1. Berg KL, Shiu CS, Feinstein RT, Msall ME, Acharya K. {{Adverse Childhood Experiences Are Associated with Unmet Healthcare Needs among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Pediatr};2018 (Sep 14)
OBJECTIVE: To explore associations between level of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and unmet healthcare needs among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using a population-based sample. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Child Health were analyzed to estimate prevalence of unmet healthcare needs among children with ASD, aged 2-17 years (ASD = 1624; estimated population = 1 174 871). Multivariate Poisson and logistic regression models were used to estimate the relationship between reported ACEs and unmet healthcare needs among children with ASD. RESULTS: After we adjusted for all other variables, children with ASD who experienced 1-2 ACEs and 3+ ACEs were associated with 1.78 (P < .05) and 2.53 (P < .01) times the incidence rate of unmet healthcare needs in comparison with children without ACEs. Compared with children who experienced 0 ACEs, the adjusted odds of any unmet healthcare need were 2.34 (P < .01) and 2.66 (P < .01) for children with 1-2 ACEs and 3 + ACEs, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although limited to cross-sectional data, our study provides compelling evidence on the link between ACEs and unmet healthcare needs among children with ASD. It advances understanding of risk factors in the child and community context that contribute to health disparities and negatively impact healthcare access and use in this population. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
2. Brewer A. {{« We were on our own »: Mothers’ experiences navigating the fragmented system of professional care for autism}}. {Soc Sci Med};2018 (Sep 1);215:61-68.
Autism is a developmental disorder that emerges in early childhood. Treatments for autism span a wide variety of professionals and paraprofessionals in the medical and educational realms. This article draws on data from a survey of 620 parents of autistic children, including 385 written narratives, to examine the experiences of mothers as they engage with this fragmented system of professional care for children with autism. Findings suggest that engagement with treatments sent families into a complex and confusing universe of diagnosis and treatment. The fragmentation of autism’s professional jurisdiction between the medical and educational systems meant that mothers struggled to find comprehensive professional care that met the standards recommended by leading medical research organizations. Many mothers found it necessary to reduce their workforce participation in order to obtain and maintain their children’s treatment regimes, a phenomenon that transcended social class. However, the consequences of reducing work had differential impacts on families. While married and high socioeconomic status mothers were more insulated from the potential negative effects of losing one partner’s income, single and low SES mothers experienced greater precarity. These findings connect the structure and arrangement of professional jurisdictions to the experiences of parents, suggesting ways that the fragmentation of professional care for autism can have negative impacts for women, single mothers, and low SES families.
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3. Burns A, Irvine M, Woodcock K. {{Self-Focused Attention and Depressive Symptoms in Adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2018 (Sep 14)
Adults with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) are at high risk of developing comorbid depressive symptoms and in the general population self-focused attention has been associated with depression. Here, we aimed to examine the relationships between aspects of self-focused attention and symptoms of depression in individuals with a diagnosis of ASD. 113 adults with a diagnosis of ASD completed self-report questionnaires. Results found that higher levels of brooding, and to a lesser degree, reflection predicted increased depressive symptoms. However, higher levels of private self-consciousness actually predicted decreased depressive symptoms. Differential relationships were observed for males and females. The current study highlights the importance of using a multidimensional approach to examining self-focused attention in ASD, and its important relationship with depression.
