1. Ahn S, Rubchinsky LL, Malaia EA. Distinct modes of functional neural organization in autism: Insights from dynamical systems analysis of resting-state EEG. Biol Psychol;2025 (Jun 27);199:109077.

While differences in patterns of functional connectivity and neural synchronization have been reported between individuals on the autism spectrum and neurotypical peers at various age stages, these differences appear to be subtle and may not be captured by typical quantitative measures of EEG. We used the dynamical systems approach to analyze resting-state EEG to investigate fine-grained spatiotemporal organization of brain networks in autistic and neurotypical young adults. While power spectra showed minimal group differences, autistic participants exhibited higher Lyapunov exponents (indicating less stable neural dynamics), weaker phase synchronization, and lower clustering/efficiency of functional networks during eyes-open resting state, suggesting more random and less stably connected neural dynamics in comparison to those of neurotypical peers. Closing the eyes regularized neural dynamics in autistic but not neurotypical participants, with increases in synchrony strength, transient desynchronization patterning, and functional connectivity observed in the autistic group. The results point to the distinct modes of neural dynamics organization likely reflecting cumulative developmental adaptations to sensory inputs that shape both resting-state neural activity and cognitive processing strategies.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. Chamova R, Nikolova S, Toneva A, Braykova R, Hadzhieva S, Bocheva Y, Pancheva R. Iron Deficiency Prevalence in Bulgarian Children with Cerebral Palsy and Autism: A Call for Nutritional Interventions to Support Development. Nutrients;2025 (Jun 10);17(12)

Background/Objectives: Iron plays an important role in cognitive, behavioral, and motor development. This study aims to assess the iron nutritional status of Bulgarian children with cerebral palsy (CP) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), focusing on iron deficiency (ID) and its impact on children’s development. We hypothesized that children with CP and ASD suffer from iron deficiency. Methods: The cross-sectional study includes 95 children from northeastern Bulgaria. Data were collected in two periods (2017-2018 and 2023-2024). Demographic questionnaires, food frequency questionnaires, and laboratory tests for hemoglobin, serum iron, serum ferritin, serum albumin, and CRP were conducted. Anthropometric measurements were evaluated. The Gross Motor Function Classification System scale was used to assess motor function in children with CP. Statistical analysis was performed using Jamovi software, ver. 2.6.44, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Of the 95 children, 62.1% had CP and 37.9% had ASD. Most children had normal hemoglobin and serum iron levels, but 62.7% of those with CP and 36.8% of those with ASD had low serum ferritin levels, indicating latent ID. A higher proportion of children with CP than those with ASD consumed meat daily, while fish was more commonly consumed by children with ASD. Anthropometric data showed delayed growth and lower height-for-age scores in children with CP. Conclusions: The study identifies latent ID in children with CP and ASD. An evaluation of dietary habits highlights the need for interventions to improve nutritional status and development. The observed deficiencies emphasize the need for regular monitoring and targeted dietary programs for children in these groups.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Chang H, Hu X, Chen X, Chen B. A novel and complex chromosomal variation in a child with developmental delay: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore);2025 (Jun 27);104(26):e43092.

RATIONALE: Chromosomal variations generate diverse phenotypes, influenced by their size and genomic position. This report presents a previously unreported complex chromosomal rearrangement. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 11-year-old Chinese boy presented with short stature and a decade-long history of growth delay. DIAGNOSIS: The patient exhibited sinus tachycardia, arrhythmia, hematuria, developmental delay, intellectual disability, and reduced plasma growth hormone levels, alongside chromosomal abnormalities with associated deletions. G-banding analysis revealed a male karyotype (46, XY) with the following structural anomalies: r(1)(p13q32), t(6;21)(q21;q22), der(14)t(1;14)(p13;p12), and der(15)t(1;15)(q32;p12). copy number variation sequencing detected: del(1)(q31.3q32.1).seq[GRCh37/hg19](198,600,001-200,040,000) × 1, del(1)(q32.1).seq[GRCh37/hg19](200,960,001-202,480,000) × 1, del(6)(q14.1).seq[GRCh37/hg19](76,800,001-80,640,000) × 1. The patient’s phenotype was attributed to a complex chromosomal rearrangement involving 5 chromosomes, with partial deletions resulting from breakage and rejoining of chromosomes 1 and 6. INTERVENTIONS: At age 3, the patient received rehabilitative therapy for developmental delay. OUTCOMES: No further treatment was provided following confirmation of the chromosomal abnormalities. LESSONS: This case documents a novel chromosomal rearrangement for the first time, contributing valuable clinical insight and establishing a foundation for future research into related genetic disorders.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Chow CKC, Lam GYH. « I Thought About Whether My Answers Represent What I Am Like »: Hong Kong Autistic Females’ Perspectives on Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Qual Health Res;2025 (Jun 27):10497323251343773.

