1. Adak P, Chakraborty SS, Bandyopadhyay AK, Sinha S, Banerjee N. Role of GABA(A) receptors and chloride transporters in autism – An explorative analysis using peripheral blood as a model. Mol Biol Rep. 2026; 53(1).

BACKGROUND: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acting through its receptors, is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. It plays a vital role in maintaining neuronal chloride balance by interacting with chloride co-transporters, mainly NKCC1 and KCC2. In addition to the neurons, GABA receptors and chloride co-transporters are found to be expressed by the immune cells also. This present work aimed to study the gene expression patterns of GABA(A) receptors and chloride co-transporters (NKCC1 and KCC2) in the autism-affected children of West Bengal using peripheral blood as model. METHODS AND RESULTS: 95 ASD-affected (case) and 82 neurotypical (control) children were recruited for this study. Gene expression patterns were measured by qRT-PCR method. Plasma chloride and GABA levels were estimated by the biochemical method and ELISA respectively. PBMC was cultured in vitro for 72 h with and without Resveratrol and Bumetanide treatment following standard protocols to explore potential change of gene expression. Significant lower expression levels of GABA(A) type receptor subunits and KCC2 were observed in PBMC of ASD cases compared to controls. These alterations were associated with higher plasma GABA levels and lower plasma chloride concentrations in the ASD group. Preliminary data showed that in vitro treatment with Resveratrol and Bumetanide partially affected the expression level of KCC2 and GABA(A) receptor subunits in PBMCs of the ASD group. CONCLUSION: Overall, the findings demonstrated an association between altered peripheral GABA-related gene expression, disrupted chloride homeostasis and autism pathology for the first time in an affected Indo-Caucasoid population from West Bengal, India.

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2. Chen B, Su Z, Sun Y, Shao Z, Yu X, Jiang X, Xue X, Yu L, Wang L, Zhao W, Feng Y, Ning K, Zhang M, Cao A, Zhang L. Gut microbial culturomics identifies autism-associated Shigella and reveals species-level remodeling during fecal microbiota transplantation. Microbiol Spectr. 2026: e0079726.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been repeatedly linked to gut microbiota alterations, yet mechanistic insight remains limited by the scarcity of ASD-specific cultured isolates. Here, we performed large-scale gut microbial culturomics on fecal samples from 41 children with ASD and 12 typically developing (TD) controls, generating 1,724 isolates across six phyla. Longitudinal culturomics profiling was further conducted in 17 ASD children undergoing a 9-week fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) intervention. All isolates underwent 16S rRNA sequencing and non-redundant clustering to assess species-level diversity, ASD-TD differences, and microbial dynamics associated with clinical response. ASD children harbored a distinct culturable microbiota enriched for Shigella flexneri and Shigella boydii, whereas TD children were enriched in beneficial taxa, such as Bifidobacterium catenulatum subsp. and other health-associated species. Notably, 20 species isolated from ASD children and 20 from TD children were absent from major existing gut microbiota biobanks, thereby expanding the cultivable repertoire. Among FMT participants, clinical responders exhibited increased alpha diversity, progressive enrichment of TD-associated beneficial taxa, such as Bacteroides fragilis, Anaerostipes hadrus, Parabacteroides merdae, and Turicibacter sanguinis, and a marked reduction of ASD-associated Shigella flexneri and Shigella boydii, whereas non-responders showed minimal shifts. Acquisition of TD-enriched strains at week 9 was strongly correlated with clinical improvement, suggesting that species-level ecosystem remodeling may contribute to FMT efficacy. This work establishes one of the first ASD-focused gut microbial culturomics resources, identifies Shigella as a potential ASD-associated taxon, and provides foundational evidence and testable mechanistic hypotheses for future microbiome-based interventions in ASD.IMPORTANCEMost autism spectrum disorder (ASD) microbiome studies rely on sequencing, which identifies associations but lacks live strains needed for mechanistic tests. We cultured 1,724 isolates from ASD and typically developing (TD) children, providing an ASD-focused, strain-level resource. ASD samples showed a significantly higher prevalence of Shigella flexneri. Longitudinal profiling during fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) showed that clinical responders gained TD-enriched taxa and lost Shigella spp., and these shifts correlated with symptom improvement. This resource enables functional assays and gnotobiotic studies with ASD-relevant strains and provides a foundation for rational microbiome-based interventions.

