1. Anholt GE, Cath DC, van Oppen P, Eikelenboom M, Smit JH, van Megen H, van Balkom AJ. {{Autism and ADHD Symptoms in Patients with OCD: Are They Associated with Specific OC Symptom Dimensions or OC Symptom Severity?}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2009 Dec 29.
In obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the relationship between autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom, and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptom dimensions and severity has scarcely been studied. Therefore, 109 adult outpatients with primary OCD were compared to 87 healthy controls on OC, ADHD and ASD symptoms. OCD patients showed increased ADHD and autism symptom frequencies, OCD + ADHD patients reporting more autism symptoms (particularly attention switching and social skills problems) than OCD – ADHD patients. Attention switching problems were most significant predictors of OC symptom dimensions (except hoarding) and of symptom severity. Hoarding was not associated with elevated autism scale scores, but with inattention. In conclusion, attention switching problems may reflect both symptom overlap and a common etiological factor underlying ASD, ADHD and OCD.
2. Bauminger N, Solomon M, Rogers SJ. {{Predicting Friendship Quality in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Typical Development}}. {J Autism Dev Disord}. 2009 Dec 29.
The role played by social relationship variables (attachment security; mother-child relationship qualities) and social-cognitive capacities (theory of mind) was examined in both observed friendship behaviors and in children’s descriptions of friendships (age 8-12) with high functioning children with autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) (n = 44) and with typical development (TYP) (n = 38). Overall, half of the HFASD sample (54.45%) reported maternal attachment security, corroborating data from younger children with ASD. The hypothesized predictors and their interrelations had both direct and indirect effects on friendship for both groups of children, highlighting the importance of these factors in children’s friendship development and suggesting both compensatory and amplification mechanisms for friendship qualities. Practical and clinical implications are discussed for friendship support in both ASD and TYP.
3. Dufour-Rainfray D, Vourc’h P, Le Guisquet AM, Garreau L, Ternant D, Bodard S, Jaumain E, Gulhan Z, Belzung C, Andres CR, Chalon S, Guilloteau D. {{Behavior and serotonergic disorders in rats exposed prenatally to valproate: a model for autism}}. {Neurosci Lett}. 2009 Dec 24.
In order to explore whether some aspects of the autistic phenotype could be related to impairment of the serotonergic system, we chose an animal model which mimics a potential cause of autism, i.e. rats exposed to valproate (VPA) on the 9(th) embryonic day (E9). Previous studies have suggested that VPA exposure in rats at E9 caused a dramatic shift in the distribution of serotonergic neurons on postnatal day 50 (PND50). Behavioral studies have also been performed but on rats that were exposed to VPA later (E12.5). Our aim was to test whether VPA exposure at E9 induces comparable behavioral impairments than at E12.5 and causes serotonergic impairments which could be related to behavioral modifications. The results showed significant behavioral impairments such as a lower tendency to initiate social interactions and hyperlocomotor activity in juvenile male rats. The serotonin levels of these animals at PND50 were decreased (-46%) in the hippocampus, a structure involved in social behavior. This study suggests that VPA could have a direct or indirect action on the serotonergic system as early as the progenitor cell stage. Early embryonic exposure to VPA in rats provides a good model for several specific aspects of autism and should help to continue to explore pathophysiological hypotheses.
4. Frazier TW, Youngstrom EA, Sinclair L, Kubu CS, Law P, Rezai A, Constantino JN, Eng C. {{Autism Spectrum Disorders as a Qualitatively Distinct Category From Typical Behavior in a Large, Clinically Ascertained Sample}}. {Assessment}. 2009 Dec 29.
The present study evaluated the hypothesis that autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are best represented as a discrete category distinct from typical behavior within autism-affected families. The latent structure, categorical versus dimensional, of ASDs informs future diagnostic revisions, clinical assessment, and the design of future research. Data were obtained from Interactive Autism Network, a registry that preferentially recruits families with at least one ASD-affected child. Caregivers reported autism symptoms for affected and unaffected children using the Social Responsiveness Scale and Social Communication Questionnaire. Taxometric and latent variable models examined whether dimensional or categorical models best fit the data. Taxometric and latent variable model comparisons consistently indicated two-group mixtures for all indicator sets, even in participants designated as unaffected by caregivers. The identified category was associated with external indicators of disability, supporting its validity. Results indicated that ASD is best characterized as a category, distinct from typical behavior within ASD-affected families.