One argument for the more frequent diagnosis of autism in males than females is the gender bias inherent in understanding and identifying autism. Despite the widespread use of standardized autism assessment tools, their relevance to the experience and needs of autistic females is rarely examined. There is also scant research focusing on the cultural responsiveness of these tools in non-Western contexts. In this study, we interviewed 13 autistic females in Hong Kong were interviewed about their experience with completing the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and interpreting the items. Results from thematic analysis revealed participants resisted the stereotypical definitions of autism depicted by the assessment tool. They elaborated on how the neurotypical world contributed to their challenges. They attempted to adjust their behaviors or even hide their autistic self to adapt to the expectations of the neurotypical society. The AQ was critiqued for its contents, translation, and administration formats. This study has implications for better understanding and meaningfully representing diverse presentations of autism in both research and clinical practice. Autism assessment tools should be improved and tailored to meet the specific needs of different genders and cultural subgroups.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Craddock R, Tigaret CM, Sengpiel F. Disruptions in primary visual cortex physiology and function in a mouse model of Timothy syndrome. Cereb Cortex;2025 (Jun 4);35(6)

Timothy syndrome (TS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the CACNA1C gene, which encodes the L-type calcium channel α1 CaV1.2 subunit. While it is expressed throughout the body, the most serious symptoms are cardiac and neurological. Classical TS type 1 (TS1) and TS type 2 (TS2) mutations cause prolonged action potentials (APs) in cardiomyocytes and in induced neurons derived from pluripotent stem cells taken from TS patients, but the effects of TS mutations on neuronal function in vivo are not fully understood. TS is frequently associated with autistic traits, which in turn have been linked to altered sensory processing. Using the TS2-neo mouse model, we analyzed the effects of TS2 mutation on the visual system. We observed a widening of APs of pyramidal cells in ex vivo patch clamp recordings and an increase in the density of parvalbumin-positive cells in the primary visual cortex. Neurons from TS2-neo mice recorded extracellularly in vivo were less likely to respond to visual stimuli of low spatial frequency, but more likely to respond to visual stimuli of mid-to-high spatial frequency, compared to those from wild-type mice. These results point to a basic processing abnormality in the visual cortex of TS2-neo mice.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. Cui K, Lin X, Gao R, Jing S, Luo F, Wang J. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Empirical Evidence for the Simple Bayesian Model of Autism. Neuropsychol Rev;2025 (Jun 27)

The Bayesian framework conceptualizes human perception as a process of probabilistic inference, where the brain integrates prior expectations with incoming sensory evidence to construct a mental model of the world. Within this framework, several distinct theories-collectively termed the « simple Bayesian model »-suggest that perceptual atypicalities in autism stem from an imbalance between the precision of prior beliefs and sensory input. This study presents a systematic review and the first meta-analysis to evaluate empirical evidence for the simple Bayesian model. We synthesized 24 effect sizes from 23 eligible studies using a random-effects model to test its core predictions: that autistic individuals exhibit universally « broader » priors and/or heightened sensory precision compared to non-autistic controls. We found a significant, small-to-moderate overall effect in the predicted direction (Hedge’s g = 0.37). However, heterogeneity across studies was large and significant and was not explained by any of the examined moderators: prior type (structural vs. contextual), stimulus type (social vs. nonsocial), task setting (implicit vs. explicit), cognitive domain (higher-level cognition vs. perception), or participant characteristics. Given the significant unexplained heterogeneity, our findings offer only limited support for a universal « simple Bayesian model » of autism. We conclude that future research should move beyond the simple Bayesian model to investigate more sophisticated, hierarchical Bayesian accounts of autism.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. de Lara ICA, Wagner PHS, Matheus G, Campos LE, Miranda CAS, Souza MEC, de Moraes FCA, Kelly FA, Fernandes LR. Response to letter by Alain Braillon entitled « autism and prenatal exposure to antiseizure medications: Still a long-standing blind spot? ». Seizure;2025 (Jun 16);131:140-141.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

8. Doğan Keskin A, Öztürk N, Kaytez N, Aral N, Elibol F. Validity and reliability study of the Turkish version of the autism spectrum knowledge scale. Acta Psychol (Amst);2025 (Jun 25);258:105204.