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3. Fernández SB, Salas-Gómez D, Romero-Ayuso D, Gozalo-Delgado M. Preliminary Evidence for Differentiating Functional Performance in Preschool Children on the Autism Spectrum Using the Basic Activities of Daily Living Evaluation-Preschool Version. J Autism Dev Disord. 2026.

PURPOSE: The ability to perform basic activities of daily living is a core component of child development and participation. Despite its relevance, the availability of tools to assess these activities in preschoolers on the autism spectrum remains limited, particularly in the Spanish context. This study examined the psychometric properties and explored preliminary reference thresholds for interpreting functional performance of the Basic Activities of Daily Living Evaluation – Preschool Version (BADL-P), a culturally relevant and context-sensitive tool. METHODS: A total of 281 children (241 from the general population and 40 on the autism spectrum), aged 3-6 years, participated. THE BADL-P INCLUDES FOUR SCALES: Eating, Personal Hygiene, Dressing, and Daily Functioning (executive functioning during daily activities), comprising 84 items. Group differences, internal consistency, inter-scale correlations, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted to assess the instrument’s discriminative validity as a measure of functional performance in preschool children, and to explore normative reference thresholds for differentiating between groups. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between children from the general population and those on the autism spectrum across all scales, with large effect sizes in Dressing (rrb = 0.78) and Personal Hygiene (rrb = 0.88). The BADL-P demonstrated AUCs ranging from 0.88 to 0.94. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the BADL-P as a culturally relevant and context-sensitive instrument for assessing functional performance in early childhood.

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4. García-Pérez L, Ramos-García V, Linertová R, Valcárcel-Nazco C, Santos B, Canal-Bedia R, Iemmi V, Knapp M, Scattoni ML, Schendel D, Posada M, Serrano-Aguilar P. Costs of autism spectrum disorders and access to services in Spain. BMC Health Serv Res. 2026.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition with significant impact on families and society. The objective of this article is to present the results of the first cost-of-illness study of ASD in Spain. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was designed to estimate the annual cost per individual by means of an anonymous survey and a bottom-up approach to collect use of services and costs. A societal perspective was adopted, including direct costs related to education, health care, and social care sectors, and productivity loss. RESULTS: Complete responses of 334 individuals on the spectrum were obtained (mean age 12.3 years, 82% male, 46.4% with autistic disorder). The most used health care services were general practitioners (35.6%), accident and emergency services (15.3%), and community nurses (10.8%). Among specialized health care services, the most frequently used were psychologists, psychiatrists and other types of individual therapy. The most used drugs were antipsychotics. There was a variety of social services available and accessed. The most often reported service accessed by carers was additional visits to general practitioner (15%). The average annual direct cost of ASD in Spain was €10,974 per individual (95%CI 8717-13879). Logistic regression found that individuals with anxiety, intellectual disability, and an autistic disorder were more likely to access services. The average cost of productivity losses per carer was €2186.4. CONCLUSIONS: The average annual direct cost of ASD in Spain was €10,974 per individual. Individuals with anxiety or intellectual disability co-occurring with autistic disorder were more likely to access services. Findings from this study would be useful to inform service planning and future research.

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5. Gordon I, Pelton M, Goodwin J, Herrington R, Rodgers J, Cassidy S. ‘My Answers Don’t Fit Your Options’: Measuring Self-Harm With Autistic People Using the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviours Interview (SITBI). Autism. 2026: 13623613261435249.

