1. Abromeit A, Hooijmans CR, LeMaoult C, Drion CM, Kas M. Animal studies reveal downregulation of the Beclin-1 autophagy pathway as shared mechanism in Autism Spectrum Disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Mol Psychiatry;2025 (Apr 17)

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition with complex etiology, involving genetic and environmental influences on brain development and behavior. Dysregulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling alters neuronal growth and synaptic plasticity, and has emerged as a potential underlying pathway in ASD. GOAL AND METHODS: To investigate mTOR dysregulation as a common mechanism in ASD, we performed a systematic review, and a meta-analysis of 192 studies examining mTOR signaling in diverse genetic and environmental animal models. RESULTS: Our random-effects model identified significant alterations in mTOR pathway-related proteins. For several proteins (p-AKT, PTEN, p-mTOR, p-EIF4e, LC3-II, p-S6K and p-S6), subgroup analyses revealed clear species-, sex-, age-, or brain region-specific effects. Interestingly, Beclin-1 was consistently downregulated across all subgroups. CONCLUSION: Our findings support mTOR-pathway dysregulation in ASD. The observed consistent downregulation of Beclin-1 highlights autophagy as a common mechanism, and provides new leads for novel ASD biomarker and treatment development.

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2. Bai Y, Brillinger M, Karlinsky A, Poliakoff E, Welsh TN, Gowen E. Speed-accuracy trade-offs in action perception, motor imagery, and execution of hand movements in autistic and non-autistic adults. Sci Rep;2025 (Apr 17);15(1):13255.

Action perception, execution, and imagery share motor-cognitive processes. Given prevalent sensory and motor coordination difficulties in autism, the processes of action perception and imagery may also be altered. This study investigated whether autistic adults can engage in motor imagery by testing potential differences in executing, perceiving, and imagining hand movements between autistic and non-autistic adults. Twenty autistic individuals and twenty age- and IQ-matched controls completed execution, imagination, and perception tasks using a Fitts’ Law paradigm in an online session. For the execution and imagination tasks, participants performed or imagined making aiming movements between two targets. For the action perception task, participants indicated whether they could perform as accurately as the movements in presented videos. Target size and distance were manipulated into three difficulty levels and systematically varied across all tasks. Results showed Fitts’ Law relationships for all tasks for both groups, with significant positive correlations between movement times and difficulty level. Movement times were longest in the imagination task and shortest in the perception task for both groups. These findings suggest motor imagery processes are relatively intact in autistic adults, highlighting that further investigation of motor imagery as a therapy for motor coordination difficulties in autistic individuals is warranted.

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3. Chen IC, Hsu HC, Chen CL, Chang MH, Wei CS, Chuang CH. Interbrain synchrony attenuation during a peer cooperative task in young children with autistic traits -an EEG hyperscanning study. Neuroimage;2025 (Apr 15);312:121217.

Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits frequently encounter difficulties in peer interaction. Assessing peer interaction performance is crucial but challenging within the clinical diagnostic paradigm of ASD. Hyperscanning, which simultaneously monitors brain activity in multiple individuals, has become a popular tool for assessing social interaction’s neural features. The present study aims to investigate the brain-to-brain connectivity between child-dyads engaged in a game-like collaborative peer interaction task via the hyperscanning electroencephalogram (EEG) approach. The final sample comprised 66 young children: 18 child dyads with typical development (TD), TD-TD, and 15 with ASD traits matched to TD, TD-ASD. The study indicated a depressed level of connectivity in the dyad group with ASD as the responder, with a notable decrease observed in the beta oscillation over the right parietal to left temporal coupling between subjects. A pattern that differed from that observed in the TD-TD group was identified with regard to full-band connectivity over the right-to-right temporal region. It was observed that the TD-TD group exhibited enhanced connectivity following the completion of the task, which was not the case for the TD-ASD group. Significant correlations were observed between scores on the ASD symptom rating scale and the selected significant interbrain connectivity index. The application of a hyperscanning EEG paradigm demonstrated that the participating children with autistic traits exhibited an attenuated and apparently distinct alteration pattern of interbrain connectivity in comparison to a control group. These findings highlight the value of physiologically based measures in informing etiological and interventional studies in neuropsychiatry.

