1. {{Corrigendum to Integrating a New Online Autism Screening Tool in Primary Care to Lower the Age of Referral}}. {Clin Pediatr (Phila)};2020 (Feb 11):9922820908160.
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2. Balasco L, Provenzano G, Bozzi Y. {{Sensory Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Focus on the Tactile Domain, From Genetic Mouse Models to the Clinic}}. {Front Psychiatry};2019;10:1016.
Sensory abnormalities are commonly recognized as diagnostic criteria in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as reported in the last edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-V). About 90% of ASD individuals have atypical sensory experiences, described as both hyper- and hypo-reactivity, with abnormal responses to tactile stimulation representing a very frequent finding. In this review, we will address the neurobiological bases of sensory processing in ASD, with a specific focus of tactile sensitivity. In the first part, we will review the most relevant sensory abnormalities detected in ASD, and then focus on tactile processing deficits through the discussion of recent clinical and experimental studies. In the search for the neurobiological bases of ASD, several mouse models have been generated with knockout and humanized knockin mutations in many ASD-associated genes. Here, we will therefore give a brief overview of the anatomical structure of the mouse somatosensory system, and describe the somatosensory abnormalities so far reported in different mouse models of ASD. Understanding the neurobiological bases of sensory processing in ASD mouse models may represent an opportunity for a better comprehension of the mechanisms underlying sensory abnormalities, and for the development of novel effective therapeutic strategies.
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3. Enner S, Ahmad S, Morse AM, Kothare SV. {{Autism: considerations for transitions of care into adulthood}}. {Curr Opin Pediatr};2020 (Feb 13)
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The steady rise in number of youth diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has led to the need to examine transition of care considerations specific to ASD. Improved understanding and guidance addressing these needs will allow pediatric and adult providers to work together to optimize social, medical, and occupational outcomes for these patients. RECENT FINDINGS: Health-care transition is a delicate time when children with ASD outgrow the services of pediatric programs and enter a fragmented healthcare system that is unfamiliar, insufficiently knowledgeable, and underfunded for their needs. SUMMARY: Increasing autism prevalence and an aging population with autism lend urgency to improve outcomes in children transitioning to adult-care. Research reveals poor consequences in social support, education, vocational training and employment, housing, and healthcare. Specific considerations to address these issues and ensure successful transition from pediatric to adult care are needed.
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4. Flowers J, Lantz J, Hamlin T, Simeonsson RJ. {{Associated Factors of Self-injury Among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Community and Residential Treatment Setting}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2020 (Feb 13)
Self-injurious behavior (SIB) occurs in up to 50% of individuals with autism. As one of the most serious conditions in individuals with developmental disabilities, SIB affects the individual and his or her family in multiple contexts. A systematic analysis of factors most commonly associated with SIB could inform the development of individualized intervention strategies. The current study examined factors related to SIB in an analysis of client records of 145 children with autism in a comprehensive care center. Predictor variables included age, gender, the Adaptive Behavior Composite, sensory processing, aggression, stereotypies, irritability, adaptive skills, and medical conditions. Age, irritability, and the Adaptive Behavior Composite were found to significantly predict SIB.
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5. Forbes PAG, Hamilton AFC. {{Brief Report: Autistic Adults Assign Less Weight to Affective Cues When Judging Others’ Ambiguous Emotional States}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2020 (Feb 13)
Understanding other people’s emotional states involves integrating multiple sources of information, such as someone’s smile (affective cue) with our knowledge that they have passed an exam (situational cue). We explored whether autistic adults display differences in how they integrate these cues by showing participants videos of students receiving their exams results. Our results suggest autistic adults generally perform as neurotypical participants when identifying and integrating affective and situational cues. It was only in certain unfamiliar and ambiguous social situations that autistic adults assigned less weight to affective cues compared to situational cues when judging other people’s emotional states.
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6. Graham Holmes L, Strassberg DS, Himle MB. {{Family Sexuality Communication: Parent Report for Autistic Young Adults Versus a Comparison Group}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2020 (Feb 13)
Families are a critical context for healthy sexuality development. This study characterized family sexuality communication for autistic adults (age 18-30) without intellectual disability (n = 117) versus a neurotypical comparison group (n = 319). Parent-reported number of sexuality topics covered did not significantly differ by gender or autism/comparison group. Parents of autistic adults who covered few or no topics (31%) reported higher religiosity, lower comfort and self-efficacy, and were less likely to say that the adult expressed attraction or desire for relationships. Parents of autistic adults were more likely than comparison parents to perceive their young person as being uninterested or not ready to learn about sexuality topics. These results suggest that families of autistic people require support to convey sexuality-related knowledge and values.