Autistic people are a high-risk group for suicide, and self-harm is one of the strongest predictors of death by suicide among autistic people. There are no validated measures to assess self-harm with or without suicidal intent among autistic people. We aimed to describe the challenges reported by autistic people when completing the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviours Interview (SITBI) and researchers’ experiences of supporting them. We undertook thematic analysis of feasibility interview transcripts from a pilot randomised controlled trial of autism-adapted safety plans carried out in the United Kingdom. One theme, ‘Reaching an authentic answer’ overarched three subthemes: ‘Conceptualising suicidal plans’; ‘Defining parameters of suicidal thoughts’; and ‘Capturing self-harm’. Researchers validated autistic experience and developed trusting partnership with participants to overcome ambiguous language and a lack of valid response options. Data were gathered on an opportunistic basis, rather than with this intended purpose, meaning this may not constitute an exhaustive survey of this issue. Researchers can support autistic people to report self-harm using the SITBI and other measures designed with non-autistic people in mind by clarifying the meaning of questions and working collaboratively on a response that matches participants’ experience. Researchers and clinicians should validate autistic experiences of self-harm and suicidality.Lay AbstractThe U.K. government has said that autistic people are a very important group for avoiding suicide. Self-harm often leads to death by suicide, but there are no questionnaires that definitely measure self-harm in autistic people. This means that the way that questionnaires ask about self-harm may not include relevant questions and may not ask about things that are important to autistic people. In our study, autistic people did a questionnaire that is often used to measure self-harm called the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviours Inventory (SITBI). We found out about challenges that autistic people had in understanding and responding to the questions. This was part of a larger project, which tested a suicide safety plan that was adapted for autistic people. There was one overall challenge (called an over-arching theme) for autistic people, which was about being able to give honest answers to the SITBI questions with the options given on the questionnaire. Within this, there were three specific challenges (called subthemes), which were about: (1) explaining own meaning of suicide plan within the choice of answers given (called ‘conceptualising suicide plans’); (2) explaining what suicidal thoughts are like showing with the choice of answers given (called ‘defining parameters of suicidal thoughts’); and (3) explaining what self-harm is like with the choice of answers given (called ‘capturing self-harm’). Researchers helped autistic people to answer the questions in four different ways: (1) by showing they understood the person’s experience; (2) by working together with trust; (3) by explaining unclear language; and (4) by helping them to choose answers. We did not set out to get this information when we did the larger project. This work shows researchers that self-harm can be different for autistic people compared to non-autistic people.

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6. Hasslinger J, Alehagen L, Bilir K, Bölte S. Autism and ADHD Strengths and Needs in a Nutshell – Parental Evaluation of a Digital ICF-Based Assessment Summary Report. J Autism Dev Disord. 2026.

PURPOSE: Returning results from psychological assessments is increasingly viewed as an ethical duty and a way to strengthen engagement and trust. The WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) offers a framework to describe functioning across strengths, challenges, and contextual facilitators/barriers. Although ICF-based approaches map functioning in autism and ADHD, their use for individualized feedback to caregivers is underexamined. We evaluated caregivers’ perceptions of a digital summary report derived from a proxy-rated ICF-based assessment for children and adolescents with autism and/or ADHD. METHODS: A multiple-methods survey was sent to 707 caregivers from a prior ICF Core Sets study; 357 provided valid responses. Items covered perceived accuracy, changes in awareness and agency, and perceived usefulness in healthcare, education, and social services. Quantitative data were analysed with nonparametric statistics; qualitative responses were thematically categorized. RESULTS: Caregivers rated the report accurate for their child’s strengths (91.3%) and challenges (92.2%). About half reported increased awareness of strengths (49.9%), challenges (48.7%), and environmental facilitators (49.3%) and barriers (49.6%). Many reported greater ability to use strengths (53.2%), manage difficulties (48.4%), and seek help (39.5%). Parents of autistic children reported larger awareness gains than parents of children with ADHD; no differences emerged by caregiver or child gender. The report was considered useful in healthcare (62.1%), education (65.3%), and social services (60%). CONCLUSION: ICF-based feedback was perceived as accurate, useful, and empowering, supporting clinical and educational practice. Impact may increase if delivered earlier and further tailored. Implementation studies should assess usability, acceptability, and benefits for decision-making.

