1. Retraction: Can artificial intelligence and face recognition using deep learning detect emotions in children with autism?. PLoS One. 2025; 20(12): e0340338.

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2. Retraction: A deep learning-based ensemble for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis using facial images. PLoS One. 2025; 20(12): e0340328.

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3. Retraction: Household Air Pollution Exposure and Autism Spectrum Disorder Outcomes in Children: Insights from the HAPIN India Study. Indian J Community Med. 2025; 50(6): 1092.

[This retracts the article on p. S96 in vol. 49.].

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4. Agrawal R, Agrawal R. Early autism detection: a review of emerging technologies, biomarkers, and explainable AI approaches. Mol Brain. 2025.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents as a complicated neurodevelopmental disorder which leads to social communication challenges and repetitive behavioral patterns. Early identification of ASD is crucial to facilitate early intervention that can make a large positive impact on long-term developmental outcomes. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven diagnoses, there is increased interest in combining machine learning methods with biological and behavioral signatures to detect early ASD. This review provides an overview of broad classes of biomarkers-behavioral, neuroimaging, genetic, and eye gaze-and their respective methodologies, clinical applications, and diagnostic accuracy. For each of these biomarker domains, the research gap has been identified as existing for instance limited interpretability in neuroimaging models, genomics-related ethical and data accessibility issues, and innovation saturation for behavioral measurement. A comparative analysis highlights eye gaze analysis as a promising but under-explored option, providing a balance of cost-effectiveness, non-invasiveness, and potential for real-time, objective measurement. In addition, the application of Explainable AI (XAI) methodologies across these biomarker fields is discussed in order to meet the pressing need for transparency, clinical confidence, and decision-making support. This review makes a final call for further exploration of eye gaze-based models enriched by XAI methods as a future research direction towards filling the gap between algorithmic innovation and real-world, interpretable diagnostics in the context of ASD research.

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5. Bayan N, Bayan N, Mokhtari F, Shamabadi A, Hasanzadeh A, Hasanzadeh M, Karkhaneh-Yousefi A, Mohammadi M, Akhondzadeh S. Rosiglitazone Adjunct to Risperidone for Irritability in Autistic Children: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

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6. Burnel M, Durrleman S, Reboul A, Pylouster J, Baciu M, Perrone-Bertolotti M. Children With ASD Do Not Understand Hidden Emotions Before False Belief Attribution. Autism Res. 2025.

Previous studies concluded that theory of mind (ToM) development is deviant in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Typically developing children’s ability to understand that one may hide their emotion would be acquired before false belief understanding in children with ASD (e.g., Peterson and Wellman 2019), but with contradictory results (e.g., Zhang et al. 2016). In the current work, we aim to determine whether the order of acquisition of ToM-related concepts in ASD differs, using methodological improvements compared to previous studies. Our results support the conclusion of a non-deviant developmental trajectory for ToM in individuals with ASD, with a general ability to understand hidden emotions that is not mastered before false belief attribution. Theory‐of‐mind, a prerequisite to social abilities, is known to be delayed in children with autism. Some studies also showed a different order for acquiring several theory‐of‐mind skills. However, these previous studies present several methodological limitations that could affect their conclusions. In the present study, using a more robust methodology, we found the same developmental course of ToM in children with autism. eng.

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7. Chen LW, Li YT, Chu CH, Wu CC, Chu CL, Wang LW, Tsai HY, Chiang CH, Huang CC. Early developmental trajectory phenotypes for risk stratification of autism spectrum disorder in very preterm infants: a machine learning approach. Mol Autism. 2025.

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8. Chen YR, Wilkes-Gillan S, Chen KL. The Impact of Theory of Mind on Real-Time Social Interactions and Momentary Social Anxiety: A Comparison Between Young Autistic and Neurotypical Children. Autism Res. 2025.

There is a growing need to examine how Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities impact real-time social engagement in autistic children. Caregivers of 45 young autistic children (70.7 ± 23.3 months) and those of 36 neurotypical peers (59.2 ± 11.8 months) carried a mobile device for 7 days to repeatedly record their child’s social interactions and in-the-moment anxiety. They also completed the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 and the Theory of Mind Inventory-2 to evaluate their child’s severity of autistic symptoms and ToM abilities. Multilevel analyses found that young autistic children with higher ToM abilities were more likely than those with lower abilities to interact with peers (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.01-1.23) but also experienced more anxiety during interactions with both peers and adults (OR = 1.36, 1.28, 95% CI = 1.12-1.67, 1.01-1.63). In contrast, no significant associations between ToM and social interactions or anxiety were found in the neurotypical group. This study highlights the critical role of ToM abilities in the real-life social engagement of autistic children and emphasizes the importance of understanding real-time subjective social experiences. This study found that autistic children with better ToM abilities were more likely to engage with their peers, but they also experienced more anxiety during interactions with both peers and adults. For neurotypical children, there was no significant link between ToM and social interactions or anxiety. These findings show that ToM challenges are a key part of ASD and have an important impact on how autistic children experience social situations. The study suggests that helping autistic children enhance their ToM skills, manage anxiety, and feel more confident in social settings can better support them in navigating everyday social interactions. eng.

