1. American College Of Medical T. ACMT Position Statement: ACMT Responds to the Acetaminophen and Autism Controversy. J Med Toxicol;2026 (Jan 7)

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. Annunziata S, Fassina G, Brivio M, Santos L, Ambrosini E, Meriggi P, Molina P, Pedrocchi A, Cavallini A. Are social robots more interesting than humans? Quantitative assessment of Joint Attention in autistic and typically developing children. Asian J Psychiatr;2025 (Dec 24);116:104796.

INTRODUCTION: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication, including joint attention (JA) impairment. This observational case-control study explores quantitative JA metrics in ASD preschool-aged children and typically-developing (TD) toddlers, interacting with both a human agent and a social robot. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten ASD and sixteen Typically Developing (TD) children, matched for developmental age, participated completing two JA tasks of the « Échelle par la Communication Sociale Precoce »(ECSP)-Gaze Following and Object Spectacle-administered by both a human (ECSP-H) and a social robot NAO (ECSP-R). A Kinect Azure Camera was used to track children’s gaze and five performance indicators were defined to quantify JA-related behaviors: Number of Responses to JA, Time Latency to response and Fixation Time, both towards robot and human agent. RESULTS: Significant group differences emerged in responsiveness to social cues, particularly in the Gaze Following task. TD children responded more consistently to human prompts (p = 0.01) and showed greater visual interest in the human agent in both ECSP-H (p < 0.01) and ECSP-R (p = 0.02) conditions. In contrast, percentage of fixations on the robot was comparable across groups. DISCUSSION: This study introduces unobtrusive, gaze-based quantitative measures to assess joint attention in ASD. Significant differences between ASD and TD groups suggest that children with ASD exhibited greater attentional preference to the robot agent, giving potential for these metrics in distinguishing attentional patterns in these two populations. This feature may nonetheless be clinically relevant, as it may be leveraged to facilitate attention, promote participation, and support robot-assisted therapeutic interventions.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Bodrero E, Isaza-López MC, Fiander M, Greisen G, Gluud C, Bruschettini M. Cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring for prevention of death or neurodevelopmental disability in very preterm infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev;2026 (Jan 7);1(1):Cd011506.

