1. Belisle J, Huggins K, Doherty M, Stanley CR, Dixon MR. Generalized Reflexive Responding and Cross-Modal Tactile Transfer of Stimulus Function in Children with Autism. Anal Verbal Behav ;2020 (Dec) ;36(2):233-250.

We sought to evaluate the efficacy of successive matching training for establishing generalized reflexive matching across 4 children with autism. In Experiment 1, differential reinforcement with delay fading was efficacious in establishing « yes » and « no » matching and nonmatching responses in 2 participants when 2 identical or nonidentical picture stimuli were presented. In addition, emergent visual-visual reflexive relational responses were observed using novel picture stimuli in a transfer test phase. In Experiment 2, differential reinforcement alone was efficacious in establishing matching and nonmatching responses in the other 2 participants when 2 identical or nonidentical objects were presented. Transfer to identical objects presented through touch (i.e., tactile discrimination) was additionally observed for both participants. Procedures in the study were adapted from the PEAK Relational Training System to aid in clinical replication, and the translational results have implications for language training with individuals with autism.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. de Melo Wider LB, da Silva Barros R, Varella AAB. Equivalence Class Formation in Individuals With Autism : Predictions From ABLA-R Levels. Anal Verbal Behav ;2020 (Dec) ;36(2):215-232.

Children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often fail to show equivalence class formation. This may be related to their difficulty in learning the programmed baseline conditional discriminations. The present study investigated equivalence class formation after training visual identity-matching performance with auditory class-specific consequences in 6 individuals who were diagnosed with ASD and who achieved different levels (Levels 4, 5, and 6) on the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities-Revised (ABLA-R). The potentially emergent relations were all arbitrary (relations between completely dissimilar stimuli) : visual-visual (AB and BA) and auditory-visual (SA and SB). None of the participants who achieved ABLA-R Level 4 or 5 responded in accord with equivalence class formation. They did not present any emergent arbitrary conditional relations (either visual-visual relations or auditory-visual relations). Only participants who achieved ABLA-R Level 6 demonstrated equivalence class formation. These findings are consistent with the predictive ability of the ABLA-R with regard to the acquisition of discriminations and to the emergence of the same type of conditional relations and the same hierarchy of complexity.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Edirisooriya M, Dykiert D, Auyeung B. IQ and Internalising Symptoms in Adolescents with ASD. J Autism Dev Disord ;2020 (Dec 30)

Intelligence quotient (IQ), has been found to relate to the presence of internalising symptoms in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This meta-analysis sought to clarify the direction of the relationship between IQ and two prevalent internalising symptoms, anxiety and depression, in adolescents with ASD. Secondly, this study aimed to highlight methodological factors contributing to inconsistent findings in existing research. Self-reported anxiety was found to be significantly higher in youth with a lower IQ, while depression was positively associated with IQ. Consequently, parents, schools and clinicians should be cautious of underestimating anxiety in youth with a lower IQ. However, care should also be taken to ensure adolescents with ASD without intellectual disabilities are not overlooked with regards to social and emotional support.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Gharehgazlou A, Freitas C, Ameis SH, Taylor MJ, Lerch JP, Radua J, Anagnostou E. Cortical Gyrification Morphology in Individuals with ASD and ADHD across the Lifespan : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cereb Cortex ;2020 (Dec 31)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are common neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that may impact brain maturation. A number of studies have examined cortical gyrification morphology in both NDDs. Here we review and when possible pool their results to better understand the shared and potentially disorder-specific gyrification features. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases, and 24 and 10 studies met the criteria to be included in the systematic review and meta-analysis portions, respectively. Meta-analysis of local Gyrification Index (lGI) findings across ASD studies was conducted with SDM software adapted for surface-based morphometry studies. Meta-regressions were used to explore effects of age, sex, and sample size on gyrification differences. There were no significant differences in gyrification across groups. Qualitative synthesis of remaining ASD studies highlighted heterogeneity in findings. Large-scale ADHD studies reported no differences in gyrification between cases and controls suggesting that, similar to ASD, there is currently no evidence of differences in gyrification morphology compared with controls. Larger, longitudinal studies are needed to further clarify the effects of age, sex, and IQ on cortical gyrification in these NDDs.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Itahashi T, Fujino J, Sato T, Ohta H, Nakamura M, Kato N, Hashimoto RI, Di Martino A, Aoki YY. Neural correlates of shared sensory symptoms in autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Brain Commun ;2020 ;2(2):fcaa186.