PURPOSE: The prevalence rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder are witnessing a steady increase worldwide, and the numbers for Türkiye are remarkably high. Given the many potential cases that remain undiagnosed, there is a need to enhance the recognition of ASD, by ensuring the general population is kept informed about the condition. Determining the level of knowledge of ASD within the general population is crucial for the development of effective awareness-raising initiatives. However, in Türkiye, there is currently a lack of assessment tools with cross-cultural validity that apply psychometrically sound methods to the measurement of the level of knowledge about ASD within the general population. In the present study we present a validation and reliability study of a Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale translated for the Turkish context, as an internationally validated instrument for the measurement of knowledge about ASD within the general population. METHODS: This quantitative study included 560 adults aged 18-71 years (M = 32.30, SD = 11.41) from various cities in Türkiye. Data were collected via an online survey using a snowball sampling method. The study employed both Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT) to comprehensively assess the psychometric properties of the Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale-General Form (ASKS-GF) in Turkish. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed using the lavaan package in RStudio, utilizing a tetrachoric correlation matrix and the Weighted Least Squares Mean and Variance-adjusted (WLSMV) estimation method, given the categorical nature of the data. Model fit was evaluated based on the following criteria: χ(2)/df < 3, RMSEA and SRMR <0.08, and CFI and TLI > 0.95. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients, while test-retest reliability was assessed by administering the scale to a subset of participants after two weeks. Criterion validity was examined by correlating ASKS-GF scores with the Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorders Scale. RESULTS: The Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale-General Form demonstrated strong validity and reliability in Turkish. Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed its unidimensional structure with good model fit. Criterion validity was supported by a significant correlation (r = 0.76, p < 0.05) with an established autism knowledge scale. Reliability analyses showed high internal consistency (KR-20 = 0.92) and strong test-retest reliability (r = 0.97, p < 0.05). Group comparisons revealed significant differences based on gender, media exposure, reading habits, and prior education on autism. Item Response Theory analysis confirmed the scale's psychometric strength, with difficulty parameters ranging from -1.095 to 2.252 and a marginal reliability coefficient of 0.84. The scale provides precise measurement at moderate ability levels. Overall, the scale is a valid and reliable tool for assessing autism spectrum knowledge in the general population.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

9. Hunt M, Underwood JFG, Hubbard L, Hall J. Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional study – CORRIGENDUM. BJPsych Open;2025 (Jun 27);11(4):e134.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

10. Knightly KA, McFarland EA, Vander Haar E, McKelvy MH, Palmer TD, Volpe SV, Corke S, Bussel JB. Increased Frequency of Autism by Previous Diagnosis and Screening in Children with Fetal-Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) with and without an Intracranial Hemorrhage (ICH). Am J Obstet Gynecol;2025 (Jun 27)

