1. Chen L, Cheng J. Cross-professional collaboration between music therapists and special education teachers in autism interventions: a grounded theory qualitative meta-analysis. BMC Psychol;2026 (Feb 6)

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2. Dhungel A, Bora R. Unraveling mGluR5 dysfunction in autism spectrum disorder: a multi-level analysis of genetic, molecular, and neurobiological mechanisms. J Neural Transm (Vienna);2026 (Feb 7)

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review summarizes the current evidence regarding the role of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) integrating genetic, molecular, neuroimaging, and therapeutic evidence to evaluate the mGluR5 related pathways in ASD mechanisms and evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target. RECENT FINDINGS: Genetic studies report 25-fold peripheral GRM5 downregulation in ASD patients, with specific variants (rs905646, rs762724) showing biased paternal transmission and associations with increased symptom severity. Advances in super resolution imaging demonstrate that mGluR5 is confined to perisynaptic nanodomains with restricted lateral mobility, forming localized signaling microdomains critical for synaptic modulation. First in-human positron emission tomography (PET) studies using [(18)F]3-Fluoro-5-[(pyridin-3-yl)ethynyl]benzonitrile ([(18)F]-FPEB) reveal region specific alterations in mGluR5 availability in ASD, including increased binding in the striatum and thalamus, which correlates inversely with cortical GABA concentrations. In preclinical models, both positive and negative allosteric modulation of mGluR5 has been shown to improve social and repetitive behavioral phenotypes, although these effects are highly contextual and model dependent. Collectively, available evidence suggests that dysregulation of mGluR5-associated signaling represents a convergent molecular mechanism in biologically defined subsets of ASD, rather than a universal pathogenic feature. Alterations in synaptic scaffolding complexes (SHANK3-Homer-mGluR5 interactions), receptor trafficking, and activity-dependent protein synthesis may contribute to excitatory/inhibitory imbalance and circuit dysfunction. While preclinical findings support mGluR5 as a therapeutic target, mixed results from clinical trials underscore significant translational challenges. Future therapeutic strategies will require genetically and biologically stratified cohorts, robust pharmacodynamic biomarkers, and multimodal approaches integrating peripheral molecular measures with advanced neuroimaging to refine mGluR5-targeted interventions.

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3. Georgiou G, Shalev I, Fanti KA, Uzefovsky F. Empathic Disequilibrium in Autistic Traits and CU Traits: Investigating Empathy Imbalance in Children. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol;2026 (Feb 6);54(1):26.

The current study investigated the relationship between CU traits, autistic traits, and empathic disequilibrium, which reflects the imbalance between cognitive empathy (CE) and affective empathy (AE). Based on previous findings with adults, we hypothesized that children with elevated CU or autistic traits exhibit either AE or CE dominance in their empathy profiles. A total of 163 children aged 4 to 10 years (Mage = 7.30) participated in the study and were evaluated using reliable parent-report instruments. Polynomial regression with response surface analysis (PRRSA) was used to analyse the relationships between empathic disequilibrium and trait scores, while adjusting for age, sex, and overall empathy levels. The results indicated a notable association between AE dominance and autistic traits, reinforcing previous findings that suggest a different developmental profile of children with autistic characteristics. Conversely, lower levels of empathic disequilibrium (both AE and CE dominance) were linked to CU traits. CU traits were also related to a general reduction in empathy across both empathy types, indicating a broader empathic deficit. Additionally, age showed a positive correlation with both CU and autistic traits, while no gender differences were observed for either trait. These findings imply that empathic disequilibrium could serve as a valuable framework for understanding the emotional profiles of children with autistic traits and CU traits.

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4. Gill C, Zuo Y, Ha DS, Littman R, Hong J, Cheng J, Blencowe M, Wang SS, Hong W, Wu YE, Yang X. Convergence and divergence of genes informed by common and rare variants of autism spectrum disorders in tissue-specific pathways and gene networks. Transl Psychiatry;2026 (Feb 6)

The genetic heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents significant challenges in understanding its pathogenic mechanisms, as the genetic risk involves numerous common variants and rare de novo or inherited variants. Prior research has mainly focused on identifying rare variants and their impact on neurodevelopment and neuronal functions in cortical brain regions. By contrast, common variants, which contribute substantially to ASD heritability, remain understudied, suggesting a need to consider both variant types to understand ASD’s genetic mechanisms. Previous studies have also implicated subcortical brain regions and peripheral digestive and immune systems, but tissue-specific mechanisms remain unclear. We address these knowledge gaps by identifying gene networks, pathways, and key regulators informed by ASD common variants in brain and peripheral tissues, further examining whether these networks also capture genes informed by rare variants. Our approach integrates genome wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics, tissue-level genetics of gene expression, and gene coexpression and transcriptional regulatory networks across ~50 tissues. Our multitissue, multiomics analysis reveals that key brain regions and networks crucial for synaptic signaling and neurodevelopment are enriched for both rare and common variants, whereas peripheral tissues, such as the digestive and immune systems, are primarily informed by common variants. This partitioning of key tissues and biological pathways into core (targeted by both variant types) and modifying components provide insight into ASD heterogeneity. We also identified central gene network regulators, such as SYT1 and ADD2, which may orchestrate the effects of both common and rare ASD genetic risk factors on ASD pathogenesis.