5. Kolevzon A, Newcorn JH, Kryzak L, Chaplin W, Watner D, Hollander E, Smith CJ, Cook EH, Jr., Silverman JM. {{Relationship between whole blood serotonin and repetitive behaviors in autism}}. {Psychiatry Res}. 2009 Dec 29.
This study was conducted to examine the relationship between whole blood serotonin level and behavioral symptoms in 78 subjects with autism. No significant associations were found between serotonin level and the primary behavioral outcome measures. However, a significant inverse relationship between serotonin level and self-injury was demonstrated.
6. Mostafa GA, El-Hadidi ES, Hewedi DH, Abdou MM. {{Oxidative stress in Egyptian children with autism: relation to autoimmunity}}. {J Neuroimmunol}. 2009 Dec 23.
We are the first to study the relationship between oxidative stress (by measuring plasma F2-isoprostane, as a marker of lipid peroxidation, and glutathione peroxidase, as an antioxidant enzyme) and autoimmunity (as indicated by serum antineuronal antibodies) in a group of 44 Egyptian autistic children and 44 healthy matched-children. Our results showed that oxidative stress was found in 88.64% of autistic children. Oxidative stress, resulting from elevated plasma F2-isoprostane and/or reduced glutathione peroxidase, had significant risk for antineuronal positivity, which was found in 54.5% of autistic children, (odds ratio: 12.38 and 6.43, respectively, confidence interval: 1.37-112.10 and 1.21-34.19, respectively). Conclusions: the strong association between oxidative stress and autoimmunity in autistic children may indicate the possible role of oxidative stress, through induction of autoimmunity, in some autistic patients. Therefore, studies considering the role of antioxidants and immunotherapy in amelioration of autistic manifestations are recommended.
7. Schaefer TL, Vorhees CV, Williams MT. {{Mouse plasmacytoma-expressed transcript 1 knock out induced 5-HT disruption results in a lack of cognitive deficits and an anxiety phenotype complicated by hypoactivity and defensiveness}}. {Neuroscience}. 2009 Dec 29;164(4):1431-43.
Serotonin (5-HT) is involved in many developmental processes and influences behaviors including anxiety, aggression, and cognition. Disruption of the serotonergic system has been implicated in human disorders including autism, depression, schizophrenia, and ADHD. Although pharmacological, neurotoxin, and dietary manipulation of 5-HT and tryptophan hydroxylase has added to our understanding of the serotonergic system, the results are complicated by multiple factors. A newly identified ETS domain transcription factor, Pet-1, has direct control of major aspects of 5-HT neuronal development. Pet-1 is the only known factor that is restricted in the brain to 5-HT neurons during development and adulthood and exerts dominant control over 5-HT neuronal phenotype. Disruption of Pet-1 produces an approximately 80% loss of 5-HT neurons and content and results in increased aggression in male Pet-1(-/-) mice [Hendricks TJ, Fyodorov DV, Wegman LJ, Lelutiu NB, Pehek EA, Yamamoto B, Silver J, Weeber EJ, Sweatt JD, Deneris ES (2003) Neuron 37:233-247]. We hypothesized that Pet-1(-/-) mice would also exhibit changes in anxiety and cognition. Pet-1(-/-) mice were hypoactive which may have affected the observed lack of anxious behavior in the elevated zero maze and light-dark test. Pet-1(-/-) mice, however, were more defensive during marble burying and showed acoustic startle hyper-reactivity. No deficits in spatial, egocentric, or novel object recognition learning were found in Pet-1(-/-) mice. These findings were unexpected given that 5-HT depleting drugs given to adult or developing animals result in learning deficits [Mazer C, Muneyyirci J, Taheny K, Raio N, Borella A, Whitaker-Azmitia P (1997) Brain Res 760:68-73; Morford LL, Inman-Wood SL, Gudelsky GA, Williams MT, Vorhees CV (2002) Eur J Neurosci 16:491-500; Vorhees CV, Schaefer TL, Williams MT (2007) Synapse 61:488-499]. Lack of differences may be the result of compensatory mechanisms in reaction to a constitutive knock out of Pet-1 or 5-HT may not be as important in learning and memory as previously suspected.