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7. Jingyao Y, Dongpo S, Wanxu L, Xiaofen L. The impact of dance activities on social skills and related behaviors in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry. 2026; 17: 1805431.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to quantitatively assess the effects of dance activities on social skills and related behaviors in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder through a meta-analysis, thereby providing evidence-based support for clinical interventions. METHODS: We searched eight Chinese and English databases-PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang data, and VIP databases-up to March 20, 2025, for relevant literature and included randomized controlled trials that met the PICOS criteria. Two researchers independently conducted duplicate checks, double-blind screening, and data extraction using NoteExpress software. Quality was assessed using the Cochrane tool, and meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias testing were performed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 18.0 software. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the effect size. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies involving 312 participants were included. The meta-analysis showed that dance activities effectively improved social skill impairments in children and adolescents with autism [SMD = -1.96, 95% CI: -2.63 to -1.28, p < 0.00001], as well as communication skills [SMD = -1.87, 95% CI (-2.75, -0.99), p < 0.0001], social interaction [SMD = -2.04, 95% CI [-2.99, -1.09], p < 0.0001], repetitive behaviors [SMD = -1.50, 95% CI [-2.23, -0.77], p < 0.0001], and perceptual abilities [SMD = -1.64, 95% CI (-2.16, -1.12), p < 0.00001] showed positive improvements, but there was high heterogeneity among studies. Subgroup analysis suggests that age may influence the effectiveness of the intervention. CONCLUSION: Dance activities may positively impact social skills and related behaviors in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, with younger individuals showing more pronounced benefits. Optimal outcomes can be achieved through strategies such as incorporating peer interactions, extending intervention duration, and integrating medication management. However, caution is warranted in interpreting these findings due to significant sample heterogeneity and insufficient sample sizes. Future research should design more high-quality randomized controlled trials to further validate these effects. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD420251015850.

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8. Kan DD, Chuai A, Bong K, Chng E, Ang M, Lim E. Understanding the workplace needs of autistic adults in Singapore: insights to inform inclusive AI support. Front Psychiatry. 2026; 17: 1825357.

INTRODUCTION: Autistic adults face persistent challenges in obtaining and sustaining meaningful employment. Despite growing attention to workplace inclusion, research on autistic adults’ employment experiences in non-Western contexts remains scarce. The potential of emerging technologies, such as large language models (LLMs), to support workplace integration is also still largely unexplored, yet off-the-shelf models may reflect neurotypical norms that risk reinforcing masking or overlooking neurodivergent needs. This qualitative, participatory study therefore centered autistic adults’ perspectives to understand workplace experiences and identify potential LLM affordances that could facilitate integration. METHODS: Twenty autistic adults with at least 3 months of work experience were recruited in Singapore. Data was collected through semi-structured group discussions. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identified workplace challenges, needs, and potential support LLMs can provide. We had a multidisciplinary team of autistic and non-autistic researchers, and autistic perspectives actively shaped the design, conduct, and interpretation of the research. RESULTS: Two overarching themes emerged: (1) assumed neurotypicality of the workplace, evident in work processes and social participation, and (2) need for workplace inclusivity, supported through both individual accommodations and systemic change, including identity-affirming support, alignment of work design and tools with neurodivergent working styles, empowered access to supports and accommodations, and shared responsibility for workplace integration. Potential LLM functionalities involve supporting executive functioning, encouraging self-reflection, and fostering mutual understanding between autistic employees and their coworkers. DISCUSSION: Workplace barriers for autistic employees often stem from assumed neurotypical norms rather than individual deficits. Participants reported challenges related to ambiguous work processes, implicit social expectations, and executive functioning demands, which reflect a mismatch between workplace structures and neurodivergent ways of working. Crucially, inclusivity cannot rely solely on individual accommodations; meaningful workplace inclusion requires systemic change. Designing LLM tools that align with neurodivergent working styles can complement systemic inclusivity efforts and empower autistic employees. Implications and future directions are discussed.