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5. Heidenreich A, Sullivan W, Kouros CD, Bubb M, Ekas NV. Associations Between Autistic Adolescents’ Biological and Behavioral Characteristics and Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Functioning. J Autism Dev Disord;2026 (Feb 7)

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6. Jiang H, Rodriguez-Cruces R, Xie K, Kebets V, Wang Y, Weber CF, He Y, Kember J, Sweatman H, Tabuenca ZG, Poline JB, Bzdok D, Hong SJ, Bernhardt B, Chai X. Morphometric dissimilarity in association cortices linked to autism subtype with more severe symptoms. Neuroimage;2026 (Feb 4):121775.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent and heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition marked by atypical brain connectivity. Understanding ASD neural subtypes at the network level is critical for clarifying its neuroanatomical heterogeneity. Morphometric similarity networks (MSNs), derived from region-to-region similarity across multiple anatomical features, offer a powerful approach for capturing individual-level neural architecture. In this study, MSNs were estimated from seven anatomical features in 348 individuals with ASD and 452 typically developing (TD) controls. Across all ASD participants, the first principal component of MSN values was negatively correlated with social and communication severity. Three ASD subtypes with distinct MSN patterns were identified. Subtype-1, characterized by weaker morphometric similarity values in frontotemporal association regions compared to TD individuals, exhibited the most severe symptoms in social, communication and repetitive behaviors, and displayed hyperconnectivity between the salience and visual networks, and between language and visual networks. Subtype-2 showed greater values of morphometric similarities than TD and less severe social symptoms compared to subtype-1, along with hyperconnectivity between default and salience networks relative to TD. Subtype-3 displayed morphometric similarity values largely comparable to TD and the least severe symptoms out of the three subtypes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that GABAergic parvalbumin and glutamatergic intratelencephalic-projecting neurons were key cell types differentiating subtypes. These findings suggest the existence of distinct ASD neuroanatomical subtypes defined by regional morphometric similarity, each linked to unique behavioral, functional, and transcriptomic profiles. Morphometric dissimilarity in association regions may serve as a neural signature for ASD subtypes characterized by more severe clinical manifestations.

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7. Lotfi MH, Farajkhoda T, Doost-Mohammadi F, Dehghani A, Fallahzadeh H, Sadeghiyeh T. Parental and professional perspectives on prenatal psychosocial experiences perceived to be linked to autism spectrum disorder: a qualitative content analysis study. BMC Psychiatry;2026 (Feb 6)

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8. Luo D, Dang W, Luo J, Jiang Y. The impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy on individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers: A systematic review. J Psychiatr Res;2026 (Jan 29);195:299-308.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their caregivers often face challenges such as emotional distress and stress management, which severely impact their quality of life. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) holds potential value in emotional regulation; however, there is a lack of systematic evaluation targeting the ASD population, particularly caregivers. This systematic review aims to clarify the clinical effects of MBSR interventions on individuals with ASD and their caregivers, providing a reference for the clinical implementation of targeted interventions. METHOD: We systematically searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, Ovid, and CINAHL databases using predefined search terms and combinations, with supplementary handsearching for relevant literature. The search timeframe covered the period from the establishment of each database to October 1, 2025. This systematic review protocol has been prospectively registered in PROSPERO with the registration number CRD420251159313. RESULTS: A total of 13 clinical studies were included. The results indicate that MBSR demonstrates certain intervention potential for adults with ASD and their caregivers. Specifically, among adults with ASD (N = 8), MBSR may help improve emotional symptoms such as anxiety and depression. For ASD caregivers (N = 4), MBSR has shown preliminary effects in relieving psychological stress and improving emotional states, suggesting that it may provide potential psychological support for this population. It should be noted that only one study in the current evidence focuses on children with ASD, and the adolescent population remains uncovered. CONCLUSION: Preliminary research suggests that MBSR may hold potential value in improving anxiety and depression symptoms among adults with ASD, as well as alleviating caregiving stress and emotional distress among ASD caregivers. However, due to limitations such as the small number of included studies, limited sample sizes, and high heterogeneity, the current evidence remains insufficient in strength, and conclusions should be interpreted with caution. Future research should focus on conducting larger-scale, high-quality studies to enhance the reliability of findings.

