1. Al-Lihabi A, Alharbi ST, Alsheraimi R, Alharbi AM, Alofi M, Azouni S, Albaidani A. Quality of Life and Sleep Among Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Medina. Cureus. 2025; 17(8): e90153.

INTRODUCTION: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common and prevalent neurodevelopmental condition. While the impact of ASD on the child’s well-being is well-documented, there has been limited research on the impact of caring for an autistic child on the sleep patterns and quality of life (QoL) of parents and caregivers. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the effects of having an autistic child on the QoL and sleep patterns of parents and caregivers in Medina, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: The study used validated questionnaires to assess sleep quality and QoL, with a sample of 89 participants. The questionnaire was distributed among parents and caregivers of autistic children at local healthcare centers. RESULT: The study revealed that the majority of respondents are mothers (70.8%), with children aged 5-7 years being the most common (39.3%), and 67.4% of children are males. Speech problems (47.2%) are the most prevalent issue among autistic children, followed by sleep disorders (20.2%), while a significant portion of parents experience anxiety symptoms (10.1%), depression symptoms (4.5%), and co-occurrence of depression and anxiety symptoms, seen in 5.6% of cases. Parents and caregivers of autistic children experienced moderate levels of sleep disturbance, as indicated by a mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score of 6.74 ± standard deviation 2.89, with 44.9% of respondents reporting not feeling rested. CONCLUSION: The analysis of sleep quality and QoL measures highlighted significant challenges faced by the participants, emphasizing the need for comprehensive support strategies to address the well-being of families affected.

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2. Beck AK, Souza C, Garrido MV, Barahona-Correa JB, Carmo JC, Lachmann T, Czernochowski D. Neural correlates of semantic typicality during episodic memory retrieval in autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1): 32577.

This study examined the effects of item typicality (typical vs. atypical), encoding type (categorical vs. perceptual), and neurodivergence (autistic vs. neurotypical male adults) on memory discrimination and associated neuronal patterns. Despite similar overall memory discrimination performance between groups, analyses of event-related potentials revealed that neurotypicals displayed an early ERP effect, suggesting reliance on familiarity-driven processes. In contrast, autistic participants showed a later ERP modulation, indicating a reliance on recollection-based processes. Notably, relying on either familiarity or recollection influenced the activation in the post-old/new-response period, in which only neurotypical adults needed to reinstate item details for the subsequent Remember-Know-Guess (R-K-G) judgments. These findings suggest that autistic adults may recruit different cognitive processes to achieve memory performance comparable to neurotypical adults. Additionally, our results suggest that item typicality interacts with encoding type in modulating the cognitive processes underlying memory retrieval and their neural correlates in both autistic and neurotypical adults. The study highlights the need to investigate the role of semantic processes in episodic memory retrieval in both neurotypical and autistic individuals.

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3. Brancati GE, De Rosa U, Magnesa A, Cocciaro I, Costagli E, Iriti A, Rimoldi B, Vedovelli M, Medda P, Schiavi E, Perugi G. Autism spectrum traits in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a hidden multifaceted phenotype marked by affective comorbidity, emotional dysregulation, and chronobiological disturbances. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2025.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a commonly observed comorbidity in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nevertheless, the impact of autism spectrum traits on clinical presentation and comorbidities in adults with ADHD remains largely underexplored. METHODS: 105 adults with ADHD were recruited at the outpatient service of the Psychiatry Unit 2 at Pisa University Hospital and subdivided according to screening for ASD based on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Comparative analyses were performed for sociodemographic and clinical variables. RESULTS: Participants with a positive screening for ASD (N = 23, 21.9%) were more frequently females, had a higher age at first clinical referral, higher comorbidity rates with mood and anxiety disorders, particularly social anxiety, and a lower rate of cannabis use disorder. They showed significantly greater severity of ADHD and emotional dysregulation, worse personality and interpersonal functioning, more depressive, cyclothymic and anxious temperamental dispositions, more pathological personality traits, increased biological rhythm disturbances and evening chronotype. CONCLUSIONS: Autism spectrum traits are commonly reported in adults with ADHD and may be associated with female sex and a complex clinical presentation characterized by affective comorbidity, more severe emotional dysregulation and chronobiological disturbances.