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9. Kunevičius A, Gawlińska K, Burokas A, Gawliński D. Efficacy of pharmacological and microbiota-based therapies in preclinical models of autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. Mol Psychiatry. 2026.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental condition in which pharmacological and microbiota-targeted interventions are emerging as promising therapeutic avenues. Animal models are the main tool to investigate etiology, molecular mechanisms and screening for pharmacological therapies. Methodological differences, outcome measure variability, incomplete reporting, biological confounders, and overgeneralization of the results made evaluating innovative pharmacological agents challenging. These limitations in the field highlight a need for systematic and standardized research to reliably assess and translate pharmacological interventions from ASD animal models to human clinical relevance. SUBJECTS: This systematic review synthesized efficacy evidence for pharmacological and microbiota-based therapies across established ASD animal models. RESULTS: We identified 52 recent (2010-2025) studies that reported key ASD behavioral outcomes after pharmacological or microbiota-focused treatments. Interventions were grouped into therapeutic classes – including oxytocinergic agents, E/I balance therapeutic targets, metabolic drugs, cannabinoids, purine-based interventions and emerging targets – alongside microbiota-directed strategies such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation. By integrating effect directions and robustness across models, we identified most potential drug candidates, evaluated the efficacy of novel strategies, and recognized critical translational gaps. The reviewed studies demonstrate that ASD-like behavioral deficits in preclinical models can be modulated through interventions targeting diverse biological systems, including neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, metabolism, and the gut-brain axis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the multifactorial nature of ASD pathophysiology which arises from a network of interacting systemic processes rather than a single molecular defect. It could explain the limited success of traditionally narrowly targeted interventions and suggest a paradigm shift into a more systemic approach.

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10. Liao Y, Fu W, Zeng Z, Liu F, Peng J. Effect of empathic ability on white lie cognition among autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities. Front Psychol. 2026; 17: 1775180.

In interpersonal communication, white lies are often used to consider the feelings of others or to avoid the negative consequences of telling the truth. Understanding the relationship between children’s empathic ability and white lie cognition cannot only help to comprehend the development process of children’s white lies and deepen the research in children’s moral development and social cognition, but also provide a theoretical basis for educating children on white lie cognition and fostering prosocial behavior. Although white lie cognition is well-documented in children with typical development, the role of empathic ability in this process remains under-researched in neurodiverse populations. This study examined the influence of empathic ability on white lie cognition in children with autism spectrum disorder and children with intellectual disability. A white lie cognition task and an empathy continuum test were administered to assess the performance and differences among children with typical development, ASD, and ID across various dimensions of white lie cognition and empathic ability. Results: (1) Significant differences in cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and evaluations of both the degree and morality of white lies were observed among autism spectrum disorder, children with intellectual disabilities, and children with typical development. The stronger a child’s cognitive and emotional empathy, the easier it was to evaluate the degree of white lie and its moral implications. (2) Autism spectrum disorder demonstrated significantly lower empathic ability and white lie cognition compared with those with intellectual disabilities. Moreover, greater empathic ability in these children was associated with improved white lie cognition. (3) Across children with typical development, autism spectrum disorder, and children with intellectual disabilities, when empathic ability scores were higher, cognitive empathy and emotional empathy could positively predict all aspects of white lie cognition. These results indicate that the empathic ability of autism spectrum disorder and children with intellectual disabilities can directly affect their white lie cognition. In these children, higher empathic ability is associated with improved cognition of white lies and promotes accurate evaluations of both the degree and morality of white lies.