BACKGROUND: Fetal-Neonatal AlloImmune Thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) results from parental platelet antigen incompatibility and maternal alloimmunization, most commonly to platelet antigen HPA-1a. De Vos et al. identified mild-moderate neurologic injury in 26% of 31 FNAIT-affected children aged 6-14 without past ICH. Suspicions from NAITbabies members, along with the De Vos observations, led to a survey evaluation of autism in FNAIT-affected children. OBJECTIVE(S): This study explored the frequency of autism both by previous diagnosis and by screening in FNAIT-affected children with and without having had an ICH. STUDY DESIGN: A de-identified survey was made available to mothers in NAITbabies, assessing risk of autism using four age-specific autism screening scales: Q-CHAT-10 for ages 18-24 months (n=18); M-CHAT-R 2-4 years(n=61); AQ-10-Child 4 -11 years (n=175); and AQ-10-Adolescent for >12 years (n=66). Mothers reported their child’s ICH status and pre-screening autism diagnoses. Survey responses were scored using specific questionnaire algorithms. RESULTS: Among 320 FNAIT-affected children, 24 (7.5%) had a previous autism diagnosis and 64 (20%) screened at risk. Among 182 children with known ICH status, that could be linked to an autism questionnaire response, 33 had suffered an ICH and 149 had not. Both pre-existing and screening autism diagnoses increased with age in both ICH and non-ICH groups, peaking in the 12+ age group: 67% with ICH and 36% without ICH. Autism findings were higher among ICH children but were most striking in the non-ICH group. 7.5% of the 4-11 age group (no ICH) and 18% of the 12+ age group (no ICH) already had been diagnosed with autism. With screening for high risk of autism, these numbers more than doubled to 19% (4-11 age group) and 36% (12+ age group). Positive predictive values of the latter two questionnaires were 0.94 and 0.86, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In FNAIT-affected children without an ICH, rates of autism were surprisingly high and became more apparent with age. These findings highlight the need for early screening and ongoing careful monitoring of children affected by FNAIT, even without known ICH, who can no longer be considered « consequence-free. »

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

11. Kol R, Geva LL, Shaham M, Leon-Attia O, Rosenbaum-Lerner B, Gabis LV. Refuting the Association Between Assisted Reproductive Technology and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case-Control Study. J Child Neurol;2025 (Jun 26):8830738251341505.

In the past 2 decades, the rates of autism spectrum disorder and assisted reproductive technology have increased significantly, leading to a controversial discussion regarding their association. This study investigates the possible association between assisted reproductive technology and autism spectrum disorder using a case-control design, comparing 319 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder from 2013 to 2020 with 319 age-matched typically developing children followed prospectively from birth. The differences between assisted reproductive technology and spontaneous conception were analyzed between groups, adjusting for gender, types of assisted reproductive technology, and severity of autism. As expected, there is male predisposition in the autism group. The rate of assisted reproductive technology use in the autism spectrum disorder group (8.5%) was not significantly different from that in typically developing children (9.4%). Within the autism spectrum disorder group, the conception via assisted reproductive technology did not substantially influence gender distribution or severity of autism in comparison to spontaneous conception. After adjusting for potential confounders, the odds ratio for assisted reproductive technology treatment was not statistically significant (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.537, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.110-3.383). Similarly, no significant association was found for hormonal treatment (aOR = 0.632, 95% CI 0.326-1.223) or for in vitro fertilization pregnancies (aOR = 0.689, 95% CI 0.180-2.628). In conclusion, assisted reproductive technology was not found to be more common in children with autism spectrum disorder as compared to typically developing children and did not correlate with gender or autism severity within the autism spectrum disorder group. Our findings effectively counter the concerns regarding a significant association between assisted reproductive technology and autism and provide reassurance.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

12. Lai CA, Huang Y, Luo G. Letter to the Editor: What are the hidden challenges in implementing Social Stories™ for autistic children?. Child Adolesc Ment Health;2025 (Jun 27)

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

13. Lineberry S, Bogenschutz M, Dinora P. The Impact of State COVID-19 Responses on People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Inclusion (Wash);2025;13(1):26-39.

Evidence suggests that the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequities, including for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). People with IDD may have been at a higher risk for poor outcomes from COVID-19 than people without disabilities, but they were rarely prioritized in the public health response. Using multilevel modeling, we explored the impact of individual-level differences in combination with state-level policies on the likelihood of contracting COVID-19. Findings suggest that the ways people with IDD interact with their community, including where they live, impacted their risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting calls to more actively consider people with IDD in future public health emergencies.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

14. Maniscalco I, Bartochowski P, Priori V, Iancau SP, De Francesco M, Innamorati M, Jagodzinska N, Giupponi G, Masucci L, Conca A, Mroczek M. The Effects of Fecal Microbial Transplantation on the Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Gut Microbiota and Metabolites: A Scoping Review. Microorganisms;2025 (May 31);13(6)