RATIONALE: Very preterm infants (i.e. born before 32 weeks of gestation) are at risk of cerebral injury and long-term neurodevelopmental impairment. Cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) enables continuous monitoring of cerebral oxygenation to guide clinical management. Interest in NIRS has grown in recent years, highlighting the need for better evidence to support its clinical efficacy in improving brain development and reducing neurological sequelae. This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 2017. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the beneficial and harmful effects of cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) monitoring versus no NIRS or blinded NIRS monitoring in very preterm infants. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, three trial registries, and conference abstracts up to August 2025. We also checked reference lists of included studies and relevant systematic reviews. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included randomised clinical trials (RCTs) comparing cerebral NIRS monitoring versus no NIRS or blinded NIRS monitoring (where the treating healthcare professionals were unaware of the oxygenation levels) in very preterm infants. OUTCOMES: Our critical outcomes included all-cause mortality at longest follow-up, major neurodevelopmental disability in children aged 18 to 24 months (a composite outcome including cerebral palsy, severe neurodevelopmental impairment, blindness, and profound hearing impairment), and major brain injury prior to discharge. Our important outcomes included chronic lung disease at 36 weeks’ gestational age, proven necrotising enterocolitis prior to discharge, retinopathy of prematurity (stage ≥ III) prior to discharge, and severe adverse reactions prior to discharge. RISK OF BIAS: We used Cochrane’s original risk of bias tool (RoB 1). SYNTHESIS METHODS: We conducted meta-analyses using fixed-effect models to calculate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all outcomes. We summarised the certainty of the evidence according to GRADE methods. INCLUDED STUDIES: We included five parallel-group RCTs published between 2016 and 2023 that enroled a total of 2415 infants, with sample sizes ranging from 23 to 1600 infants per trial. The mean gestational age ranged from 26.1 weeks to 33.1 weeks. Four trials were conducted in multiple hospitals in high-income countries across North America, Asia, and Europe. The remaining trial took place in a single hospital in Austria. The comparator was no NIRS in two trials and blinded NIRS in three trials. In all trials, infants in the NIRS group were treated according to brain oxygen saturation values with specific preset treatment regimens, while those in the control group received standard or usual care regardless of NIRS monitoring values. The trials involved infants with varying start times and durations of NIRS monitoring. Only one trial reported major neurodevelopmental disability, and two trials reported retinopathy of prematurity (stage ≥ III). All five trials provided data for the other main outcomes of this review. We identified five ongoing trials. SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS: NIRS monitoring compared with no NIRS or blinded NIRS monitoring likely results in little to no difference in all-cause mortality at longest follow-up (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.18; I² = 46%; 5 studies, 2415 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and major brain injury diagnosed by brain ultrasound prior to discharge (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.17; I² = 13%; 5 studies, 2415 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of NIRS monitoring compared with blinded NIRS monitoring on major neurodevelopmental disability in children aged 18 to 24 months (RR 1.28, 95% CI 0.50 to 3.29; 1 study, 115 participants; very low-certainty evidence). NIRS monitoring compared with no NIRS or blinded NIRS monitoring likely results in little to no difference in chronic lung disease at 36 weeks of gestational age (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.06; I² = 43%; 5 studies, 2415 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), proven necrosing enterocolitis prior to discharge (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.37; I² = 0%; 5 studies, 2415 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), retinopathy of prematurity (stage ≥ 3) prior to discharge (RR 1.15, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.54; I² = 0%; 2 studies, 1745 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), and severe adverse reactions prior to discharge (RR 9.41, 95% CI 0.51 to 174.44; I² not applicable; 5 studies, 2415 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). AUTHORS’ CONCLUSIONS: Overall, cerebral NIRS monitoring in very preterm infants likely results in little to no benefit for most measured outcomes. Compared with conventional monitoring, cerebral NIRS monitoring in very preterm infants likely results in little to no difference in all-cause mortality at longest follow-up and in major brain injury diagnosed by brain ultrasound prior to discharge, and we are unsure about its effect on major neurodevelopmental disability in children aged 18 to 24 months. Furthermore, NIRS monitoring likely results in little to no difference in the risk of chronic lung disease at 36 weeks’ gestational age, proven necrotising enterocolitis prior to discharge, severe retinopathy of prematurity prior to discharge, and severe adverse reactions prior to discharge. Future randomised trials in very preterm infants should provide continuous NIRS monitoring from birth until cardiorespiratory stability to more accurately assess the potential benefits of the intervention. Further research is needed to understand and quantify performance differences among available NIRS devices and to evaluate their effects on long-term clinical outcomes. Few (if any) vital sign monitoring methods have demonstrated patient-relevant benefits in RCTs. For cerebral oximetry in preterm infants, trials using clinically meaningful endpoints (e.g. neurodevelopment at two years assessed with the Bayley Scales) may be infeasible due to the large sample sizes required. In this context, surrogate outcomes, such as electrophysiological markers of hypoxic brain injury, may offer a feasible alternative, provided they are rigorously validated against clinical endpoints. FUNDING: This Cochrane review had no dedicated funding. REGISTRATION: Protocol (2015): doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011506 Original review (2017): doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011506.pub2 Review update (2025): doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011506.pub3.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Chen B, Menu I, Ji L, Trentacosta CJ, Thomason ME. Fetal functional connectivity prospectively associates with autistic traits in toddlerhood. Neuroimage Clin;2025 (Dec 25);49:103938.

Accumulating evidence from neuroimaging studies has implicated widespread disruptions in brain connectivity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with altered connectivity patterns reported as early as infancy. However, it remains unexplored whether functional connectivity differences are evident prior to birth in the brain of fetuses who will later exhibit autistic traits in early childhood. In this study, we leveraged a longitudinal sample of 62 children with both quality-assured fetal brain resting-state MRI data and a parent-report measure of autistic traits at age 3 years. Enrichment analysis was employed to identify network pairs significantly correlated with autistic traits. Specificity analysis was conducted by additionally controlling for other childhood psychopathology. Our results demonstrated significant correlations between autistic traits and functional connectivity in the cingulate-left temporal and right prefrontal-left operculum network pairs in both the primary and specificity analyses. Visual network connectivity with prefrontal and opercular regions was also implicated. These network pairs demonstrated positive associations with autistic traits, indicating that stronger connectivity between these network pairs was associated with higher autistic traits. In contrast, weaker cerebellum-right operculum connectivity was associated with higher autistic traits, uniquely in the specificity analysis. This study provides the first in vivo evidence prospectively linking variation in functional network connectivity in the fetal brain to autistic traits in toddlerhood. These findings extend the current understanding of the prenatal brain origins of ASD and highlight the potential of fetal rs-fMRI as a tool to identify neural signatures related to social-emotional development and ASD likelihood.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Downs J, Wong K, Doshi D, Leonard H. Longitudinal Rett syndrome behaviour questionnaire scores and their associations with genotype and trajectories of mobility, weight and seizure frequency status. J Neurodev Disord;2026 (Jan 7)