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4. Cappuccio G, Bernardo P, Raiano E, Pinelli M, Alagia M, Esposito M, Della Casa R, Strisciuglio P, Brunetti-Pierri N, Bravaccio C. {{Pain and sleep issues in Rett syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders}}. {Acta Paediatr};2018 (Sep 14)
Rett syndrome is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, mostly caused by a MECP2 gene mutation, with some overlaps with autism spectrum disorders and cerebral palsy. Pain perception is potentially abnormal in children with neurodevelopmental disorders and higher levels of pain and discomfort are expected in Rett syndrome, due to issues such as scoliosis, constipation, gastrointestinal problems and self-injuries. Despite this, atypical pain expressions have been reported in Rett syndrome patients that give the impression that they are not in pain (1). Impaired nociception has been directly linked to the MECP2 gene, which contributes to the modulate genes involved in nociceptive circuitry (1). Pain issues are also general concerns among children with disabilities. Reports have suggested that patients with autism spectrum are hyposensitive to different pain stimuli. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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5. Caselli RJ, Langlais BT, Dueck AC, Locke DEC, Woodruff BK. {{Subjective Cognitive Impairment and the Broad Autism Phenotype}}. {Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord};2018 (Sep 11)
INTRODUCTION: Roughly 4% to 23% of the population embody stress prone personality and other traits characterizing a subclinical « broad autism phenotype » (BAP). Subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) among healthy elderly is associated with psychological distress leading us to predict BAP would be associated with SCI. METHODS: The Autism Spectrum Quotient, a self-administered 50 item questionnaire, was completed by 419 consecutive members of the Arizona APOE Cohort who underwent neuropsychological testing every 2 years. SCI was assessed with self and informant versions of the Multidimensional Assessment of Neurodegenerative Symptoms (MANS) Questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 45 individuals scored in the BAP range, designated BAP+, and the rest were BAP-. At entry, both Multidimensional Assessment of Neurodegenerative Symptoms Questionnaire Self and Informant scores were higher in the BAP+ group (P<0.0001). After age 60, the BAP+ group had greater annual increases in Multidimensional Assessment of Neurodegenerative Symptoms Questionnaire Self scores (0.05 vs. 0.02; difference=0.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.004-0.05; P=0.02) yet there was no difference between groups in memory decline. Over ~10 years 33 individuals developed mild cognitive impairment: 4 in the BAP+ group (8.9%) and 29 in the BAP- group (7.8%), P=0.77. DISCUSSION: Individuals who meet criteria for the BAP have escalating SCI with age, but no greater rate of memory decline or clinical progression to mild cognitive impairment. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
6. 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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7. Goncalves MVM, Harger R, Braatz V, Parolin LF, Biondo Eboni AC, Fontana MAN, Anacleto A, Fragoso YD. {{Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) misdiagnosed as autism spectrum disorder}}. {Immunol Lett};2018 (Sep 14)
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8. Ikeda T, Hirai M, Sakurada T, Monden Y, Tokuda T, Nagashima M, Shimoizumi H, Dan I, Yamagata T. {{Atypical neural modulation in the right prefrontal cortex during an inhibitory task with eye gaze in autism spectrum disorder as revealed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy}}. {Neurophotonics};2018 (Jul);5(3):035008.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairment in social communication and the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests. Executive function impairment is reportedly partially responsible for these symptoms. Executive function includes planning, flexibility, and inhibitory control. Although planning and flexibility in ASD have been consistently reported as atypical, the atypicality of inhibitory control remains controversial. As most previous studies have used nonsocial stimuli to investigate inhibitory control in ASD, the effects of socially relevant information on the inhibitory control system in individuals with ASD remain unclear. Therefore, we developed a go/no-go task with gaze stimuli and measured hemodynamic responses in the right prefrontal cortex (PFC), involved in inhibitory processing in both typically developing (TD) children and children with ASD, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Direct gaze induced commission errors to similar extents in both groups. Contrary to the behavioral responses, neural activation in the right PFC was modulated by gaze direction only in the TD group. These findings suggest that the gaze-processing mechanisms in the prefrontal region may be affected by atypical gaze processing in other brain regions during an inhibitory control task with socially relevant information in ASD.
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9. Koehler L, Fournel A, Albertowski K, Roessner V, Gerber J, Hummel C, Hummel T, Bensafi M. {{Impaired Odor Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Associated with Decreased Activity in Olfactory Cortex}}. {Chem Senses};2018 (Sep 14)
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are characterized by atypical sensory functioning in the visual, tactile, and auditory systems. Although less explored, olfactory changes have been reported in ASD patients. To explore these changes on a neural level, 18 adults with ASD and 18 healthy neurotypical controls were examined in a 2-phase study. Participants were first tested for odor threshold and odor identification. Then, (i) structural magnetic resonance (MR) images of the olfactory bulb were acquired, and (ii) a functional MR imaging olfaction study was conducted. ASD patients exhibited decreased function for odor thresholds and odor identification; this was accompanied by a relatively decreased activation in the piriform cortex. In conclusion, these findings suggest, that the known alterations in olfaction in ASD are rooted in the primary olfactory cortex.