The bilateral interaction between the brain and the gut has recently been on the spectrum of researchers’ interests, including complex neural, endocrinological, and immunological signaling pathways. The first case reports and clinical studies have already reported that delivering microbes through fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) may alleviate symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Therefore, modifying the gut microbiota through FMT holds promise as a potential treatment for psychiatric diseases. This scoping review assessed studies from PubMed related to FMT in autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The evaluation included nine clinical studies and case reports. The beneficial and persistent effect on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms has been reported. Also, an increased microflora diversity and altered levels of neurometabolites in serum were identified, albeit with a tendency to return to baseline over time. The microbiome-gut-brain axis could provide new targets for preventing and treating psychiatric disorders. However, a recent large randomized clinical trial has shed light on the previously collected data and suggested a possible contribution of the placebo effect. This highlights the necessity of large randomized double-blind studies to reliably assess the effect of FMT in ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

15. Morton HE, Bottini SB, McVey AJ, Gillis JM, Romanczyk RG. Different Tools, Different Results: Comparing Methods for Bullying Assessment in Autistic and ADHD Youth. J Autism Dev Disord;2025 (Jun 26)

Autistic and ADHD youth face heightened risk of peer victimization and subsequent poor educational and mental health outcomes. Yet, bullying interventions have had limited success in these groups, potentially due to variability in bullying assessment methods across studies. Additionally, general tools validated for community samples may fail to capture the unique victimization experiences of these youth. This study evaluated the agreement and sensitivity of three bullying assessment methods-a single-item assessment, the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire (OBQ), and the disability-specific Assessment of Bullying Experiences (ABE)-and examined group differences in victimization risk. Caregivers of 516 autistic, ADHD, and community youth completed all three bullying assessments. Agreement across measures was examined overall and within groups using percent agreement, Cohen’s kappa and McNemar’s tests. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate group differences in bullying classification within each measure. Agreement between the OBQ and ABE was moderate overall, but weaker in each of the autism and ADHD groups. The single-item assessment underestimated bullying prevalence compared to multi-item questionnaires and also failed to detect any between-group differences. Youth with ADHD were nearly three times more likely to be bulled compared to community youth when measured by both the ABE (OR = 2.81; 95% CI [1.34, 5.92]) and the OBQ (OR = 2.76; 95% CI [1.37, 5.57]) whereas increased vulnerability for autistic youth with co-occurring ADHD was only identified by the ABE (OR = 2.34; 95% CI [1.42, 3.85]). Findings highlight the limitations of single-item assessments and general measures in capturing disability-specific bullying. By including disability-specific behaviors, the ABE provides greater sensitivity for assessing bullying in autistic and ADHD youth. Integrating theory-driven frameworks may further improve assessment and intervention approaches for understanding and addressing bullying risk in autistic and ADHD youth.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

16. Moussaoui D, Laqua J, Crofts VL, Nemitz-Piguet CM, Héritier-Barras AC, Merglen A, Yaron M. Menstrual management using hormonal medications in adolescents and young adults with developmental disability: a systematic review and a meta-analysis. J Obstet Gynaecol;2025 (Dec);45(1):2521804.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with developmental disability (DD) may experience similar menstrual disorders as their peers, as well as unique challenges associated with their underlying conditions. They have access to the same hormonal medications as the general population, but little is known about the effects of menstrual management in adolescents with DD. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy, satisfaction with, side effects and complications of hormonal medications that are used for menstrual management in adolescents and young adults with DD. METHODS: A systematic review was performed in Medline, Embase, Cochrane library and PsycNet, using keywords related to menstrual management, hormonal medications, adolescents and disability. Meta-analyses of proportions were conducted for outcomes that could be combined across studies. RESULTS: Of the 2088 articles identified, 20 studies were included. The total number of participants was 3317 and varied significantly across studies (from 14 to 1560 individuals). Menstrual management was associated with a reduction in bleeding and high rates of amenorrhoea. We found that 45.4% (95% CI, 32.1-59%) of levonorgestrel-intrauterine device users experienced amenorrhoea. Satisfaction was high with all methods and correlated with the reduction in bleeding. Breakthrough bleeding was the most common side effect and the primary reason for ceasing or switching medication. No case of venous thromboembolism was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Menstrual management was associated with improvement in menstrual symptoms and high levels of satisfaction in adolescents with DD. Side effects and complication rates were low in this population. This should support the use of menstrual management in adolescents with DD, who deserve similar access to menstrual health care as their peers. Menstrual management means using hormonal medications to reduce menstrual symptoms and, sometimes, completely stop periods. Little is known about the effects of menstrual management in adolescents with disability. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy, satisfaction with, side effects and complications of medications that are used for menstrual management in adolescents with disability. We searched several databases and found 20 important studies. Menstrual management was associated with improvement in menstrual symptoms, and many patients had their periods stop completely. Patients were very satisfied with these medications, mainly because they reduced the amount of bleeding. Side effects and complication were rare in this population. These findings support the use of hormonal medications for menstrual management in adolescents with disability, who deserve similar access to menstrual health care as their peers. eng