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder often co-occur. Among these, sensory impairment, which is a core diagnostic feature of autism spectrum disorder, is often observed in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, the underlying mechanisms of symptoms that are shared across disorders remain unknown. To examine the neural correlates of sensory symptoms that are associated with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, we analysed resting-state functional MRI data obtained from 113 people with either autism spectrum disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (n = 78 autism spectrum disorder, mean age = 29.5 ; n = 35 attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, mean age = 31.2) and 96 neurotypical controls (mean age = 30.6, range : 20-55 years) using a cross-sectional study design. First, we used a multi-dimensional approach to examine intrinsic brain functional connectivity related to sensory symptoms in four domains (i.e. low registration, sensation seeking, sensory sensitivity and sensation avoidance), after controlling for age, handedness and head motion. Then, we used a partial least squares correlation to examine the link between sensory symptoms related to intrinsic brain functional connectivity and neurodevelopmental symptoms measured using the Autism Spectrum Quotient and Conners’ Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale, regardless of diagnosis. To test whether observed associations were specific to sensory symptoms related to intrinsic brain functional connectivity, we conducted a control analysis using a bootstrap framework. The results indicated that transdiagnostic yet distinct intrinsic brain functional connectivity neural bases varied according to the domain of the examined sensory symptom. Partial least squares correlation analysis revealed two latent components (latent component 1 : q < 0.001 and latent component 2 : q < 0.001). For latent component 1, a set of intrinsic brain functional connectivity was predominantly associated with neurodevelopmental symptom-related composite score (r = 0.64, P < 0.001), which was significantly correlated with Conners' Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale total T scores (r = -0.99, q < 0.001). For latent component 2, another set of intrinsic brain functional connectivity was positively associated with neurodevelopmental symptom-related composite score (r = 0.58, P < 0.001), which was eventually positively associated with Autism Spectrum Quotient total scores (r = 0.92, q < 0.001). The bootstrap analysis showed that the relationship between intrinsic brain functional connectivity and neurodevelopmental symptoms was relative to sensory symptom-related intrinsic brain functional connectivity (latent component 1 : P = 0.003 and latent component 2 : P < 0.001). The current results suggest that sensory symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have shared neural correlates. The neural correlates of the sensory symptoms were associated with the severity of both autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, regardless of diagnosis.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. Kind LS, Aartman IHA, van Gemert-Schriks MCM, Bonifacio CC. Parents’ satisfaction on dental care of Dutch children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent ;2020 (Dec 24)

PURPOSE : To assess if Dutch children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) regularly visit a dentist and to evaluate parent’s satisfaction on the care provided. METHODS : Parents of ASD children (2-18 years) were invited to fill out a survey. The survey consisted of questions regarding ASD severity, frequency of dental visits, history of dental pain, type of dental practice and parents’ satisfaction. Results were analysed using Chi square and Mann-Whitney U tests (α = 5%). RESULTS : Of the 246 returned questionnaires, 19 were excluded (incomplete or unconfirmed ASD diagnosis). All children visited a dentist at least once and 5% of them had their last visit more than 12 months ago. According to parents, 15% of the children did not receive the needed care when they had toothache and 21% of the parents were unsatisfied with the current dental care provided. No difference was found between satisfied and unsatisfied parents in type of dental practice visited (p > 0.05). The children of unsatisfied parents reported more often pain during the last year (p = 0.013) and had a more severe type of ASD (p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS : The majority of Dutch ASD children investigated regularly visit a dentist and 21% of the parents is unsatisfied with the dental care provided.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. McKenzie R, Dallos R, Stedmon J, Hancocks H, Vickery PJ, Barton A, Vassallo T, Myhill C, Chynoweth J, Ewings P. SAFE, a new therapeutic intervention for families of children with autism : a randomised controlled feasibility trial. BMJ Open ;2020 (Dec 31) ;10(12):e038411.