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4. Chatterjee D, Singh S. Neuroprotective effect of ferulic acid in valproic acid induced autism like behaviour in zebrafish via modulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2025: 110347.

Valproic acid (VPA), a widely used antiepileptic and mood stabilizing drug, is known to induce autism-like features when administered during neurodevelopment. Recent evidence suggests that VPA exposure during adulthood may also elicit autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-like features by altering key signalling pathways, such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K-AKT-mTOR), and cause behavioural and neuromorphological deficits. The study explored the neuroprotective properties of ferulic acid (FA) in VPA-induced cognitive and behavioural impairments. Zebrafish were exposed to VPA at 500 μM for four consecutive days to induce ASD-like features. After 4 days of VPA exposure, they were treated with FA (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) and risperidone (0.5 mg/kg) for 4 days. Behavioural (T-maze, Novel Tank Driving Test (NTDT), and social interaction), biochemical (oxidative markers), molecular changes (PI3K, mTOR by ELISA, and AKT by immunohistochemistry), and histopathological analyses were performed to confirm the neuroprotective properties of ferulic acid (FA). VPA (500 μM) exposure significantly deteriorated behavioural and molecular alteration levels (p < 0.001 vs. normal control group) in zebrafish. However, FA (100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly improved cognitive and behavioural alterations, as well as oxidative marker and neurotransmitter levels (p < 0.05 vs. VPA group) in zebrafish. Treatment also improved histopathological changes and AKT levels (p < 0.001 vs. the VPA group) in zebrafish. Our results demonstrated that the therapeutic effect of FA in VPA induced autism like symptoms in zebrafish was mediated by its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties through modulation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for ASD-like symptoms.

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5. Chorbadjiev L, Cokol M, Weinstein Z, Shi K, Fleisch C, Dimitrov N, Mladenov S, Todorov I, Ivanov I, Xu S, Ford S, Lee YH, Yamrom B, Marks S, Munoz A, Lash A, Volfovsky N, Iossifov I. Analyzing the large and complex SFARI autism cohort data using the Genotypes and Phenotypes in Families (GPF) platform. Genome Res. 2025.

The exploration of genotypic variants impacting phenotypes is a cornerstone in genetics research. The emergence of vast collections containing deeply genotyped and phenotyped families has made it possible to pursue the search for variants associated with complex diseases. However, managing these large-scale data sets requires specialized computational tools to organize and analyze the extensive data. Genotypes and Phenotypes in Families (GPF) is an open-source platform that manages genotypes and phenotypes derived from collections of families. GPF allows interactive exploration of genetic variants, enrichment analysis for de novo mutations, phenotype/genotype association tools, and secure data sharing. GPF is used to disseminate two family collection data sets, SSC and SPARK, for the study of autism, built by the Simons Foundation. The GPF instance at the Simons Foundation (GPF-SFARI) provides protected access to comprehensive genotypic and phenotypic data for SSC and SPARK. GPF-SFARI also provides public access to an extensive collection of de novo mutations from individuals with autism and related disorders and to gene-level statistics of the protected data sets characterizing the genes’ roles in autism. However, GPF is versatile and can manage genotypic data from other small or large family collections. Here, we highlight the primary features of GPF within the context of GPF-SFARI.

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6. Coffman MC, Antezana L, Brown C, Brown-Venegas A, Richey JA. Multi-informant measurement of social anxiety symptoms in youth with social anxiety with and without autism. Front Psychiatry. 2025; 16: 1524088.

