1. Alabbad M, Nuhmani S, Ahmed R, Bashir S, Khan MA, Abualait T. Transcranial direct current stimulation on social communication among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurodev Disord. 2026.

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2. Albloushi M, Alghamdi RS, Alqahtani M. Understanding Autism through the Eyes of Nurses: a Cross-Sectional Study. Brain Behav. 2026; 16(1): e71217.

PURPOSE: Nurses are key to the early detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, gaps in the literature and misconceptions can delay care; evidence of this from Saudi Arabia is limited. This study was done to examine nurses’ understanding of autism within the Saudi context, inform targeted educational programs, enhance clinical practice, and contribute to closing the persistent global gaps in nurses’ knowledge of ASD. METHODS: In this study, we employed a cross-sectional online survey of 180 registered nurses to assess their ASD knowledge and beliefs with the aid of the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) based criteria and a modified Autism Survey. Moreover, we applied descriptive statistics, chi-square tests with Cramér’s V, and Pearson’s correlations. FINDINGS: Most nurses identified core characteristics, such as lack of eye contact (79.7%), social unresponsiveness (79.7%), and interaction difficulties (79.1%); fewer identified symptom onset before 36 months (53.8%). Misconceptions included « cold parenting » (33.7%), association with intellectual disability (26.7%), and belief that ASD can be outgrown (46.1%). The nurses’ endorsement of intervention for speech therapy (96.7%), special education (94.5%), and parental counseling (87.6%) was the highest; no respondent identified the Applied Behavior Analysis. Correlations between demographics and recognition were weak; prior autism education modestly improved the recognition of unusual mannerisms (r = 0.155, p = 0.037). CONCLUSION: Although the awareness of overt ASD traits is high, limited early onset knowledge, persistence, and evidence-based interventions warrant targeted and culturally informed training.

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3. Alhuzimi TE. Facilitators and barriers to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) adoption for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): Teachers’ perspectives. Res Dev Disabil. 2026; 169: 105227.

BACKGROUND: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience significant challenges in verbal and social communication, which can hinder their ability to express needs, interact socially, and participate in educational settings. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems ranging from low-tech tools like picture exchange systems to high-tech speech-generating devices are widely used to support and enhance communication in individuals with limited or nonverbal speech abilities. AIM: This study investigated the perspective of teachers on identifying the facilitators and barriers of AAC usage using the TAM approach. METHOD: Questionnaires were completed by 101 in-service teachers from Saudi Arabia teaching with direct experience in using and supporting AAC in the classrooms. They responded to the developed questionnaire covering various types of facilitators, barriers, perceived usefulness of AAC use, perceived ease of use of AAC, teachers’ attitude towards AAC, behavioral intention of teachers to use AAC, and adoption as well as implementation of AAC. The data obtained from the questionnaire were statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS software. RESULTS: The findings showed that perceived usefulness as well as perceived ease of use mediated the impact of facilitators and barriers of AAC. Moreover, teachers’ attitude was also found to mediate the impact of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on behavioral intention to use. Along with this, the sequential mediation of perceived usefulness or ease of use with teachers’ attitude was also established. CONCLUSIONS: To facilitate the effective adoption of AAC, it is imperative that educational institutions provide sustained, practice-oriented professional development, guarantee consistent and equitable access to AAC technologies, and cultivate a school culture that actively endorses and systematically integrates AAC practices across teaching teams.

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4. Allen M, Reeves C, Torres-Small S, Yawn RJ, Macdonald CB, Smith SH, Richard C. Exploring cochlear implantation and quality of life in pediatric recipients with autism spectrum disorder. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2026; 202: 112725.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to comprehensively assess the timing and accessibility of cochlear implantation, patterns of its utilization, and the associated outcomes related to quality of life (QoL), in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control review, and cross-sectional hearing-related QoL survey. SETTING: Tertiary children’s hospital. METHODS: This investigation employed a retrospective case-control design, complemented by a cross-sectional hearing-related QoL survey using the HEAR-QL questionnaires. Outcomes were compared between two populations of pediatric cochlear implant recipients: one group with a preoperative diagnosis of ASD and a control group of neurotypical peers. A review of 413 patient records from 2000 to 2022 identified 22 eligible patients with ASD and matched controls. Of these, 16 participants from the ASD group and 16 controls completed the prospective quality-of-life surveys. RESULTS: The time between the definitive diagnosis of profound sensorineural hearing loss and the cochlear implantation evaluation was longer for patients with ASD. However, no other significant differences in care delays were observed between ASD children and controls, including time to CI qualification, and implantation. Nevertheless, children with ASD aged 2-6 years showed poorer outcomes in social interaction (p = 0.02) and new social situations (p = 0.02 and 0.04). Despite these behavioral differences, no significant disparity in hearing-related QoL-related communication outcomes was observed. CONCLUSION: The study shows that cochlear implant benefit children with ASD, with expected challenges not affecting overall success. It underscores the importance of individualized approaches to address delays in CI evaluation, communication, and social interaction challenges. These insights can help guide care teams, parents and educators in setting realistic expectations following cochlear implantation.

