1. Cartier E, Hamilton PJ, Belovich AN, Shekar A, Campbell NG, Saunders C, Andreassen TF, Gether U, Veenstra-Vanderweele J, Sutcliffe JS, Ulery-Reynolds PG, Erreger K, Matthies HJ, Galli A. {{Rare autism-associated variants implicate syntaxin 1 (STX1 R26Q) phosphorylation and the dopamine transporter (hDAT R51W) in dopamine neurotransmission and behaviors}}. {EBioMedicine};2015 (Feb);2(2):135-146.
BACKGROUND: Syntaxin 1 (STX1) is a presynaptic plasma membrane protein that coordinates synaptic vesicle fusion. STX1 also regulates the function of neurotransmitter transporters, including the dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT). The DAT is a membrane protein that controls DA homeostasis through the high-affinity re-uptake of synaptically released DA. METHODS: We adopt newly developed animal models and state-of-the-art biophysical techniques to determine the contribution of the identified gene variants to impairments in DA neurotransmission observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). OUTCOMES: Here, we characterize two independent autism-associated variants in the genes that encode STX1 and the DAT. We demonstrate that each variant dramatically alters DAT function. We identify molecular mechanisms that converge to inhibit reverse transport of DA and DA-associated behaviors. These mechanisms involve decreased phosphorylation of STX1 at Ser14 mediated by casein kinase 2 as well as a reduction in STX1/DAT interaction. These findings point to STX1/DAT interactions and STX1 phosphorylation as key regulators of DA homeostasis. INTERPRETATION: We determine the molecular identity and the impact of these variants with the intent of defining DA dysfunction and associated behaviors as possible complications of ASD.
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2. Chanda S, Aoto J, Lee SJ, Wernig M, Sudhof TC. {{Pathogenic mechanism of an autism-associated neuroligin mutation involves altered AMPA-receptor trafficking}}. {Mol Psychiatry};2015 (Mar 17)
Neuroligins are postsynaptic cell-adhesion molecules that bind to presynaptic neurexins. Although the general synaptic role of neuroligins is undisputed, their specific functions at a synapse remain unclear, even controversial. Moreover, many neuroligin gene mutations were associated with autism, but the pathophysiological relevance of these mutations is often unknown, and their mechanisms of action uninvestigated. Here, we examine the synaptic effects of an autism-associated neuroligin-4 substitution (called R704C), which mutates a cytoplasmic arginine residue that is conserved in all neuroligins. We show that the R704C mutation, when introduced into neuroligin-3, enhances the interaction between neuroligin-3 and AMPA receptors, increases AMPA-receptor internalization and decreases postsynaptic AMPA-receptor levels. When introduced into neuroligin-4, conversely, the R704C mutation unexpectedly elevated AMPA-receptor-mediated synaptic responses. These results suggest a general functional link between neuroligins and AMPA receptors, indicate that both neuroligin-3 and -4 act at excitatory synapses but perform surprisingly distinct functions, and demonstrate that the R704C mutation significantly impairs the normal function of neuroligin-4, thereby validating its pathogenicity.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 17 March 2015; doi:10.1038/mp.2015.20.
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3. Chen S, Li Z, He Y, Zhang F, Li H, Liao Y, Wei Z, Wan G, Xiang X, Hu M, Xia K, Chen X, Tang J. {{Elevated mitochondrial DNA copy number in peripheral blood cells is associated with childhood autism}}. {BMC Psychiatry};2015 (Dec);15(1):432.
BACKGROUND: Several lines of evidence indicate mitochondrial impairment in the pathophysiology of autism. As one of the most common biomarkers for mitochondrial dysfunction, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number has also been linked to autism, but the relationship between mtDNA copy number and autism was still obscured. In this study, we performed a case-control study to investigate whether mtDNA copy number in peripheral blood cells is related to patients with autism. METHODS: Relative mtDNA copy number in peripheral blood cells was measured by using real-time polymerase chain reaction method. The participants in this study included 78 patients with childhood autism and 83 typically developing children. RESULTS: We observed children with autism had significantly elevated relative mtDNA copy number than healthy controls (Beta = -0.173, P = 0.0003). However, there were no significant correlations between mtDNA copy number and clinical features (paternal age, maternal age, age of onset, illness of duration, CARS score and ABC score) in childhood autism. CONCLUSION: We show that elevated mtDNA copy number in peripheral blood is associated with autism, indicating that there may be mitochondrial dysfunction in children with autism.