OBJECTIVES : To establish the feasibility of a definitive randomised controlled trial of Systemic Autism-related Family Enabling (SAFE), an intervention for families of children with autism. DESIGN : A randomised, controlled, multicentred feasibility study. SETTING : Participants were identified from three National Health Service (NHS) diagnosing centres in Plymouth and Cornwall and a community pathway. PARTICIPANTS : 34 families of a child with a diagnosis of autism severity level 1 or 2 between 3 and 16 years. Four families were lost to follow-up. INTERVENTIONS : SAFE is a manualised five-session family therapy-based intervention delivered over 16 weeks and designed for families of children with autism. SAFE involves families attending five 3-hour sessions led by systemic practitioners. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES : The proposed primary outcome measure was the Systemic CORE 15 (SCORE-15). Proposed secondary outcome measures : Patient Health Questionnaire-Somatic Anxiety Depressive Symptoms, the Coding of Attachment-Related Parenting for use with children with Autism, the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ) and the Caregiving Helplessness Questionnaire. Outcome measures were collected at baseline and 24 weeks post randomisation. RESULTS : All primary caregivers retained in the study completed the SCORE-15 at both time points. 34 of the target of 36 families were recruited and 88% of families were retained. Training for therapists was effective. Feedback revealed willingness to undergo randomisation. There was 100% attendance at appropriate sessions for core family members. The SCORE-15 showed reduction in scores for families receiving SAFE compared with controls suggesting positive change. Qualitative data also revealed that families found the study acceptable and families receiving SAFE experienced positive change. Feedback indicated that the SCORE-15 should be retained as a primary measure in a future trial, but secondary measures should be reduced. CONCLUSIONS : This study indicates that a larger trial of SAFE is feasible. Findings suggest that SAFE can address current gaps in recommended care, can be confidently delivered by NHS staff and has potential as a beneficial treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS : ISCTRN83964946 and IRAS213527.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

8. Olin J, Sonsky A, Howard M. Using a Lag Schedule of Reinforcement to Increase Response Variability in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Anal Verbal Behav ;2020 (Dec) ;36(2):169-179.

Lag reinforcement schedules have been shown in previous research to be an effective intervention for teaching verbal and nonverbal response variability to individuals with developmental disabilities. In more recent research, variability itself has been considered a reinforceable behavior in its own right (Susa & Schlinger, The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 18, 125-130, 2012). Lag x schedules of reinforcement can be used to teach variability by using contingencies that require responses to differ from previous responses. The present study extended Susa and Schlinger’s, The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 18, 125-130, (2012) research by using 3 social questions instead of 1 in a random rotation and included probes to test for generality. A changing-criterion design was used to evaluate the results with one 11-year-old female participant diagnosed with autism. During baseline, the participant provided little variability, with rote responses. During the Lag 1 and Lag 2 phases, appropriate variable verbal responding increased with the use of echoic prompts, visual aids, and an error correction procedure. Further, the results also showed that the participant learned to vary her responses by demonstrating the ability to emit 11 novel prompted responses and 13 spontaneous responses. In addition, the participant was able to retain the skills learned in a maintenance probe conducted 4 weeks postintervention.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

9. Peng J, Zhao M, Havrilla J, Liu C, Weng C, Guthrie W, Schultz R, Wang K, Zhou Y. Natural language processing (NLP) tools in extracting biomedical concepts from research articles : a case study on autism spectrum disorder. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak ;2020 (Dec 30) ;20(Suppl 11):322.

BACKGROUND : Natural language processing (NLP) tools can facilitate the extraction of biomedical concepts from unstructured free texts, such as research articles or clinical notes. The NLP software tools CLAMP, cTAKES, and MetaMap are among the most widely used tools to extract biomedical concept entities. However, their performance in extracting disease-specific terminology from literature has not been compared extensively, especially for complex neuropsychiatric disorders with a diverse set of phenotypic and clinical manifestations. METHODS : We comparatively evaluated these NLP tools using autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a case study. We collected 827 ASD-related terms based on previous literature as the benchmark list for performance evaluation. Then, we applied CLAMP, cTAKES, and MetaMap on 544 full-text articles and 20,408 abstracts from PubMed to extract ASD-related terms. We evaluated the predictive performance using precision, recall, and F1 score. RESULTS : We found that CLAMP has the best performance in terms of F1 score followed by cTAKES and then MetaMap. Our results show that CLAMP has much higher precision than cTAKES and MetaMap, while cTAKES and MetaMap have higher recall than CLAMP. CONCLUSION : The analysis protocols used in this study can be applied to other neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders that lack well-defined terminology sets to describe their phenotypic presentations.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

10. Regev O, Cohen G, Hadar A, Schuster J, Flusser H, Michaelovski A, Meiri G, Dinstein I, Hershkovitch R, Menashe I. Association Between Abnormal Fetal Head Growth and Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry ;2020 (Dec 27)