INTRODUCTION: Discrepancies between caregiver and youth report of social anxiety symptoms persist, yet measuring social anxiety symptoms, particularly among autistic youths, is critical clinically to inform intervention planning and make correct diagnostic decisions. METHODS: Accordingly, we sought to evaluate caregiver-adolescent agreement on measures of social anxiety across three diagnostic groups: (1) autistic, socially anxious adolescents (n=20), socially anxious, non-autistic adolescents (n=20), and a comparison group of non-autistic, non-socially anxious adolescents (n=20). Caregivers and adolescents completed the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS), Social Anxiety module, and caregivers completed a battery of questionnaires to measure adolescent behavioral functioning in terms of adaptive, externalizing, and autism-related behaviors. RESULTS: Compared with adolescents, caregivers generally indicated greater observed behavioral interference (e.g., avoiding preferred activities) on the ADIS due to social anxiety symptoms (F(1, 56) = 8.48, p < 0.01). Moreover, caregivers in the autistic group reported the highest level of behavioral interference, followed by the social anxiety group, and then the comparison group. Autistic adolescents and their caregivers had the poorest agreement for social anxiety symptoms compared with the other two groups. DISCUSSION: These results demonstrate the differential impact of autism on the perception of social anxiety symptoms for caregivers and autistic adolescents. These results have implications for measuring social anxiety symptoms in autistic adolescents for research and clinical purposes as well as for intervention planning in this population.

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7. Feng JY, Bai MS, Dong HY, Xue Y, Liu YM, Ma H, Mohamed ZA, Shan L, Jia FY. Effectiveness of individual versus group Early Start Denver Model interventions in children with autism spectrum disorder. Pediatr Res. 2025.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effectiveness of individual-Early Start Denver Model (I-ESDM) and group-ESDM (G-ESDM) intervention in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at varying ability levels. METHODS: A total of 404 children were divided into I-ESDM (n = 237) and G-ESDM (n = 167) groups, receiving 3-month of intervention. The I-ESDM group had a staff-to-child ratio of 1:1, while the G-ESDM group had a ratio of 2:6. Clinical symptoms, neurodevelopment, and parenting stress were evaluated both pre- and post-treatment. RESULTS: After 3 months, both interventions significantly improved clinical symptoms, neurodevelopment, and reduced parenting stress in children with ASD. In the language age group under 2 years, the I-ESDM subgroup showed greater improvements in clinical symptoms compared to the G-ESDM subgroup. In the ≥2-year language age group and the general quotient (GQ) ≥ 70 group, the G-ESDM subgroup demonstrated greater improvements in clinical symptoms and neurodevelopment compared to the I-ESDM subgroup. CONCLUSION: Both I-ESDM and G-ESDM effectively improve clinical symptoms, neurodevelopment, and reduce parenting stress in children with ASD. I-ESDM was more effective for children with a language age <2 years, while G-ESDM showed better outcomes for those with a language age ≥2 years or GQ ≥ 70. IMPACT: After 3 months, both individual-Early Start Denver Model (I-ESDM) and group-ESDM (G-ESDM) significantly improved clinical symptoms, neurodevelopment, and reduced parenting stress in children with ASD. The I-ESDM subgroup showed greater improvements in clinical symptoms in children under 2 years of age. The G-ESDM subgroup demonstrated superior improvements in clinical symptoms and neurodevelopment in children aged ≥2 years or those with GQ ≥ 70.

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8. Fowler LF, Burry TN, Maekawa AS, Cahill LS. A systematic review and experimental study of micro/nanoplastic-induced endocrine disruption in rodents: Potential links to autism spectrum disorder. Horm Behav. 2025; 175: 105818.