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9. Dufek S, Stahmer AC, Vivanti G, Hassrick EM. Exploring social network factors impacting the implementation of communication supports designed for minimally verbal autistic preschool children: a study protocol. BMC Pediatr. 2025.

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10. Han DG, Lee Y, Kim HS, Suh HW, Lee J, Shin SH, Yang M, Choi H, Kim TH, Kang JG, Ko E, Lee J, Park MH. Effectiveness and experiences of early intensive behavioral and naturalistic developmental behavior interventions for autism spectrum disorders: a mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2025.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by social communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Among evidence-based practices (EBPs), interventions grounded in applied behavior analysis (ABA) principles-including Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention and naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions-are widely used. While the evidence suggests potential benefits, the findings are inconsistent, most studies carry a high risk of bias, and the quality of evidence is generally low to very low. Gaps also remain in comparisons with treatment as usual (TAU) and across intervention intensities. AIMS: This mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the quantitative effectiveness and qualitative experiences of ABA-based interventions for children and adolescents with ASD, addressing the methodological limitations of earlier studies, and examining comparisons with TAU. METHODS: Seven databases were searched up to August 2023 following the PRISMA guidelines. Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria (16 randomized controlled trials, 9 qualitative). The quantitative outcomes included adaptive behavior, cognitive ability (IQ/DQ), language, daily living skills, socialization, joint attention, and autism symptom severity. Qualitative studies explored parents’ and practitioners’ experiences. Random-effects models were used, with subgroup analyses by intervention intensity and TAU comparisons. RESULTS: The meta-analysis revealed significant improvements in adaptive behavior (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.04-0.59, GRADE = low), daily living skills (SMD = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.08-0.64, GRADE = low), language skills (SMD = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.24-0.60, GRADE = moderate), and joint attention behavior (SMD = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.04-0.49, GRADE = low) compared with the controls. High-intensity interventions had a notably greater effect on language skills (SMD = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.42-1.01) than low-intensity interventions (SMD = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13-0.55). Comparisons with TAU revealed significant effects on adaptive behavior (SMD = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.02-0.66), daily living skills (SMD = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.07-0.71), and language skills (SMD = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.24-0.78). Qualitative findings highlighted perceived family and practitioner benefits but also barriers such as financial constraints and variability in training quality. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the effectiveness of ABA in improving developmental and behavioral outcomes in children with ASD. However, systemic challenges and variability in outcomes underscore the need for targeted policy initiatives, enhanced training programs, and further research on the impact of ABA on core ASD symptoms.

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11. Itami K, Kimoto K, Takahashi Y, Onishi Y, Mikami K, Yamamoto K. Cerebellar pilocytic astrocytoma in a patient with autism spectrum disorder and psychotic symptoms: a case report. BMC Psychiatry. 2025.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric symptoms, including psychotic manifestations such as hallucinations and delusions, are common in patients with brain tumors, typically associated with tumors in the frontal and temporal lobes. Psychotic symptoms are rarely linked to cerebellar tumors. However, recent evidence suggests that the cerebellum is involved in higher-order functions like cognition, emotional regulation, and social behavior. This report describes the case of a patient with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who presented with a unique combination of a cerebellar tumor and psychotic symptoms, achieved complete remission of psychotic symptoms without antipsychotic treatment, and was followed up for three years. CASE PRESENTATION: A 16-year-old male with longstanding ASD presented with auditory hallucinations, delusional beliefs, and thought disorder. Since childhood, he displayed features such as poor eye contact, hypersensitivity to sounds, solitary play, restricted interests, and behavioral rigidity. At age 13, he began experiencing fluctuating psychotic symptoms, which were later diagnosed as schizophrenia-like psychotic features alongside his ASD. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a 3-cm cerebellar mass, which was identified as a pilocytic astrocytoma upon surgical resection. Notably, the patient’s psychotic symptoms completely resolved after surgery, without the use of antipsychotic medication, and have not recurred during a 3-year follow-up, while his core characteristics of ASD remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: This case suggests that cerebellar pathology may contribute to the development of psychotic symptoms, supporting the hypothesis that cerebellar dysfunction can lead to schizophrenia-like features. It also highlights the potential link between cerebellar dysfunction and ASD. Given the slow-growing nature of pilocytic astrocytomas, the case highlights the importance of considering cerebellar pathology in the differential diagnosis of psychosis, with implications for understanding disorders like ASD.

