1. Baumeister F, Wolfer P, Vila Borrellas E, Solaimani E, Eigsti IM, Durrleman S. Associations Between Second-Language Proficiency and Executive Functions in Autistic and Neurotypical Children. Open Mind (Camb). 2026; 10: 613-40.

Bilingualism is a complex experience that may enhance executive functions (EF). This potential benefit could be particularly relevant for autistic children, given that they tend to present EF difficulties. Some studies find bilingualism benefits in attention, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and memory, in neurotypical and autistic children while others do not. These inconsistencies may arise from oversimplifying the operationalization of bilingualism, obscuring the mechanisms underlying its effects on EF. This study used continuous measures to operationalize bilingualism and test its links with EF. Bayesian multilevel modeling showed that higher second language proficiency in 168 autistic (M = 8;3) and 262 neurotypical (M = 7;8) children was associated with better attention and working memory in neurotypical children and better attention, short-term memory, working memory, and shifting abilities in autistic children.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. Chen S, Tian Y, Ma R, Gao F, Ma G. Factors associated with psychological distress among family caregivers of preschool children with autism: an analysis. Front Psychiatry. 2026; 17: 1570322.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with psychological distress among family caregivers of preschool-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using LASSO regression and random forest algorithms. METHODS: A convenience sampling method was employed to recruit 213 caregivers of preschool-aged children with ASD from three institutions in Urumqi between December 2023 and October 2024. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and the Symptom Checklist-90. Predictors were screened through LASSO regression, and a random forest risk assessment model was constructed and validated on the test set. A logistic regression model was simultaneously developed for comparative validation. RESULTS: The top five factors associated with caregivers’ psychological distress are comorbid conditions in children with ASD, daily care hours, marital status, the severity of the child’s ASD, and employment status. The model outperformed logistic regression on both the training set (AUC = 0.845, sensitivity=0.893, specificity=0.913, accuracy=0.933, F1 score=0.901) and test set (AUC = 0.87, sensitivity=0.733, specificity=0.727, accuracy=0.710, F1 score=0.721). Decision curve analysis demonstrated clinical utility across threshold probability ranges of 0-0.85. CONCLUSION: Factors associated with psychological distress among autism caregivers include comorbidity status, caregiving duration, marital status, disease severity, and employment status. These findings provide evidence-based guidance for early psychological intervention targeting high-risk caregivers.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Dunham-Carr K, Keçeli-Kaysılı B, Magnuson JE, Pulliam G, Clark SM, Feldman JI, Santapuram P, McClurkin K, Agojci D, Schwartz A, Lewkowicz DJ, Woynaroski TG. Looking to and Processing of Audiovisual Speech and Associations with Language in Infant Siblings of Autistic and Non-autistic Children. medRxiv. 2026.