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

17. Peltier MR, Fassett MJ, Khadka N, Yeh M, Chiu VY, Oyelese Y, Wells M, Getahun D. Impact of Preterm Birth Subtype on Risk of Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Offspring. J Autism Dev Disord;2025 (Jun 27)

Preterm birth (PTB) can result from spontaneous preterm labor (spontaneous PTB, SPTB) or as an intervention by obstetricians where the baby is deliberately delivered preterm (Indicated PTB, IPTB) to get them to neonatal intensive care. The impact of these PTB subtypes on ASD risk is unclear. Therefore, we compared the risk of ASD diagnosis for children born from pregnancies that ended in SPTB or IPTB with those born at term. Electronic Health Record (EHR) data from women delivering singleton pregnancies between 2010 and 2021 were linked to their child’s EHR data to create 337,868 maternal-child dyads. The impact of IPTB and SPTB on risk of ASD diagnosis in the child was evaluated by estimating adjusted hazards ratios (adj. HR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Both SPTB (adj. HR = 1.69; 95% CI:1.34, 2.12) and IPTB (adj. HR = 2.68; 95% CI: 1.98, 3.63) were significantly increased the risk of being diagnosed with ASD compared with term birth with a larger effect size for IPTB. This trend was observed for both boys and girls; late, as well as, early PTBs, and in all racial groups except non-hispanic Blacks where no association between IPTB or SPTB with ASD was detected. In conclusion, both IPTB and SPTB significantly increase the risk of ASD diagnosis in the offspring, however, the effect may be stronger for IPTB. This may reflect differences in the etiologies of the PTB subtypes. Lack of an association between either PTB subtype with ASD diagnosis in non-Hispanic Blacks suggests that race-ethnicity may be a risk modifier.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

18. Peng Q, Dong Y, Jin J, Ao H, Zhang C, Ma Y. The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for children with autism and their parents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychol;2025;16:1526001.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents. METHODS: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO and ERIC was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to December 31, 2024, that assessed the effects of MBIs on children with ASD and their parents. Two independent reviewers screened studies, extracted relevant data, and assessed the quality of the included literature. A meta-analysis was performed using standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 12 RCTs involving 643 participants were included. The meta-analysis showed that MBIs significantly reduced parental stress [SMD = -0.69, 95% CI (-1.36, -0.02), p = 0.04], improved parental mindfulness awareness [SMD = 3.08, 95% CI (0.26, 5.90), p = 0.03], and alleviated anxiety, depression, and stress in parents [SMD = -0.57, 95% CI (-1.09, -0.06), p = 0.03]. Additionally, MBIs significantly improved social responsiveness in children with autism [SMD = -0.35, 95% CI (-0.66, -0.04), p = 0.03]. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the MBI and control groups in reducing problematic behaviors in children [SMD = -0.45, 95% CI (-0.90, 0.00), p = 0.05], improving children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties [SMD = -0.23, 95% CI (-0.66, 0.19), p = 0.28], or enhancing parental psychological resilience [SMD = 0.85, 95% CI (-1.96, 3.66), p = 0.55]. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrates that MBIs significantly reduce parental stress, alleviate anxiety, depression, and stress, and enhance mindfulness awareness in parents of children with autism. Furthermore, MBIs were found to significantly improve social responsiveness in children with autism. However, their effects on children’s emotional and behavioral challenges and parental psychological resilience remain inconclusive. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023424059.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

