1. Clopper CG, Rohrbeck KL, Wagner L. {{Perception of Dialect Variation by Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2011 (Jun 14)
The linguistic profile of people with Autism spectrum disorders typically involves intact perceptual processing, accompanied by deficits in the social functions of language. In a series of three experiments, the impact of this profile on the perception of regional dialect was examined. Young adults with High-Functioning Autism exhibited similar performance to a typically developing comparison group in regional dialect classification and localness rating tasks, suggesting that they can use indexical information in speech to make judgments about the regional background of unfamiliar talkers. However, the participants with High-Functioning Autism were less able to differentiate among the dialects in a language attitudes task, suggesting that they do not share social stereotypes related to dialect variation with the typically developing comparison group.
2. Courchesne E, Karns C, Davis H, Ziccardi R, Carper R, Tigue Z, Chisum HJ, Moses P, Pierce K, Lord C, Lincoln A, Pizzo S, Schreibman L, Haas R, Akshoomoff N, Courchesne R. {{Unusual brain growth patterns in early life in patients with autistic disorder: An MRI study}}. {Neurology};2011 (Jun 14);76(24):2111.
3. Roberts JE, Miranda M, Boccia M, Janes H, Tonnsen BL, Hatton DD. {{Treatment effects of stimulant medication in young boys with fragile X syndrome}}. {J Neurodev Disord};2011 (Jun 14)
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited form of intellectual disability and is caused by a CGG repeat expansion at Xq27.3 on the FMR1 gene. The majority of young boys with FXS display poor attention and hyperactivity that is disproportionate to their cognitive disability, and approximately 70% meet diagnostic criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Psychopharmacology is employed with 82% of young males 5-17 years of age, with stimulant medication as the most common medication prescribed. This study evaluated the effects of stimulant medication on the academic performance, attention, motor activity, and psychophysiological arousal of boys with FXS, as well as the concordance of effects within individuals. Participants in this study included 12 boys with FXS who were treated with stimulants. Participants completed videotaped academic testing on two consecutive days and were randomly assigned to be off stimulants for 1 day and on stimulants the other day. On each day, multiple measures including academic performance, behavior regulation, and psychophysiological arousal were collected. Approximately 75% of participants performed better on attention and academic measures, and 70% showed improved physiological regulation while on stimulant medication. A high degree of concordance among measures was found. Lower intelligence quotient (IQ), but not age, correlated with greater improvements in in-seat behavior. IQ and age did not relate to on-task behaviors. The frequency and magnitude of response to stimulant medication in boys with FXS is higher than those reported for most children with non-specific intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder.