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7. Hall DA, Robertson EE, Leehey M, McAsey A, Ouyang B, Berry-Kravis E, O’Keefe JA. {{Open-label pilot clinical trial of citicoline for fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS)}}. {PLoS One};2020;15(2):e0225191.
Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a late onset neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by tremor, cerebellar ataxia, frequent falls, cognitive decline, and progressive loss of motor function. There are currently no approved treatments for this disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine if citicoline was safe for the treatment of tremor and balance abnormalities and to stabilize cognitive decline in patients with FXTAS. Ten participants with diagnosed FXTAS were administered 1000 mg of citicoline once daily for 12 months. Outcome measures and neurological examination were performed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. The primary outcome was the FXTAS Rating Scale score. Secondary outcomes included change in a battery of neuropsychological tests, an instrumented Timed up and go test, computerized dynamic posturography, 9-hole pegboard test, and balance confidence and psychiatric symptom questionnaires. Safety was also evaluated. Citicoline treatment resulted in minimal adverse events in all but one subject over the course of the study. There was a significant improvement in the Beck Anxiety Inventory (p = 0.03) and the Stroop Color-Word test (p = 0.03), with all other measures remaining stable over the course of 12 months. This open-label pilot trial of citicoline for individuals with FXTAS showed that it is safe and well tolerated in this population. Registration: This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT0219710.
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8. Hall JP, Batza K, Streed CG, Jr., Boyd BA, Kurth NK. {{Health Disparities Among Sexual and Gender Minorities with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2020 (Feb 13)
We explored the health and health care experiences of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) using data from a national, internet-based survey of adults with disabilities supplemented by focused interviews. LGBTQ+ respondents had significantly higher rates of mental illness, poor physical health days per month, and smoking compared to straight, cisgender respondents with ASD. LGBTQ+ respondents also reported much higher rates of unmet health care need, inadequate insurance provider networks, and rates of being refused services by a medical provider. Examining the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and ASD reveals compounded health disparities that insurers and medical providers are not adequately addressing, particularly as individuals transition to the adult medical system.
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9. Koegel LK, Bryan KM, Su PL, Vaidya M, Camarata S. {{Definitions of Nonverbal and Minimally Verbal in Research for Autism: A Systematic Review of the Literature}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2020 (Feb 13)
This systematic review examined definitions of « nonverbal » or « minimally verbal » and assessment measures used to evaluate communication in intervention studies focusing on improving expressive verbal communication in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We reviewed sample size, number of participants, participant age, and male/female representation. Our analysis yielded relatively few studies with non/minimally verbal children with ASD focusing on verbal expressive communication. Further, we found large inconsistencies in measures used, definitions of « nonverbal » and « minimally verbal », and ages targeted. Guidelines are suggested to create a more uniform assessment protocol with systematic descriptions of early communication learners as a foundational step for understanding the heterogeneity in this group and replicating research findings for this subgroup of children with ASD.
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10. Macari S, Milgramm A, Reed J, Shic F, Powell KK, Macris D, Chawarska K. {{Context-Specific Dyadic Attention Vulnerabilities During the First Year in Infants Later Developing Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry};2020 (Feb 13)
OBJECTIVE: Although some eye-tracking studies demonstrate atypical attention to faces by six months of age in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), behavioral studies in early infancy return largely negative results. We examined the effects of context and diagnosis on attention to faces during face-to-face live interactions in infants at high (HR) and low (LR) familial risk for ASD. METHOD: Participants were 6-, 9-, and 12-month-old siblings of children with ASD later determined to have ASD (n=21), other developmental challenges (HR-C; n=74), or typical development (TD) (HR-TD; n=32), and low-risk typically-developing controls (LR-TD; n=49). Infants were administered the Social Orienting Probes task, consisting of five conditions: Dyadic Bid, Song, Peek-a-boo, Tickle, and Toy Play. Attention to an unfamiliar examiner’s face was coded by blinded raters from video recordings. RESULTS: At all ages, the ASD group spent less time looking at the examiner’s face than the HR-C, HR-TD, and LR-TD groups during the Dyadic Bid and Tickle conditions (ps<.05), but not during the Song, Peek-a-Boo, or Toy Play conditions (ps >.23). Lower attention to faces during Dyadic Bid and Tickle conditions was significantly correlated with higher severity of autism symptoms at 18 months. CONCLUSION: During the prodromal stages of the disorder, infants with ASD exhibited subtle impairments in attention to faces of interactive partners during interactions involving eye contact and child-directed speech (with and without physical contact), but not in contexts involving singing, familiar anticipatory games, or toy play. Considering the convergence with eye-tracking findings on limited attention to faces in infants later diagnosed with ASD, reduced attention to faces of interactive partners in specific contexts may constitute a promising candidate behavioral marker of ASD in infancy.
