise, youth described themselves as causal agents who adhered to rules, social norms, and expectations of others during the execution of discrete skills. CONCLUSIONS: Youth perceive themselves as responsible, causal agents during both the coordination and management of major life tasks and during the execution of discrete skills. As this is not aligned with the PEDI-CAT’s operationalization of responsibility, there is a need to further explore youth’s perceptions of responsibility prior to developing a self-report.
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18. Trobiani L, Favaloro FL, Di Castro MA, Di Mattia M, Cariello M, Miranda E, Canterini S, De Stefano ME, Comoletti D, Limatola C, De Jaco A. {{UPR activation specifically modulates glutamate neurotransmission in the cerebellum of a mouse model of autism}}. {Neurobiol Dis};2018 (Sep 7);120:139-150.
An increasing number of rare mutations linked to autism spectrum disorders have been reported in genes encoding for proteins involved in synapse formation and maintenance, such as the post-synaptic cell adhesion proteins neuroligins. Most of the autism-linked mutations in the neuroligin genes map on the extracellular protein domain. The autism-linked substitution R451C in Neuroligin3 (NLGN3) induces a local misfolding of the extracellular domain, causing defective trafficking and retention of the mutant protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), due to misfolded proteins accumulating in the ER, has been implicated in pathological and physiological conditions of the nervous system. It was previously shown that the over-expression of R451C NLGN3 in a cellular system leads to the activation of the UPR. Here, we have investigated whether this protective cellular response is detectable in the knock-in mouse model of autism endogenously expressing R451C NLGN3. Our data showed up-regulation of UPR markers uniquely in the cerebellum of the R451C mice compared to WT littermates, at both embryonic and adult stages, but not in other brain regions. Miniature excitatory currents in the Purkinje cells of the R451C mice showed higher frequency than in the WT, which was rescued inhibiting the PERK branch of UPR. Taken together, our data indicate that the R451C mutation in neuroligin3 elicits UPR in vivo, which appears to trigger alterations of synaptic function in the cerebellum of a mouse model expressing the R451C autism-linked mutation.
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19. Zhao X, Li X, Song Y, Shi W. {{Autistic Traits and Prosocial Behaviour in the General Population: Test of the Mediating Effects of Trait Empathy and State Empathic Concern}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2018 (Sep 10)
Although the core characteristics associated with autistic traits are impaired social interactions, there are few studies examining how autistic traits translate into prosocial behaviour in daily life. The current study explored the effect of autistic traits on prosocial behaviour and the mediating role of multimodal empathy (trait empathy and state empathic concern). The results showed that autistic traits reduced prosocial behaviour directly and indirectly through complex mediation by multimodal empathy. The findings revealed the internal mechanism of autistic traits impeding prosocial behaviour and expanded our understandings of social behaviour in autism spectrum conditions (ASCs) and autistic traits in the general population. Furthermore, the results have implications for social adaptability interventions for individuals with ASCs and high levels of autistic traits.