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. Du Y, Miller VK, Mellies AJ, Broadie K. Elevated serotonin receptor 2A signaling restores learning and memory in a Fragile X syndrome model. Sci Rep;2026 (Jan 7)

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has central roles enabling learning and memory, particularly via serotonin receptor 2A (5-HT(2A)R) signaling. Drosophila Fragile X syndrome model (dfmr1 null mutant) studies reveal impaired learning and memory, which may reflect serotonergic signaling deficits. Here, we use classical olfactory T-maze conditioning to assess behavior, combined with imaging to assess 5-HT and 5-HT(2A)R levels within the underlying Mushroom Body (MB) brain circuitry. Null dfmr1 mutants exhibit learning and memory deficits that are corrected by elevating 5-HT signaling via 1) overexpression of the serotonin biosynthetic enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase (Trhn) or 2) knockdown of the serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT). Direct comparisons reveal both Trhn and SERT manipulations equally restore learning and memory in dfmr1 null mutants. 5-HT(2A)R levels in the MB circuit are reduced relative to controls in dfmr1 mutants, and 5-HT(2A)R RNAi phenocopies dfmr1 null behavioral deficits, suggesting these phenotypes are primarily caused by the loss of 5-HT(2A)R signaling. Consistently, 5-HT(2A)R overexpression in dfmr1 nulls restores normal learning and memory compared to controls. These findings suggest loss of 5-HT(2A)R signaling causes learning and memory deficits in this Fragile X syndrome model, and that rectifying this signaling impairment can restore learning and memory, providing a framework for serotonergic intervention strategies.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. Facchini A, Concas MP, Zampieri S, Scala I, Graziano C, Innoceta AM, Trivisano M, De Dominicis A, Trimarchi G, Garavelli L, Baldassarri M, De Maggio I, Mari F, Greco D, Gasparini P. White-Sutton Syndrome: Insight of an Italian Cohort of 19 Subjects. Clin Genet;2026 (Feb);109(2):335-340.

White-Sutton syndrome (WHSUS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder due to pathogenic variants in the POGZ gene. Its phenotype includes developmental delay, behavioral dysfunctions, hypotonia, and dysmorphic features. The condition is still poorly known: comprehensive clinical descriptions and exhaustive genotype-phenotype correlations are lacking, limiting diagnostic and therapeutic advancements. Here, we report molecular, clinical, and instrumental data from the first and largest Italian cohort (19 patients). Our results highlight the importance of an extensive approach at the time of diagnosis-including early nutritional support for preventing obesity-related complications and instrumental screening for congenital malformations. Preliminary data suggest that splicing variants could be associated with more severe phenotypes. This study provides valuable new insights into WHSUS and represents a significant step towards its comprehension.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

8. Garg H, Pandey A, Anushree N, Garg S, Mohan KR. Acute Pisa syndrome in a 4-year-old child with autism spectrum disorder: The youngest reported case of risperidone-induced extrapyramidal reaction. Asian J Psychiatr;2026 (Jan 7);117:104838.

BACKGROUND: Pisa syndrome is a rare extrapyramidal disorder characterized by sustained lateral flexion of the trunk, typically associated with antipsychotic medications. Though well-described in adult populations, its occurrence in children is exceedingly rare, with no previously reported cases in children under 12 years of age for drug-induced etiology. CLINICAL DESCRIPTION: We report the case of a 4-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), receiving risperidone (0.5 mL BID) for behavioural issues, on continued behavioural therapy, who developed acute onset painful lateral flexion of the trunk-clinically consistent with Pisa syndrome. MANAGEMENT & OUTCOME: He was promptly treated with intravenous pheniramine maleate, with immediate resolution of symptoms. Risperidone was discontinued, and no recurrence was noted on follow-up. Causality assessment using the Pediatric Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale yielded a score of 7, indicating a probable adverse drug reaction to risperidone. CONCLUSION: This case underscores the importance of early recognition of rare extrapyramidal side effects such as Pisa syndrome in children on atypical antipsychotics. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion, even in very young children, and be aware of effective management strategies.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

9. Gracia RS, Resa PL, Timerman A, Gómez SMG. Could She Be Autistic? Exploring Gender Differences in Camouflaging and Pragmatics in Autism and Borderline Personality Disorder. Clin Psychol Psychother;2026 (Jan-Feb);33(1):e70210.