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4. Duan J, Zeng D, Wu T, Luo Z, Jingwen G, Tan W, Zeng Y. Neural Connections and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Motor Skill Deficits in Genetic Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Prog Neurobiol;2025 (Apr 18):102759.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) comprise a broad category of neurodevelopmental disorders that include repetitive behaviors and difficulties in social interactions. Notably, individuals with ASDs exhibit significant impairments in motor skills even prior to the manifestation of other core symptoms. These skills are crucial for daily activities, such as communication, imitation, and exploration, and hold significant importance for individuals with ASDs. This review seeks to offer new insights into the understanding of motor skill impairments by delineating the pathological mechanisms underlying motor skill learning impairments associated with gene mutations in Fmr1, Chd8, Shank3, BTBR, 16p11.2, and Mecp2, predominantly drawing from well-characterized genetic mouse model studies and proposing potential targets for future therapeutic interventions. We further discuss the underlying pathogenic abnormalities associated with the development of specific brain regions within the cerebellum and cerebrum, as well as disruptions in the structure and function of critical neuronal connectivity pathways. Additional research utilizing epidemiological data, clinical observations, and animal research methodologies is warranted to enhance our understanding of the effect of motor skill learning on the growth, development, and social integration of children. Ultimately, our review suggests potential targets for future therapeutic interventions.

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5. Fradet L, Benchekri A, Tisserand R, Cazalets JR, Amestoy A, Lemonnier E, Cottenceau H, Yentes JM, Bidet-Ildei C. Postural Control in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: What are the Most Striking Specificities and How Can They be Quantified?. J Autism Dev Disord;2025 (Apr 18)

Autistic children (AT) are known to exhibit distinct postural control patterns compared to neurotypical (NT) children. However, identifying and interpreting these differences can be complex due to the wide range of variables used to analyse Centre of Pressure (CoP) trajectories. This study aims to elucidate the specific characteristics of postural control in AT children by identifying the most discriminative CoP variables that distinguish them from NT children. The study evaluated 24 AT and 24 NT children while they stood on a force plate for 30 s under three conditions: eyes open (EO), eyes closed (EC), and the feet on a foam pad with eyes open (EOF). A total of 75 variables-including frequential, linear, and non-linear variables-were extracted from the CoP trajectory. These variables, expressed as the rate of change between the EC and EOF conditions relative to the EO condition, were compared between the AT and NT groups. A best-subsets approach was used to identify the most discriminative variables, and Pearson correlations were calculated to assess their relationship with age and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores. Of the 75 variables analysed, 15 showed significant differences between the AT and NT groups. The best-subsets analysis and the correlations revealed that variables such as the rate of change between the EOF and EO conditions, and the root mean square of the trembling component of the CoP trajectory, were particularly discriminative. Autistic children demonstrated a more rigid and regular CoP trajectory, particularly in the EO condition, compared to NT children. These findings suggest that AT children have greater difficulty integrating multisensory information and an increased reliance on supraspinal processes for postural control.

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6. Gao X, Xu G, Fu N, Wang L, Ben Q, Shen M, Bu X. Exercise interventions for health outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder: An umbrella review of meta-analyses of clinical trials. Neurosci Biobehav Rev;2025 (Apr 18);173:106144.

Exercise interventions have gained widespread acceptance due to their cost-effectiveness, ease of implementation, and low incidence of negative effects. However, the overall effects of exercise interventions on the health outcomes of children with autism are not evaluated systematically. To evaluate the effect of exercise interventions on behavioral, motorial, and psychosocial health outcomes in autistic children, as well as to determine the quality of evidence for each outcome. We conducted an umbrella review of meta-analyses investigating the associations between exercise interventions and health outcomes in autistic children from inception to November 27, 2024. Following exercise interventions, maladaptive behavior [standardized mean difference (SMD): -0.73; 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI): -0.71, -0.03] showed a substantial improvement. However, no discernible impact on stereotyped behavior (SMD: 0.09; 95 % CI: -0.30, 0.48) was observed. Sensitivity analysis revealed that all overall effect sizes indicated statistically significant differences, even though the reanalysis of meta-analyses showed no significant effectiveness of exercise interventions on social communication (SMD: -0.09; 95 % CI: -0.61, 0.43), social skill (SMD = -0.22; 95 % CI: -0.99, 0.54), social function (SMD = 2.64; 95 % CI: -0.10, 5.39), and motor skills (SMD: 0.71; 95 % CI: -0.97, 2.39). Exercise interventions are suggested to improve maladaptive behaviors and may help with social communication, social skills, social function, and motor skills. The evidence for the effectiveness of exercise interventions in reducing stereotyped behaviors is weak, but it still merits investigation. We need more carefully planned randomized controlled studies.

