1. Brock ME, Dueker SA, Barczak MA. {{Brief Report: Improving Social Outcomes for Students with Autism at Recess Through Peer-Mediated Pivotal Response Training}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2017 (Dec 18)
Many students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) struggle to appropriately interact and play with their peers at recess. In this pilot feasibility study, we tested the efficacy of practitioner-implemented, peer-mediated Pivotal Response Training (PRT) with 11 elementary and middle school students with ASD. Participants were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. We measured outcomes at multiple time points, and analyzed data using multi-level modeling with time nested within student. We demonstrated large and statistically significant increases in peer interaction (d = 1.13). Appropriate play with peers also increased substantially (d = 0.89). Practitioners and students provided positive feedback. These findings suggest school staff can feasibly facilitate peer-implemented PRT that improves social outcomes for students with ASD at recess.
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2. Farley M, Cottle KJ, Bilder D, Viskochil J, Coon H, McMahon W. {{Mid-life social outcomes for a population-based sample of adults with ASD}}. {Autism Res};2017 (Dec 20)
Adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) fall short of social outcomes of non-ASD peers in mid-life, as documented by currently published research. The aim of the current study was to extend what is known about social functioning, employment, independent living, and use of social services by examining details of the current life status for a population-based sample of adults with ASD (mean age = 35.5 years, range = 22.2-51.4). We collected outcome data via direct assessment and informant report for 169 individuals. Three-fourths of the sample had cognitive abilities in the intellectually disabled range. Social functioning outcomes, as a single measure, mirror those reported previously for other samples, including samples with a high proportion of individuals with normal range intellectual abilities, with 20% achieving the most independent outcomes and 46% requiring high levels of support across most life areas. Participant subgroups who achieved maximal outcomes represented a range of social and intellectual abilities for several outcome metrics. Participants used high levels of public and private supports, yet specific areas of clear, unmet need were also identified. Autism Res 2017. (c) 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: This paper describes the social functioning outcomes for 169 adults with autism spectrum disorders in mid-life. Adult participants spanned the full range of functional and cognitive ability levels, with over 75% functioning in the cognitively impaired range. While summary descriptions of outcomes for this sample were similar to those reported for other groups of adults, this report provides detailed information regarding employment outcomes, social relationships, leisure activities, participation in the community, residential situations, public service use, and involvement with law enforcement.
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3. Feczko E, Balba N, Miranda-Dominguez O, Cordova M, Karalunas SL, Irwin L, Demeter DV, Hill AP, Langhorst BH, Grieser Painter J, Van Santen J, Fombonne EJ, Nigg JL, Fair DA. {{Subtyping cognitive profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorder using a random forest algorithm}}. {Neuroimage};2017 (Dec 20)
DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) comprises a set of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction and repetitive behaviors or restricted interests, and may both affect and be affected by multiple cognitive mechanisms. This study attempts to identify and characterize cognitive subtypes within the ASD population using a random forest (RF) machine learning classification model. We trained our model on measures from seven tasks that reflect multiple levels of information processing. 47 ASD diagnosed and 58 typically developing (TD) children between the ages of 9 and 13 participated in this study. Our RF model was 72.7% accurate, with 80.7% specificity and 63.1% sensitivity. Using the RF model, we measured the proximity of each subject to every other subject, generating a distance matrix between participants. This matrix was then used in a community detection algorithm to identify subgroups within the ASD and TD groups, revealing 3 ASD and 4 TD putative subgroups with unique behavioral profiles. We then examined differences in functional brain systems between diagnostic groups and putative subgroups using resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (rsfcMRI). Chi-square tests revealed a significantly greater number of between group differences (p<.05) within the cingulo-opercular, visual, and default systems as well as differences in inter-system connections in the somato-motor, dorsal attention, and subcortical systems. Many of these differences were primarily driven by specific subgroups suggesting that our method could potentially parse the variation in brain mechanisms affected by ASD. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
4. Leaf JB, Leaf R, McEachin J, Cihon JH, Ferguson JL. {{Advantages and Challenges of a Home- and Clinic-Based Model of Behavioral Intervention for Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2017 (Dec 20)
Researchers have demonstrated that comprehensive behavioral intervention can result in significant improvements in the lives of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; e.g.; Lovaas, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 55(1):3-9, 1987; McEachin et al., American Journal of Mental Retardation 97(4):359-372, 1993). This intervention has occurred in a variety of settings (e.g., school, home, and clinic). Even though procedures based upon the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) can be implemented across a variety of settings, there is often confusion about the differences and relative advantages of home- versus clinic-based settings. The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion of home- and clinic-based intervention within the context of a progressive approach to ABA and discus possible advantages of each type of setting.
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5. Wachtel LE, Shorter E, Fink M. {{Electroconvulsive therapy for self-injurious behaviour in autism spectrum disorders: recognizing catatonia is key}}. {Curr Opin Psychiatry};2017 (Dec 18)
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Self-injurious behaviour (SIB) is a devastating condition frequently encountered in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) that can lead to dangerous tissue injury and profound psychosocial difficulty. An increasing number of reports over the past decade have demonstrated the swift and well tolerated resolution of intractable SIB with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) when psychopharmacological and behavioural interventions are ineffective. The current article provides a review of the salient literature, including the conceptualization of repetitive self-injury along the catatonia spectrum, and further clarifies the critical distinction between ECT and contingent electric shock. RECENT FINDINGS: We searched electronically for literature regarding ECT for self-injurious behaviour from 1982 to present, as the first known report was published in 1982. Eleven reports were identified that presented ECT in the resolution of self-injury in autistic or intellectually disabled patients, and another five reports discussed such in typically developing individuals. These reports and related literature present such self-injury along the spectrum of agitated catatonia, with subsequent implications for ECT. SUMMARY: Intractable self-injury remains a significant challenge in ASDs, especially when patients do not respond adequately to behavioural and psychopharmacological interventions. ECT is well tolerated and efficacious treatment for catatonia, and can confer marked reduction in SIB along the agitated catatonia spectrum.