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10. Malkin L, Abbot-Smith K, Williams D, Ayling J. {{When do Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Take Common Ground into Account During Communication?}}. {Autism Res};2018 (Sep 13)
One feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a deficit in verbal reference production, that is, providing an appropriate amount of verbal information for the listener to refer to things, people, and events. However, very few studies have manipulated whether individuals with ASD can take a speaker’s perspective to interpret verbal reference. A critical limitation of all interpretation studies is that comprehension of another’s verbal reference required the participant to represent only the other’s visual perspective. Yet, many everyday interpretations of verbal reference require knowledge of social perspective (i.e., a consideration of which experiences one has shared with which interlocutor). We investigated whether 22 5;0-7;11-year-old children with ASD and 22 well-matched typically developing (TD) children used social perspective to comprehend (Study 1) and produce (Study 2) verbal reference. Social perspective-taking was manipulated by having children collaboratively complete activities with one of two interlocutors such that for a given activity, one interlocutor was Knowledgeable and one was Naive. Study 1 found no between-group differences for the interpretation of ambiguous references based on social perspective. In Study 2, when producing referring terms, the ASD group made modifications based on listener needs, but this effect was significantly stronger in the TD group. Overall, the findings suggest that high-functioning children with ASD know with which interlocutor they have previously shared a given experience and can take this information into account to steer verbal reference. Nonetheless, they show clear performance limitations in this regard relative to well-matched controls. Autism Res 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: No one had studied if young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could take into account previous collaboration with particular conversation partners to drive how well they communicate with others. In both their language understanding and spoken language, we found that five to 7-year-olds with ASD were able to consider what they had previously shared with the conversation partner. However, they were impaired when compared to typically developing children in the degree to which they tailored their spoken language for a specific listener.
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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. Park S, Lee Y, Kim CE. {{Korean adults’ beliefs about and social distance toward attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Tourette syndrome, and autism spectrum disorder}}. {Psychiatry Res};2018 (Aug 12);269:633-639.
Given the scarcity of studies examining public beliefs regarding multiple neurodevelopmental disorders, this study compared lay beliefs regarding the etiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette syndrome (TS), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attitudes toward individuals with the disorders. We recruited 673 participants aged 20-64 years via an online panel survey in South Korea. Participants completed questionnaires regarding perceived causation of each disorder. Preferred social distance from people with the disorders was measured using a modified version of the Bogardus Social Distance Scale. Four causal factors were revealed: dietary/physical, social-environmental, biological, and volitive/religious. ADHD causes were considered more social-environmental relative to TS and ASD causes, while ASD causes were considered more dietary/physical and biological relative to ADHD and TS causes. Preferred social distances for ASD and TS were the highest and lowest, respectively. Greater social distance from individuals with ADHD and TS was associated with older age; having close family members, relatives, or friends with the disorder; and beliefs regarding biological etiology. Greater social distance from individuals with ASD was associated with beliefs regarding biological etiology. Beliefs regarding ADHD, TS, and ASD causes and attitudes toward the disorders differed, and beliefs regarding etiology affected preferred social distance.
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13. 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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14. Richard PR, 3rd, Noell GH. {{Teaching children with autism to tie their shoes using video prompt-models and backward chaining}}. {Dev Neurorehabil};2018 (Sep 13):1-7.
Video-Based Interventions (VBIs) are those that make use of pre-recorded video footage to assist in the acquisition of a variety of skills and behaviours. This study examined one type of VBI, video prompting, and its effectiveness when combined with backward chaining. Prior research suggests that both VBIs and backward chaining are effective intervention methods for skill acquisition. Using a single-subject multiple baseline design, this experiment expands the current literature by thoroughlyexamining backward chaining and a VBI for the acquisition of the shoe-tying behavior in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The results obtained from this study support prior research that VBIs are effective and their effectiveness is influenced by a number of factors. We also found that majority of the participants were able to retain their newly acquired behaviors one week after achieving mastery.