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11. Liu Y, Feng J, Zhu Y, Li C, Zhou Y, Wang X. Effects of Halliwick-based aquatic exercise on social and motor skills of children with autism spectrum disorder: a pilot study. Front Psychol. 2026; 17: 1832876.

Limited evidence is available regarding the effects and duration of Halliwick-based aquatic exercise intervention in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This pilot study aimed to investigate the feasibility, initial effects and short-term persistence of Halliwick-based aquatic exercise on social and motor skills in children with ASD. Twelve children with ASD were randomly assigned into either intervention group or control group. Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0), after 6 weeks of intervention (T1), at the end of intervention (T2), and 4 weeks after cessation of the intervention (T3). Outcome measures included balance performance (standing on one leg with eyes open and closed, intensive Romberg tests), the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC), Children’s Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Children’s Sensory Integration Rating Scale (CSIS), and the Humphries Assessment of Aquatic Readiness (HAAR). In the intervention group, ATEC health/behavior and total score were significantly reduced at T1 compared to T0, and speech/language/communication scores were significantly lower than those of the control group. CARS scores showed significant reductions at T1, T2, and T3 compared to T0. In contrast, CSIS scores, balance performance and HAAR scores demonstrated significant increases from T1 to T3 compared to both baseline and the control group. This pilot study suggested that a 12-week Halliwick-based aquatic exercise program may be associated with improvements in social and motor skills in children with ASD, with some benefits maintained for at least 4 weeks. Large-scale studies are needed to confirm the preliminary findings.

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12. Ma KKY, Chan SSM, Wong EWY, Choi O, Mo FYM, Shea CKS, Ho CSW, Leung PWL, So SHW, Bögels SM, Ng FFY, Chau SWH, Lai KYC, Fung GPC, Wong OWH. Mindfulness-Based Psychoeducation App to Improve the Well-Being of Parents and Caregivers of Children With Autism: Development and Usability Study. JMIR Pediatr Parent. 2026; 9: e84224.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) not only affects a person’s social communication and behaviors, but also has an impact on their parents, who encounter different challenges during caregiving. Interventions developed for parents of children with ASD often focus on improving child outcomes and seldom consider the well-being of parents and families. Interventions leveraging mindfulness-based approaches have been developed to support parents of children with ASD, but the costs, inflexibility, and scarcity of resources may limit their accessibility. App-based interventions can be an accessible, scalable, and economical way of providing interventions at a primary health care level. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop an evidence-based digital intervention that complements existing, overloaded psychiatric services, to provide mindfulness-based psychoeducation for parents of children with ASD to improve their mental well-being. METHODS: The app development process follows the systematic approach of intervention mapping. Needs assessment was first conducted through semistructured qualitative interviews with health care professionals. Performance and change objectives were specified; theory-based and practical application methods were selected, followed by the design of the curriculum for a structured intervention. A pilot waitlist randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the app with parents of children with ASD recruited from a tertiary child psychiatric service in Hong Kong. RESULTS: The resulting intervention, the TRIP app, is a 6-week structured intervention consisting of 6 sessions per week (each session lasting 15-20 minutes), covering topics on ASD parenting skills and mindfulness practices. The six weekly themes include (1) cultivating curiosity in parenting, (2) mindfulness of the breath and body, (3) management of core and associated features of ASD, (4) managing conflicts and setting boundaries, (5) perspective taking, and (6) cultivating self-compassion. The curriculum was designed to target the determinants of parental stress, including parents’ knowledge, skills, emotions, and attitudes. App content and features were designed to incorporate behavioral change techniques, social cognitive theory, and elaboration likelihood model, to enhance efficacy and promote long-term usage. The app was found to be feasible and acceptable in the pilot randomized controlled trial (n=40), with greater long-term usage among parents of children on the waiting list who were yet to receive diagnostic assessment and clinical management, when compared with parents of children who have already been receiving clinical care. CONCLUSIONS: The TRIP app was developed based on knowledge and expertise across psychiatry, public health, behavioral science, and implementation science. It caters to the unmet needs for improving caregiver well-being in the holistic care model for families of children with ASD. The clinical efficacy of the TRIP app is yet to be evaluated through clinical trials.