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12. Méndez-Silva AC, Verazaluce-Rodríguez PDR, Neri-Gámez S, Vázquez-Sánchez VA, Bermúdez-Ruiz JDR. WeeFIM and CRIDI-TEA results in children with Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorder at the CRIT Guanajuato. Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex. 2025; 82(6): 350-8.

INTRODUCCIÓN: El síndrome de Down (SD) puede coexistir con el trastorno del espectro autista (TEA), complicando el diagnóstico y tratamiento. Entre el 16 y 42% de los niños con SD cumplen criterios para TEA, frente al 1.7% en la población general. La detección oportuna de esta comorbilidad es crucial para implementar intervenciones tempranas que favorezcan el desarrollo funcional. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar la relación entre los puntajes de las escalas WeeFIM y CRIDI-TEA en pacientes con diagnóstico dual atendidos en el Centro de Rehabilitación Infantil Teletón (CRIT) Guanajuato. MÉTODOS: Estudio observacional y prolectivo en pacientes con SD registrados en CRIT Guanajuato. Se aplicó la prueba de tamizaje VEANME y, en quienes superaron el punto de corte, se utilizó CRIDI-TEA para confirmación diagnóstica. La funcionalidad se evaluó mediante WeeFIM. Se empleó estadística descriptiva y prueba exacta de Fisher para el análisis. RESULTADOS: De 42 pacientes, 22 fueron evaluados con CRIDI-TEA; el 90% resultó positivo, equivalente al 47.6% del total. No se encontró asociación estadísticamente significativa entre VEANME y CRIDI-TEA. Los niños con diagnóstico dual mostraron mayores niveles de dependencia en movilidad, cognición y autocuidado. Asimismo, se observó una reducción en conductas TEA con el tiempo. CONCLUSIONES: La alta prevalencia de TEA en niños con SD justifica el uso sistemático de tamizaje. La coexistencia de ambas condiciones tiene un efecto negativo en la funcionalidad, por lo que se requiere un abordaje rehabilitador integral y personalizado. BACKGROUND: Down syndrome (DS) may coexist with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), creating complex diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. It is estimated that 16-42% of children with DS meet diagnostic criteria for ASD, compared to a 1.7% prevalence in the general pediatric population. Early AD detection in this group is essential to initiate timely interventions that promote functional development. This study aimed to describe and analyze the relationship between WeeFIM and CRIDI-ASD scores in children with a dual diagnosis of DS and ASD treated at CRIT Guanajuato. METHODS: An observational, protective study was conducted on patients with DS registered in the CRIT Guanajuato database. The VEANME screening tool was used to detect potential ASD traits; those exceeding the established cut-off were subsequently assessed with the CRIDI-ASD diagnostic tool. Functional status was evaluated using the WeeFIM scale. Data were compiled in Excel and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Fisher’s exact test. RESULTS: Of the 42 children with DS, 22 exceeded the VEANME cut-off and were assessed with CRIDI-ASD, with 90% testing positive, representing 47.6% of the total sample. No statistically significant association was found between VEANME and CRIDI-ASD, likely due to the absence of diagnostic confirmation in those with negative screening. Children with dual diagnoses showed higher dependency in mobility, cognition, and self-care domains. Behavioral improvements over time were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of ASD in children with DS supports systematic screening. Co-occurrence of both conditions significantly impacts functionality, highlighting the need for comprehensive, individualized rehabilitative approaches.

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13. Pagán AF, Armstrong S, Izuno-Garcia A, Hughes KR, Loveland KA. Group Therapy for Autistic Adults Over Telehealth: Challenges and Guidelines for Clinicians. J Health Serv Psychol. 2025; 51(2): 91-101.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with challenges in areas such as social skills and behavior, with 1 in 36 children diagnosed in the U.S. Annually, over 100,000 adolescents with ASD transition to adulthood, often facing a « service cliff » where support diminishes. Group therapy can help autistic adults by enhancing social skills, executive functioning, and emotional regulation while fostering belonging and reducing isolation. Telehealth-based group therapy offers additional benefits, particularly for those with social anxiety, geographic barriers, or limited transportation. While telehealth is effective for autistic adults, practical guidelines for virtual group therapy are lacking. This article provides recommendations for conducting telehealth group therapy, incorporating insights from clinicians and an autistic self-advocate.

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14. Pagán AF, Loveland KA. Sounding the Alarm: Calling on Service Providers to Reduce Disparities in Autism Services for Latino Adults. Hisp J Behav Sci. 2025; 47(3): 283-306.