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7. Hewitt LT, Marron AM, Brager DH. Higher hyperpolarization activated current (I(h)) in a subpopulation of interneurons in stratum oriens of area CA1 in the hippocampus of Fragile X mice. J Neurophysiol;2025 (Apr 17)

Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited form of intellectual disability and the leading monogenetic cause of autism. Studies in mouse models of autism spectrum disorders, including the Fmr1 knockout (FX) mouse, suggest that abnormal inhibition in hippocampal circuits contributes to behavioral phenotypes. In FX mice, changes in multiple voltage-gated ion channels occur in excitatory pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus. Whether there are also changes in the intrinsic properties of hippocampal inhibitory interneurons, however, remains largely unknown. We made whole-cell current clamp recordings from both fast-spiking (FS) and low threshold spiking (LTS) interneurons in the stratum oriens region of the hippocampus. We found that LTS, but not FS, interneurons in FX mice had lower input resistance and action potential firing compared to wild type. When we subdivided LTS interneurons into low-threshold high I(h) (LTH) and putative oreins-lacunosum moleculare (OLM) cells (Hewitt et al., 2021), we found that it was the LTH subgroup that had significantly lower input resistance in FX mice. The difference in input resistance between wild type and FX LTH interneurons was absent in the presence of the h-channel blocker ZD7288, suggesting a greater contribution of I(h) in FX LTH interneurons. Voltage clamp recordings found that indeed, I(h) was significantly higher in FX LTH interneurons compared to wild type. Our results suggest that altered inhibition in the hippocampus of FX mice may be due in part to changes in the intrinsic excitability of LTH inhibitory interneurons.

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8. Hu Q, Yang X, Mao Q. The causal relationship between six mental disorders and breast cancer risk: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Medicine (Baltimore);2025 (Apr 18);104(16):e42209.

Psychological disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), major depressive disorder (MDD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and anxiety disorder (AD) are widespread. Mendelian randomization (MR) was used in this study in order to investigate possible causal relationships between psychiatric disorders and breast cancer (BC). We employed publicly accessible summary statistics from extensive genome-wide association studies to identify, perform quality control, and cluster genetic variant loci linked to schizophrenia, ADHD, MDD, ASD, BD, AD, and BC as instrumental variables. The MR analysis utilized inverse variance weighting, MR-Egger regression, and weighted median estimation to assess the causal links between psychiatric disorders and BC. Additionally, heterogeneity and sensitivity tests were conducted to ensure the robustness of inverse variance weighting results. According to the results of the two-sample MR analysis, schizophrenia, BD, MDD, ADHD, ASD are not causally linked to BC. According to the results of the two-sample MR analysis, schizophrenia, BD, MDD, ADHD, ASD are not causally linked to BC. But there is a causal relationship between AD and BC. The MR analysis showed no evidence of a causal relationship between schizophrenia, BD, MDD, ADHD, ASD, and BC risk. However, research found a genetic causal relationship between AD and BC, and it is positively correlated.

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9. Khadija A, Korsah KA, Farhan AA. Psychological and spiritual well-being of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in Ghana. BMC Psychiatry;2025 (Apr 17);25(1):394.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face significant psychological and spiritual challenges that impact their overall quality of life. This study explores the psychological well-being (e.g., mood instability, financial burdens) of adolescents with ASD, including mental health challenges and coping mechanisms. We also studied the role of spirituality (e.g., participation in religious activities) as a coping mechanism for adolescents with ASD within the Ghanaian cultural context. METHODS: This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with 13 parents of adolescents with ASD in Accra, Ghana. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to psychological well-being and spiritual practices as experienced by adolescents with ASD and their families. RESULTS: Two main themes emerged: (1) Psychological well-being of adolescents with autism, with parents reporting issues such as mood disturbances, depression, and social stigma affecting both adolescents and their families; and (2) Spiritual well-being, where religious engagement served as a coping resource, though sensory sensitivities posed participation challenges for some adolescents. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of accessible mental health resources and supportive spiritual communities for adolescents with ASD in Ghana. Community-based mental health services and inclusive spiritual support can help families address the psychological and spiritual needs of adolescents with autism more effectively.

