1. Duong BT, Savarirayan R, Winship I. {{Incidental diagnosis of HLRCC following investigation for Asperger Syndrome: actionable and actioned}}. {Fam Cancer};2015 (Aug 15)
Incidental findings are inevitable as clinical research and practice transitions from a single gene approach to a genomic approach. A novel deletion of the Fumarate Hydratase (FH) gene was identified in a 22 year old male who underwent a molecular karyotype as part of an autism spectrum disorder research project. This unexpected result implies a predisposition to Hereditary Leiomyomatosis and Renal Cell Cancer (HLRCC), a rare, autosomal dominant condition and has unforeseen implications for him and his family. We review the typical features and management of HLRCC and discuss the challenges that face health professionals, as genetic testing advances and becomes more accessible.
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2. Khongrum J, Wattanathorn J. {{Laser Acupuncture Improves Behavioral Disorders and Brain Oxidative Stress Status in the Valproic Acid Rat Model of Autism}}. {J Acupunct Meridian Stud};2015 (Aug);8(4):183-191.
The therapeutic strategy against autism, a severe neurological development disorder, is one of the challenges of this decade. Recent findings show that oxidative stress plays a crucial role on the pathophysiology of autism, and laser acupuncture at Shenmen (HT7) can improve oxidative status in many neurological disorders. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effect of laser acupuncture at HT7 on behavior disorders and oxidative stress status in the cortex, striatum, and hippocampus of the valproic acid rat model of autism. Laser acupuncture was performed once daily during postnatal day (PND) 14-PND 40. Behavioral tests including rotarod, open-field, learning and memory, and social behavior tests were performed during PND 14-PND 40. At the end of study, brain oxidative status including malondialdehyde levels and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were determined in the cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. Laser acupuncture at HT7 significantly improved autistic-like behaviors. Decreased malondialdehyde levels were observed in all areas mentioned above, however, increased glutathione peroxidase activity was observed only in the striatum and hippocampus. No changes in superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were observed in any investigated area of the brain. Therefore, our study suggests that laser acupuncture at HT7 partly mitigates autistic-like symptoms via improved oxidative status.
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3. Thiebaut FI, White SJ, Walsh A, Klargaard SK, Wu HC, Rees G, Burgess PW. {{Does Faux Pas Detection in Adult Autism Reflect Differences in Social Cognition or Decision-Making Abilities?}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2015 (Aug 15)
43 typically-developed adults and 35 adults with ASD performed a cartoon faux pas test. Adults with ASD apparently over-detected faux pas despite good comprehension abilities, and were generally slower at responding. Signal detection analysis demonstrated that the ASD participants had significantly greater difficulty detecting whether a cartoon depicted a faux pas and showed a liberal response bias. Test item analysis demonstrated that the ASD group were not in agreement with a reference control group (n = 69) about which non-faux pas items were most difficult. These results suggest that the participants with ASD had a primary problem with faux pas detection, but that there is another factor at work, possibly compensatory, that relates to their choice of a liberal response criterion.