Latinos have seen a 30% increase in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since 2018. However, Latino children are diagnosed later and remain underdiagnosed compared to Whites. Later diagnosis of autism or failure to receive a diagnosis of autism into adulthood is associated with negative outcomes. From 2012 to 2022, in specialty clinic diagnosing autism in adulthood, Latino adults (n = 31) were older than White adults (n = 323) and, using 2020 Census data, severely underrepresented despite experiencing similar distress and symptoms of autism to White adults. Latino adults with a first-time diagnosis of autism were also nearly 2.5 years older than White adults. Recommendations are provided to service providers to improve access to services for Latinos. Recommendations provided include making changes at an organizational level to improve access to high quality healthcare services for Latinos. Other recommendations include translating services for Spanish-speaking Latinos and advertising these services. Finally, service providers should culturally adapt services to ensure they are appropriate for Latinos.

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15. Parrella NF, Hill AT, Enticott PG, Botha T, Catchlove S, Downey L, Ford TC. Effects of Cannabidiol on Social Relating, Anxiety, and Parental Stress in Autistic Children: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial. Autism Res. 2025.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating compound derived from the cannabis plant, has garnered increasing attention as a potential pharmacological therapeutic for autism. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial to understand whether oral CBD oil containing terpenes can improve outcomes in autistic children. Twenty-nine children (18 male), aged 5 to 12 years (M = 9.62 years, SD = 2.05), diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, completed the study. Participants received weight-based dosing of CBD oil (10 mg/kg/day) or matched placebo oil over two 12-week intervention periods (crossover), separated by an 8-week washout period. Outcome measures included the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2; primary outcome), PROMIS Social Relating, Anxiety, and Sleep, Developmental Behavior Checklist-2 (DBC-2), Vineland-3, and Autism Parenting Stress Index (APSI; secondary outcomes). There was no significant effect observed for the primary outcome measure (SRS-2) for CBD oil relative to placebo oil after 12 weeks (β = -11.15, SE = 7.19, p = 0.125). Significant improvements were observed in secondary measures of social functioning, including DBC-2 Social Relating (β = -2.35, SE = 0.92, p((adj)) = 0.024), as well as reduced anxiety on the DBC-2 subscale (β = -3.20, SE = 0.94, p((adj)) = 0.002), and lower parental stress (APSI; β = -4.63, SE = 2.26, p((adj)) = 0.044). No differences were detected on Vineland-3 adaptive functioning (ABC: β = 2.06, SE = 2.67, p((adj)) = 1.000), and domain scores were not significant. Safety and tolerability data indicated that two children experienced gastrointestinal discomfort while taking CBD. Findings from this pilot trial suggest that while CBD combined with terpenes did not improve the primary outcome of social responsiveness, it may hold potential in addressing certain autism-related difficulties, particularly anxiety and social relating. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to fully evaluate the efficacy and safety of CBD for autistic children. This pilot, exploratory study examined whether taking CBD oil could improve social outcomes for autistic children. While no significant changes were seen in overall social responsiveness, CBD led to improvements in specific social behaviors, reduced anxiety, and lowered parental stress. The treatment was generally well tolerated, however, two children experienced mild side effects. These findings suggest potential benefits of CBD for some autism‐related symptoms, but larger studies are needed to confirm effectiveness. eng.

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16. Pliska L, Neitzel I, Buschermöhle M, Kunina-Habenicht O, Ritterfeld U. Digital screening of children with ASD: diagnostic accuracy of emotion recognition and visual preference tasks. BMC Psychiatry. 2025.

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17. Yasmin ST, Thonse U, Amrtavarshini R, Soans S, Praharaj SK. Awareness and Knowledge About Autism Among ASHA Workers: A Cross-sectional Study. Indian J Psychol Med. 2025: 02537176251405026.

BACKGROUND: Early identification and management are associated with better outcomes for individuals with autism. However, the limited awareness of autism among frontline healthcare workers has led to delays in referrals and diagnoses. This study aims to assess awareness and knowledge about autism among Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 103 ASHA workers in Udupi district, Karnataka, India. A semi-structured assessment was used to collect socio-demographic information and assess basic awareness of autism. Knowledge of autism signs and symptoms was evaluated using items from the Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire (IASQ), which was modified for the study. RESULTS: Among the participants, 70.5% categorized autism as a mental illness. Additionally, 58.8% identified the earliest age for autism diagnosis as 03 years. Furthermore, 68.2% knew that children with autism require medication alongside other treatment modalities, such as counseling, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. Compared with those without such experience, ASHA workers with prior experience attending lectures on developmental disorders had greater knowledge of identifying symptoms of autism, including social communication deficits and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and interest. Three percent of the participants reported no knowledge of autism symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that ASHA workers had limited awareness and knowledge regarding autism, including its symptoms, course, and management. These findings suggest the need for more specific awareness-building programs in addition to existing training programs available for ASHA workers, which might help with the early identification and referral of children with autism for early psychosocial intervention.

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