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4. Courchesne V, Meilleur AA, Poulin-Lord MP, Dawson M, Soulieres I. {{Autistic children at risk of being underestimated: school-based pilot study of a strength-informed assessment}}. {Mol Autism};2015;6:12.
BACKGROUND: An important minority of school-aged autistic children, often characterized as ‘nonverbal’ or ‘minimally verbal,’ displays little or no spoken language. These children are at risk of being judged ‘low-functioning’ or ‘untestable’ via conventional cognitive testing practices. One neglected avenue for assessing autistic children so situated is to engage current knowledge of autistic cognitive strengths. Our aim was thus to pilot a strength-informed assessment of autistic children whose poor performance on conventional instruments suggests their cognitive potential is very limited. METHODS: Thirty autistic children (6 to 12 years) with little or no spoken language, attending specialized schools for autistic children with the highest levels of impairment, were assessed using Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV), Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices board form (RCPM), Children’s Embedded Figures Test (CEFT), and a visual search task. An age-matched control group of 27 typical children was also assessed. RESULTS: None of the autistic children could complete WISC-IV; only six completed any subtest. In contrast, 26 autistic children could complete RCPM, with 17 scoring between the 5th and 90th percentile. Twenty-seven autistic children completed the visual search task, while 26 completed CEFT, on which autistic children were faster than RCPM-matched typical children. Autistic performance on RCPM, CEFT, and visual search were correlated. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that ‘minimally verbal’ or ‘nonverbal’ school-aged autistic children may be at risk of being underestimated: they may be wrongly regarded as having little cognitive potential. Our findings support the usefulness of strength-informed approaches to autism and have important implications for the assessment and education of autistic children.
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5. Hampton J, Strand PS. {{A Review of Level 2 Parent-Report Instruments Used to Screen Children Aged 1.5-5 for Autism: A Meta-Analytic Update}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2015 (Mar 17)
The present study utilized meta-analytic procedures to estimate the diagnostic validity of instruments used to screen young children, ages 1.5-5 years, for autism. Five scales met inclusion criteria, and data from 18 studies contributed the meta-analysis. Results revealed that 4 of 5 scales met criteria for « good » validity, including two broad band scales (instruments not restricted to screening for autism). The current results suggest that validity differences might be a function of how instruments sample across the DSM content domains. Specifically, high validity instruments included a higher proportion of items assessing social interaction skills. The availability of valid broad- and narrow-band instruments, as well as implications for constructing future screening instruments, is discussed.
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6. Karaminis T, Turi M, Neil L, Badcock NA, Burr D, Pellicano E. {{Atypicalities in perceptual adaptation in autism do not extend to perceptual causality}}. {PLoS One};2015;10(3):e0120439.
A recent study showed that adaptation to causal events (collisions) in adults caused subsequent events to be less likely perceived as causal. In this study, we examined if a similar negative adaptation effect for perceptual causality occurs in children, both typically developing and with autism. Previous studies have reported diminished adaptation for face identity, facial configuration and gaze direction in children with autism. To test whether diminished adaptive coding extends beyond high-level social stimuli (such as faces) and could be a general property of autistic perception, we developed a child-friendly paradigm for adaptation of perceptual causality. We compared the performance of 22 children with autism with 22 typically developing children, individually matched on age and ability (IQ scores). We found significant and equally robust adaptation aftereffects for perceptual causality in both groups. There were also no differences between the two groups in their attention, as revealed by reaction times and accuracy in a change-detection task. These findings suggest that adaptation to perceptual causality in autism is largely similar to typical development and, further, that diminished adaptive coding might not be a general characteristic of autism at low levels of the perceptual hierarchy, constraining existing theories of adaptation in autism.
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7. Kim YJ, Park JK, Kang WS, Kim SK, Park HJ, Nam M, Kim JW. {{LAMB1 polymorphism is associated with autism symptom severity in Korean autism spectrum disorder patients}}. {Nord J Psychiatry};2015 (Mar 16):1-5.