Recent research shows that microplastic (diameter < 5 mm) and nanoplastic (diameter < 1 μm) exposures can have endocrine-disrupting effects and lead to autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-like behaviours in rodent models. We combine both a (i) systematic literature review and (ii) experimental study to synthesize the potential mechanisms underlying the link between micro-/nanoplastic (MNP) exposure and ASD, focusing on endocrine disruption and articles utilizing rodent models. First, we identify and discuss trends in the literature, outline research gaps, and suggest future directions. Most articles measured gonadal hormones in male adult rodents and consistently reported decreased testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) with MNP exposure. Females were understudied, with no trends emerging in exposure-induced hormone disruption. Second, we present experimental data demonstrating direct effects of maternal polystyrene NP exposure on neuroendocrine systems and inflammatory markers in the fetal brain. Cytokines, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and triiodothyronine (T3) were significantly altered in the fetal brain following prenatal exposure to NPs, and thyroxine (T4) and T were significantly suppressed in female NP-exposed fetuses but not in males. Together, these findings demonstrate that MNP exposure during adulthood and early development affect multiple endocrine systems, including those implicated in autism spectrum disorder, in a sex-dependent manner. We synthesize how such results are important to motivate exposure studies in animals and humans and future regulatory guidelines on MNPs.

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9. Hirose M. Parent-child interaction therapy as a therapeutic approach for children with autism spectrum disorder in Japan. Brain Dev. 2025; 47(5): 104434.

BACKGROUND: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face difficulties in parent-child relationships and exhibit problematic behaviors. This study retrospectively examines the effects of standard Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) for children with ASD and their caregivers in Japan, focusing on reducing parental stress and children’s problematic behaviors. METHODS: Eight parent-child dyads with children aged 2.5-7 years with ASD underwent standard PCIT. Measures included the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF), and Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 4-18 (CBCL/4-18), assessed pre- and post-treatments. RESULTS: For parents, ECBI problem score decreased from 16.8 (SD ± 4.4) to 3.0 (SD ± 4.1) pre- and post-treatment (p < 0.05, effect size 1.9). PSI-SF parent section scores dropped from 28.7 (SD ± 7.1) to 22.1 (SD ± 6.2) (p < 0.01, effect size 2.0). The total PSI-SF score from 58.1 (SD ± 10.9) to 45.0 (SD ± 11.1), (p < 0.01, effect size 1.7). For children, ECBI intensity scores decreased from 147.9 (SD ± 20.3) to 85.5 (SD ± 17.7) (p < 0.01, effect size 3.4). PSI-SF child section scores fell from 29.4 (SD ± 4.8) to 22.9 (SD ± 5.8) (p < 0.05, effect size of 1.2), and total CBCL from 70.3 (SD ± 5.9) to 62.0 (SD ± 8.4) (p < 0.05, effect size of 1.5). CONCLUSION: The standard PCIT for children with ASD and their parents in Japan significantly reduces parental stress and children's problematic behaviors, improving parent-child interactions.

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10. Jia T, Kong Y, Zhao G, Wang Y. Trends and cross-country inequalities in the global burden of neurodevelopmental disorders among children aged 0-14 from 1990 to 2021. Front Public Health. 2025; 13: 1609254.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the trends and cross-country inequalities of three common neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs): Autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Idiopathic developmental intellectual disability (IDID) among children aged 0-14, and further predicted its changes to 2046. METHODS: The estimates and their 95% uncertainty interval (UI) for prevalence of ASD, ADHD and IDID among children aged 0-14 across 204 countries were extracted from Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to calculate the average annual percentage changes (AAPC). The slope index of inequality (SII) and concentration index recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) are two standard indicators for measuring absolute and relative gradient inequality. Our study used these two indicators to quantify the inequality of this three common NDDs burden between countries with different Sociodemographic Index (SDI). Finally, we used the Nordpred model to predict the disease burden of NDDs in 2046. RESULTS: The AAPC (95% confidence interval [CI]) in prevalence of the three common NDDs among children aged 0-14 worldwide from 1990 to 2021 were as follows: ASD 0.09 (0.08 to 0.09), ADHD -0.08 (-0.12 to -0.04) and IDID -0.86 (-0.88 to -0.84). The SII (95% CI) changed from 27.09 (-29.98 to 84.17) in 1990 to 38.36 (-21.48 to 98.20) in 2021 for ASD, from 1402.78 (1100.25 to 1705.31) in 1990 to 1402.76 (1083.55 to 1721.97) in 2021 for ADHD, from -594.52 (-755.05 to -434.00) in 1990 to -545.94 (-673.19 to -418.69) in 2021 for IDID. The concentration index (95% CI) showed 0.15 (0.07 to 0.23) in 1990 and 0.19 (0.10 to 0.26) in 2021 for ASD, 0.07 (-0.02 to 0.16) in 1990 and 0.02 (-0.07 to 0.11) in 2021 for ADHD, 0.44 (0.34 to 0.53) in 1990 and 0.39 (0.28 to 0.48) in 2021 for IDID. Compared to 2021, the age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR) in 2046 of the three common NDDs showed a slight decrease in ASD and ADHD, a slight increase in IDID. CONCLUSION: As a major public health concern, the global burden of NDDs in children exhibited distinct trends from 1990 to 2021: an increasing trend for ASD, and decreasing trends for ADHD and IDID. Health inequalities persist across these conditions. The burdens of ASD and ADHD are primarily concentrated in high-SDI countries/territories, whereas the burden of IDID is more prevalent in low-SDI countries/territories. Therefore, targeted public health strategies and equitable allocation of healthcare resources are essential to effectively mitigate the burden of NDDs.

