Pubmed du 25/11/25
1. Kim T, Lee J, Lee J, Jo H, Oh Y, Kim YJ, Seo J. Sensory abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder and their in vitro modeling. Transl Psychiatry. 2025.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social interaction, alongside abnormal sensory reactivity that often manifests as avoidance or repetitive behaviors. This review proposes that these core features may stem from somatosensory system dysfunction responsible for processing sensory information driven by an underlying excitatory-inhibitory (E/I) imbalance, a common finding in ASD models, which could drive such sensory impairments and ultimately contribute to the core social and behavioral deficits. We explore how recent advancements in hiPSC-derived assembloid models, which integrate multiple components of the human somatosensory pathway, provide a powerful platform to investigate these mechanisms. Crucially, this review not only highlights the promise of these models but also provides a critical evaluation of their inherent limitations, including cellular immaturity and the absence of key non-neuronal components. By examining the ongoing strategies to overcome these challenges, such as advanced co-culture systems, xenotransplantation, and bioengineering, this review offers a comprehensive outlook on the future of assembloid technology in elucidating ASD pathophysiology and developing novel therapeutic strategies.
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2. Wu H, Shen L, Indajang J, Savalia NK, Johnson TG, Qu J, Bender KJ, Kwan AC. Autism-associated Scn2a haploinsufficiency disrupts in vivo dendritic signaling and impairs flexible decision-making. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025; 122(47): e2508836122.
SCN2A is a high-confidence risk gene for autism spectrum disorder. Loss-of-function mutations in Scn2a reduce dendritic excitability in neocortical pyramidal cells. However, the impact of Scn2a haploinsufficiency on dendritic signaling in vivo, particularly during behavior, is unknown. In this study, we used two-photon microscopy to image dendritic calcium transients in deep layer pyramidal cells in the mouse medial frontal cortex. Scn2a(+/-) mice had diminished coupling between apical and proximal dendritic compartments. Pyramidal tract neurons had abnormal event rates, while intratelencephalic neurons had compartment-specific alterations indicative of diminished dendritic integration. In a matching pennies task, Scn2a(+/-) mice were inflexible in the face of changing competitive pressure. Apical dendritic tuft in intratelencephalic neurons typically encoded reward and strategy, but these task-specific representations were altered in Scn2a(+/-) mice. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that Scn2a haploinsufficiency weakens dendritic integration in vivo and disrupts dendritic encoding of task variables during flexible decision-making.
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3. Zhao LN, Du XG, Song HJ, Zhao NX, Li BX, Li T. [Meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of scalp acupuncture in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2025; 50(11): 1352-64.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of scalp acupuncture in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted using PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Internet, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and Wanfang Data databases. The Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews 5.1.0 was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included randomized control trials (RCTs). A Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.1 statistical software. RESULTS: A total of 33 RCTs were included, including 2 701 patients with ASD. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the rehabilitation training group, the scalp acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training could significantly reduce the autism behavior rating scale score [MD= -5.70, 95% CI (-6.51, -4.89), P<0.01], and childhood autism rating scale score [MD= -4.02, 95% CI (-4.38, -3.66), P<0.01], and improve the Gesell developmental diagnostic scale-social adaptative developmental quotient [MD=5.90, 95% CI (4.29, 7.51), P<0.01], Gesell-language development quotient [MD=4.39, 95% CI (3.03, 5.75), P<0.01], Gesell-personal social competence [MD=4.32, 95% CI (2.48, 6.15), P<0.01], psychoeducational assessment for children 3(rd) edition (PEP-3)-communication skills score [MD=3.76, 95% CI (3.25, 4.27), P<0.01], PEP-3-physical agility score [MD=1.99, 95% CI (1.40, 2.59), P<0.01], and PEP-3-behavior score [MD=2.18, 95% CI (1.77, 2.59), P<0.01]. CONCLUSIONS: Scalp acupuncture is effective in improving the language problems, behavior problems, social adaptation and other symptoms of autism children, and has high safety. However, due to the insufficient quality of the research methods included in the literature, the integration of subjects with different severity and age, and the wide variation in the duration of the intervention, the conclusion of this study still needs to be validated by more rigorous and high-quality randomized controlled trials, with long-term follow up.