Differences in looking to and processing of audiovisual speech have been theorized to contribute to heterogeneity in language ability in autistic children. Differential audiovisual speech processing has been indexed by event-related potentials (ERPs), specifically via amplitude suppression in response to audiovisual versus auditory-only speech, and linked with vocabulary in school-aged children. This study used an intact-group comparison and concurrent correlational design in infant siblings of autistic children (Sibs-Autism) and non-autistic children (Sibs-NA) to determine whether amplitude suppression is (a) present in infancy, (b) different in Sibs-Autism versus Sibs-NA, and (c) related to looking to audiovisual speech and language abilities. We collected EEG data from 54 infants aged 12-18 months (29 Sibs-Autism; 25 Sibs-NA) while they viewed videos of audiovisual and auditory-only speech, as well as eye tracking and language data. We found significant amplitude differences at the N2 ERP component in response to audiovisual versus auditory-only speech but no significant group differences in ERP amplitudes. Associations between looking to audiovisual speech, amplitude effects, and language were moderated by group, chronological age, and biological sex. Our findings suggest that differential audiovisual speech processing is present in 12-18-month-olds and may explain heterogeneity in looking to audiovisual speech and emerging language ability.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Esposto E, Nickel K, Endres D, Runge K, Domschke K, Lange T, Reisert M, Schumann A, Niolu C, van Elst LT, Maier S. Linking Brain Morphometry to Psychometric Measures and Energy-Metabolic Biomarkers in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res. 2026: e70288.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with differences in neurodevelopment and altered metabolism, yet the interplay between brain morphometry, mitochondrial and energy metabolism biomarkers, and autistic traits in adults remains poorly understood. This study investigates the link between brain structure, psychometric measures, and both central and peripheral metabolic biomarkers in adults with ASD. We studied 145 adults, including 74 with ASD and 71 control participants (CON) using high-resolution 3-Tesla MRI to assess cortical thickness, subcortical and global brain volumes. Central energy metabolism was indexed by the posterior-cingulate lactate + threonine (Lac(+)) peak quantified with proton-MRS. We examined associations between biomarkers of mitochondrial function and energy metabolism (including lactate, pyruvate, creatine kinase, and multiple acylcarnitines). Psychometric evaluations included measures of ASD and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom severity, as well as other psychiatric comorbidities. Between-group differences and correlations were assessed using robust statistics, controlling for age, sex, image quality, and total intracranial volume. Adults with ASD showed significantly larger bilateral caudate volumes compared to CON. Within the ASD group, higher ADHD symptom severity in childhood correlated with reduced cortical thickness in multiple frontal and temporal regions. Among metabolic markers, acylcarnitine C5:1 was positively associated with right insular cortex thickness, while C18:1-OH and C18:2 levels correlated positively with caudate volume. Caudate nucleus volume is associated not only with an ASD diagnosis but also with specific peripheral energy-metabolism blood markers, such as specific acylcarnitines. Alterations in cortical thickness were also correlated with acylcarnitine levels and, to a greater extent, with co-occurring ADHD symptoms. While alterations in cortical thickness and basal ganglia structure have been previously described in ASD and comorbid ADHD, the linkage between mitochondrial and energy metabolism biomarkers with neuroanatomical alterations in ASD is, to our knowledge, a novel observation that warrants further investigation. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is known to affect brain development and the way the brain uses energy. However, how brain structure, energy metabolism, and autistic traits are connected in adults is still unclear. In this study, we examined brain scans and blood samples from 145 adults, some with ASD and some without (control participants). We also looked at their psychological traits, including symptoms of ADHD at childhood. We found that adults with ASD had a larger part of the brain called the caudate nucleus. In those with stronger ADHD symptoms during childhood, frontal and lateral brain regions were thinner. We also discovered that specific molecules in the blood related to energy use, called acylcarnitines, were linked to differences in brain structure. Some of these markers were connected to the size of the caudate nucleus and the thickness of the insular cortex. These results suggest that changes in brain structure in adults with ASD may be related not only to behavior and symptoms, but also to differences in how the brain produce and use energy. This connection between metabolism and brain structure could help us better understand autism and related conditions in the future. eng.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Hong SC, Han JY, Choi SK. Acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism: separating controversy from scientific evidence. Obstet Gynecol Sci. 2026.

Acetaminophen (paracetamol and tylenol) has long been recommended as the preferred first-line analgesic and antipyretic in pregnancy, supported by decades of clinical experience, and has a more favorable safety profile than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or opioids. Recently, however, political statements and media coverage linking maternal tylenol use to autism risk have amplified public concern and created uncertainty in clinical practice. This narrative review summarizes the current epidemiological evidence and positions of major professional societies and regulatory agencies on prenatal acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes. A large Swedish nationwide cohort with a sibling-control analysis found no significant association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and children’s risk of autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or intellectual disability, suggesting that the previously reported modest risk elevations largely reflect confounding and methodological limitations. Similar null findings from other high-quality cohort and sibling-comparison studies indicate no causal relationship between therapeutic prenatal acetaminophen use and major neurodevelopmental disorders. Consistent with these data, organizations such as the World Health Organization, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and national regulators continue to endorse short-term guideline-concordant acetaminophen use as appropriate in pregnancy. In routine obstetric care, emphasis should be placed on maternal safety, fetal well-being, and evidence-based counseling rather than non-evidence-based concerns, with acetaminophen used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest necessary duration unless future high-quality data indicate otherwise.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. Kim J, Joshi B, Burke MM. Characterizing service receipt among families of young autistic children from low-resourced communities. Int J Dev Disabil. 2026.

When young autistic children (aged 3-5) receive appropriate services, they experience long-term developmental benefits, along with positive impacts on their families and society. However, families of autistic children from low-resourced communities often face compounded barriers to accessing needed services. It is important to characterize service receipt, including current services and unmet service needs, to identify which unmet service needs should be targeted for intervention among families from low-resourced communities. In this study, 52 parents of 3-5-year-olds with autism from low-resourced communities completed a survey characterizing their service receipt. On average, children received 8.84 services. The most frequently received services were health-related, including pediatric care, health insurance, and dental services. Most participants (66%) reported being satisfied with the services, with the highest satisfaction found in health services. The most frequently unmet services were speech therapy, developmental pediatric care, and recreational services. Barriers to accessing services included participants reporting that they have not looked for relevant services and a lack of knowledge about available services. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. Lin M, Tapuc A, Matyjek M, Guendelman S, Dziobek I. The differential impact of autistic traits on implicit and explicit approach-avoidance tendencies toward social and non-social stimuli. Compr Psychiatry. 2026; 149: 152718.

