1. Baum KT, Shear PK, Howe SR, Bishop SL. {{A comparison of WISC-IV and SB-5 intelligence scores in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Autism};2014 (Nov 14)
In autism spectrum disorders, results of cognitive testing inform clinical care, theories of neurodevelopment, and research design. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and the Stanford-Binet are commonly used in autism spectrum disorder evaluations and scores from these tests have been shown to be highly correlated in typically developing populations. However, they have not been compared in individuals with autism spectrum disorder, whose core symptoms can make testing challenging, potentially compromising test reliability. We used a within-subjects research design to evaluate the convergent validity between the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4th ed., and Stanford-Binet, 5th ed., in 40 youth (ages 10-16 years) with autism spectrum disorder. Corresponding intelligence scores were highly correlated (r = 0.78 to 0.88), but full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) scores (t(38) = -2.27, p = 0.03, d = -0.16) and verbal IQ scores (t(36) = 2.23, p = 0.03; d = 0.19) differed between the two tests. Most participants obtained higher full-scale IQ scores on the Stanford-Binet, 5th ed., compared to Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4th ed., with 14% scoring more than one standard deviation higher. In contrast, verbal indices were higher on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4th ed., Verbal-nonverbal discrepancy classifications were only consistent for 60% of the sample. Comparisons of IQ test scores in autism spectrum disorder and other special groups are important, as it cannot necessarily be assumed that convergent validity findings in typically developing children and adolescents hold true across all pediatric populations.
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2. Dang W, Zhang Q, Zhu YS, Lu XY. {{The Evidence for the Contribution of the Autism Susceptibility Candidate 2 (AUTS2) Gene in Heroin Dependence Susceptibility}}. {J Mol Neurosci};2014 (Nov 15)
The single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) rs6943555 in autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) has been reported to be significantly associated with alcohol consumption in Europeans. In this study, we identified the SNP in AUTS2 contributing to the genetic susceptibility to heroin dependence. The potential association between heroin dependence and 21 SNPs (rs2270162, rs2851510, rs513150, rs595681, rs210606, rs10237984, rs13228123, rs10235781, rs6969375, rs6943555, rs10251416, rs17141963, rs12669427, rs723340, rs2293507, rs2293508, rs6960426, rs9886351, rs2293501, rs10277450, rs1918425) of AUTS2 was examined in a Chinese Han population using the MassARRAY system. The participants included 426 patients with heroin dependence and 416 healthy controls. Single SNP association, haplotype association, and clinical phenotype association were analyzed. Single SNP association revealed that AA homozygotes of rs6943555 were significantly over-represented in the patients with heroin dependence compared with the control subjects (P = 0.0019). The patients with heroin dependence had a significantly higher frequency of the A allele (P = 0.0003, odd ratio (OR) = 1.429, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.175-1.738). Strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) was observed in five blocks (D’ > 0.9). In block 2, significantly more A-A haplotypes (P = 0.006 after Bonferroni corrections) and significantly fewer T-A haplotypes (P = 0.040) were found in the patients with heroin dependence. The genotype and clinical phenotype correlation study of the rs6943555 carriers showed that the amount of heroin self-injection was lower in the patients with the AA genotype relative to AT + TT genotypes (P < 0.01). Our results confirmed that, in addition to heroin consumption, the SNP rs6943555 of AUTS2 may also play an important role in the etiology of heroin dependence.
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3. Dekker LP, van der Vegt EJ, Visser K, Tick N, Boudesteijn F, Verhulst FC, Maras A, Greaves-Lord K. {{Improving Psychosexual Knowledge in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Pilot of the Tackling Teenage Training Program}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2014 (Nov 16)
Previous studies have shown that psychosexual functioning in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is hampered and emphasize the need for a specialized training program tailored to their needs. Therefore, an individual training program was developed; the Tackling Teenage Training (TTT) program. The current pilot study systematically evaluated whether psychosexual knowledge increased after taking part in the TTT program, using a pre- and post-training design in 30 adolescents with ASD (77 % male, mean age = 14.80 years, mean intelligence = 96.96). Psychosexual knowledge increased significantly (pre-training total score: M = 25.74, SD = 6.20; post-training total score: M = 33.52 (SD = 2.78); F(1,29) = 65.20, p < .001). The TTT program may be useful to improve psychosexual knowledge and functioning in adolescents with ASD, yet these findings are preliminary, and a more elaborate controlled trial is needed.
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4. Gillberg C, Gillberg IC, Thompson L, Biskupsto R, Billstedt E. {{Extreme (« pathological ») demand avoidance in autism: a general population study in the Faroe Islands}}. {Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry};2014 (Nov 15)
Research into Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), which has been suggested to be a subgroup within the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is almost nonexistent in spite of the frequent reference to the condition in clinical practice. The total population of 15 to 24-year-olds in the Faroe Islands was screened for ASD, and 67 individuals were identified who met diagnostic criteria for ASD (corresponding to a general population prevalence of ASD of almost 1 %). Of these 67, 50 had parents who were interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO-11) which contains 15 « PDA-specific » items. Nine individuals met criteria for « possible clinical diagnosis of PDA », meaning that almost one in five of all with ASD also had indications of having had PDA in childhood, and that 0.18 % of the total population had had the combination of ASD and PDA. However, at the time of assessment, only one of the 9 individuals with possible PDA still met « full criteria ». PDA possibly constitutes a considerable minority of all cases with ASD diagnosed in childhood, but criteria for the condition are unlikely to be still met in later adolescence and early adult life.