19. Pliska L, Neitzel I, Ritterfeld U. Media Equation of the Interaction of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Proof-of-Concept Approach Using an Equivalence Test in a Within-Subject Design. J Autism Dev Disord;2025 (Jun 27)

Digital technology promises to improve the process of identifying autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Specifically, an automated digital screening tool with avatar-based interaction may be appropriate for children to differentiate between typically developing children and those at risk for ASD. The first challenge is to verify media equation: children with ASD need to interact in a digital environment as they would in a face-to-face situation. Therefore, a warm-up/conversation situation was analyzed within five conditions representing a hierarchy of successive mediation: (a) face-to-face, (b) facetime, (c) avatar real-time, (d) video pre-recorded, (e) avatar pre-recorded. Data from 20 boys with ASD were analyzed in a within-subject design using an equivalence test. Approximate equivalence was found between all five conditions. The median across all conditions is 5 (verbal response related to the conversation). Most importantly, children with ASD behave similarly in the digital environment with an avatar as they do in a real-life situation with a human experimenter. We discussed implications for clinical practice.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

20. Vindin P, Cordier R, Wilson NJ, Parsons L, Lee H. Development and feasibility of a driving training program for Autistic student drivers. PLoS One;2025;20(6):e0324934.

Driving licencing rates remain lower for autistic individuals capable of driving a motor vehicle, which can limit achieving independence in community mobility. However, there is limited autism-specific guidance in current driver training. The development and evaluation of the feasibility of an autism-specific Driving Training Program (DTP) intervention was conducted to improve the likelihood that autistic student drivers will safely and successfully learn to drive a motor vehicle and gain a driver’s licence. The DTP intervention was developed using a modified stepped approach for developing complex skills-based interventions. The Goals for Driving Education framework for explaining driving training behaviour modification formed the foundation of the intervention. A small-scale study was conducted using a single group pre-post-test design (n = 5), followed by semi-structured interviews and a survey (n = 12) to evaluate the feasibility of intervention components and participant acceptability. The driving performance of the autistic student drivers significantly improved, demonstrating the feasibility of the DTP intervention for training autistic student drivers to learn to drive. Participants also found the intervention acceptable, with program component refinement suggested. The DTP intervention is feasible for a larger randomised controlled trial after modifying highlighted program components.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

21. Yasuda Y, Ito S, Matsumoto J, Onitsuka T, Yamamori H, Fujimoto M, Hasegawa N, Ikeda M, Hashimoto R. Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Enlarged Ventricles and Cognitive Impairment (EVCI): Case Series. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep;2025 (Sep);45(3):e70029.

BACKGROUND: Since research on the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders diagnosed by symptoms has not succeeded, a data-driven analysis incorporating biological and cross-disease perspectives has been proposed. We have reported a new subgroup of psychiatric disorders by a data-driven analysis of subcortical volumes of brain MRI in 5602 subjects, including patients with psychiatric disorders and controls. This subgroup of patients is characterized by enlarged ventricle and cognitive impairment (EVCI) with a high proportion of schizophrenia, electroencephalography abnormalities, and rare pathological copy number variations. CASE PRESENTATION: Of the nine patients with EVCI, eight patients had schizophrenia, and one patient had autism spectrum disorder. Early onset of age was observed in eight patients with schizophrenia. Treatment responses were poor in seven patients with schizophrenia, and two of three treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients responded to clozapine. Four patients showed ischemic changes in cerebral white matter. In electroencephalography, abnormal findings were observed in five patients, borderline findings in two patients, and normal findings in two patients. Rare pathogenic copy number variations were found in three patients (22q11.21 deletion, 7q11.23 duplication, and 7q36.2 deletion). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this case series showed additional clinical features of treatment response and ischemic changes in cerebral white matter, which could be a clue to the treatment and diagnosis of EVCI. This case series might help elucidate the pathophysiology of EVCI.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

22. Youngkin A, Dameron C, Quigg M, Frazier K, Kapur J, Brenner L. Extremely/Very Premature Birth Associated With Focal Epileptic Activity in Comorbid Autism and Epilepsy. J Child Neurol;2025 (Jun 27):8830738251348049.