Autistic traits are associated with atypical social behaviors, particularly in approach-avoidance tendencies. However, the differential impact of these traits on responses to social versus non-social stimuli, and the variation of these effects across implicit and explicit tasks, remains unclear. We investigated these influences using an Implicit Association Approach-Avoidance Task (IAAT) and an Explicit Rating Approach-Avoidance Task (EAAT) in two studies (N1 = 160, N2 = 315). Participants evaluated positive and negative social stimuli (faces in both studies) and non-social stimuli (objects in Study 2). Across all participants, we observed consistent approach-positive and avoid-negative tendencies. For social stimuli, higher autistic traits were associated with weaker implicit approach-avoidance associations and lower explicit approach ratings for happy faces, but did not affect avoidance ratings for angry faces. For non-social stimuli, autistic traits only influenced explicit ratings for positive objects. These findings suggest that autistic traits are associated with attenuated automatic approach-avoidance tendencies toward social stimuli and partially influence deliberate ones, while their effects on non-social stimuli are not pronounced. This pattern highlights altered automatic processing and broader motivational differences, offering insight into social engagement patterns in autism.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

8. Liu H, Ding J, Xu D, Yuan J, Ni Z, Liu B, Chang C, Lin J, Ji B, Qin X. Sex differences in the global burden of autism spectrum disorders: An analysis based on GBD 2021 data. Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2026; 51(2): 299-311.

OBJECTIVES: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has become an increasingly serious global public health challenge, with a continuously rising disease burden and marked sex differences. This study aims to evaluate the long-term trends and global distribution patterns of sex differences in the burden of ASD and to project future changes, thereby providing evidence for ASD prevention and management. METHODS: Based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for ASD were extracted for 204 countries and territories. Combined with the sociodemographic index (SDI), the average annual percentage change (AAPC) was used to analyze sex differences in temporal trends and spatial distribution of ASD burden from 1990 to 2021, and to project trends from 2022 to 2050. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2021, the global age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) for ASD was significantly higher in males than in females, and this pattern is projected to persist through 2050. The absolute difference (AD) in ASDR ranged from 103.5 to 105.3 per 100 000, and the relative difference (RD) ranged from 1.0 to 1.1, with the most pronounced sex differences observed in East Asia and high-SDI regions. The male ASDR showed an increasing trend from 1990 to 2021, whereas the female ASDR is projected to increase after 2021, particularly in Africa. In 2021, global DALYs for ASD peaked among children under 5 years of age (221.9 per 100 000 in males and 112.8 per 100 000 in females), and the relative difference in DALYs increased with age. The absolute difference in DALYs during adulthood generally declined but increased among young adults and those aged ≥70 years, consistent with the pattern observed for relative differences. At the national level, sex differences were positively correlated with SDI and universal health coverage (UHC), and negatively correlated with the gender inequality index (GII) (all P<0.001). Spain, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and China were identified as outliers to these associations. CONCLUSIONS: Sex differences in the burden of ASD persist globally and increase with age. Targeted prevention and control strategies tailored to different sexes and age groups are warranted.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