BACKGROUND: LAMB1 encodes laminin beta-1, which is expressed during early development of the human nervous system, and could be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. AIMS: In our study, we aimed to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in LAMB1 were associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and with related clinical severities of ASD. METHODS: Two coding SNPs (rs20556 and rs25659) and two intronic SNPs (rs2158836 and rs2237659) were compared between 180 patients with ASD and 147 healthy control subjects using direct sequencing. The Korean version of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (K-CARS) was used to assess clinical severities. Multiple logistic regression models were employed to analyze genetic data, and associations with symptom severity were tested with the Kruskal-Wallis and the Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: None of the four examined SNPs was associated with ASD risk. However, the GG genotype of rs2158836 was associated with more severe symptoms for the « object use » and « non-verbal communication » measures. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study suggest the association between rs2158836 polymorphisms and symptom severity in ASD.
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8. Lisiecka DM, Holt R, Tait R, Ford M, Lai MC, Chura LR, Baron-Cohen S, Spencer MD, Suckling J. {{Developmental white matter microstructure in autism phenotype and corresponding endophenotype during adolescence}}. {Transl Psychiatry};2015;5:e529.
During adolescence, white matter microstructure undergoes an important stage of development. It is hypothesized that the alterations of brain connectivity that have a key role in autism spectrum conditions (ASCs) may interact with the development of white matter microstructure. This interaction may be present beyond the phenotype of autism in siblings of individuals with ASC, who are 10 to 20 times more likely to develop certain forms of ASC. We use diffusion tensor imaging to examine how white matter microstructure measurements correlate with age in typically developing individuals, and how this correlation differs in n=43 adolescents with ASC and their n=38 siblings. Correlations observed in n=40 typically developing individuals match developmental changes noted in previous longitudinal studies. In comparison, individuals with ASC display weaker negative correlation between age and mean diffusivity in a broad area centred in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus. These differences may be caused either by increased heterogeneity in ASC or by temporal alterations in the group’s developmental pattern. Siblings of individuals with ASC also show diminished negative correlation between age and one component of mean diffusivity-second diffusion eigenvalue-in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus. As the observed differences match for location and correlation directionality in our comparison of typically developing individuals to those with ASC and their siblings, we propose that these alterations constitute a part of the endophenotype of autism.
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9. Mostafa GA, El-Khashab HY, Al-Ayadhi LY. {{A possible association between elevated serum levels of brain-specific auto-antibodies and reduced plasma levels of docosahexaenoic acid in autistic children}}. {J Neuroimmunol};2015 (Mar 15);280:16-20.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are not only essential for energy production, but they also exhibit a range of immunomodulatory properties that progress through T cell mediated events. Autoimmunity may have a pathogenic role in a subgroup of autistic children. This study is the first to investigate the relationship between serum levels of anti-myelin basic protein (anti-MBP) brain-specific auto-antibodies and reduced plasma levels of PUFAs in autistic children. Plasma levels of PUFAs (including linoleic, alphalinolenic, arachidonic « AA » and docosahexaenoic « DHA » acids) and serum anti-MBP were measured in 80 autistic children, aged between 4 and 12 years, and 80 healthy-matched children. Autistic patients had significantly lower plasma levels of PUFAs than healthy children. On the other hand, omega6/omega3 ratio (AA/DHA) was significantly higher in autistic patients than healthy children. Low plasma DHA, AA, linolenic and linoleic acids were found in 67.5%, 50%, 40% and 35%, respectively of autistic children. On the other hand, 70% of autistic patients had elevated omega6/omega3 ratio. Autistic patients with increased serum levels of anti-MBP auto-antibodies (75%) had significantly lower plasma DHA (P<0.5) and significantly higher omega6/omega3 ratio (P<0.5) than patients who were seronegative for these antibodies. In conclusions, some autistic children have a significant positive association between reduced levels of plasma DHA and increased serum levels of anti-MBP brain-specific auto-antibodies. However, replication studies of larger samples are recommended to validate whether reduced levels of plasma PUFAs are a mere association or have a role in the induction of the production of anti-MBP in some autistic children.