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9. Machado MCL, Ferreira A, Chaves ACM, Leite F, Viana BM, de Miranda DM. Factors Associated With Psychiatric Emergency Visits of Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder in an Upper-Middle-Income Country. J Autism Dev Disord;2026 (Feb 7)

PURPOSE: This study aimed to characterize the epidemiological and clinical profile of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) evaluated at a regional Youth Psychiatric Emergency Unit, and to explore factors leading families to seek emergency psychiatric care. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted through retrospective chart review of patients seen in the emergency service over a one-year period. Patients with a confirmed ASD diagnosis were included. Categorical variables were compared using Pearson’s chi-square or Fisher’s exact test, and continuous variables were analyzed using independent samples Student’s t-test. RESULTS: During the study period, 112 patients with ASD (6.7% of total visits) were seen, and 26 (23.2%) received their first ASD diagnosis at the emergency service. The majority were male (83%) with a mean age of 10 ± 4 years. The mean age at diagnosis among those identified for the first time in the emergency setting was 8.86 ± 4.7 years, indicating a late diagnosis. The most frequent presenting complaints were agitation, aggression, and irritability. Compared to the non-ASD group, ASD patients had significantly higher rates of intellectual disability and epilepsy. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the role of psychiatric emergency units as potential entry points into the mental health system for children and adolescents with ASD, particularly in middle-income countries where early access to specialized care is often limited. These results underscore the importance of training emergency professionals in managing neurodevelopmental crises and providing families with guidance on how to respond to behavioral emergencies.

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10. Meng Z, Wang L, Hirai HW, Wong PCM. Quantitative but Not Qualitative Differences: A Longitudinal Analysis of Grammatical Marker Development in Mandarin-Speaking Autistic Children. Autism Res;2026 (Feb 7):e70195.

Past research has revealed large differences between typically developing (TD) and autistic children’s language development. However, little is known about whether such differences are quantitative or qualitative, especially in the morphosyntactic domain. This study is the first longitudinal research aiming to systematically investigate the developmental patterns of a wide range of Mandarin grammatical markers in autistic children. The mastery of target markers in autistic children (N = 88, M(age) = 44.9 m, Range = 26-76 m) was assessed longitudinally across three time points using parent reports and compared with that of TD children (N = 84, M(age) = 23.2 m, Range = 16-30 m) assessed at a single time point. We further examined the influence of autism severity and initial language ability. The results suggested that autistic children acquired Mandarin grammatical markers in a typical sequence but at a slower rate. Additionally, this developmental pattern was maintained regardless of autism severity and initial language ability. These findings suggest that autistic children’s language development differs quantitatively but not qualitatively from that of TD children, reflecting developmental delay rather than deviance. In this study, we found more similarities than differences in terms of language development of autistic children relative to typically developing children. Specifically, we found that autistic children acquired Mandarin grammatical markers in a sequence similar to that of TD children. Even those with more pronounced autism symptoms or lower initial language ability still followed this typical acquisition order. Furthermore, though there was a delay, our results suggested that autistic children might eventually catch up and acquire most of the grammatical markers. eng

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11. Rava A, Feo A, Bagnato G, D’Oria V, Pezzullo M, Petrini S, Buzzelli V, Ascone F, Di Trapano M, Peruzzi B, Trezza V. Hippocampal glial alterations are associated with Lamin B1 dysregulation and abnormal nuclear morphology in a rat model of fragile X syndrome. Neurobiol Dis;2026 (Feb 4);220:107304.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited intellectual disability and the leading monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Although the pathological mechanisms underlying this neurodevelopmental disorder are challenging, recent studies have increasingly highlighted the involvement of glial cells in the pathogenesis of both ASD and FXS. Microglia and astrocytes are critical for brain development and homeostasis; thus, understanding glial dysfunction in both the developing and adult brain in these disorders may reveal novel therapeutic targets beyond the neuro-centric perspective. In this study, we demonstrated that the loss of function of Fmrp leads to phenotypic changes in both microglia and astrocytes within the hippocampus of the recently validated Fmr1-(∆)exon 8 rat model of FXS without a significant induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines. For the first time, we also provide evidence that these non-inflammatory changes in glia are associated with dysmorphic nuclei and a reduced expression of Lamin B1, a key component of the nuclear envelope and an important modulator of brain development and aging, in the hippocampus of young adult Fmr1-(∆)exon 8 rats. Collectively, our findings strengthen existing evidence of the glial contribution to FXS and identify Lamin B1 loss and nuclear abnormalities as potential early markers of hippocampal pathology, providing a novel potential molecular target which should be furtherly considered.

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