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11. Kang M, Kim S, Shin W, Kim K, Jung Y, Choi W, Paik SB, Kim E. Grin2b-mutant mice exhibit heightened remote fear via suppressed extinction and chronic amygdalar synaptic and neuronal dysfunction. Sci Adv. 2025; 11(38): eadr7691.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) frequently show long-lasting traumatic fear memory, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that Grin2b-mutant mice carrying a human ASD-risk mutation (Grin2b(C456Y/+) mice) show normal acquisition of contextual fear memory but suppressed fear memory extinction and enhanced remote fear memory responses, along with anxiety- and social-related abnormalities. After footshock and fear extinction, these mutants chronically develop occluded neuronal activation in the basal amygdala (BA) detectable at remote fear memory retrieval, which involves suppressed spontaneous excitatory synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability. Chemogenetic activation of mutant BA neurons during fear extinction improves fear memory extinction and remote fear memory responses without affecting anxiety- or social-related phenotypes. This rescue involves normalized spontaneous excitatory synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability. These results suggest that Grin2b(C456Y/+) mice, through impaired fear memory extinction, chronically develop suppressed spontaneous excitatory synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability in BA neurons that enhances remote fear memory responses.

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12. Lam PP, Fok EHW, Chan MYT, McGrath CP, Yung Yiu CK. Application of psychological behavioural therapies in improving oral health for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Autism. 2025: 13623613251372276.

This systematic review aimed to summarize the current evidence on the effectiveness of various psychological behavioural therapies in improving oral hygiene maintenance habits and oral health among children with autism. Independent screening and study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and evaluation of the certainty of evidence were conducted. A total of 16 studies were deemed eligible for qualitative synthesis, with 9 included in quantitative analyses. Psychological behavioural therapies including visual pedagogies, social stories, components of PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) and Applied Behavioural Analysis, as well as the use of smart device applications all demonstrated improvement in oral health parameters following implementation. However, most studies lacked control groups and exhibited a high risk of bias due to the lack of reporting or failure to account for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) severity and associated comorbidities. In addition, studies typically relied on caregivers to carry out reinforcement of therapies, which may explain the significant heterogeneity observed. In summary, the evidence supporting the use of psychoeducational techniques to improve the oral health parameters of autistic children is limited and of very low certainty. Further research utilizing larger-scale studies and more rigorous study designs is necessary to enhance the certainty of evidence in this field.Lay abstractThis review looked at existing studies to see how effective different psychological and behavioural therapies are in helping children with autism take better care of their teeth and maintain good oral health. The researchers carefully selected and analysed 16 studies, with 9 of those used for detailed analysis. The therapies examined included visual tools, social stories, parts of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), and smartphone apps. Overall, these approaches showed some improvements in oral health. However, many of the studies had weaknesses, such as not having control groups or not fully considering the severity of the autistic conditions or if other medical conditions are present. In short, the current evidence that these therapies help improve oral health in children with autism is limited and not very strong. More high-quality research with larger groups of children is needed to better understand what works best.