OBJECTIVE : Despite evidence for the prenatal onset of abnormal head growth in children with ASD, studies on fetal ultrasound data in ASD are limited and controversial. METHOD : We conducted a longitudinal matched case-sibling-control study on prenatal ultrasound biometric measures of children with ASD, and two control groups : (1) their own typically developed sibling (TDS) and (2) typically developed population (TDP). The cohort comprised 528 children (72.7% male) : 174 ASD, 178 TDS, and 176 TDP. RESULTS : During second trimester ASD and TDS fetuses had significantly smaller biparietal diameter (BPD) than TDP fetuses (aOR(zBPD)=0.685, 95%CI=0.527-0.890 and aOR(zBPD)=0.587, 95%CI=0.459-0.751, respectively). However, these differences became statistically indistinguishable in the third trimester. Interestingly, head biometric measures varied by sex, with male fetuses having larger heads than female fetuses within and across groups. A linear mixed-effect model assessing the effects of sex and group assignment on fetal longitudinal head growth indicated faster BPD growth in TDS vs both ASD and TDP in male fetuses (β=0.084 and β=0.100 respectively ; p<0.001) but not in female fetuses, suggesting an ASD-sex interaction in head growth during gestation. Finally, fetal head growth showed conflicting correlations with ASD severity in male and female children across different gestation periods, thus further supporting the sex effect on the association between fetal head growth and ASD. CONCLUSION : Our findings suggest that abnormal fetal head growth is a familial trait of ASD, which is modulated by sex and is associated with the severity of the disorder. Thus, it could serve as an early biomarker for ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

11. Riccio MP, Siracusano R, d’Alessandro I, Marino M, Bravaccio C. Dystonic Movement Disorder as Symptom of Catatonia in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Case Rep Psychiatry ;2020 ;2020:8832075.

BACKGROUND : Catatonia is increasingly recognized as a comorbid psychiatric condition in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the overlap of behavioral characteristics between these disorders raises many diagnostic challenges. Moreover, recognizing symptoms in ASD patients with medium-low functioning might be difficult. Literature on this argument is poor, especially for children. Case presentation. We report the case of an ASD patient with low cognitive functioning, who presented a complex symptomatology, characterized by progressive regression with loss of autonomy and involuntary movements that assume « dystonic » features. Organic pathology was excluded, and catatonia, with peculiar dystonic characteristics, was diagnosed. An intervention based on elimination of stressful factors, resumption of routines, and support for parents led to the resolution of catatonic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS : The case describes the presence among the catatonic symptoms in ASD of involuntary « dystonic » movements ; so far, little reported in literature ; it highlights that the catatonia may present with a broad spectrum of motor abnormalities. There is still little evidence for treatment of catatonia and ASD. Our case highlights how it is equally important to take into account triggering factors when implementing a nonpharmacological treatment. So, it represents an example of diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of catatonia in ASD, especially in low functioning forms.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

12. Sehlin H, Hedman Ahlström B, Bertilsson I, Andersson G, Wentz E. Internet-Based Support and Coaching With Complementary Clinic Visits for Young People With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism : Controlled Feasibility Study. J Med Internet Res ;2020 (Dec 31) ;22(12):e19658.

BACKGROUND : Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience obstacles in traditional health care situations due to difficulties associated with their impairment. OBJECTIVE : This controlled study aims to investigate the feasibility of an internet-based support and coaching intervention (IBSC), including 2 weekly chat sessions and 2 complementary clinic visits with coaches over the course of 8 weeks, for adolescents and young adults with ADHD and/or ASD in 2 naturalistic routine care settings. METHODS : Individuals with ADHD and/or ASD aged 15-32 years were recruited in 2 clinical settings, where they received either IBSC (n=24) or treatment as usual (TAU ; n=20). Outcome measures included self-report questionnaires assessing quality of life (Manchester Short Assessment for Quality of Life), sense of coherence (Sense Of Coherence 29), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), and anxiety and depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale-Self-reported, respectively). RESULTS : Significant between-group effects were observed in measures of anxiety (HADS) at postintervention (P=.02) as well as at the 6-month follow-up (P=.004). Significant between-group effects were also noted for depressive symptoms (HADS) postintervention (P=.04). The between-group effects were partially explained by a deterioration in the TAU group. A significant increase in self-esteem (P=.04) as well as a decrease in anxiety (P=.003) at the 6-month follow-up was observed in the intervention group following IBSC. Findings from a qualitative study of the intervention are consistent with the results. CONCLUSIONS : The findings from this study suggest that IBSC holds promise as a feasible complement or alternative to traditional face-to-face health care meetings.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

13. Stroganova TA, Komarov KS, Sysoeva OV, Goiaeva DE, Obukhova TS, Ovsiannikova TM, Prokofyev AO, Orekhova EV. Left hemispheric deficit in the sustained neuromagnetic response to periodic click trains in children with ASD. Mol Autism ;2020 (Dec 31) ;11(1):100.