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13. Mukula HM, Opondo H, Ndeezi M, Kateregga A, Musanje K, Ouma S. « They are hard to navigate » exploring healthcare providers experiences managing Self-Injurious Behaviors among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Uganda. PLOS Ment Health. 2026; 3(6): e0000627.

Self-injurious behaviors (SIBs), although not a symptom of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), are highly prevalent among children with ASD and present significant management challenges for healthcare providers, particularly in low-resource settings. This qualitative study explored the experiences of healthcare providers managing self-injurious behaviors in children aged 5-12 years diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ten healthcare providers were recruited using maximum variation purposive sampling. Data were analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s framework. Two main themes emerged from the data (1) Experiences managing SIBs and (2) challenges managing SIBs. Findings suggest challenges in managing self-injurious behaviors, which are exacerbated by a lack of specialized healthcare providers and the limited use of evidence-based interventions. Targeted support, specialized training, and supervision are recommended for healthcare providers.

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14. Osman H, Breece E, Ashwood P. Differential brain neuroimmune profiles and altered immune balance in autism spectrum disorder compared with psychotic disorder and neurotypical controls. Res Sq. 2026.

Alterations in immune and neuroinflammatory processes are evident in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism (ASD) and psychotic disorders. While prior studies using cerebral spinal fluid and serum have identified differences in cytokine levels in ASD or psychotic disorders when compared with controls, specific changes in postmortem human brain tissue remains poorly characterized, making cross-disorder comparisons uncertain. The superior temporal gyrus (STG), involved in social communication and sensory processing, is affected in both conditions, making it a relevant region for investigating immune-related differences. This study aimed to compare neuroimmune profiles in ASD and psychotic disorders. STG tissue was analyzed from 72 postmortem cases: ASD (n = 17), psychotic disorders (n = 26), and neurotypical controls (n = 29). Fresh-frozen samples were collected using biopsy punches, and cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors were quantified using multiplexed bead immunoassays. In ASD cases, there were significantly increased levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1α, IL-8, G-CSF, M-CSF and GROa compared to both controls and psychotic disorder. In contrast, there was a significant decrease in IFNα2 and IL-4 cytokine levels in ASD compared to both controls and psychotic disorders. In the psychotic disorder group, there were increases in inflammatory chemokines eotaxin, fractalkine and RANTES compared to ASD and controls. Notably, there was a concomitant rise in regulatory cytokines TGFβ1 and IL-10 in psychotic disorder suggestive of compensatory response that was not observed in ASD. Overall, ASD presented a distinctive STG cytokine profile with an increased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and reduced immune regulatory balance, whereas psychotic disorder exhibited significant variations in chemokines and growth factors but incorporating greater immune regulation. These data highlights that unique neuroimmune pathways occur in different neurodevelopmental disorders offering insights into potential therapeutic targets tailored to each condition.