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11. Mahmuda NA, Yokoyama S, Munesue T, Hayashi K, Yagi K, Tsuji C, Higashida H. {{One Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of the TRPM2 Channel Gene Identified as a Risk Factor in Bipolar Disorder Associates with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Japanese Population}}. {Diseases};2020 (Feb 7);8(1)
The transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) is a non-specific cation channel, resulting in Ca(2+) influx at warm temperatures from 34 degrees C to 47 degrees C, thus including the body temperature range in mammals. TRPM2 channels are activated by beta-NAD(+), ADP-ribose (ADPR), cyclic ADPR, and 2′-deoxyadenosine 5′-diphosphoribose. It has been shown that TRPM2 cation channels and CD38, a type II or type III transmembrane protein with ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity, simultaneously play a role in heat-sensitive and NAD(+) metabolite-dependent intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration increases in hypothalamic oxytocinergic neurons. Subsequently, oxytocin (OT) is released to the brain. Impairment of OT release may induce social amnesia, one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The risk of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and variants of TRPM2 have been reported in bipolar disorder, but not in ASD. Therefore, it is reasonable to examine whether SNPs or haplotypes in TRPM2 are associated with ASD. Here, we report a case-control study with 147 ASD patients and 150 unselected volunteers at Kanazawa University Hospital in Japan. The sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction method together with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy was applied. Of 14 SNPs examined, one SNP (rs933151) displayed a significant p-value (OR = 0.1798, 95% CI = 0.039, 0.83; Fisher’s exact test; p = 0.0196). The present research data suggest that rs93315, identified as a risk factor for bipolar disorder, is a possible association factor for ASD.
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12. Maras K, Norris JE, Brewer N. {{Metacognitive Monitoring and Control of Eyewitness Memory Reports in Autism}}. {Autism Res};2020 (Feb 13)
Providing eyewitness testimony involves monitoring one’s memory to provide a detailed and accurate account: reporting details likely to be accurate and withholding potentially inaccurate details. Autistic individuals reportedly experience difficulties in both retrieving episodic memories and monitoring their accuracy, which has important implications for eyewitness testimony. Thirty autistic and 33 IQ-matched typically developing (TD) participants viewed a video of a mock bank robbery followed by three phases of questions (with judgments of confidence). In Phase 1, participants freely generated the granularity of their responses (i.e., fine- or coarse-grained). In Phase 2, participants answered the same questions but provided both a fine- and a coarse-grained answer. In Phase 3, participants were instructed to maximize accuracy over informativeness by selecting one of their Phase 2 answers as their final answer. They either received the questions socially (from the experimenter) or answered them online. There were no group differences in accuracy or metacognitive monitoring, with both autistic and TD witnesses demonstrating: (a) a strong preference for reporting fine-grained details at the expense of accuracy; (b) improved though still suboptimal grain size reporting when instructed to maximize accuracy over informativeness; (c) effective accuracy monitoring; and (d) higher overall accuracy when questions were delivered socially. There was, however, a subtle difference in metacognitive control, with autistic witnesses performing more poorly than TD witnesses when questions were delivered socially, but not when they were delivered online. These findings contrast with evidence suggesting that autism is marked by impairments in episodic memory and metacognitive monitoring and control. LAY SUMMARY: Autistic people have been reported to experience subtle difficulties in monitoring and regulating their information reporting, which has important implications for providing eyewitness testimony. We found that autistic witnesses’ testimony comprised a similar level of detail and accuracy as non-autistic witnesses’ accounts. However, autistic people found it difficult to optimize their testimony when the questions were delivered socially-but not when they answered the questions online. (c) 2020 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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13. Masefield SC, Prady SL, Sheldon TA, Small N, Jarvis S, Pickett KE. {{The Caregiver Health Effects of Caring for Young Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Meta-analysis}}. {Matern Child Health J};2020 (Feb 11)
OBJECTIVES: Mothers of school age and older children with developmental disabilities experience poorer health than mothers of typically developing children. This review assesses the evidence for the effect on mothers’ health of caring for young children with developmental disabilities, and the influence of different disability diagnoses and socioeconomic status. METHODS: Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched. Studies measuring at least one symptom, using a quantitative scale, in mothers of preschool children (0-5 years) with and without a diagnosed developmental disability were selected. Random effects meta-analysis was performed, and predictive intervals reported due to high expected heterogeneity. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 23 estimates of association from 14 retrospective studies for the outcomes of stress (n = 11), depressive symptoms (n = 9), general health (n = 2) and fatigue (n = 1). Caring for a child with a developmental disability was associated with greater ill health (standardised mean difference 0.87; 95% predictive interval – 0.47, 2.22). The largest association was for mixed developmental disabilities (1.36; – 0.64, 3.36) and smallest for Down syndrome (0.38; – 2.17, 2.92). There was insufficient socioeconomic information to perform subgroup analysis. The small number of studies and data heterogeneity limited the precision of the estimates of association and generalizability of the findings. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Mothers of young children with developmental disabilities may have poorer health than those with typically developing children. Research is needed to identify whether the relationship is causal and, if so, interventions that could reduce the negative effect of caregiving.