This study explores the relationship between social camouflaging and pragmatic competence in adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD), with a particular focus on gender. It is based on the hypothesis that camouflaging contributes to under or misdiagnosis, especially in women and gender-diverse individuals. A total of 225 adults participated in a cross-sectional online survey, completing the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) and the Pragmatic Awareness Questionnaire (PAQ). Participants were grouped based on clinical diagnosis (ASD or BPD) and self-identified gender (women, men and gender-diverse). Among women, no significant differences in camouflaging scores were found between the ASD and BPD groups, suggesting the use of similar adaptation strategies that may obscure clinical differentiation. In contrast, among men, camouflaging and pragmatic deficits were more distinctly associated with autistic traits. No substantial differences were observed among gender-diverse participants, highlighting the influence of contextual and identity-related factors. Findings emphasize the importance of integrating detailed pragmatic assessments and adopting gender-sensitive approaches in the differential diagnosis of ASD and BPD. Such strategies may help reduce misdiagnosis and improve recognition of autistic traits, particularly in populations that tend to camouflage more effectively.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

10. Gu C, Zeng Y, Wei W, Yang C, Sun J, Miao W, Zhang L. A Chinese contextual study of factors influencing the acceptance of students with autism by mainstream school teachers and non-autistic peers. BMC Psychiatry;2026 (Jan 7)

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

11. Ilen L, Husmann J, Feller C, Schneider M. Interplay between resting heart rate variability, daily affective dynamics and mental health difficulties in autistic youths. Sci Rep;2026 (Jan 6)

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

12. Journal F, Chataing T, Godel M, Kojovic N, Latrèche K, Schneider M, Schaer M. A Brief Observation to Screen Autism in Toddlers and Predict Developmental Trajectory. J Pediatr Clin Pract;2025 (Dec);18:200176.

OBJECTIVE: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in 31 children. Early diagnosis is crucial for optimizing outcomes through early interventions, and primary care settings need efficient tools to identify children presenting autistic features. This study explores the potential of early socio-communicative behaviors, measured by the Early Social Communication Scales, to screen for ASD in children younger than 3 years old, and predict their future cognitive development using machine learning models. STUDY DESIGN: This study analyzed longitudinal data from 113 children with ASD and 59 with typical development (TD), aged from 1 to 3 at baseline. Twenty-three ESCS variables were used to screen for ASD and predict cognitive development. The C5.0 decision tree algorithm was used to classify ASD vs TD, while linear regression and K-means clustering identified cognitive development patterns among autistic children. K-fold cross-validation, permutation testing, and undersampling were used for validation. RESULTS: We distinguished between ASD and TD children with 95% accuracy, 96% sensitivity and 92% specificity. Nine behaviors contributed to distinguish ASD from TD. Behaviors that contributed most are the child’s ability to initiate a turn taking and to point at desired objects. A separate model stratified children into groups with different cognitive outcome with 97% accuracy. Behavioral requests variables contributed in distinguishing extreme cognitive trajectories in autistic children. CONCLUSIONS: We provide an original decision-algorithm focusing on early socio-communicative behaviors to guide pediatricians through autism screening and cognitive development prediction.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

13. Katz H, Ausderau K, Love H, Hickey EJ, Pickett KA, Andreae SJ. Group exercise and disability: perceptions of instructors toward participation in group exercise for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Disabil Rehabil;2026 (Jan 6):1-11.

PURPOSE: Group exercise provides many benefits, yet adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often excluded from participation. As group exercise instructors play a significant role in GE participation, this study sought to gain a better understanding of their perceptions toward the participation of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to support the development of more accessible and inclusive community group exercise opportunities. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were completed with twenty participants aged 21-62 who were actively teaching group exercise classes. Participants shared their perceptions of intellectual and developmental disability concerning group exercise participation. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes were derived from the interviews: Beliefs surrounding modifications, perceived instructor roles, and self-efficacy in teaching adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: Instructors emphasized the importance of modifications but expressed mixed self-efficacy in applying these modifications effectively. Further exploration is needed surrounding instructor self-efficacy. Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities often experience low levels of physical activity and social isolation, challenges that group exercise may help address.Partnerships among community-based gym owners, group exercise coordinators, and instructors are crucial for expanding accessible and inclusive group exercise opportunities.Professional development and hands-on training focused on teaching adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can strengthen instructors’ self-efficacy in providing appropriate modifications and adaptations.Mentorship from adapted physical activity specialists, allied health professionals, and experienced instructors can further build instructors’ confidence and skill in supporting diverse participants. eng

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

14. Kelly A, Morrison R, Matta N, Neville L. Review of early development in children with Down syndrome: family and clinician partnership. BMJ Paediatr Open;2026 (Jan 6);10(1)