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10. Matyjek M, Kita S, Cuello MT, Faraco SS. Multisensory Integration of Naturalistic Speech and Gestures in Autistic Adults. Autism Res;2025 (Apr 17)

Seeing the speaker often facilitates auditory speech comprehension through audio-visual integration. This audio-visual facilitation is stronger under challenging listening conditions, such as in real-life social environments. Autism has been associated with atypicalities in integrating audio-visual information, potentially underlying social difficulties in this population. The present study investigated multisensory integration (MSI) of audio-visual speech information among autistic and neurotypical adults. Participants performed a speech-in-noise task in a realistic multispeaker social scenario with audio-visual, auditory, or visual trials while their brain activity was recorded using EEG. The neurotypical group demonstrated a non-linear audio-visual effect in alpha oscillations, whereas the autistic group showed merely additive processing. Despite these differences in neural correlates, both groups achieved similar behavioral audio-visual facilitation outcomes. These findings suggest that although autistic and neurotypical brains might process multisensory cues differently, they achieve comparable benefits from audio-visual speech. These results contribute to the growing body of literature on MSI atypicalities in autism.

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11. Ogura Y, Sun X, Zhang Z, Kawata K, Wu J, Matsubara R, Ozeki AN, Taniue K, Onoguchi-Mizutani R, Adachi S, Nakayama K, Goda N, Akimitsu N. Fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMRP) regulates glycolytic gene expression under chronic hypoxia in HCT116 cells. Sci Rep;2025 (Apr 17);15(1):13273.

Oxygen shortage, known as hypoxia, occurs commonly in both physiological and pathological conditions. Transcriptional regulation by hypoxia-inducible factors is a dominant regulatory mechanism controlling hypoxia-responsive genes during acute hypoxia; however, recent studies suggest that post-transcriptional regulation, including RNA degradation, also involves hypoxia-induced gene expression during the chronic hypoxia. In this study, we developed a method to quantify the contributions of RNA synthesis and degradation to differential gene expression, and identified 102 genes mainly regulated via RNA degradation under chronic hypoxia in HCT116 cells. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the genes mainly regulated by RNA degradation were involved in glycolysis. We examined changes in the RNA-binding ability of RNA-binding proteins by RNA interactome capture and statistical analysis using public databases. We identified fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMRP) as an RNA-binding protein involved in the chronic hypoxia-induced increase in mRNAs encoding rate-limiting enzymes. This study emphasizes the importance of post-transcriptional gene regulation under chronic hypoxia in HCT116 cells.

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12. Pariente N. Vaccines work… and do not cause autism. PLoS Biol;2025 (Apr);23(4):e3003143.

Vaccines have saved millions of lives, yet their importance and safety is repeatedly in question. We cannot let disinformation campaigns get in the way of global public health-it is not time to defund, but rather invest in these life-saving tools.

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13. Pehlivanidis A, Kouklari EC, Kalantzi E, Korobili K, Tagkouli E, Papanikolaou K. Self-reported symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and affective lability in discriminating adult ADHD, ASD and their co-occurrence. BMC Psychiatry;2025 (Apr 17);25(1):391.