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10. Nielsen S, Anckarsater H, Gillberg C, Rastam M, Wentz E. {{Effects of autism spectrum disorders on outcome in teenage-onset anorexia nervosa evaluated by the Morgan-Russell outcome assessment schedule: a controlled community-based study}}. {Mol Autism};2015;6:14.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to evaluate time trends and effects of co-existing autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on outcome in an ongoing long-term follow-up study of anorexia nervosa (AN). METHODS: The Morgan-Russell Outcome Assessment Schedule (MROAS) was used at 6-, 10- and 18-year follow-up of a representative sample of 51 individuals with teenage-onset AN and a matched group of 51 healthy comparison cases. The full multinomial distribution of responses for the full scale and each of the subscales was evaluated using exact nonparametric statistical methods. The impact of diagnostic stability of ASD on outcome in AN was evaluated in a dose-response model. RESULTS: There were no deaths in either group. Food intake and menstrual pattern were initially poor in the AN group but normalised over time. MROAS ‘mental state’ was much poorer in the AN group and did not improve over time. The psychosexual MROAS domains ‘attitudes’ and ‘aims’ showed persistent problems in the AN group. In the MROAS socioeconomic domain, the subscales ‘personal contacts’, ‘social activities’ and ’employment record’ all showed highly significant between-group differences at all three follow-ups. A statistically significant negative dose-response relationship was found between a stable diagnosis of ASD over time and the results on the subscales ‘mental state’, ‘psychosexual state’ and ‘socio-economic state’. CONCLUSIONS: Outcome of teenage-onset AN is favourable with respect to mortality and persisting eating disorder, but serious problems remain in the domains ‘mental state’, ‘psychosexual function’ and ‘socioeconomic state’. Outcome is considerably worse if ASD is present. Treatment programmes for AN need to be modified so as to accommodate co-existing ASD.
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11. Ostfeld-Etzion S, Golan O, Hirschler-Guttenberg Y, Zagoory-Sharon O, Feldman R. {{Neuroendocrine and behavioral response to social rupture and repair in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders interacting with mother and father}}. {Mol Autism};2015;6:11.
BACKGROUND: Preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit difficulties in handling social stress and utilizing efficient emotion regulation (ER) strategies to manage high arousal. While researchers called to assess ER in ASD, few studies utilized direct observations. We tested children’s behavioral and cortisol response to maternal and paternal unavailability and hypothesized that children with ASD will employ less complex ER strategies and their parents would show increased regulation facilitation effort to accommodate their child’s difficulties. METHODS: Forty preschoolers with ASD were matched with 40 typically developing (TD) preschoolers. Children were seen twice for identical battery with mother or father in the face-to-face-still-face paradigm, a three-episode paradigm where parent-child play (free play (FP)) is interrupted by elimination of communication (still face (SF)) followed by resuming play (reunion (RE)). Micro-coding of parent and child’s social behavior and ER strategies was conducted. Parent and child’s cortisol was assessed at baseline, following stress, and at recovery. RESULTS: Children with ASD exhibited the typical SF effect, indexed by an increase in negative affect and decrease in positive communications, but employed more simple regulatory behavior (self-soothing, proximity-seeking) and less complex strategies involving attention redirection and substitutive play. Their parents used more regulation-facilitation behavior, both simple and complex. All children showed initial cortisol response to novelty, which declined over time. However, maternal presence suppressed initial cortisol response in children with ASD. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ASD form typical expectations of parental availability and their parents increase effort to help repair social rupture. Among children with ASD, maternal presence and regulation facilitation provide social buffering for the child’s HPA stress response in a manner similar to mammalian neonates. Results highlight the importance of assessing ER by combining direct observations and physiological measures and including fathers in empirical studies and intervention efforts for children with ASD during sensitive periods for social growth.
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12. Oza VS, Marco E, Frieden IJ. {{Improving the Dermatologic Care of Individuals with Autism: A Review of Relevant Issues and a Perspective}}. {Pediatr Dermatol};2015 (Mar 17)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that effects verbal and nonverbal communication and social cognition and often presents with altered sensory processing, stereotyped behavior, and restricted interests. The prevalence of this diagnosis has increased markedly over the past two decades. Dermatologists undoubtedly will be evaluating and managing more patients with this diagnosis, but there has been little written regarding the dermatologic care of patients with ASD. Difficulties with communication and sensory processing create significant challenges in clinical evaluation and management. Individuals with ASD are also at higher risk for certain dermatologic conditions. This review is intended to build an awareness of the complexity of caring for individuals with ASD and discuss strategies that can help improve the dermatologic care of these patients.