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6. Dangulavanich W, Limsomwong P, Mitrakul K, Asvanund Y, Arunakul M. {{Factors associated with cooperative levels of Autism Spectrum Disorder children during dental treatments}}. {Eur J Paediatr Dent};2017 (Sep);18(3):231-236.
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7. Sandbank M, Yoder P, Key AP. {{Word Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Evidence From Event-Related Potentials}}. {J Speech Lang Hear Res};2017 (Dec 20);60(12):3441-3455.
Purpose: This investigation was conducted to determine whether young children with autism spectrum disorders exhibited a canonical neural response to word stimuli and whether putative event-related potential (ERP) measures of word processing were correlated with a concurrent measure of receptive language. Additional exploratory analyses were used to examine whether the magnitude of the association between ERP measures of word processing and receptive language varied as a function of the number of word stimuli the participants reportedly understood. Method: Auditory ERPs were recorded in response to spoken words and nonwords presented with equal probability in 34 children aged 2-5 years with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder who were in the early stages of language acquisition. Average amplitudes and amplitude differences between word and nonword stimuli within 200-500 ms were examined at left temporal (T3) and parietal (P3) electrode clusters. Receptive vocabulary size and the number of experimental stimuli understood were concurrently measured using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Results: Across the entire participant group, word-nonword amplitude differences were diminished. The average word-nonword amplitude difference at T3 was related to receptive vocabulary only if 5 or more word stimuli were understood. Conclusions: If ERPs are to ever have clinical utility, their construct validity must be established by investigations that confirm their associations with predictably related constructs. These results contribute to accruing evidence, suggesting that a valid measure of auditory word processing can be derived from the left temporal response to words and nonwords. In addition, this measure can be useful even for participants who do not reportedly understand all of the words presented as experimental stimuli, though it will be important for researchers to track familiarity with word stimuli in future investigations. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5614840.
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8. Benabou M, Rolland T, Leblond CS, Millot GA, Huguet G, Delorme R, Leboyer M, Pagan C, Callebert J, Maronde E, Bourgeron T. {{Heritability of the melatonin synthesis variability in autism spectrum disorders}}. {Sci Rep};2017 (Dec 18);7(1):17746.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders with a complex genetic architecture. They are characterized by impaired social communication, stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests and are frequently associated with comorbidities such as intellectual disability, epilepsy and severe sleep disorders. Hyperserotonemia and low melatonin levels are among the most replicated endophenotypes reported in ASD, but their genetic causes remain largely unknown. Based on the biochemical profile of 717 individuals including 213 children with ASD, 128 unaffected siblings and 376 parents and other relatives, we estimated the heritability of whole-blood serotonin, platelet N-acetylserotonin (NAS) and plasma melatonin levels, as well as the two enzymes arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) and acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase (ASMT) activities measured in platelets. Overall, heritability was higher for NAS (0.72 +/- 0.091) and ASMT (0.59 +/- 0.097) compared with serotonin (0.31 +/- 0.078), AANAT (0.34 +/- 0.077) and melatonin (0.22 +/- 0.071). Bivariate analyses showed high phenotypic and genetic correlations between traits of the second step of the metabolic pathway (NAS, ASMT and melatonin) indicating the contribution of shared genetic factors. A better knowledge of the heritability of the melatonin synthesis variability constitutes an important step to identify the factors that perturb this pathway in individuals with ASD.
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9. Rubenstein E, Daniels J, Schieve LA, Christensen DL, Van Naarden Braun K, Rice CE, Bakian AV, Durkin MS, Rosenberg SA, Kirby RS, Lee LC. {{Trends in Special Education Eligibility Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, 2002-2010}}. {Public Health Rep};2017 (Jan 1):33354917739582.
OBJECTIVE: Although data on publicly available special education are informative and offer a glimpse of trends in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and use of educational services, using these data for population-based public health monitoring has drawbacks. Our objective was to evaluate trends in special education eligibility among 8-year-old children with ASD identified in the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. METHODS: We used data from 5 Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network sites (Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, and North Carolina) during 4 surveillance years (2002, 2006, 2008, and 2010) and compared trends in 12 categories of special education eligibility by sex and race/ethnicity. We used multivariable linear risk regressions to evaluate how the proportion of children with a given eligibility changed over time. RESULTS: Of 6010 children with ASD, more than 36% did not receive an autism eligibility in special education in each surveillance year. From surveillance year 2002 to surveillance year 2010, autism eligibility increased by 3.6 percentage points ( P = .09), and intellectual disability eligibility decreased by 4.6 percentage points ( P < .001). A greater proportion of boys than girls had an autism eligibility in 2002 (56.3% vs 48.8%). Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, Hispanic children had the largest increase in proportion with autism eligibility from 2002 to 2010 (15.4%, P = .005) and the largest decrease in proportion with intellectual disability (-14.3%, P = .004). CONCLUSION: Although most children with ASD had autism eligibility, many received special education services under other categories, and racial/ethnic disparities persisted. To monitor trends in ASD prevalence, public health officials need access to comprehensive data collected systematically, not just special education eligibility. Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