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13. Li EA, Legere CH, Philip NS, Dickstein DP, Radoeva PD. Relationship Between Food Selectivity and Mood Problems in Youth With a Reported Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry Glob Open Sci. 2025; 5(4): 100481.

BACKGROUND: Food selectivity and mood problems and disorders are commonly described independently in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about the relationship between food selectivity and mood problems and disorders in ASD. METHODS: To study the relationship between food selectivity and mood problems and disorders, we analyzed data from youth (ages 10-13 years) with a parent-reported diagnosis of ASD from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD Study), with available data for the Block Kids Food Screener (parental report) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (N = 173, male:female participant ratio = 6.5:1). RESULTS: We did not find a statistically significant association between food selectivity and mood problems or disorders. Food selectivity for protein foods (i.e., consumption of a decreased variety of protein foods) was associated with more severe aggressive behavior/irritability (CBCL Aggressive Behavior T-score) (N = 173, ρ = 0.196, p = .010) in youth with ASD, although the relationship was no longer statistically significant after multiple comparison correction (p = .086). CONCLUSIONS: While our results are negative overall for an association between food selectivity and mood problems and disorders in children with ASD, our findings should be interpreted with caution in the context of limitations of the presented analysis. Accordingly, future studies and analyses could incorporate objective measures and prospective tracking of food intake and food selectivity, deeper phenotyping of mood problems (including irritability), and detailed information about factors that could affect the relationship between food selectivity and mood in youth with ASD (such as the use of supplements and medications). We examined the relationship between food selectivity and mood in autistic children (ages 10–13 years) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Our main analysis did not show statistically significant associations. Our exploratory analysis revealed that greater selectivity for protein foods (i.e., less variety) was associated with increased irritability/aggressive behavior in autistic children. However, this association was no longer statistically significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. Future studies should include detailed assessments of food consumption to assess the relationship between food selectivity and mood in autistic youth. eng.

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14. Li L, Huang Q, Hu J, Jin M, Zhuo Y, Ke W, He Q, Xiao Y, Zhang X, Wang W, Cheng TL, Tai Y, Guo F, Yu J, Yulong L, He J, Li B, Shu Y. Selective loss of Scn2a in ventral tegmental area dopaminergic neurons leads to dopamine system hypofunction and autistic-like behaviors. Neuron. 2025; 113(18): 2997-3014.e8.

Dopamine hypothesis has been proposed as a mechanism of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder closely associated with genetic mutations. Loss-of-function mutation of SCN2A, which encodes the voltage-gated Na(+) channel Na(V)1.2, is a high risk factor for autism, but whether its pathogenesis is attributable to dopamine system dysfunction remains unclear. Here, we found that Scn2a is the predominant isoform and contributes largely to Na(+) currents along the somato-axonal axis of dopaminergic neurons (DANs) in mouse ventral tegmental area (VTA). Complete deletion of Scn2a in VTA DANs reduces their spiking activity and dopamine release, leading to hyperactivity, impaired sociability, and insufficient anxiety. Similar alterations were observed in Scn2a heterozygous mice. Importantly, acute treatment with levodopa alleviates non-motor behavior deficits. Together, the results reveal that Scn2a loss in VTA DANs alone causes autistic-like behaviors through a dopamine-hypofunction mechanism and also provide a possible pharmacotherapy through dopamine replacement for ASD with SCN2A mutations.

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15. Lila Y, Tseng CJ, Johnston EG, Canales C, McDougle CJ, Hooker JM, Zürcher NR. Choroid plexus alterations in autism spectrum disorder: A PET-MRI study. Brain Behav Immun. 2025; 130: 106110.