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13. Quinlan CA, McVeigh KH, Driver CR, Govind P, Karpati A. {{Parental Age and Autism Spectrum Disorders Among New York City Children 0-36 Months of Age}}. {Matern Child Health J};2015 (Mar 17)
We examined trends in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the association of ASD with parental age among young New York City (NYC) children. Children born in NYC to resident mothers from 1994-2001 were identified through vital statistics records (N = 927,003). Records were linked to data from NYC Early Intervention (EI) Program through 2004. The independent parental age-specific odds of having an ASD before 36 months of age were estimated using multiple logistic regression controlling for risk factors. The increase in ASD attributable to changes in parental age at birth was examined. Births to mothers and fathers 35 years or older increased 14.9 and 11.5 %, respectively, between 1994 and 2001. ASD prevalence in EI increased significantly from 1 in 3,300 children born in 1994 to 1 in 233 children born in 2001. Children born to mothers ages 25-29, 30-34 and 35 or older had significantly greater odds of being diagnosed with ASD than children of mothers younger than 25 years (OR 1.5, 1.6, and 1.9, respectively). Children born to fathers ages 35 or older (OR 1.4) had greater odds of ASD than children of fathers younger than 25. The change in parental age accounted for only 2.7 % of the increase in ASD prevalence. Older paternal age and maternal age were independently associated with increased risk of ASD. However, while parental age at birth increased between the 1994 and 2001 birth cohorts in NYC, it did not explain the increase in number of ASD cases.
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14. Reaven J, Washington L, Moody EJ, Stern JA, Hepburn SL, Blakeley-Smith A. {{Examining the Relationship Between Parental Anxiety and Treatment Response in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anxiety}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2015 (Mar 17)
In response to the high co-occurrence of anxiety symptoms in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), several interventions have been developed for this population. In spite of promising findings, some youth with ASD respond only minimally to such interventions. To understand potential factors that may impact treatment response, the current study explores the role of parental anxiety in youth treatment outcome. Thirty-one youth with ASD, ages 7-18, and their parents participated in the study. Parents completed the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory pre- and post-treatment. Contrary to previous research, there was no correlation between parental anxiety and youth anxiety at baseline or post-treatment. However, parental trait anxiety significantly decreased from pre- to post-treatment for parents of treatment responders. The findings are consistent with previous research and suggest a youth-to-parent influence.
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15. Rogers K, Zeni MB. {{Systematic Review of Medical Home Models to Promote Transitions to Primary Adult Health Care for Adolescents Living With Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {Worldviews Evid Based Nurs};2015 (Mar 14)
BACKGROUND: There is a growing number of children diagnosed and living with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in the United States. This increasing incidence and prevalence of ASDs require care coordination within a medical home model, which needs to continue into adulthood. AIM: This paper is an evidence review of medical home models for transitioning adolescents living with ASDs from pediatric primary healthcare practices to adult primary care practices. METHOD: Databases were reviewed and articles selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Nine articles were reviewed and four met criteria. None of the articles addressed medical home models to transition adolescents living with ASDs into adult primary healthcare services. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: There is a need for nursing to work within an interdisciplinary framework to educate adult healthcare providers on the needs of adolescents living with ASDs and to evaluate medical home transition models for this vulnerable population.
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16. Saloviita T, Pirttimaa R, Kontu E. {{Parental Perceptions of the Use of Coercive Measures on Children with Developmental Disabilities}}. {J Appl Res Intellect Disabil};2015 (Mar 16)
BACKGROUND: Children with developmental disabilities who exhibit challenging behaviour are potentially subject to the use of coercive interventions. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of the use of coercive measures by authorities, according to parents’ reports. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A postal survey was distributed, as a total population study, to 946 Finnish parents of children with developmental disabilities, between the ages of 5 and 15, and who were entitled to the highest disability allowance. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 54 (22%) answered ‘yes’ when asked whether their child had been subjected to coercive procedures by authorities. The parents had seldom approved the use of coercive means and often believed that such means had negative effects on their child. CONCLUSIONS: To protect the children’s rights, the use of coercive measures should be regulated more strictly, and positive intervention strategies should be taught to teachers and nurses.
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17. Santos MI, Breda A, Almeida AM. {{Brief Report: Preliminary Proposal of a Conceptual Model of a Digital Environment for Developing Mathematical Reasoning in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2015 (Mar 15)
There is clear evidence that in typically developing children reasoning and sense-making are essential in all mathematical learning and understanding processes. In children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), however, these become much more significant, considering their importance to successful independent living. This paper presents a preliminary proposal of a digital environment, specifically targeted to promote the development of mathematical reasoning in students with ASD. Given the diversity of ASD, the prototyping of this environment requires the study of dynamic adaptation processes and the development of activities adjusted to each user’s profile. We present the results obtained during the first phase of this ongoing research, describing a conceptual model of the proposed digital environment. Guidelines for future research are also discussed.
