1. Lin SK, Tsai CH, Li HJ, Huang CY, Chen KL. {{Theory of mind predominantly associated with the quality, not quantity, of pretend play in children with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry};2017 (Mar 16)
This study aimed to clarify the relationships between theory of mind and pretend play in children with autism spectrum disorder, using refined assessments of theory of mind and pretend play while controlling for autistic behaviors and verbal comprehension. A total of 92 children with autism spectrum disorder aged 4-10 years were enrolled. In two visits, the children were assessed with the Theory of Mind Task Battery, the Child-Initiated Pretend Play Assessment, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, and the Verbal Comprehension Index of the Wechsler Intelligence Scales, respectively, for their theory of mind, pretend play performance, autistic behaviors, and verbal comprehension. The hierarchical regression models showed that in addition to the contributions of the autistic behaviors and verbal comprehension scores, the theory of mind scores positively predicted (p < 0.001) the elaborateness scores of pretend play in the conventional imaginative and symbolic play contexts, respectively, accounting for an additional 8.1 and 18.5% of the variance, but did not predict the scores for number of object substitutions or imitated actions. The findings demonstrate that theory of mind has a predominant role in the quality, not the quantity, of pretend play of children with autism spectrum disorder, when the children's autistic behaviors and verbal comprehension are considered. This study fills a gap in the previous literature and provides information useful for clinicians and researchers on the relationships between theory of mind and pretend play in children with autism spectrum disorder. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
2. Lintas C, Picinelli C, Piras IS, Sacco R, Brogna C, Persico AM. {{Copy number variation in 19 Italian multiplex families with autism spectrum disorder: Importance of synaptic and neurite elongation genes}}. {Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet};2017 (Mar 17)
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is endowed with impressive heritability estimates and high recurrence rates. Its genetic underpinnings are nonetheless very heterogeneous, with common, and rare contributing variants located in hundreds of different loci, each characterized by variable levels of penetrance. Multiplex families from single ethnic groups represent a useful means to reduce heterogeneity and enhance genetic load. We screened 19 Italian ASD multiplex families (3 triplets and 16 duplets, total N = 41 ASD subjects), using array-CGH (Agilent 180 K). Causal or ASD-relevant CNVs were detected in 36.6% (15/41) of ASD probands, corresponding to 36.8% (7/19) multiplex families with at least one affected sibling genetically positive. However, only in less than half (3/7) of positive families, affected siblings share the same causal or ASD-relevant CNV. Even in these three families, additional potentially relevant CNVs not shared by affected sib pairs were also detected. These results provide further evidence of genetic heterogeneity in ASD even within multiplex families belonging to a single ethnic group. Differences in CNV burden may likely contribute to the substantial clinical heterogeneity observed between affected siblings. In addition, Gene Ontology enrichment analysis indicates that most potentially causal or relevant ASD genes detected in our cohort belong to nervous system-specific categories, especially involved in neurite elongation and synaptic structure/function. These findings point toward the existence of genomic instability in these families, whose underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms deserve further scrutiny.