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder and epilepsy commonly occur together (ASD+EPI), suggesting shared pathology. However, epilepsy phenotypes within ASD+EPI are very heterogenous. Preterm birth poses a risk for both autism and epilepsy, and therefore may have a distinctive phenotype.MethodsWe used clinical EEG reports from more than 200 patients diagnosed with ASD+EPI and extracted lateralization and location data across multiple EEG time points. We analyzed epilepsy phenotypes between children born <32 weeks, 32-36(+6), and 37-40(+6) weeks to determine whether gestational age at birth impacts propensity for focal vs generalized epileptic activity.ResultsPatients with a history of birth before 32 weeks' gestational age had increased incidence of focal interictal activity compared with patients born after 32 weeks. There were no differences in seizure or interictal categorization between patients born moderately/late preterm and those born at term.ConclusionsThese results suggest that patients born extremely/very preterm who develop ASD+EPI have a predisposition toward focal epileptic activity, which may be due to changes in white matter development following very preterm birth.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

23. Zare S, Reihani H, Sarvestani RT, Inaloo S, Nemati H, Asadi-Pooya AA. Effects of Citicoline in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized, Open-label Clinical Trial. J Autism Dev Disord;2025 (Jun 27)

PURPOSE: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social interactions, communication challenges, and repetitive behaviors. Citicoline, a precursor in phosphatidylcholine synthesis, has shown potential cognitive benefits in various neurological conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of citicoline on cognitive and behavioral functions in patients with ASD. METHODS: A randomized, open-label, parallel-design clinical trial was conducted on 101 children with ASD (aged under 18 years) at Imam Reza Clinic and Namazi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Participants were divided into citicoline (n = 45) and control groups (n = 56). Citicoline (10 mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) scale was used for children under 3 years, and the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) for those over 3 years, to assess ASD symptoms before and after 2 months of treatment. RESULTS: At baseline, no significant differences were found between the citicoline and control groups in M-CHAT and GARS scores (P-value: 0.587, P-value: 0.100, respectively). After 2 months, there was no significant difference between the two groups either (P-value: 0.188, P-value: 0.269, respectively). The citicoline did not show any beneficial effects (compared to the control group) in any of the GARS subscales. CONCLUSION: Citicoline did not provide significant clinical benefits for patients with ASD. Currently, there is not enough evidence to support the prescription of citicoline for children with ASD, and this practice should be discouraged unless other high-quality evidence shows the contrary.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

24. Zhang L, Zhang Y, Peng Z, Chen Y, Zhang L, Liang L, Wang Y, Zhou H. Assessment of mealtime behaviors in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorder. Front Pediatr;2025;13:1597023.

BACKGROUND: Children with autism often exhibit atypical eating behaviors, which may significantly impact their nutritional status and overall well-being. However, research on the dietary habits of Chinese children with autism remains limited. OBJECTIVE: This study primarily assesses the applicability of Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory (BAMBI) for Chinese children with autism, while further exploring the unique dietary behavior characteristics within this population. METHODS: In total, 103 children with autism aged 3-6 years and 331 typically developing preschoolers were recruited. All participants’ parents completed the Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory (BAMBI) and the Six-item Gastrointestinal Severity Index (6-GSI). The reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the BAMBI were analyzed, and differences in dietary behavior were tested between cases and controls. RESULTS: The item reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.849 for total BAMBI. Pearson correlation analyses of the full BAMBI scale scores and subscales revealed significant correlations (r values ranging from 0.580 to 0.912, P < 0.01). The confirmatory factor analysis result shows that BAMBI 18 items have an acceptable fit to the data (GFI = 0.901, CFI = 0.819, ILI = 0.821, RMSEA = 0.074). Although the value of average variance extra (AVE) of the main scale is slightly below 0.5, the composite reliability (CR) is both above 0.7. The ASD group scored significantly higher than the typically developing group in terms of the BAMBI total score and subscales. The top problematic dietary behaviors reported by parents were inflexible about mealtime routines (79.61%), unwilling to try new foods (75.73%) and not accepts or prefers a variety of foods (71.84%). The positive association between BAMBI total scores and 6-GSI scores was observed. CONCLUSION: BAMBI is a validated tool for assessing dietary behaviors in autistic children in China. Compared with their typically developing peers, ASD children presented more dietary behavior problems. This study emphasizes early attention to dietary behavior problems in children with autism.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)