This article reviews current literature on early child development in Down syndrome (DS) to provide a summary for clinicians who deliver developmental care. Literature was reviewed on acquisition of developmental skills across domains including motor, language, vision and hearing skills, and evidence for interventions. We include current concepts on promotion of early developmental care and the importance of clinician-family collaboration. The perspective of a family is included which highlights their experience of the early years.Professionals including paediatricians and therapists have a role in monitoring development and proactively identifying and mitigating co-morbidities and barriers to progress. Families are best served by integrated therapeutic and educational input from specialists where required, with customised interventions when delays are apparent.The use of DS-specific developmental frameworks and monitoring for conditions which may impact development is suggested to enable realistic, meaningful and individualised goal setting, in partnership with families. Our review additionally provides a summary of potential actions for clinicians and carers to promote optimal child development across developmental domains.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

15. Kerr J, Nicholson H, Richards R, Anderson C. Parents’ experiences in accessing services for their autistic children in the United Kingdom: A meta-synthesis. Br J Clin Psychol;2026 (Jan 7)

BACKGROUND: Parents of autistic children support their children through additional challenges, often experiencing adversity as a result. Such parents report high support needs, yet service provision is often limited. Services often support children through providing various psychological interventions to parents. Quantitative evidence for such interventions is mixed and qualitative evidence is sparse. This review therefore aimed to synthesise the perspectives of UK parents regarding interventions for their autistic child. METHOD: The databases Scopus, Embase, Medline, PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science and ASSIA were searched in February 2025. Inclusion criteria constituted qualitative articles published in English from 2004 onwards exploring UK parents’ perspectives of interventions aimed at supporting autistic children. Articles were evaluated using Standard Quality Assessment Criteria. Thematic meta-synthesis was conducted. RESULTS: Fourteen papers were identified: eight high-quality, one medium-quality, and four low-quality. Interventions were psychoeducational behavioural, communication-based, sensory-related or mental-health based in nature. Themes included change, relationship with help, parents’ need to process and solidarity. CONCLUSIONS: Facilitators of positive change included learning, empowerment, structure and rigour, while barriers included delivery issues and unhelpful information. Parents reported finding solidarity amongst similar parents helpful. Reflective space was deemed useful in facilitating new understanding of autistic lives. Methodological quality varied, with more reflexive and theoretically grounded research encouraged. Future research should also consider implementing embedding processes into qualitative designs.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

16. Kritsotakis G, Morfidi E. Unraveling nonliteral meaning: Figurative competence in autism spectrum disorder and dyslexia. Res Dev Disabil;2026 (Jan 5);169:105187.

The aim of the current study was to examine figurative competence among upper-elementary Greek-speaking children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and dyslexia compared to typically developing (TD) peers, with a specific focus on how structural language skills (i.e., receptive vocabulary and morphosyntax), nonlinguistic factors (i.e., chronological age and nonverbal reasoning ability), and reading comprehension (RC) contribute to figurative language understanding. A total of 105 children (35 per group; M = 10.5 years, SD = 1), matched for age, gender, and nonverbal reasoning ability had participated. Results indicated that both clinical samples performed significantly lower than TD controls on the figurative language comprehension task, regardless of figurative type, with no statistically significant differences observed between the ASD and Dyslexia groups. Proverbs were consistently more challenging than idioms across all participants, a disparity especially marked in those with neurodevelopmental conditions. In addition, both groups demonstrated reduced performance in reading comprehension relative to their TD peers. While structural language deficits were evident among participants with ASD and dyslexia, the ASD group displayed a more heterogeneous profile, showing comparatively milder impairments. Regression analyses showed distinct predictive patterns: in the TD group, figurative competence was positively associated with age and RC, whereas in both target groups, morphosyntactic ability emerged as the primary predictor. These findings underscore the persistent difficulties figurative language poses for children with ASD and dyslexia and highlight the role of structural language skills, particularly morphosyntactic ability, in supporting nonliteral understanding. Implications for educational assessment and intervention practices are also discussed.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

17. Lees Thorne R, Wright N, De Los Reyes A, Smith IM, Zaidman-Zait A, Zwaigenbaum L, Vaillancourt T, Szatmari P, Bennett TA, Duku E, Richard AE, Kerns C, Bedford R. Profiles of parent-teacher discrepancy on autistic children’s adaptive functioning. Autism;2026 (Jan 7):13623613251407310.

