1. Allen KD, Burke RV, Howard MR, Wallace DP, Bowen SL. {{Use of Audio Cuing to Expand Employment Opportunities for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2012 (Mar 29)
We evaluated audio cuing to facilitate community employment of individuals with autism and intellectual disability. The job required promoting products in retail stores by wearing an air-inflated WalkAround((R)) costume of a popular commercial character. Three adolescents, ages 16-18, were initially trained with video modeling. Audio cuing was then used by an attendant who delivered prompts regarding when to perform job skills. The two interventions were evaluated in an interrupted time series withdrawal design during training and then again in an actual job setting. Results show video modeling was not effective. However, the audio cuing produced job performances well above the designated criteria during training and when on the job. These changes were replicated with each participant, demonstrating clear experimental control. The changes proved statistically significant as well. Participants and parents reported high job satisfaction. The challenges of competitive employment for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities are discussed.
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2. Cornew L, Dobkins KR, Akshoomoff N, McCleery JP, Carver LJ. {{Atypical Social Referencing in Infant Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2012 (Mar 29)
Social referencing was investigated in 18-month-old siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD; « high-risk infants »). Infants were exposed to novel toys, which were emotionally tagged via adults’ facial and vocal signals. Infants’ information seeking (initiation of joint attention with an adult) and their approach/withdrawal behavior toward the toys before versus after the adults’ emotional signals was measured. Compared to both typically developing infants and high-risk infants without ASD, infants later diagnosed with ASD engaged in slower information seeking, suggesting that this aspect of referencing may be an early indicator of ASD. High-risk infants, both those who were and those who were not later diagnosed with ASD, exhibited impairments in regulating their behavior based on the adults’ emotional signals, suggesting that this aspect of social referencing may reflect an endophenotype for ASD.
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3. Keri S, Benedek G. {{Why is vision impaired in fragile X premutation carriers? The role of fragile X mental retardation protein and potential FMR1 mRNA toxicity}}. {Neuroscience};2012 (Mar 29);206:183-189.
Dysfunctions of the geniculo-striatal magnocellular (M) visual pathway and its cortical recipients have been documented in fragile X syndrome and in FMR1 premutation carriers. However, the mechanism of this impairment is less clear. To elucidate this issue, we completed the measurement of visual functions at different stages of information processing: low-level mechanisms (contrast sensitivity biasing information processing toward the M and parvocellular [P] pathways), primary visual cortex (motion-defined and static Vernier threshold), and higher-level form and motion processing (coherence thresholds). Results revealed that FMR1 premutation carriers, relative to non-carrier controls, exhibited lower contrast sensitivity for M pathway-biased stimuli, higher Vernier threshold for motion-defined stimuli, and higher global motion coherence threshold. Although both elevated FMR1 mRNA and reduced fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) levels were associated with impaired visual functions, regression analysis indicated that FMRP was the primary factor. In premutation carriers, a toxic gain-of-function of elevated FMR1 mRNA has been suggested, whereas reduced FMRP is linked to neurodevelopmental aspects. Here, we showed that FMRP may the primary factor associated with visual dysfunctions.
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4. Lerner MD, Calhoun CD, Mikami AY, De Los Reyes A. {{Understanding Parent-Child Social Informant Discrepancy in Youth with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2012 (Mar 29)
We investigated discrepancies between parent- and self-reported social functioning among youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Three distinct samples showed discrepancies indicating that parents viewed their children as performing one standard deviation below a standardization mean, while youth viewed themselves as comparably-skilled relative to peers. Discrepancies predicted lower parental self-efficacy, and lower youth-reported hostile attributions to peers, marginally-lower depression, and decreased post-treatment social anxiety. Discrepancies predicted outcomes better than parent- or youth-report alone. Informant discrepancies may provide valuable additional information regarding child psychopathology, parental perceptions of parenting stress, and youth treatment response. Findings support a model where abnormal self-perceptions in ASD stem from inflated imputation of subjective experiences to others, and provide direction for improving interventions for youth and parents.
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5. Stoch YK, Williams CJ, Granich J, Hunt AM, Landau LI, Newnham JP, Whitehouse AJ. {{Are Prenatal Ultrasound Scans Associated with the Autism Phenotype? Follow-up of a Randomised Controlled Trial}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2012 (Mar 29)
An existing randomised controlled trial was used to investigate whether multiple ultrasound scans may be associated with the autism phenotype. From 2,834 single pregnancies, 1,415 were selected at random to receive ultrasound imaging and continuous wave Doppler flow studies at five points throughout pregnancy (Intensive) and 1,419 to receive a single imaging scan at 18 weeks (Regular), with further scans only as indicated on clinical grounds. There was no significant difference in the rate of Autism Spectrum Disorder between the Regular (9/1,125, 0.8 %) and Intensive (7/1,167, 0.6 %) groups, nor a difference between groups in the level of autistic-like traits in early adulthood. There is no clear link between the frequency and timing of prenatal ultrasound scans and the autism phenotype.
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6. Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson SE, Szatmari P, Brian J, Smith IM, Roberts W, Vaillancourt T, Roncadin C. {{Sex Differences in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Identified Within a High-Risk Infant Cohort}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2012 (Mar 28)
Sex differences were examined in 3-year-olds with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) ascertained from a high-risk cohort, and high- and low-risk comparison groups. Participants included 319 high-risk siblings and 129 low-risk controls. Eighty-five siblings were diagnosed with ASD, including 57 of 176 boys (32.4 %) and 28 of 143 girls (19.6 %), implying a relative odds of ASD of 1.65 in boys versus girls. There were modest sex differences on cognitive and adaptive skills and ASD symptom severity at age 3, but differences between boys and girls with ASD mirrored those in the non-ASD groups. The lower than expected male-to-female ratio, and the relatively high cognitive level among diagnosed children, suggest that we have identified an unanticipated number of higher-functioning girls with ASD.