BACKGROUND: To diagnose and manage adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or their co-occurrence (ADHD + ASD), clinicians must identify specific features that differentiate these diagnostic categories. Self-report questionnaires targeting specific features are widely used and, together with clinical assessments, provide reliable diagnoses. Although affective lability is present in various psychiatric disorders, it lacks specificity when screening for ADHD in the general population, and its discriminant value for ADHD, ASD, and ADHD + ASD has not been studied. METHODS: This study involved 300 adults without intellectual developmental disorder (188 male) who received an ADHD (n = 174), ASD (n = 68), or ADHD + ASD (n = 58) diagnosis after a multidisciplinary consensus decision according to DSM-5 criteria. Before clinical assessment, all patients requesting evaluation for one of these diagnoses completed questionnaires on an online platform. The assessment instruments included a modified version of the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale (BAARS IV) for ADHD, the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and the Empathy Quotient (EQ) for ASD features, and the Affective Lability Scale (ALS) for affective lability. Total scores and sub-scores of the instruments were compared among the three groups. Additionally, stepwise logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify specific measures that contribute to group discrimination. RESULTS: Results revealed distinct patterns in symptomatology as expected. The ADHD and the ADHD + ASD groups presented significantly higher ALS total score compared to ASD. Stepwise logistic regression analyses identified specific measures contributing to group differentiation. ASD vs. ADHD + ASD discrimination included BAARS IV current total score and EQ total score. The subscale anger from ALS in addition with BAARS IV past total score and AQ total score were the factors that discriminated ADHD diagnosis from the co-occurrence of ADHD and ASD. Finally, BAARS IV past total score, BAARS IV current inattention, AQ total score, and EQ total score were found to differentiate ADHD from ASD. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the significance of incorporating emotional dimensions in diagnostic frameworks and may contribute valuable insights for clinicians differentiating neurodevelopmental conditions.

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14. Pereira DA, Cheidde L, Megiolaro MDR, Camargo AEF, Weba ETP, Soares VG, Pereira da Silva AM, Cheidde L, Ladeira Júnior PP, Amaral DC, Triaca R, Fernandes MAN, Mimura PMP. Efficacy and Safety of Cannabinoids for Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Updated Systematic Review. Cureus;2025 (Mar);17(3):e80725.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) lacks an established pharmacological treatment protocol, prompting interest in alternative therapeutic approaches, such as cannabidiol (CBD). This systematic review evaluates the potential efficacy and safety of CBD-rich formulations in managing ASD symptoms. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library identified seven studies encompassing 494 patients from Brazil and Israel. Preliminary findings suggest that CBD-rich formulations may provide modest benefits for sleep and social interaction, with a reduction in anxiety symptoms. Regarding core ASD symptoms and behavioral outcomes, cannabinoids demonstrated greater efficacy compared to placebo in some studies. However, adverse events varied, and response to treatment was inconsistent across individuals. While cannabinoids, particularly CBD-rich formulations, appear to be relatively safe and potentially beneficial, further large-scale, controlled trials comparing CBD to established ASD treatments are essential to clarify its role and long-term impact in ASD management.

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15. Petit N, Geoffray Cassar MM, Baltazar M. Some (but not all) Pragmatic Inferences are Difficult for Autistic Children. J Autism Dev Disord;2025 (Apr 17)

Autism is classically associated with difficulties in pragmatic inferences, resulting in an over-literal interpretation of language. This has mostly been observed with figurative language (e.g., metaphors). In contrast, more recent investigations of another type of inference, scalar implicatures, have mostly failed to spot any difference between autistic and neurotypical individuals, raising concerns about any general claim of pragmatic difficulties in autism. However, both lines of research face issues: language demands rather than pragmatic competence might actually explain group differences on metaphor tasks, and scalar implicatures have mostly been assessed with truth judgment tasks, which might bias their results. This work aims to assess whether this contrast between metaphors and scalars can be observed within a single group of autistic children. A group of autistic children (N = 23) was compared to a larger sample of neurotypical children (N = 237), using innovative scalar implicatures and metaphors tablet tasks that address the methodological concerns raised in the literature. The autistic group showed a reverse contrast from what was expected, with poorer scalar implicature but similar metaphor comprehension, consistently at accuracy and response times levels. We discuss the possibility that, complementary to previous accounts, a dimension opposing guided to spontaneous pragmatic processes might explain this result and the challenges faced by autistic individuals in daily situations.