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15. Takaba S, Banda N, Doya R, Soe NC, Ogasawara K, Hirai A, Ikenaka Y, Ishizuka M, Nakayama SM. Evaluation of lead exposure’s link to autism-like behaviours and Shank 3 gene expression in C57BL/6J mice. J Vet Med Sci. 2026.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects about 1 in 100 people worldwide, yet its causes remain poorly understood. Environmental factors, such as perinatal lead (Pb) exposure, have been linked to neurodevelopmental disruption, especially during periods when the blood-brain barrier is immature. This study aimed to assess ASD-like behavioural outcomes in offspring following maternal Pb exposure during neurodevelopment using a C57BL/6J mouse model. Pregnant dams received 100 ppm Pb acetate in their drinking water from the second week of gestation until weaning; controls were given deionised distilled water. Male offspring underwent behavioural assessments at 5 and 9 weeks of age using the three-chambered Social-Nonsocial (S-NS) interaction test and the Morris water maze. Pb concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and real-time PCR was used to target Shank3, an ASD-associated gene. Lead concentrations were significantly elevated in the blood, brain, bone, liver, and kidney of exposed offspring, confirming effective maternal-foetal Pb transfer. However, no significant differences were observed between groups in behavioural performance or Shank3 expression. These findings suggest that perinatal Pb exposure at 100 ppm in the last trimester of pregnancy, under the conditions tested, does not induce measurable ASD-like phenotypes in male C57BL/6J mice. Further studies are warranted to investigate dose-dependent effects, sex-specific vulnerabilities, and the broader molecular pathways involved.

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16. Yang D, Liu Q, Ran H, Xue T, Lu Y, Yang X, Wang J, Liu L, Wang W, Nie B, Cai G, Wu S. Olfactory Valence-Processing Deficits and Aberrant Brain Network Connectivity Underlie Social Dysfunction in Shank3(-/-) ASD Model Mice. Neurosci Bull. 2026.

Olfaction is crucial for rodent social behavior, and olfactory dysfunction has been observed in multiple autism spectrum disorder (ASD) models, but its phenotype in Shank3(⁻/⁻) mice (a classic ASD model) remains unclear. We systematically assessed olfactory function in Shank3(⁻/⁻) mice by using a modified olfactory three-chamber test and optimized ultrasonic vocalization (USV) detection in combination with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), whole-brain c-Fos mapping, and three-dimensional (3D) behavioral analysis. Our results showed abnormal odor preference and hyperconnectivity in olfaction-associated brain networks. Upon exposure to neutral, appetitive, and social pheromone odors, Shank3(⁻/⁻) mice displayed atypical whole-brain c-Fos activation patterns, which were coupled with synchronized locomotor suppression and stereotyped behaviors. This study maps the neural-behavioral responses to odors in Shank3(-/-) mice, linking olfactory deficits to autism-like behaviors, and highlights the olfactory system as a targetable pathway for sensory-based autism therapies.

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17. Yang L, Zhang J, Wang J, Huang HH, Han H, Razansky D, Rominger A, Lu J, Ni R. Divergent scalp-to-region distance alteration patterns in autism spectrum disorders, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. bioRxiv. 2026.

Brain stimulation is increasingly recognized as an effective and important therapeutic intervention for many brain diseases. Distance between the scalp and other brain regions is a pivotal variable for neurostimulation planning and the development of new techniques, but alterations in the distance between the scalp and other regions in brain diseases are largely unknown. In this study, we developed an automatic pipeline to calculate scalp-to-region distance (SRD) values from T1 MR images and applied it to a total of 1382 participants, including patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and cognitively normal controls (CNs). Cloud points were uniformly sampled on the automatically extracted scalp surface and cortex surface, on which the point-wise distance maps were generated. The brain was then coregistered with the BCI-DNI atlas, and SRD value for each brain region was extracted. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed for SRD in each brain region, with age and sex as covariates. Compared with CNs, ASD patients showed widespread SRD decreases across the brain with prominent involvement of the frontal lobe, especially the orbitofrontal cortex and adjacent regions. In contrast, in AD patients, significantly increased SRD values were observed in various regions of the frontal gyrus. No significant SRD alteration was found in PD patients after correction. The automatic SRD calculation pipeline and the different patterns of SRD alterations in these diseases might be helpful for future neurostimulation planning in clinical practice. HIGHLIGHTS: Automatic pipeline enables scalp-to-region distance (SRD) measurement, facilitates brain stimulation planning.ASD patients show widespread SRD decreases, especially in the orbitofrontal cortex and adjacent regions.AD patients present increased SRD in the frontal gyrus and decreased SRD in the parahippocampal gyrus.

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