The choroid plexus (CP), primarily known as the production site of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), constitutes one of the sites of the blood-CSF barrier and plays a unique role in inflammation propagation, serving as a key regulator of immune responses. Recent work has shown CP enlargement in neurological and psychiatric disorders with immune involvement. To investigate potential neuroimmune and structural alterations in vivo in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we assessed the CP-localized expression of mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO) and CP volume in autistic adults. Sixty-five participants, which included 36 autistic participants and 29 non-autistic controls (CON), completed a simultaneous positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI) scan with the TSPO radiotracer [(11)C]PBR28. The CP was segmented using subject-level anatomical scans. We observed CP volume enlargement in ASD (mean group difference: 677.8, 95 % CI [331.0, 1025.0], p = 0.0002). In particular, the CP volume of ∼30 % of autistic adults was more than 2 standard deviations above the average CP volume of CON. Exploratory analysis considering sex showed that CP volume was associated with more severe ASD symptoms in autistic males (estimated beta: 153.10, 95 % CI [50.03, 256.30], p = 0.005) and that TSPO in the CP was elevated in autistic females (mean group difference 0.12, 95 % CI [0.03, 0.21], p = 0.01). Our findings reveal volumetric alterations of the human CP in ASD, providing novel insights into the involvement of the CP in ASD.

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16. Noone A, Dowling K, O’Boyle D, Carter M, Golubeva AV, Scaife C, Bech BH, Henriksen TB, Gallagher L, Mooney C, Khashan AS, Murray DM, English JA. Longitudinal multi-omics analysis of umbilical cord blood and childhood serum in Autism. Mol Psychiatry. 2025.

There is considerable evidence implicating maternal immune activation (MIA) and cytokine dysregulation in the pathophysiology of Autism. However, cytokines, due to their lack of specificity are unlikely to translate clinically as prognostic biomarkers. Our aim was to explore the perinatal molecular pathways dysregulated in umbilical cord blood, which precede a diagnosis of childhood Autism, and ascertain whether these putative biomarkers persisted into pre-pubertal childhood. In a cohort of 2137 mother-infant dyads, we conducted a nested case-control study in the BASELINE Birth Cohort. Proteomic and metabolomic analysis was performed on cord blood plasma from 22 children diagnosed with Autism before age 5, and 44 neurotypical controls. In a clinical diagnostic follow-up between 7-10 years in the PiRAMiD Cohort, 24 children with Autism and 48 controls provided blood samples for molecular profiling. In cord blood, proteomics revealed altered glycolysis, selenium metabolism, oxygen transport, and complement signalling. Alterations in these protein pathways persisted into childhood, and dysregulation of GAPDH, SELENBP1, and BLVRB proteins were evident in both cord blood and in serum from pre-pubertal children with Autism. In cord blood, metabolomics analysis indicated Autism outcome was associated with reduced levels of circulating steroids and increased sulfate. We confirmed androstenedione was reduced in cord blood, in Autism cases in comparison to controls, however changes in androstenedione levels were not evident in serum from pre-pubertal children with Autism. Our findings were further corroborated using machine learning approaches, with an AUROC ranging from 0.82 to 0.85 for proteomic and metabolomic cord blood prediction models, respectively. Collectively, these findings confirm a cord blood molecular signature precedes the onset of Autism and has the potential to lead to prognostic biomarkers. Our integrative multi-omics analysis reveals materno-feto-placental molecular processes which potentially underpin Autism aetiology.

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17. Penningnieuwland EPW, Duvekot FL, Bonifácio CC. [Behavioural management techniques in oral care of girl with autism spectrum disorder and mild intellectual disability]. Ned Tijdschr Tandheelkd. 2025; 132(6): 294-300.

In a young patient with a mild intellectual disability and an autism spectrum disorder, adequate cooperation in a dental setting initially seemed unattainable. However, with the investment of time and energy by the dentist, parents, and patient to build a relationship of trust as well as an individual treatment plan, much progress was achieved. The application of behavioural management techniques, such as the 5W1H-principle, the ‘tell-show-feel-do’-method and successive approximations provide perspective for non-sedation treatment of this patient population in the general dental practice.