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14. Meagher SP, Carlson BL, Elrod MG. {{Behaviors Interfering with Audiometry Associated with Eventual Diagnosis of Autism}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2020 (Feb 13)
Children referred for audiology evaluation due to speech and language delays represent a neurodevelopmentally high-risk group. The audiology evaluation is a behaviorally-challenging encounter early in the diagnostic process. We assessed interfering behaviors (IB) that complicated completion of audiometry as predictors of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. This retrospective cohort study using the Military Health System electronic medical record included 296 children aged 18 to 71 months. Children who displayed IB had increased odds of receiving an ASD diagnosis compared to those who did not (OR = 5.6, 95% CI 2.6-12.1). Interfering behaviors had a high specificity (81%) and negative predictive value (94%) for ASD. The audiology evaluation may represent an opportunity early in the diagnostic process to stratify risk for ASD.
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15. Ocanto R, Levi-Minzi MA, Chung J, Sheehan T, Padilla O, Brimlow D. {{The development and implementation of a training program for pediatric dentistry residents working with patients diagnosed with ASD in a special needs dental clinic}}. {J Dent Educ};2020 (Feb 13)
Oral health care is the most prevalent unmet health care need among all U.S. children age 17 and under in the U.S., and this includes those with special health care needs (SHCN). Children with SHCN experience unique barriers to receiving oral care including challenging behaviors, inadequate insurance coverage, and a lack of trained dentists. Despite the need for specialized training to successfully provide dental care to children with SHCN, few dental programs offer the necessary educational preparation. The Nova Southeastern University College of Dentistry was funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration to prepare pediatric and Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) dental residents in the care of children, adolescents, and adults with SHCN. The purpose of this paper is to describe the didactic and clinical training program and to provide data on the program’s impact.
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16. Patel SP, Nayar K, Martin GE, Franich K, Crawford S, Diehl JJ, Losh M. {{An Acoustic Characterization of Prosodic Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder and First-Degree Relatives}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2020 (Feb 13)
This study examined prosody through characterization of acoustic properties of the speech of individuals with ASD and their parents, during narration. A subset of utterances were low-pass filtered and rated for differences in intonation, speech rate, and rhythm. Listener ratings were minimally related to acoustic measures, underscoring the complexity of atypical prosody in ASD. Acoustic analyses revealed greater utterance-final fundamental frequency excursion size and slower speech rate in the ASD group. Slower speech rate was also evident in the ASD parent group, particularly parents with the broad autism phenotype. Overlapping prosodic differences in ASD and ASD Parent groups suggest that prosodic differences may constitute an important phenotype contributing to ASD features and index genetic liability to ASD among first-degree relatives.