BACKGROUND : Deficits in perception and production of vocal pitch are often observed in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the neural basis of these deficits is unknown. In magnetoencephalogram (MEG), spectrally complex periodic sounds trigger two continuous neural responses-the auditory steady state response (ASSR) and the sustained field (SF). It has been shown that the SF in neurotypical individuals is associated with low-level analysis of pitch in the ‘pitch processing center’ of the Heschl’s gyrus. Therefore, alternations in this auditory response may reflect atypical processing of vocal pitch. The SF, however, has never been studied in people with ASD. METHODS : We used MEG and individual brain models to investigate the ASSR and SF evoked by monaural 40 Hz click trains in boys with ASD (N = 35) and neurotypical (NT) boys (N = 35) aged 7-12-years. RESULTS : In agreement with the previous research in adults, the cortical sources of the SF in children were located in the left and right Heschl’s gyri, anterolateral to those of the ASSR. In both groups, the SF and ASSR dominated in the right hemisphere and were higher in the hemisphere contralateral to the stimulated ear. The ASSR increased with age in both NT and ASD children and did not differ between the groups. The SF amplitude did not significantly change between the ages of 7 and 12 years. It was moderately attenuated in both hemispheres and was markedly delayed and displaced in the left hemisphere in boys with ASD. The SF delay in participants with ASD was present irrespective of their intelligence level and severity of autism symptoms. LIMITATIONS : We did not test the language abilities of our participants. Therefore, the link between SF and processing of vocal pitch in children with ASD remains speculative. CONCLUSION : Children with ASD demonstrate atypical processing of spectrally complex periodic sound at the level of the core auditory cortex of the left-hemisphere. The observed neural deficit may contribute to speech perception difficulties experienced by children with ASD, including their poor perception and production of linguistic prosody.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

14. Wang K, Duan W, Duan Y, Yu Y, Chen X, Xu Y, Chen H, Huang H, Xiong B. A Bibliometric Insight of Genetic Factors in ASD : Emerging Trends and New Developments. Brain Sci ;2020 (Dec 31) ;11(1)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases have increased rapidly in recent decades, which is associated with various genetic abnormalities. To provide a better understanding of the genetic factors in ASD, we assessed the global scientific output of the related studies. A total of 2944 studies published between 1997 and 2018 were included by systematic retrieval from the Web of Science (WoS) database, whose scientific landscapes were drawn and the tendencies and research frontiers were explored through bibliometric methods. The United States has been acting as a leading explorer of the field worldwide in recent years. The rapid development of high-throughput technologies and bioinformatics transferred the research method from the traditional classic method to a big data-based pipeline. As a consequence, the focused research area and tendency were also changed, as the contribution of de novo mutations in ASD has been a research hotspot in the past several years and probably will remain one into the near future, which is consistent with the current opinions of the major etiology of ASD. Therefore, more attention and financial support should be paid to the deciphering of the de novo mutations in ASD. Meanwhile, the effective cooperation of multi-research centers and scientists in different fields should be advocated in the next step of scientific research undertaken.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

15. Wymbs NF, Nebel MB, Ewen JB, Mostofsky SH. Altered Inferior Parietal Functional Connectivity is Correlated with Praxis and Social Skill Performance in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cereb Cortex ;2020 (Dec 31)

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties perceiving and producing skilled gestures, or praxis. The inferior parietal lobule (IPL) is crucial to praxis acquisition and expression, yet how IPL connectivity contributes to autism-associated impairments in praxis as well as social-communicative skill remains unclear. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, we applied independent component analysis to test how IPL connectivity relates to praxis and social-communicative skills in children with and without ASD. Across all children (with/without ASD), praxis positively correlated with connectivity of left posterior-IPL with the left dorsal premotor cortex and with the bilateral posterior/medial parietal cortex. Praxis also correlated with connectivity of right central-IPL connectivity with the left intraparietal sulcus and medial parietal lobe. Further, in children with ASD, poorer praxis and social-communicative skills both correlated with weaker right central-IPL connectivity with the left cerebellum, posterior cingulate, and right dorsal premotor cortex. Our findings suggest that IPL connectivity is linked to praxis development, that contributions arise bilaterally, and that right IPL connectivity is associated with impaired praxis and social-communicative skills in autism. The findings underscore the potential impact of IPL connectivity and impaired skill acquisition on the development of a range of social-communicative and motor functions during childhood, including autism-associated impairments.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)