Clinical guidelines recommend collecting reports from multiple informants when identifying and diagnosing challenges in children. The current study examined parent-teacher discrepancies in rating of autistic children’s adaptive functioning and how these related to children’s executive functions. Participants (n = 194) were a subsample of autistic children (mean age = 9.2 years; 86% male) from the Pathways in ASD cohort. We used latent profile analysis to characterise profiles based on both parent and teacher reports of adaptive functioning levels. We tested links between these profiles and indices of children’s executive function and other clinical correlates. Four profiles were characterised: a lower adaptive functioning-parent higher profile, in which parents reported relatively higher scores than teachers (n = 45), an intermediate adaptive functioning profile (n = 70) and a higher adaptive functioning profile (n = 39; both characterised by similar ratings between informants) and finally, a higher adaptive functioning-teacher higher profile, in which teachers reported relatively higher scores than parents (n = 40). The higher adaptive functioning-teacher higher profile showed fewer teacher-rated executive function challenges and higher IQ compared to the other profiles. Characterising profiles facilitates interpretation of informant discrepancies and identification of clinical correlates to inform clinical decision-making.Lay abstractClinicians are advised to collect reports from multiple informants (e.g., parents and teachers), when making assessments about the wellbeing of autistic children. Parents and teachers observe children in different environments (home vs. school); therefore, collecting both reports can give a fuller account of a child’s strengths and challenges. In this investigation, we looked at parent and teacher reports of autistic children’s adaptive functioning, an important body of skills necessary for children to navigate daily life including practical, communication and conceptual skills. Currently, we know little about child characteristics associated with informant discrepancies, which means that it is a challenge to identify which children are most likely to display behaviour differently across contexts. We grouped n = 194 children based on the level of adaptive functioning reported by both their parent and teachers, and we compared the groups on key characteristics. We identified four groups: a lower adaptive functioning group with higher parent scores (n = 45), an intermediate group with similar scores from both informants (n = 70), a higher adaptive functioning group with similar scores from both informants (n = 39) and a higher adaptive functioning group with higher teacher scores (n = 40). Our findings indicate that many children display adaptive functioning skills differently across contexts, across levels of adaptive functioning skills. We found that children across groups differed on IQ, autistic traits and teacher-rated executive functioning. These findings can help clinicians identify and evaluate autistic children that might be likely to demonstrate different adaptive functioning skills in different environments, which could help with assessment and treatment planning.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

18. Li H, Wang Y, Chang L, Yi L, Siu LN, Zhang J. Specific Brain Activity During Theory of Mind Tasks in Autistic Individuals: A Meta-Analysis of fMRI Studies. Psych J;2026 (Feb);15(1):e70060.

Autistic individuals exhibit differences in Theory of Mind (ToM) compared to neurotypical (NT) individuals. The aim of this study was to meta-analyse the neural correlates that contributed to the manifestation of the expression differences in ToM between autistic individuals and the NT population. A total of 328 autistic participants and 314 NT participants from 18 studies were included. We adopted Activation Network Mapping, which is a novel neuroimaging meta-analysis method based on activation seeds and functional connectivity to identify brain networks, to investigate how the ToM network of the autistic group differed from that of the NT group. The thalamus and precuneus robustly participated in the ToM network of the autistic group. Moreover, the temporoparietal junction and the right hemisphere of the limbic system, especially the thalamus, caudate, and cingulum, were less involved in the autistic group’s ToM network, compared to the NT group. Our findings provide the first quantitative evidence supportive of the distinct patterns in the ToM brain network in the autistic population. The current findings indicate that the primary difference in ToM task performance in autistic individuals may stem from altered information processing mechanisms rather than deficits in core ToM abilities.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

19. Liao X, Shao J, Chen Z. Mitochondrial dysregulation as a central mechanism in autism spectrum disorder pathogenesis. J Neuroimmunol;2025 (Dec 31);412:578851.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder influenced by both genetic predispositions and environmental insults. However, the precise molecular mechanisms linking prenatal environmental perturbations to neurodevelopmental impairments remain poorly defined. This study investigates the role of mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic disturbances in ASD pathogenesis using various preclinical models, including the maternal immune activation (MIA) and ASD high-risk gene knockout models. We performed transcriptomic profiling on mouse brain tissues to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with mitochondrial and metabolic pathways. Functional enrichment analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), revealed significant disruptions in pathways such as oxidative phosphorylation, tricarboxylic acid, and energy metabolism. These findings point to mitochondrial dysfunction as a central mechanism contributing to metabolic imbalances in ASD. Comparative analysis with publicly available RNA-seq datasets from PTEN knockout model revealed both shared and unique metabolic signatures. Single-cell RNA-seq data from the MIA model further identified cell-type-specific metabolic alterations in distinct neuronal and glial populations. Additionally, analysis of the Human Fetal Single-Cell Atlas highlighted the relevance of these metabolic pathways in human brain development. Collectively, these results emphasize mitochondrial metabolism as a potential therapeutic target for ASD, offering insights into the molecular basis of this disorder.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

