1. Balfe M, Tantam D. {{A descriptive social and health profile of a community sample of adults and adolescents with Asperger syndrome}}. {BMC Res Notes};2010 (Nov 12);3(1):300.
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Little is known about the health and social profile of adolescents and adults with Asperger syndrome (AS) living in the community. We conducted a study to describe the living, employment and psycho-social situation of a community sample of forty two adults and adolescents with AS, and to describe these indivdiuals’ experiences of accessing health services and taking medication. FINDINGS: Most respondents (including those over eighteen years of age) lived at home with their parents. Most had trouble reading and responding to other people’s feelings, and coping with unexpected changes. Difficulties with life skills, such as cleaning, washing and hygiene were prevalent. The majority of respondents were socially isolated and a large minority had been sexually or financially exploited. Almost all respondents had been bullied. Mental health problems such as anxiety or depression were common. 30% of respondents said that they regularly became violent and hit other people and 15% had attempted suicide. More positively, the majority of respondents felt that they could access health services if they had a health problem. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest a relatively poor social and health profile for many people with Asperger syndrome living in the community, with high levels of social problems and social exclusion, and difficulties managing day to day tasks such as washing and cleaning; these findings support the results of other studies that have examined psycho-social functioning in this group.
2. Hensley E, Briars L. {{Closer look at autism and the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine}}. {J Am Pharm Assoc (2003)};2010 (Nov-Dec);50(6):736-741.
Objective: To educate pharmacists regarding the hypothesis that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is linked to the development of autism.Data sources: Articles published from 1998 to 2009 were identified through electronic searches of Medline.Study selection: Articles were included if they evaluated or reviewed a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism or discussed MMR epidemiology, legal proceedings involving the MMR vaccine and autism, or health professionals’ impact on immunization decisions.Data synthesis: A total of 27 articles were identified. Of the articles, 74% (20 of 27) were included in the review because of their relevance to the study topic.Conclusion: The evidence presented does not show a causal relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism. Myths presented to potentially support any relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism have not been proven. Expert testimony refuting initial scientific theories has led to Supreme Court decisions that do not support a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Pharmacists and all health care providers are responsible for informing and educating parents and families regarding this information so that they can make informed decisions about immunizations.
3. Lazoff T, Zhong L, Piperni T, Fombonne E. {{Prevalence of pervasive developmental disorders among children at the english montreal school board}}. {Can J Psychiatry};2010 (Nov);55(11):715-720.
Objectives: The prevalence of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) has increased. There has been speculation regarding a role of thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs) in this trend. Our objectives were to determine prevalence rates of PDDs among school-aged children, and to evaluate the impact of discontinuation of thimerosal use in 1996 in routine childhood vaccines on PDD rates. Method: Children (n = 23 635) attending kindergarten to Grade 11 were surveyed in 71 schools from the English Montreal School Board. For children with PDD, information was obtained about their diagnostic subtype, age, sex, grade, and school. Prevalence rates were calculated for the entire school population and for each grade. Prevalence rates were also compared for children born before or after 1996. Results: Students (n = 187; male to female ratio: 5.4:1) with PDD were identified, corresponding to a prevalence of 79.1/10 000 (95% CI 67.8 to 90.4/10 000). The prevalence was 25.4, 43.6, 9.7, and 0.4 for autistic disorder, PDD not otherwise specified, Asperger syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorder, respectively. During the study period, there was a significant linear increase in prevalence (OR 1.17 per year; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.23). The trend in prevalence of PDDs was unrelated to the discontinuation of TCVs. Conclusion: Our study provides additional evidence that the PDD rate is close to 1%. We estimate that at least 11 500 Canadian children aged 2 to 5 years suffer from a PDD. The reasons for the upward trend in prevalence could not be determined with our methods. Discontinuation of thimerosal use in vaccines did not modify the risk of PDD.
4. Stanley-Cary C, Rinehart N, Tonge B, White O, Fielding J. {{Greater Disruption to Control of Voluntary Saccades in Autistic Disorder than Asperger’s Disorder: Evidence for Greater Cerebellar Involvement in Autism?}}. {Cerebellum};2010 (Nov 12)
It remains unclear whether autism and Asperger’s disorder (AD) exist on a symptom continuum or are separate disorders with discrete neurobiological underpinnings. In addition to impairments in communication and social cognition, motor deficits constitute a significant clinical feature in both disorders. It has been suggested that motor deficits and in particular the integrity of cerebellar modulation of movement may differentiate these disorders. We used a simple volitional saccade task to comprehensively profile the integrity of voluntary ocular motor behaviour in individuals with high functioning autism (HFA) or AD, and included measures sensitive to cerebellar dysfunction. We tested three groups of age-matched young males with normal intelligence (full scale, verbal, and performance IQ estimates >70) aged between 11 and 19 years; nine with AD, eight with HFA, and ten normally developing males as the comparison group. Overall, the metrics and dynamics of the voluntary saccades produced in this task were preserved in the AD group. In contrast, the HFA group demonstrated relatively preserved mean measures of ocular motricity with cerebellar-like deficits demonstrated in increased variability on measures of response time, final eye position, and movement dynamics. These deficits were considered to be consistent with reduced cerebellar online adaptation of movement. The results support the notion that the integrity of cerebellar modulation of movement may be different in AD and HFA, suggesting potentially differential neurobiological substrates may underpin these complex disorders.