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5. Goin-Kochel RP, Mire SS, Dempsey AG. {{Emergence of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children from Simplex Families: Relations to Parental Perceptions of Etiology}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2014 (Nov 15)
Current research describes a four-category scheme of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) onset: early, regressive, plateau, delay + regression. To replicate prevalence of different onset types, ASD onset (per the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised) was examined in a large North American sample; for a subset, parents’ causal beliefs were ascertained via the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire to examine potential associations with ASD-onset types. Onset rates were similar across samples, with a slightly higher proportion of children in the subsample categorized with regression. Top-rated causes of ASD were genetics, brain structure, will of God, toxins in vaccines, and environmental pollution. Parents reporting regression more often believed that toxins in vaccines caused ASD. Influences on treatment selection and broader public-health ramifications are discussed.
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6. Hagberg B, Billstedt E, Nyden A, Gillberg C. {{Asperger syndrome and nonverbal learning difficulties in adult males: self- and parent-reported autism, attention and executive problems}}. {Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry};2014 (Nov 16)
A specific overlap between Asperger syndrome (AS) and nonverbal learning difficulties (NLD) has been proposed, based on the observation that, as a group, people with AS tend to have significantly higher verbal IQ (VIQ) than performance IQ (PIQ), one of the core features of NLD. The primary aim was to assess the longer term outcome of NLD-broken down into persistent and transient forms. The present study of 68 individuals was performed in the context of a larger prospective longitudinal study to late adolescence/early adult life of 100 boys with AS. Using self- and parent-report measures, we studied the longer term outcome of the NLD (defined as VIQ > PIQ by 15 points) as regards social communication, repetitive behaviour, attention, and executive function (EF) was studied. Three subgroups were identified: (1) Persistent NLD (P-NLD), (2) Childhood « only » NLD (CO-NLD) and (3) Never NLD (NO-NLD). The P-NLD group had the worst outcome overall. The CO-NLD group had better reported EF scores than the two other AS subgroups. There were no differences between the subgroups regarding social communication, repetitive behaviour, or attentional skills. Low PIQ increased the risk of ADHD symptoms. In the context of AS in males, P-NLD carries a relatively poor outcome, particularly with regard to self-reported EF. However, CO-NLD appears to entail a significantly better outcome. The results underscore the importance of analysing the cognitive profile both at diagnosis and after several years, so as to be able to formulate a realistic prognosis.
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7. Klintwall L, Macari S, Eikeseth S, Chawarska K. {{Interest level in 2-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder predicts rate of verbal, nonverbal, and adaptive skill acquisition}}. {Autism};2014 (Nov 14)
Recent studies have suggested that skill acquisition rates for children with autism spectrum disorders receiving early interventions can be predicted by child motivation. We examined whether level of interest during an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule assessment at 2 years predicts subsequent rates of verbal, nonverbal, and adaptive skill acquisition to the age of 3 years. A total of 70 toddlers with autism spectrum disorder, mean age of 21.9 months, were scored using Interest Level Scoring for Autism, quantifying toddlers’ interest in toys, social routines, and activities that could serve as reinforcers in an intervention. Adaptive level and mental age were measured concurrently (Time 1) and again after a mean of 16.3 months of treatment (Time 2). Interest Level Scoring for Autism score, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule score, adaptive age equivalent, verbal and nonverbal mental age, and intensity of intervention were entered into regression models to predict rates of skill acquisition. Interest level at Time 1 predicted subsequent acquisition rate of adaptive skills (R2 = 0.36) and verbal mental age (R2 = 0.30), above and beyond the effects of Time 1 verbal and nonverbal mental ages and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule scores. Interest level at Time 1 also contributed (R2 = 0.30), with treatment intensity, to variance in development of nonverbal mental age.
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8. Pugliese CE, Anthony L, Strang JF, Dudley K, Wallace GL, Kenworthy L. {{Increasing Adaptive Behavior Skill Deficits From Childhood to Adolescence in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Role of Executive Function}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2014 (Nov 15)
Almost half of all children with autism spectrum disorder have average cognitive abilities, yet outcome remains poor. Because outcome in HFASD is more related to adaptive behavior skills than cognitive level it is important to identify predictors of adaptive behavior. This study examines cognitive and demographic factors related to adaptive behavior, with specific attention to the role of executive function (EF) in youth with HFASD aged 4-23. There was a negative relationship between age and adaptive behavior and the discrepancy between IQ and adaptive behavior increased with age. EF problems contributed to lower adaptive behavior scores across domains. As such, it is important to target adaptive skills, and the EF problems that may contribute to them, in youth with HFASD.