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18. Srinivasan A, Baldwin I, Smith JR. Letter: Catatonia in Siblings with Profound Autism: A Case Series and Response to Electroconvulsive Therapy. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2025.

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19. Stekkinger-de Vries A, van Ee E, Verschuur R, Mevissen L. EMDR-therapy for child-related PTSD in parents of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and severe emotional dysregulation: a multiple baseline evaluation. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2025; 16(1): 2555792.

Background: Parents of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and severe emotional dysregulation (ED) often experience trauma symptoms related to their child’s behaviour, including aggression, self-injury and suicide attempts. These traumatic experiences can lead to parental posttraumatic stress symptoms, which are linked to heightened parental stress, reduced capacity for mentalisation, and difficulties co-regulating their child. These challenges have the potential to intensify pre-existing emotional dysregulation, thereby undermining the effectiveness of treatment for the adolescent. Nevertheless, child-related PTSD is rarely addressed in mental health services. This study aims to address this gap in mental health by examining the effects of trauma-focused treatment for these parents.Method: This single-case design study involved seven parents (five mothers and two fathers) of six adolescents (aged 16-21) diagnosed with ASD and emotional dysregulation (ED). Parents received EMDR-therapy and were assessed weekly during a randomised baseline (3-5 weeks), treatment phase (4-6 weeks), post-intervention (3 weeks), and follow-ups at 6 weeks and 3 months.Results: All parents showed a reduction of PTSD-symptoms after EMDR-therapy, with none of the parents meeting PTSD criteria after treatment and follow-up. A significant reduction in parental stress was reported by all parents at post-treatment and follow-up. Furthermore, five out of seven parents reported reduced ED in their adolescents after treatment, an effect maintained in three cases at follow-up.Conclusions: This study demonstrates the value of trauma-focused treatment for parents coping with PTSD as a result of exposure to child-related traumatic events. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the possible nature of parental stress in parents of adolescents with severe ED, as well as how this can be effectively addressed. The results support the hypothesis that when parents feel emotionally regulated, they may exhibit increased engagement and support for their adolescents’ treatment, potentially leading to improved treatment outcomes. Child-related traumatic events are common among parents of adolescents with ASD and emotional dysregulation.Time-limited EMDR-therapy reduces not only PTSD-symptoms in parents, but also parental stress and emotional dysregulation of the adolescent. eng.

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20. Westby A, Coburn-Pierce M. Autism Spectrum Disorder in Primary Care. Am Fam Physician. 2025; 112(3): 301-12.

Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that affects approximately 1 in 31 US children and 1 in 45 US adults; autism spectrum disorder includes a wide range of neurologic diversity, symptoms, challenges, strengths, and abilities. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed., text revision criteria for autism spectrum disorder require deficits in three areas of communication and social interaction across multiple settings, with at least two restricted or repetitive behaviors, not explained by another condition, and causing functional impairment. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening for autism at ages 18 and 24 months in addition to routine developmental surveillance, whereas screening in adults is not recommended. Diagnosis should include a multidisciplinary team and a multidimensional assessment. Autistic individuals have a 20- to 30-year lower life expectancy than nonautistic people and experience higher rates of many chronic conditions, such as diabetes, epilepsy, gastrointestinal concerns, feeding disorders, and mental health disorders (eg, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia). Treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder focuses on minimizing core deficits, maximizing functional independence, and preventing problem behaviors. Pharmacologic therapy may be indicated for related conditions or symptoms, such as sleep disorders, seizures, mental health conditions, behavior problems, and gastrointestinal issues. Melatonin effectively reduces sleep symptoms and improves daytime behaviors with minimal adverse effects. The SPACE (sensory, predictability, acceptance, communication, empathy) framework provides specific interventions that make health care more accessible and affirming to autistic patients.

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