9. Pagán A, Lawrence KE, Buitelaar J, Gao S, Thompson PM, Ma Y, Cosgrove KT, Laezza F, Hafeman DM, Donohue B, Adhikari BM, Pillai A, Jahanshad N, Li W, Thomopoulos S, Loveland KA, Acierno R, Warner A, Montiel-Nava C, Demopoulos C, Temple JR, Soares JC, Chen S, Hong LE, Kochunov P. The Regional Vulnerability Index (RVI) as a Neuroimaging-Based Biomarker for Autism: Associations with Likelihood, Cognition, and Longitudinal Social Outcomes. bioRxiv. 2026.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with symptoms spanning cognitive, social and behavioral domains and leading to lifelong challenges. Autism is heritable but specific genetic and environmental factors that shape its early neurodevelopmental trajectory remain unknown. Despite the clinical variability, neuroimaging findings from Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis (ENIGMA)-ASD consortium identified stable and replicable patterns of cortical and subcortical differences that were consistent with those reported by an independent consortium, the Cognitive Genetics Collaborative Research Organization (COCORO) in Japan. Here we developed and evaluated a regional vulnerability index (RVI), a similarity metric that quantifies how closely a person’s brain resembles the specific pattern of an individual with autism. RVI-ASD is based on combining the regional effect sizes for regional brain measurements published by the ENIGMA-ASD group with microstructural white matter integrity differences reported by COCORO. RVI-ASD showed significantly higher effect size for case-control differences relative to any individual brain measure (d=0.30 vs. d=0.01-0.21) in individuals with autism, particularly in the adolescent-to-adult sample (N=2,577; Mean age = 16.1; SD=5.0). We next calculated RVI-ASD in the baseline and follow-up (ages 10 and 12) data from normally developing participants of the ABCD study (N=4,201). We tested the longitudinal stability, heritability, genotype-by-age interaction and sensitivity of RVI-ASD to known factors and cognitive measurements. RVI-ASD were stable on the 2-year follow up (ICC=0.76-0.92); showed significant heritability (h²=0.55-0.83, p<10 (-16) ) but was not affected by gene-by-age interaction. RVI-ASD showed significant positive correlation with paternal age, while correlation with maternal age was non-significant. Baseline and follow-up RVI-ASD were negatively correlated with cognitive measures including total, fluid and crystallized intelligence (r=-0.09 to -0.11, p<10 (-6) ). RVI-ASD scores tracked with core autism phenotypes including poor eye contact and rigid routines (p < .01). In a sub-sample of children with symptoms of autism (N=20), we found that earlier age of symptom onset was strongly correlated with higher White Matter RVI (r = -0.61), linking early behavioral emergence to the neuroanatomical signature. Longitudinal changes in subcortical RVI-ASD are significantly correlated with change in social functioning. The RVI-ASD is a neuroimaging-based biomarker linked to stable and reproducible brain patterns in autism. RVI-ASD allows researchers to study associations with factors associated with the likelihood for autism and cognition across large and inclusive non-clinical samples, thus moving beyond simple case-control models to understand the biological pathways of autism.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

10. Sánchez-Gómez V, Zenteno-Osorio S, Amor AM, López-Cruz M, Verdugo M. Measuring the quality of life of students with autism in Chilean general education schools. Front Psychiatry. 2026; 17: 1790139.

INTRODUCTION: The enrollment of students with autism in the Chilean general education system has increased exponentially, posing challenges for schools, which need useful approaches and strategies to enable them to respond to students and fulfill their aspirations and needs. The Quality of Life Index-Primary Education (QoLI-PE) is an assessment tool, initially developed in Spain, designed to assess the quality of life (QoL) of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in general education. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties and potential utility of the QoLI-PE in a population of students with autism enrolled in Chilean general schools. Specific aims included analyzing evidence of validity regarding internal structure, analyzing reliability, and exploring the QoL of students with autism in Chilean general schools. METHOD: 242 students with autism attending general education schools in four regions of Chile were assessed by key informants using the QoLI-PE. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted, based on the theoretical model and the configuration previously tested in the Spanish context. Both the first-order model and the second-order model were tested. Reliability was reported according to internal consistency. To compare domains at the within-subjects level, results were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and post-hoc analyses. RESULTS: The second-order model was selected as the more plausible representation. Overall, the CFA supported the internal structure of the instrument for a model composed of eight domains, in which all items presented high and significant factor loadings. Internal consistency was excellent for all domains. Students with autism scored higher on material well-being and rights, while self-determination, interpersonal relationships, and social inclusion were the areas of greatest concern. DISCUSSION: The potential utility of the QoLI-PE in Chilean schools is analyzed, specifically in terms of its contribution to the goals of the recent law regulating the inclusion of people with autism. Possible intervention strategies informed by the instrument are discussed as a means to guide and support the inclusion of Chilean students with autism at different levels. Future directions based on similarities in the application of the instrument between Chile and Spain are highlighted.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

11. Shu Y, Chen Y, Zhou D, Deng X, Florea LD, Deemyad T, Sadeghi SG. Autism associated Cntnap2 deletion disrupts vestibular sensory signaling and spatial cognition in mice. bioRxiv. 2026.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently accompanied by sensory and motor abnormalities, including impaired balance, postural control, and spatial orientation, that are often attributed largely to altered central circuitry. Emerging evidence, however, suggests that peripheral sensory dysfunction can also shape ASD related behavioral phenotypes. Here, we tested whether loss of the ASD associated gene Cntnap2 /Caspr2 alters vestibular signaling in Cntnap2 (-/-) mice. Developmental transcriptomic analysis showed that Cntnap2 is expressed in vestibular sensory organs and increases during the first postnatal month, coincident with vestibular pathway maturation. Vestibular sensory evoked potentials revealed reduced response amplitudes and prolonged latencies in Cntnap2 (-/-) mice, indicating impaired peripheral afferent responses to transient linear acceleration. Cntnap2 (-/-) mice also showed delayed contact righting, reduced ocular counter roll, and increased hindlimb slips and compensatory tail excursions during balance beam walking, whereas rotational vestibulo-ocular reflex gain and phase were preserved. These vestibular and balance abnormalities were accompanied by reduced novel arm preference in the Y maze and severe impairment of Barnes maze acquisition, consistent with impaired spatial learning. Together, these findings identify Cntnap2 /Caspr2 as a regulator of vestibular sensory signaling and support a model in which disrupted peripheral vestibular input, likely acting together with central effects of Cntnap2 loss, contributes to sensorimotor and spatial cognitive phenotypes relevant to ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