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18. Sarrett JC. {{Custodial Homes, Therapeutic Homes, and Parental Acceptance: Parental Experiences of Autism in Kerala, India and Atlanta, GA USA}}. {Cult Med Psychiatry};2015 (Mar 13)
The home is a critical place to learn about cultural values of childhood disability, including autism and intellectual disabilities. The current article describes how the introduction of autism into a home and the availability of intervention options change the structure and meaning of a home and reflect parental acceptance of a child’s autistic traits. Using ethnographic data from Kerala, India and Atlanta, GA USA, a description of two types of homes are developed: the custodial home, which is primarily focused on caring for basic needs, and the therapeutic home, which is focused on changing a child’s autistic traits. The type of home environment is respondent to cultural practices of child rearing in the home and influences daily activities, management, and care in the home. Further, these homes differ in parental acceptance of their autistic children’s disabilities, which is critical to understand when engaging in international work related to autism and intellectual disability. It is proposed that parental acceptance can be fostered through the use of neurodiverse notions that encourage autism acceptance.
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19. Shi L, Zhou Y, Ou J, Gong J, Wang S, Cui X, Lyu H, Zhao J, Luo X. {{Different visual preference patterns in response to simple and complex dynamic social stimuli in preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders}}. {PLoS One};2015;10(3):e0122280.
Eye-tracking studies in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have shown a visual attention preference for geometric patterns when viewing paired dynamic social images (DSIs) and dynamic geometric images (DGIs). In the present study, eye-tracking of two different paired presentations of DSIs and DGIs was monitored in a group of 13 children aged 4 to 6 years with ASD and 20 chronologically age-matched typically developing children (TDC). The results indicated that compared with the control group, children with ASD attended significantly less to DSIs showing two or more children playing than to similar DSIs showing a single child. Visual attention preference in 4- to 6-year-old children with ASDs, therefore, appears to be modulated by the type of visual stimuli.
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20. Skagerberg E, Di Ceglie D, Carmichael P. {{Brief Report: Autistic Features in Children and Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2015 (Mar 15)
This paper looks at the association between gender dysphoria (GD), scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and reported diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents of 166 young people presenting with GD (Mean age = 14.26, SD = 2.68) completed the SRS. Information concerning an ASD diagnosis was also extracted from the patient files. 45.8 % fell within the normal range on the SRS and of those 2.8 % had an ASD diagnosis. 27.1 % fell within the mild/moderate range and of those 15.6 % had an ASD diagnosis and 6.7 % an ASD query. 27.1 % fell within the severe range and of those 24.4 % had an ASD diagnosis and 26.7 % an ASD query. No difference was found in autistic features between the natal females and males.
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21. Smith T, Klorman R, Mruzek DW. {{Predicting Outcome of Community-Based Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention for Children with Autism}}. {J Abnorm Child Psychol};2015 (Mar 17)
We examined predictors of outcome (IQ, adaptive behavior, and ASD severity) after 12 and 24 months of early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) in 71, 20-59 months old children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who were enrolled in publicly-funded, community-based agencies. Predictors included social engagement (combining variables loading onto a single factor: social approach, joint attention, and imitation) and sensorimotor rituals. Younger age and higher IQ at intake predicted favorable outcomes at both 12 and 24 months. Adjusting for age, IQ, baseline predictor scores, EIBI hours, treatment site, and sensorimotor rituals, social engagement predicted superior later IQ and adaptive behavior. In contrast, sensorimotor rituals did not predict outcome. Although limited by the absence of a control group, the study indicates social engagement predicts some EIBI outcomes.
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22. So WC, Lui M, Wong TK, Sit LT. {{The Use of Hand Gestures to Communicate About Nonpresent Objects in Mind Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Speech Lang Hear Res};2015 (Mar 17):1-10.