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15. Su Maw S, Haga C. {{Effectiveness of cognitive, developmental, and behavioural interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder in preschool-aged children: A systematic review and meta-analysis}}. {Heliyon};2018 (Sep);4(9):e00763.
Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterised by significant impairment in social communication and the presence of restrictive and repetitive behaviour or interest. Intervention during early childhood could decrease ASD symptoms. We aimed to identify the most effective intervention based on cognitive, developmental, and behavioural approaches and the factors that impact the effectiveness of the intervention. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing interventions for ASD in preschool-aged children. Electronic databases were searched for related articles with randomised controlled trial (RCT) designs published between 2001 to 2015. Outcome measures were communication, behavioural and cognitive skills, reported as standardised mean differences (SMD) compared to a control group. A Random-effects model was utilised to calculate the pooled estimate effect. Between-study variability was also assessed. The registering number of this study is CRD42017035354. Findings: Out of the initial 5174 studies that were identified, there were 14 RCTs (746 children) that were included in the final systematic review and meta-analysis. Pooled estimate effect provided by random-effects model was 0.23 (95% confidence interval, CI [0.08-0.37]) with no between-study heterogeneity (I(2) = 0.00%, p = 0.0018). Three studies of music therapy interventions provided the greatest outcome effects with a shorter duration and lower intensity. SMD for music therapies ranged from 0.40 to 0.62 with 95% CI [0.22 to 1.85]. The quality of the health care provider, the duration, and the intensity of intervention played an important role in the effectiveness of the intervention. Interpretation: Music therapy appears to be an effective tool for improving social interaction in preschool-aged children with ASD. However, more evidence-based trials are required to further validate the effectiveness of music therapy in ASD.
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16. Swatzyna RJ, Boutros NN, Genovese AC, MacInerney EK, Roark AJ, Kozlowski GP. {{Electroencephalogram (EEG) for children with autism spectrum disorder: evidential considerations for routine screening}}. {Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry};2018 (Sep 14)
Routine electroencephalograms (EEG) are not recommended as a screen for epileptic discharges (EDs) in current practice guidelines for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, a review of the research from the last three decades suggests that this practice should be reevaluated. The significant comorbidity between epilepsy and ASD, its shared biological pathways, risk for developmental regression, and cognitive challenges demand increased clinical investigation requiring a proactive approach. This review highlights and explains the need for screening EEGs for children with ASD. EEG would assist in differentiating EDs from core features of ASD and could be included in a comprehensive assessment. EEG also meets the demand for evidence-based precision medicine and focused care for the individual, especially when overlapping processes of development are present.
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17. Usher LV, DaWalt LS, Greenberg JS, Mailick MR. {{Unaffected siblings of adolescents and adults with fragile X syndrome: Effects on maternal well-being}}. {J Fam Psychol};2018 (Sep 13)
The present study investigated the effects of children without disabilities on maternal physical and mental health in families with adolescents or adults with fragile X syndrome. Mothers with the FMR1 premutation (N = 87) reported on behavior problems and functional limitations of their adolescent or adult child with fragile X syndrome and their own physical and mental health. Mothers also provided a blood sample to determine FMR1 CGG repeat length. The proportion of unaffected children in the family significantly buffered the effect of both child behavior problems and functional limitations on maternal self-rated health, such that having a higher proportion of unaffected children in the family had a protective effect on maternal health when the target child had more severe behavior problems and functional limitations. There was a similar buffering process for maternal depressive symptoms but at a trend level. Additionally, maternal CGG repeat length had a significant curvilinear association with self-rated health, indicating that mothers with midrange repeat lengths reported the poorest health, whereas mothers with lower and higher repeat lengths in the premutation range reported better health. The data suggest that unaffected children in the family may be an important resource for premutation carrier mothers. Findings are consistent with previous research indicating that mothers with varying levels of genetic liability have variable risk for health problems. (PsycINFO Database Record