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3. Pan N, Wu GH, Zhang L, Zhao YF, Guan H, Xu CJ, Jing J, Jin Y. {{[Association between intelligence development and facial expression recognition ability in children with autism spectrum disorder]}}. {Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi};2017 (Mar);19(3):275-279.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the features of intelligence development, facial expression recognition ability, and the association between them in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: A total of 27 ASD children aged 6-16 years (ASD group, full intelligence quotient >70) and age- and gender-matched normally developed children (control group) were enrolled. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Fourth Edition and Chinese Static Facial Expression Photos were used for intelligence evaluation and facial expression recognition test. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the ASD group had significantly lower scores of full intelligence quotient, verbal comprehension index, perceptual reasoning index (PRI), processing speed indexPSI), and working memory index (WMI) (P<0.05). The ASD group also had a significantly lower overall accuracy rate of facial expression recognition and significantly lower accuracy rates of the recognition of happy, angry, sad, and frightened expressions than the control group (P<0.05). In the ASD group, the overall accuracy rate of facial expression recognition and the accuracy rates of the recognition of happy and frightened expressions were positively correlated with PRI (r=0.415, 0.455, and 0.393 respectively; P<0.05). The accuracy rate of the recognition of angry expression was positively correlated with WMI (r=0.397; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ASD children have delayed intelligence development compared with normally developed children and impaired expression recognition ability. Perceptual reasoning and working memory abilities are positively correlated with expression recognition ability, which suggests that insufficient perceptual reasoning and working memory abilities may be important factors affecting facial expression recognition ability in ASD children. Lien vers Pubmed
4. Wise EA, Smith MD, Rabins PV. {{Aging and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Naturalistic, Longitudinal Study of the Comorbidities and Behavioral and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Adults with ASD}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2017 (Mar 16)
Little is known about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in persons over age 50. In a retrospective, naturalistic review of 74 individuals aged 30 and older meeting DSM-5 criteria for ASD, the point prevalence of behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms (BNPS) declined significantly for 12 of 13 BNPS over a mean of 25 years while many other features of ASD remained stable. GI disorders (68.9%) and seizure disorders (23%) were common, and 25.7% of the sample had a BMI >30. Females were more likely to engage in screaming (p < 0.05) and oppositional behavior (p < 0.05). Current age did not have a significant effect on BNPS prevalence. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
5. Xu CJ, Zhang L, Pan N, Lin QX, Ye J, Jing J, Jin Y. {{[Event-related potential of working memory on emotional faces in children with autism spectrum disorder]}}. {Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi};2017 (Mar);19(3):280-285.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of working memory ability on emotional faces and related event-related potential (ERP) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: The Chinese Facial Affective Picture System was used as test material, and the event-related potential system was used to record the electroencephalographic data when 16 ASD children aged 6-12 years (ASD group) and 14 normal children matched for age (control group) were completing the facial emotion delayed match-to-sample task. The characteristics of P3b component were analyzed for both groups. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the ASD group had a significantly longer reaction time (1 527 ms vs 1 060 ms; P<0.05) and a significantly lower accuracy rate (76% vs 88%; P<0.01) in the facial emotion delayed match-to-sample task. There was a difference in the amplitude of P3b component during the encoding stage between the two groups. In the ASD group, the P3b component on the left side electrode had a higher amplitude than that on the right side electrode (P<0.05), while the control group had no such characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: There is a difference in P3b component during the encoding stage between school-aged ASD children and normal children. In ASD children, working memory on emotional faces may depend more on the related neural pathway in the left hemisphere. Lien vers Pubmed
6. Yu XF, Li M, Zheng Y. {{[Association between maternal folate supplementation during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder in the offspring: a Meta analysis]}}. {Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi};2017 (Mar);19(3):286-291.
OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively and comprehensively investigate the association between maternal folate supplementation during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the offspring. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP Database, and Chinese Biomedical Database were searched to collect the articles on maternal folate supplementation during pregnancy and the risk of ASD in children. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to determine the effect size. Stata 12.0 software was used for the Meta analysis. Publication bias evaluation and sensitivity analysis were also performed. RESULTS: A total of 10 articles were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, including 15 studies which involved 4 459 cases and 1 225 835 controls. The Meta analysis showed that maternal folate supplementation during pregnancy significantly reduced the risk of ASD in the offspring in the total population (OR=0.798, 95%CI: 0.669-0.952, P=0.012). The subgroup analysis revealed that maternal folate supplementation during pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of ASD in the offspring in both the Asian population (OR=0.664, 95%CI: 0.428-1.032, P=0.069) and the Western population (OR=0.817, 95%CI: 0.671-0.996, P=0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal folate supplementation during pregnancy may reduce the risk of ASD in the offspring, especially in the Western population.