Purpose: The current study examined whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in comparison with typically developing children, perceive and produce gestures to identify nonpresent objects (i.e., referent-identifying gestures), which is crucial for communicating ideas in a discourse. Method: An experimenter described the uses of daily-life objects to 6- to 12-year-old children both orally and with gestures. The children were then asked to describe how they performed daily activities using those objects. Results: All children gestured. A gesture identified a nonpresent referent if it was produced in the same location that had previously been established by the experimenter. Children with ASD gestured at the specific locations less often than typically developing children. Verbal and spatial memory were positively correlated with the ability to produce referent-identifying gestures for all children. However, the positive correlation between Raven’s Children Progressive Matrices score and the production of referent-identifying gestures was found only in children with ASD. Conclusions: Children with ASD might be less able to perceive and produce referent-identifying gestures and may rely more heavily on visual-spatial skills in producing referent-identifying gestures. The results have clinical implications for designing an intervention program to enhance the ability of children with ASD to communicate about nonpresent objects with gestures.
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23. Travers BG, Tromp do PM, Adluru N, Lange N, Destiche D, Ennis C, Nielsen JA, Froehlich AL, Prigge MB, Fletcher PT, Anderson JS, Zielinski BA, Bigler ED, Lainhart JE, Alexander AL. {{Atypical development of white matter microstructure of the corpus callosum in males with autism: a longitudinal investigation}}. {Mol Autism};2015;6:15.
BACKGROUND: The corpus callosum is the largest white matter structure in the brain, and it is the most consistently reported to be atypical in diffusion tensor imaging studies of autism spectrum disorder. In individuals with typical development, the corpus callosum is known to undergo a protracted development from childhood through young adulthood. However, no study has longitudinally examined the developmental trajectory of corpus callosum in autism past early childhood. METHODS: The present study used a cohort sequential design over 9 years to examine age-related changes of the corpus callosum in 100 males with autism and 56 age-matched males with typical development from early childhood (when autism can first be reliably diagnosed) to mid-adulthood (after development of the corpus callosum has been completed) (3 to 41 years of age). RESULTS: The group with autism demonstrated a different developmental trajectory of white matter microstructure in the anterior corpus callosum’s (genu and body) fractional anisotropy, which suggests atypical brain maturation in these regions in autism. When analyses were broken down by age group, atypical developmental trajectories were present only in the youngest participants (10 years of age and younger). Significant main effects for group were found in terms of decreased fractional anisotropy across all three subregions of the corpus callosum (genu, body, and splenium) and increased mean diffusivity, radial diffusivity, and axial diffusivity in the posterior corpus callosum. CONCLUSIONS: These longitudinal results suggest atypical early childhood development of the corpus callosum microstructure in autism that transitions into sustained group differences in adolescence and adulthood. This pattern of results provides longitudinal evidence consistent with a growing number of published studies and hypotheses regarding abnormal brain connectivity across the life span in autism.
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24. Venkatraman A, Garg N, Kumar N. {{Greater freedom of speech on Web 2.0 correlates with dominance of views linking vaccines to autism}}. {Vaccine};2015 (Mar 17);33(12):1422-1425.
INTRODUCTION: It is suspected that Web 2.0 web sites, with a lot of user-generated content, often support viewpoints that link autism to vaccines. METHODS: We assessed the prevalence of the views supporting a link between vaccines and autism online by comparing YouTube, Google and Wikipedia with PubMed. Freedom of speech is highest on YouTube and progressively decreases for the others. RESULTS: Support for a link between vaccines and autism is most prominent on YouTube, followed by Google search results. It is far lower on Wikipedia and PubMed. Anti-vaccine activists use scientific arguments, certified physicians and official-sounding titles to gain credibility, while also leaning on celebrity endorsement and personalized stories. CONCLUSIONS: Online communities with greater freedom of speech lead to a dominance of anti-vaccine voices. Moderation of content by editors can offer balance between free expression and factual accuracy. Health communicators and medical institutions need to step up their activity on the Internet.
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25. Weiss JA, Burnham Riosa P. {{Thriving in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2015 (Mar 15)
Most research on mental health in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) has focused on deficits. We examined individual (i.e., sociocommunicative skills, adaptive behavior, functional cognitive skills) and contextual (i.e., home, school, and community participation) correlates of thriving in 330 youth with ID and ASD compared to youth with ID only, 11-22 years of age (M = 16.74, SD = 2.95). Youth with ASD and ID were reported to thrive less than peers with ID only. Group differences in sociocommunicative ability and school participation mediated the relationship between ASD and less thriving. Research is needed to further elucidate a developmental-contextual framework that can inform interventions to promote mental health and wellness in individuals with ASD and ID.