20. Oztan O, Zhu C, Nguyen DKK, West RB, Garner JP, Parker KJ. Cerebrospinal Fluid Vasopressin Concentration Is a Biomarker of Autistic Social Impairment and Hypothalamic Vasopressin Gene Expression in Humans. Autism Res;2026 (Jan 7)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social interaction difficulties and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Recent ASD biomarker discovery efforts have found that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration of vasopressin, a hypothalamic neuropeptide critical for mammalian social functioning, is significantly lower in children with ASD and newborns later diagnosed with ASD. Low CSF vasopressin concentration is also linked to ASD social (but not repetitive) behavior symptom severity. These findings suggest that CSF vasopressin measurement may have clinical utility, but CSF surveillance requires invasive sampling procedures that will be difficult to integrate into routine clinical care without strong justification (i.e., CSF vasopressin is a valid proxy for hypothalamic vasopressin production, whereas blood vasopressin is not). We therefore obtained neuropathological specimens and patient data (N = 18) to investigate this possibility. In Study 1, we capitalized on the unique opportunity to test the reproducibility and robustness of the relationship between CSF vasopressin concentration and ASD behavioral symptoms in a sample demographically and methodologically distinct from prior work. This relationship held across age, antemortem to postmortem biospecimens, quantification platforms, clinical instruments, evaluators, and symptom type. In Study 2, we found in concomitantly collected postmortem samples that CSF vasopressin concentration significantly and positively predicted hypothalamic vasopressin gene expression, whereas blood vasopressin concentration did not. These findings establish CSF vasopressin as a brain-derived, mechanistically relevant biomarker of social difficulties in ASD, and suggest that CSF vasopressin measurement may be useful for ASD detection and/or identification of individuals who will benefit from pharmacological enhancement of brain vasopressin signaling. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a brain condition characterized by social interaction difficulties and repetitive behaviors. At present, an ASD diagnosis is based only on behavioral assessments, and there are no biological tests available to support diagnosis or guide treatment decisions. Identifying reliable biological measures could help make diagnosis more precise and eventually lead to new treatment options. One promising discovery is related to vasopressin, a brain chemical important for social behavior. Previous research found that children with ASD, as well as newborns later diagnosed with ASD, have lower levels of vasopressin in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Importantly, lower CSF vasopressin levels are also linked to greater social difficulties. In this study, we confirmed these findings in a new group of participants using different methods, showing that the link between low CSF vasopressin level and social difficulties is consistent and reproducible. We also found that CSF vasopressin levels closely reflected vasopressin activity in the brain, whereas blood levels did not. Although CSF collection requires a medical procedure, our results suggest that it may provide better insight into brain biology than a blood draw. This means that, with further research, measuring CSF vasopressin levels could help identify children most likely to benefit from treatments that increase vasopressin activity in the brain. These findings move us closer to the long‐term goal of developing biological tools that can support more accurate diagnosis and personalized treatments for people with ASD. eng

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

21. Polónyiová K, Teličák P, Kyselicová K, Dukonyová D, Ostatníková D. Sex/gender differences in autistic traits, intelligence and executive functions of school-aged autistic children without intellectual disability. Arch Womens Ment Health;2026 (Jan 7);29(1):9.

BACKGROUND: ASD has been more often diagnosed and researched in men than women, shaping diagnostic criteria which may not adequately capture the female presentation. Examining differences between girls and boys with ASD could enhance diagnostic accuracy and help reduce gender-related biases in research and clinical practice. The aim of this research was to analyze potential differences in autistic traits, intelligence, and executive functions of school-aged girls and boys diagnosed with ASD without intellectual disability. METHODS: The research sample consisted of 79 children with ASD, 20 girls and 59 boys, aged between 6 and 12 years. Autistic traits were measured by Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Second Version and Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, intelligence by the Woodcock-Johnson International Editions II, and executive functions by Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function 2. RESULTS: Girls scored lower in the amount of restricted, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors, but showed more severe deficits in Emotion Regulation, Cognitive Regulation and clinical scales Shift and Initiate, as measured by BRIEF-2. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate girls with ASD exhibit certain differences from boys with ASD, which may be diagnostically relevant and helpful for their early detection and access to necessary resources and support. Nevertheless, extensive further research on the sex/gender differences and female ASD presentation is still needed.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

22. Robeson M, Chassin V, Albright J, Lewis C, Baxter A, Zlomke K. Investigating the effectiveness of PEERS©-campus: The impact of a social skills group for young adults with autism adapted for a college campus. Res Dev Disabil;2026 (Jan 7);169:105203.