12. Zhang X, Xue H, Zhu C, Ji C, Li Y, Liu W. Neuroinflammatory mechanisms and pharmacological advances in autism spectrum disorder: from inflammatory pathways to targeted interventions. Front Immunol. 2026; 17: 1829127.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is highly diverse in causes and symptoms, and reliable biomarkers and mechanism-based treatment targets are still lacking. Neuroinflammation has been linked to ASD risk, symptom development, and long-term course, but the key « body-to-brain » connections and practical intervention points are not yet clearly organized. METHODS: We synthesize evidence from clinical immune and cerebrospinal fluid studies, neuroimaging, animal models, and multi-omics research, following a mechanistic path from maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy to postnatal immune imbalance, transmission of inflammatory signals to the brain, and subsequent amplification within the central nervous system. We propose the Peripheral-to-Central Inflammatory Cascade-Amplification Model (PC-ICAM) to summarize actionable nodes and recent pharmacological advances. RESULTS: Within PC-ICAM, ASD-related neuroinflammation follows a cascade from peripheral immune perturbation to peripheral-to-central transmission and central amplification. Peripheral signals may affect the CNS through BBB vulnerability, extracellular vesicle/miRNA communication, and neuro-immune regulatory pathways. Inflammatory signaling involving NF-κB, JAK/STAT, MAPK/ERK, NLRP3, and PI3K-AKT-mTOR may converge with microglial and astrocytic activation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, disturbing synaptic homeostasis and excitation-inhibition balance. Candidate interventions target IL-6/IL-17 signaling, inflammatory pathways, inflammasome activity, glial modulation, antioxidant/mitochondrial support, BBB stabilization, microbiota-related immune modulation, and exosome-miRNA pathways. CONCLUSIONS: PC-ICAM frames ASD-related neuroinflammation as a traceable and actionable peripheral-to-central cascade with amplification, providing a structured map of mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. It suggests that precision treatment should not rely on a single anti-inflammatory strategy, but rather combine multi-node, mechanism-matched interventions along the cascade.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

13. Zheng Q, Tian Y, Wu Y, Wang H, Zhang Y, Yang Y, Wang Y, Zhao Y, Di Y, Fan J, Qian Z, Zheng Q, Wei Z, Tian Y. Preserved autism-associated behaviors and dopaminergic neuron hyperactivity in DAT-IRES-Cre mice after valproate exposure. Behav Brain Res. 2026; 507: 116178.

Dopamine (DA) signaling is implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Cell-type-specific tools like DAT-IRES-Cre mice are essential for dissecting the underlying circuit mechanisms. However, as the transgenic Cre insertion may affect DA transmission, it is crucial to validate that these Cre mice recapitulate key physiological and behavioral phenotypes in established ASD models. Prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) is a widely used ASD model that captures gene-environment interactions in etiology, and DA system dysfunction has been reported in this model including our studies. Here, we evaluated the suitability of the DAT-IRES-Cre strain in this VPA-induced ASD model. We systematically assessed neurodevelopmental milestones, autism-associated behaviors including repetitive and social behaviors, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression, and the electrophysiological properties of DA neurons. Following prenatal VPA exposure, DAT-IRES-Cre offspring exhibited comparable neurodevelopmental delays and autism-associated behavioral deficits as those in wild-type mice. Both strains also exhibited upregulated TH expression after VPA exposure. Electrophysiological recordings further revealed similar hyperactivity of DA neurons, characterized by enhanced excitatory synaptic drive and excitability in VPA-exposed DAT-IRES-Cre and C57BL/6J wild-type offspring. Moreover, under baseline conditions, there were no significant differences were detected between saline-treated DAT-IRES-Cre and wild-type mice. In conclusion, the DAT-IRES-Cre mice could serve as a reliable tool for implementing cell-type-specific strategies to investigate DA circuit mechanisms in the VPA model of ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)