1. {{Editor(s), Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability}}. {J Intellect Dev Disabil};2013 (Jun);38(2):186.
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2. Radonovich KJ, Fournier KA, Hass CJ. {{Relationship between postural control and restricted, repetitive behaviors in autism spectrum disorders}}. {Front Integr Neurosci};2013;7:28.
Restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are one of the core diagnostic criteria of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and include simple repetitive motor behaviors and more complex cognitive behaviors, such as compulsions and restricted interests. In addition to the core symptoms, impaired movement is often observed in ASD. Research suggests that the postural system in individuals with ASD is immature and may never reach adult levels. RRBs have been related to postural sway in individuals with mental retardation. Our goals were to determine whether subjects with ASD had greater postural sway and whether RBS-R scores were related to the magnitude of postural sway. We compared the center of pressure (COP) sway area during quiet stance with scores on the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) in children with ASD and typically developing (TD) controls ages 3-16. All subjects had Non-verbal IQ > 70. Subjects performed four quiet stance trials at a self-selected stance width for 20 s. Subjects with ASD had greater postural sway area compared to controls. Not surprisingly, subjects with ASD exhibited greater frequencies and intensities of RRBs overall and on all six subscales. Further, there was a positive correlation between postural sway area and presence of RRBs. Interestingly, results of the postural sway area for the ASD group suggests that roughly half of the ASD subjects scored comparable to TD controls, whereas the other half scored >2 SD worse. Motor impaired children did not have significantly worse IQ scores, but were younger and had more RRBs. Results support previous findings of relationships between RRBs and postural control. It appears that motor control impairments may characterize a subset of individuals with ASD. Better delineation of motor control abilities in individuals with ASD will be important to help explain variations of abilities in ASD, inform treatment, and guide examination of underlying neural involvement in this very diverse disorder.
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3. Semrud-Clikeman M, Fine JG, Bledsoe J, Zhu DC. {{Magnetic resonance imaging volumetric findings in children with Asperger syndrome, nonverbal learning disability, or healthy controls}}. {J Clin Exp Neuropsychol};2013 (May 14)
Background: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate selected regions of interest in children and adolescents with nonverbal learning disabilities (NVLD), Asperger syndrome (AS), and age-matched healthy controls using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It was hypothesized that children with AS would show larger volumes of the amygdala and hippocampal regions than the other groups. It was also hypothesized that both clinical groups would show differences in the caudate and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Method: There were a total of 89 children in the final sample (31 controls, 29 NVLD, 29 AS). Each child completed a MRI scan as well as basic cognitive screening measures. High-resolution T1-weighted MR volumetric images were acquired. The volume of gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was obtained. Results: The hypothesis that the AS group would show larger hippocampal and amygdala volumes than the other groups was confirmed. For the AS and NVLD groups, the ACC was found to be significantly smaller than that of the control group. Conclusions: These results suggest that the ACC and amygdala/hippocampal regions are deficient in children with AS, likely contributing to difficulty with modulating of emotional reactivity.
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4. Shi F, Wang L, Peng Z, Wee CY, Shen D. {{Altered modular organization of structural cortical networks in children with autism}}. {PLoS One};2013;8(5):e63131.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that characterized by deficits in social interaction, language skills, repetitive stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests. Although great heterogeneity exists, previous findings suggest that autism has atypical brain connectivity patterns and disrupted small-world network properties. However, the organizational alterations in the autistic brain network are still poorly understood. We explored possible organizational alterations of 49 autistic children and 51 typically developing controls, by investigating their brain network metrics that are constructed upon cortical thickness correlations. Three modules were identified in controls, including cortical regions associated with brain functions of executive strategic, spatial/auditory/visual, and self-reference/episodic memory. There are also three modules found in autistic children with similar patterns. Compared with controls, autism demonstrates significantly reduced gross network modularity, and a larger number of inter-module connections. However, the autistic brain network demonstrates increased intra- and inter-module connectivity in brain regions including middle frontal gyrus, inferior parietal gyrus, and cingulate, suggesting one underlying compensatory mechanism associated with brain functions of self-reference and episodic memory. Results also show that there is increased correlation strength between regions inside frontal lobe, as well as impaired correlation strength between frontotemporal and frontoparietal regions. This alteration of correlation strength may contribute to the organization alteration of network structures in autistic brains.
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5. Watson SL, Coons KD, Hayes SA. {{Autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Part I: A comparison of parenting stress}}. {J Intellect Dev Disabil};2013 (Jun);38(2):95-104.
Abstract Background There is a long history of research on parents of children with disabilities, but to the authors’ knowledge, no study has compared the stress of parents of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method Twenty-five parents of children with ASD and 25 parents of children with FASD completed the Parenting Stress Index – Short Form (PSI-SF) and the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress – Friedrich’s Version (QRS-F). Results Although both parent groups reported elevated stress, PSI-SF results indicated that parents of children with FASD were experiencing significantly more stress compared to parents of children with ASD. No significant differences were found between groups on the total QRS-F, but parents of children with FASD had higher scores on the Pessimism subscale. Conclusions The authors call for measures grounded in theory as well as mixed methods research that includes the subjective experience of parents’ stress.
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6. Watson SL, Hayes SA, Coons KD, Radford-Paz E. {{Autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Part II: A qualitative comparison of parenting stress}}. {J Intellect Dev Disabil};2013 (Jun);38(2):105-113.
Abstract Background Researchers investigating the impact of parenting children with disabilities suggest that regardless of the specific diagnosis, parents experience increased levels of stress. However, particular disabilities may be associated with distinct stressors and strains. Method Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and parents of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) participated in in-depth qualitative interviews employing a basic interpretative approach. Results Both groups described some similar stressors, such as multi-tasking, the diagnostic process, and dealing with behavioural issues, but there are distinct differences between families of children with FASD and families of children with ASD. Whereas parents of children with FASD focused on their children’s illegal behaviours, parents of children with ASD struggled with their children’s tantrums and anxieties. Conclusions Supports must be tailored to meet the specific needs of parents of children with different types of disabilities.
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7. Xu X, Pozzo-Miller L. {{A novel DNA-binding feature of MeCP2 contributes to Rett syndrome}}. {Front Cell Neurosci};2013;7:64.