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17. Sappok T, Dosen A, Zepperitz S, Barrett B, Vonk J, Schanze C, Ilic M, Bergmann T, De Neve L, Birkner J, Zaal S, Bertelli MO, Hudson M, Morisse F, Sterkenburg P. {{Standardizing the assessment of emotional development in adults with intellectual and developmental disability}}. {J Appl Res Intellect Disabil};2020 (Feb 11)
OBJECTIVE: The Scale of Emotional Development-Short (SED-S) is an instrument to assess the level of emotional development (ED) in people with intellectual and developmental disability. Index cases are developed as a didactic tool to standardize the application of the scale. METHOD: In a stepwise process, a European working group from six countries developed five index cases, one for each level of ED. All cases were first scored by 20 raters using the SED-S and then rephrased to reduce inter-rater variations (SD > 0.5). RESULTS: All five index cases yielded overall ratings that matched the intended level of ED. Across the range of ED, Regulating Affect needed rephrasing most to ensure a distinct description within each level of ED. CONCLUSIONS: The tri-lingual, cross-cultural evolution of five index cases contributes to a standardized application of the SED-S and can serve as training material to improve the inter-rater reliability of the SED-S across different cultures and languages.
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18. Sarn N, Jaini R, Thacker S, Lee H, Dutta R, Eng C. {{Cytoplasmic-predominant Pten increases microglial activation and synaptic pruning in a murine model with autism-like phenotype}}. {Mol Psychiatry};2020 (Feb 13)
Germline mutations in PTEN account for ~10% of cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with coincident macrocephaly. To explore the importance of nuclear PTEN in the development of ASD and macrocephaly, we previously generated a mouse model with predominantly cytoplasmic localization of Pten (Pten(m3m4/m3m4)).Cytoplasmic predominant Pten localization results in a phenotype of extreme macrocephaly and autistic-like traits. Transcriptomic analysis of the Pten(m3m4/m3m4) cortex found upregulated gene pathways related to myeloid cell activation, myeloid cell migration, and phagocytosis. These transcriptomic findings were used to direct in vitro assays on Pten wild-type and Pten(m3m4/m3m4) microglia. We found increased Iba1 and C1q expression with enhanced phagocytic capacity in Pten(m3m4/m3m4) microglia, indicating microglial activation. Moreover, through a series of neuron-microglia co-culture experiments, we found Pten(m3m4/m3m4) microglia are more efficient at synaptic pruning compared with wild-type controls. In addition, we found evidence for neuron-microglia cross-talk, where Pten(m3m4/m3m4) neurons elicit enhanced pruning from innately activated microglia. Subsequent in vivo studies validated our in vitro findings. We observed a concurrent decline in the expression of Pten and synaptic markers in the Pten(m3m4/m3m4) cortex. At ~3 weeks of age, with a 50% drop in Pten expression compared with wild-type levels, we observed enhanced activation of microglia in the Pten(m3m4/m3m4) brain. Collectively, our data provide evidence that dysregulated Pten in microglia has an etiological role in microglial activation, phagocytosis, and synaptic pruning, creating avenues for future studies on the importance of PTEN in maintaining microglia homeostasis.
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19. Saurman V, Margolis KG, Luna RA. {{Autism Spectrum Disorder as a Brain-Gut-Microbiome Axis Disorder}}. {Dig Dis Sci};2020 (Feb 13)
While there are numerous medical comorbidities associated with ASD, gastrointestinal (GI) issues have a significant impact on quality of life for these individuals. Recent findings continue to support the relationship between the gut microbiome and both GI symptoms and behavior, but the heterogeneity within the autism spectrum requires in-depth clinical characterization of these clinical cohorts. Large, diverse, well-controlled studies in this area of research are still needed. Although there is still much to discover about the brain-gut-microbiome axis in ASD, microbially mediated therapies, specifically probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation have shown promise in the treatment of GI symptoms in ASD, with potential benefit to the core behavioral symptoms of ASD as well. Future research and clinical trials must increasingly consider complex phenotypes in ASD in stratification of large datasets as well as in design of inclusion criteria for individual therapeutic interventions.
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20. Tasse MJ, Wagner JB, Kim M. {{Using technology and remote support services to promote independent living of adults with intellectual disability and related developmental disabilities}}. {J Appl Res Intellect Disabil};2020 (Feb 12)
BACKGROUND: The use of remote support technologies is a newer form of service that can contribute to increased independence while giving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities a sense of home safety. This research reviewed the use of remote support services, which is a waiver service that includes smart home technologies and remote support staff that can be called upon, when needed. METHOD: Using focus groups and telephone interviews, the present authors asked users of remote support services about their experience, including what they liked most and least about their experience with these technologies. RESULTS: Overall, increased independence and a sense of security and home safety were identified as the two principal benefits. Remote support technologies may be a part of the solution to addressing the lack of direct support professionals available to provide in-home care. CONCLUSIONS: The present authors discuss the benefits of remote support technologies and offer recommendations for future research regarding remote support technologies and the potential benefits of this newer form of support service.