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16. R J, G G, N U, A KC. Evaluating the impact of essential amino acid-rich nutrition intervention on children with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized trial protocol. MethodsX;2025 (Jun);14:103300.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence highlights the role of essential amino acids in brain function and behavior modulation, with deficiencies observed in children with autism. Amino acid supplementation appears to be effective in the autism management. This study aims to assess the effect of plant based amino acid intervention on plasma amino acid profile and behavior aspects in children with autism spectrum disorder. METHODS: •The study involves parallel, randomized controlled trial that will include 68 children (age 3-6 years) with mild to moderate ASD. Children will be randomly assigned (1:1) to intervention group receiving nutritional intervention or a control group continuing standard care.•The intervention will be carried out over 16 weeks, with a dosage based on the child’s weight and dietary needs.•Primary outcomes include changes in plasma amino acid concentrations Secondary outcomes include changes in Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) scores which would be measured pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: Plasma amino acid levels and behavioral assessments will be compared between the groups to determine the effectiveness of the nutritional intervention in improving symptoms. CONCLUSION: This trial seeks to establish a sustainable, non-pharmacological approach to managing autism symptoms. Findings would contribute to autism dietary management strategies and the role of essential amino acids in neurodevelopmental health.

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17. Schibler BM, Kanne SM, Stoddard GJ, Carbone PS. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Health-Determining Behaviors: Assessing Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep with the National Survey of Children’s Health. J Autism Dev Disord;2025 (Apr 17)

To compare the national prevalence of meeting physical activity, screen time, and sleep guidelines between autistic and nonautistic children and identify factors associated with meeting these guidelines. Prevalences for each health-determining behavior were estimated using the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health, using national guidelines. Complex survey-weighted logistic regression, adjusted for demographic covariates, was used to measure associations between autism and meeting each guideline, and to identify potential child, family, community, and policy-level determinants of each behavior among autistic children. The prevalence of meeting all three guidelines was low among autistic and nonautistic children across age groups. Physical activity guidelines were met at similarly low rates among autistic and nonautistic children; however, autistic children of all age groups were less likely to meet screen time guidelines, and those in the 3-5 and 6-11 years age groups were less likely to meet sleep guidelines. Moderate/severe autism, irregular bedtime, low parental education, and lacking a medical home were associated with lower likelihood of meeting sleep guidelines. Irregular bedtime and high income were associated with lower likelihood of meeting physical activity guidelines. Autistic children meet guidelines for physical activity, screen time, and sleep at a low prevalence and less than their nonautistic peers. Clinicians should develop individualized plans to facilitate adherence to guidelines among autistic children. Interventions should address modifiable factors, including bedtime regularity and access to medical homes. Further research and policy efforts should be made to improve adherence to guidelines among autistic children and subsequently reduce health disparities.

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18. Tang M, Li M, Huang M, Liu L, Zhu L, Chen Y. The Association and Mediators Between Sleep Problems in Autistic Children and Parenting Stress. Psychol Res Behav Manag;2025;18:917-927.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association among sleep problems in autistic children, emotional symptom in autistic children and parenting stress. METHODS: This study recruited a total of 292 children with autism in two special education schools in Hunan province, China. The average age of the autistic children in this study was 6.5 ± 2.8 years. Sleep problems in autistic and parenting stress were measured by Youth Self-Rating Insomnia Scale (YSIS), Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC), and The Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF-15). The main analysis included latent profile analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis, and mediation analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence for sleep disturbance and insomnia symptoms in autistic children were 38.7% and 13.0%, respectively. Parenting stress was divided into three groups: low-risk group (81 participants, 28%), middle-risk group (134 participants, 46%), and high-risk group (77 participants, 26%). Sleep problems (insomnia and sleep disturbance) and emotional symptoms (anxiety and depression) in children with autism were risk factors for parental stress. Depressive symptom in autistic children was significant in mediating the relationship between insomnia symptoms and parenting stress. CONCLUSION: There is a significant effect of sleep problems in autistic children, as these sleep issues can substantially increase parental stress, with depressive symptoms in autistic children serving as a positive mediator.