BACKGROUND: The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relationship Skills (PEERS©) for Young Adults (PEERS-YA) is an evidence-based, group intervention for fostering social skills in young adults, though it may consist of elements that are not as suitable for autistic individuals in post-secondary educational settings. This study examined preliminary outcomes of an adapted PEERS-YA intervention for autistic college students. METHOD: A quasi-experimental design was utilized in which autistic college students (n = 6) and non-autistic social partners (n = 5) participated in the adapted PEERS-YA intervention. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests were used to assess statistically significant changes in social responsiveness, empathic and social self-efficacy, social skills knowledge, college belongingness, quality of life, loneliness, quality of socialization, and social anxiety at three time points. Reliable change indices (RCIs) were calculated to examine clinically significant effects. RESULTS: There were significant changes found in autistic participants’ self-rated social reciprocity. Further, social skills knowledge increased for both autistic participants and social partners. RCIs demonstrated that two autistic participants experienced meaningful improvements in social skills knowledge, social responsiveness, and/or quality of socialization, and one showed meaningful improvement in empathic/social self-efficacy, social anxiety, and/or quality of life. Changes were relatively stable from post-intervention to follow up. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate promising results toward the adapted PEERS-YA intervention as a feasible option for teaching social skills, improving empathic self-efficacy, and increasing social responsiveness amongst autistic undergraduates, with mixed findings regarding benefits to social partners.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

23. Sujana DS, Augustin DP. The effect of spatial and intensity level augmentation of structural magnetic resonance images on autism diagnosis model. Asian J Psychiatr;2026 (Jan 4);116:104830.

In deep learning, the robustness and generalizability of models significantly depend on diverse and heterogeneous training data. Acquiring such an extensive dataset is challenging in fields like disorder prediction due to data scarcity, which can be attributed to factors such as privacy concerns, limited patient population, or inadequate facilities. Data augmentation can be an ideal solution to this problem, particularly in the field of disorder prediction, like autism, using medical imaging. Data augmentation can expand and balance datasets by generating high-quality and varied data, thereby improving the generalizability of deep learning models. This study proposed two types of augmentation methods: 1. Spatial level 2. Intensity level augmentation techniques. Eight different levels of augmentations were experimented with across these categories. This study found that the combination of spatial and intensity level augmentations enhanced the model’s generalizability and robustness, achieving an AUC value of 0.7433. Additionally, it was observed that the Left to Right flip method, under spatial augmentation, diminished the model’s performance, whereas random noise injection, under intensity level augmentation, improved prediction accuracy.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

24. Webster JF, Cousin MA. Comorbidity of autism spectrum disorders and anxiety disorders: Insights from neuronal circuitry studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev;2026 (Jan 4);182:106547.

Autism spectrum disorders are highly comorbid with anxiety disorders, with comorbid anxiety increasingly being recognised as a major cause of quality-of-life reduction for many individuals with an autism spectrum disorder. This comorbidity is underpinned by dysfunction in a group of core neural circuits which promotes the core symptomatology associated with these conditions. These circuits have been studied extensively in both humans and preclinical models, and in this review we provide an up-to-date summary of the primary circuits which control the behaviours associated with both autism spectrum disorders and anxiety disorders. These include the prefrontal cortical-amygdala circuit, the hippocampal formation, basal ganglia and the hypothalamus. We will also detail how dysfunction within these circuits converge to promote the phenotypes observed in these conditions. Finally, we propose a series of suggestions to resolve current controversies and advance knowledge towards establishing a circuit-level understanding of the relationship between these two disorders.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

25. Yao J, Wang Q, Qiao Y, Cai Y, Shen H. Assessment of the effectiveness of art drawing for children with ASD and prediction of risk factors. Medicine (Baltimore);2026 (Jan 2);105(1):e46881.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a recognized public health issue with unknown origins. This study explored the use of art therapy to address anxiety and behavioral issues in ASD, focusing on individualized treatment and multi-method assessment. A total of 131 children with ASD, aged 3 to 8, were divided into a control and a painting group. Both received a drawing book for home use. The painting group underwent 3 types of drawing therapy, and their effectiveness was analyzed using logistic regression, with anxiety levels as the dependent variable. The painting group showed reduced anxiety during preparation and pre-anesthetic visits compared to the control group. The control group had a higher rate of poor treatment adherence. House-tree-person drawing therapy was linked to reduced anxiety, while mandala and group drawing therapies showed no significant (P > .05) correlation with anxiety levels. Group therapy effectiveness increased (P < .05) with participant numbers. Art drawing can significantly reduce anxiety in children with ASD and improve treatment adherence. House-tree-person drawing is useful for anxiety screening, while mandala and group therapies offer personalized treatment approaches.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)