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21. van ‘t Hof M, van Berckelaer-Onnes I, Deen M, Neukerk MC, Bannink R, Daniels AM, Hoek HW, Ester WA. {{Novel Insights into Autism Knowledge and Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward Mental Illness in Dutch Youth and Family Center Physicians}}. {Community Ment Health J};2020 (Feb 11)
Professionals’ limited knowledge on mental health and their stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness can delay the diagnosis of autism. We evaluated the knowledge on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and stigmatizing attitudes in 93 physicians at Dutch Youth and Family Centers (YFC). These physicians screen for psychiatric symptoms in children. We show that their general ASD knowledge scored 7.1 (SD 1.2), but their specific ASD knowledge was only 5.7 (SD 1.7) (weighted means on 1-10 scale, 1 = least knowledge, 10 = most knowledge). Our physicians had positive attitudes toward mental illness (CAMI scores 2.18 (SD 0.33) to 2.22 (SD 0.40) on a 5-point Likert scale) but they had higher levels of stigmatizing attitudes than other Western healthcare professionals. Their levels were considerably lower than in non-Western professionals. We found no relations between ASD knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes and demographic variables. In conclusion, ASD knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness in Dutch YFC physicians require attention.
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22. Yasuno F, Makinodan M, Takahashi M, Matsuoka K, Yoshikawa H, Kitamura S, Ishida R, Kishimoto N, Miyasaka T, Kichikawa K, Kishimoto T. {{Microstructural Anomalies Evaluated by Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging Are Related to Deficits in Facial Emotional Recognition via Perceptual-Binding Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {Autism Res};2020 (Feb 12)
The integration of visual features is important for recognizing objects as a coherent whole, a key domain of difficulty in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We tested the hypothesis that ASD patients exhibit difficulties in facial emotional recognition via perceptual binding difficulties due to weak coherence. We assessed 18 ASD and 27 typically developing individuals for their ability to identify emotional expressions from faces in pictures moving behind a narrow vertical and horizontal slit. In this task, only a single local piece of facial information was provided at any one time through the slit. Using a voxel-based analysis of neurite-orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), we examined the relationship between NODDI index values at each voxel and the behavioral performance of ASD patients in the slit-viewing paradigm. ASD patients demonstrated impaired recognition of facial emotional expression only in horizontal slit-viewing. This deficit was associated with deficits in communication ability. Voxel-based analysis revealed significant negative correlations between behavioral deficits in horizontal slit-viewing and NODDI index values in clusters including the ventral occipital complex region, superior temporal/parietal association areas, and forceps major of the corpus callosum. Our results indicated deficits for the first time in perceptual integration of facial expression across hemispheres in ASD patients due to microstructural disturbances in the corpus callosum and areas related to viewing of the human face. This may underscore the difficulties faced by ASD patients in understanding the emotions of other people, contributing to impairments in communication ability in ASD patients. Autism Res 2019, 00: 1-10. (c) 2019 International Society for Autism Research,Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: We assessed ASD and typically developing individuals for their ability to identify emotional expressions from faces in pictures moving behind a narrow vertical and horizontal slit. ASD patients demonstrated impaired recognition of facial emotional expression only in horizontal slit-viewing. Voxel-based analysis revealed significant negative correlations between behavioral deficits and NODDI index values in clusters including the corpus callosum. Our results indicated deficits in perceptual integration of facial expression across hemispheres in ASD patients potentially resulting from microstructural disturbances.
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23. Yazdani S, Capuano A, Ghaziuddin M, Colombi C. {{Exclusion Criteria Used in Early Behavioral Intervention Studies for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {Brain Sci};2020 (Feb 13);10(2)
This literature review evaluated early behavioral intervention studies of Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) based on their participant exclusion criteria. The studies included were found through searching PsycINFO and PubMed databases, and discussed behavioral interventions for children up to 5 years of age with ASD and utilized a group research design. Studies reviewed were categorized into three groups: Restrictive exclusion criteria, loosely defined exclusion criteria, and exclusion criteria not defined. Results indicated that studies that used restrictive exclusion criteria demonstrated greater differences in terms of outcomes between experimental and control groups in comparison to studies that used loosely defined exclusion criteria and/or did not define any exclusion criteria. We discussed implications for the generalizability of the studies’ outcomes in relationship to exclusion criteria.