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19. Taugher-Hebl RJ, Berns A, Jones M, Townsend A, Eagen AK, Ferri SL, Langbehn DR, Janouschek H. Age-Dependent Effects of Loss of Contactin-Associated Protein-Like 2, an Autism-Associated Gene, on the Acquisition and Recall of Fear Memory. Autism Res;2025 (Apr 17)

The contactin-associated protein-like 2 (Cntnap2) gene is relevant to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is associated with age-specific structural alterations in limbic brain regions. The Cntnap2 gene encodes for the contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) protein, and CASPR2 protein levels are high in the amygdala, a limbic region that is essential for the processing of fear and anxiety. In humans, reduced levels of this protein arising from CNTNAP2 mutations could potentially account for the autism-associated increase in fear and anxiety. Here, we report the extent to which loss of CASPR2 in mice contributes to the development of fear- and anxiety-related behaviors. Pavlovian fear conditioning experiments revealed that loss of CASPR2 has age-dependent effects on the acquisition of fear memory, recall of both cue-evoked and context-related fear memory, and stability of cue-evoked fear memory. Additionally, data from the elevated zero maze suggest that CASPR2 deficiency contributes to anxiety-related behaviors, especially in juvenile (29-day old) mice. These are the first reports of age-dependent effects of CASPR2 deficiency on fear and anxiety-related behaviors, and they set the stage for a better understanding of developmental alterations of fear and anxiety in ASD.

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20. van den Heuvel RM, Geurts HM, Wensing M, Teunisse JP. Measuring the social support network in autistic clients: development and validation of the Network in Action-Interview. Front Psychol;2025;16:1411908.

INTRODUCTION: As social relationships are intertwined with mental health recovery, it is important to address a client’s social support network during mental health interventions. This seems even more important for autistic clients, because research suggests they have on average smaller networks and experience more loneliness than non-autistic individuals. Therefore, an interview assessing the social support network in relation to intervention goals was co-created together with stakeholders (autistic clients, mental healthcare professionals and a mother of an autistic client). In addition, the psychometric properties and acceptability of this Network-in-Action-Interview (NiA-I) were studied as pre-registered (AsPredicted #59767). METHODS: The Nominal Group Technique was used to co-create the NiA-I with stakeholders and it was administered to autistic clients (n = 44) recruited in a highly specialized mental health facility. RESULTS: Network-in-Action-Interview social support scores were significantly correlated with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, indicating sufficient convergent validity. Clients and professionals reported that the NiA-I provided the therapist with greater insight into the client’s social support network. Professionals reported the NiA-I could be improved regarding administration duration. DISCUSSION: This cross-sectional study shows that the NiA-I is a solid and helpful tool for including the social network in clinical practice. Addressing and including a client’s social support network is important for recovery-focused mental health treatment. The NiA-I can assist professionals in taking such actions.

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21. Xu X, Cai X, Meng F, Long B, You X, Zhang R. [Change of plasma level of valine and its relationship with developmental quotient in children with autism]. Beijing Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban;2025 (Apr 18);57(2):277-283.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences of plasma valine level between autistic and healthy children, and to explore the relationship between plasma valine level and developmental quotient in children with autism. METHODS: In this study, a total of 29 autistic children and 30 typically developing children of the same age range were recruited as the autistic group and the control group. The childhood autism rating scale (CARS) was used to assess autistic core symptoms and severity in the autistic children. Children’s developmental quotient was evaluated by Gesell developmental schedules (GDS), and plasma valine level was measured by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The correlation between plasma valine level and developmental quotient scores in the autistic group was analyzed. RESULTS: The plasma level of valine in the autism group was significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.05). Children in the autism group got significantly lower scores in the adaption, gross motor, fine motor, language function and personal/social function subscales in GDS than in the control group (P < 0.000 1). Plasma valine level in the autism group showed significant positive correlations with scores of the fine motor (r=0.441, P < 0.05) and personal/social function (r=0.437, P < 0.05) subscales in GDS, but showed no significant correlations with scores of the adaption, gross motor and language function subscales in GDS (P>0.05). According to the criteria of CARS, children in the autism group were subdivided into the mild to moderate subgroup and the severe subgroup based on the severity of the autistic symptoms. Compared with children in the mild to moderate subgroup, children in the severe subgroup got significantly lower scores in the adaption, fine motor, language function and personal/social function subscales in GDS (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between the two subgroups in gross motor scores and plasma valine level (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The level of valine in plasma of autistic children is relatively lower, and there is a certain relationship between plasma valine level and the fine movement and personal/social function among children with autism.

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