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5. Beaulieu A, Saint-Georges C, Habgarth I, Da Cunha M, Grywac P, Chauvet M, Laznik MC, Lev-Enacab O, Pellerin H, Anzalone SM, Bertamini G, Cohen D, Yamamoto M, Shimatani K, Sakurai K, Mori C, Furui A, Tsuji T, Benarous X, Doi H. Manual and automated assessments of general movements in neonates are associated with early autism risk at 18 months. Sci Rep. 2026.

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6. Chen W, Wang X, Zhu R, Gao W, Tao L, Yang R, Wei Q, Zhang Y, Gong Y, Zhong H, Huang L, Zhu X, Yang Y, Zhang L, Wan L, Yang G, Li Y, Jiao N, Wang J, Qin H, Zhu L. Integrative multi-omics reveals microbial genomic variants driving altered host-microbe interactions in autism spectrum disorder. Cell Rep Med. 2026; 7(1): 102516.

Emerging evidence links the gut microbiome to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet the role of microbial genomic variation remains underexplored. We generated a large-scale metagenomic and metabolomic dataset from over 1,100 children, integrating public datasets, to characterize ASD-associated microbial changes. We identified 35 species, 213 genes, 28 pathways, and 99 metabolites, alongside 1,369 single-nucleotide variants, 233 insertions/deletions, and 195 structural variants with differential abundance. Profiling of microbial genomic variation revealed 33 species and 196 enzymes lacking abundance differences, yet exhibiting significant sequence variation. Integrated analysis of microbial variants and metabolites uncovered 357 neurological associations, with mediation analysis showing that several metabolites link microbial variants to the ASD phenotype. Importantly, diagnostic models incorporating microbial variant and/or metabolite features achieved superior performance and generalizability. Our findings highlight microbial genomic variation as a critical, previously overlooked dimension of ASD-associated dysbiosis, offering valuable insights for diagnosis and mechanistic studies.

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7. Eicher T, Quackenbush J, Ne’eman A. Challenging Claims of an Autism Epidemic – Misconceptions and a Path Forward. N Engl J Med. 2026; 394(4): 313-5.

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8. Geng G, Xu G, Li S, Zhu Z, Liu Z, Liu Y, Wang X, Li X. Identifying Two Autism Biotypes Using Multi-Task Learning Derived Individual-Specific Functional Connectivity. J Autism Dev Disord. 2026.

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9. Ghumman U, DiSalvo M, Iorini M, Srinivasan A, Saeed A, O’Connor M, Ghaziuddin M, Uchida M, Ceronglu A, Wozniak J, Joshi G. Clinical Correlates of Major Depression in Psychiatrically Referred Youth With and Without Autism: A Controlled Study. J Autism Dev Disord. 2026.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the co-occurrence between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) in pediatric populations, focusing on prevalence rates, comorbid psychiatric conditions, and their impact on clinical presentation and treatment outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of children and adolescents (ages 3-17) referred for psychiatric care to ambulatory care clinics (pediatric psychopharmacology [N = 2,307] and specialized autism spectrum disorder [N = 416] programs) at a major academic medical center. Psychopathology was assessed by the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Epidemiologic Version and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). ASD was diagnosed using DSM criteria. RESULTS: Our findings revealed a co-occurrence and bidirectional relationship between ASD and MDD (55% of ASD patients had MDD, while 9% of MDD patients had ASD). The symptom profile of depression in youth with ASD was consistent with the typical DSM-based presentation. The burden of psychopathology was significantly greater in the presence of ASD and MDD comorbidity, and in particular the rates of comorbid anxiety disorders, OCD, and psychosis were significantly elevated. Social competence and global functioning were worse in the presence of ASD and MDD comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of comorbidity with MDD was observed in psychiatrically referred youth with ASD, with a clinical presentation of MDD that is typical of the disorder. Higher prevalence of anxiety disorders and psychosis was observed in the presence of ASD and MDD comorbidity. These findings underscore the need for comprehensive assessment and tailored interventions for children with co-occurring ASD and MDD, particularly in addressing anxiety and ensuring adequate access to mental health services.

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10. Kaçan H, Oguz HE. Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2026: 1-8.

PURPOSE: The current study was conducted to determine the effects of a 6-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program provided to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHOD: The study had an experimental design based on a pre-/posttest model with experimental (n = 40) and control (n = 40) groups. Parents of children with ASD who attend education and rehabilitation centers were included in the MBSR program, which taught effective coping using stress methods, breathing meditation, sitting meditation, body scan, and mindful eating. RESULTS: Upon completion of the MBSR program, participants showed a significant increase in posttest (mean = 78.525) compared to pretest (mean = 57.925) mindfulness (t = -11.221; p < .01; d = 1.774; 95% confidence interval [-24.313, -16.887]). There was no change in the control group. Posttest scores increased significantly compared to pretest scores for self-confident and optimistic approaches, and posttest scores for helpless and submissive approaches also showed significant differences (t[78] = -3.208; p < .05). CONCLUSION: The MBSR program provided to parents of children with ASD was effective in increasing mindfulness and coping with stress. Parents' mindfulness can contribute to reducing their children's stress levels and making their lives meaningful.

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11. Kępińska A, Robakis T, Smout S, Bercovitch R, Cohen L, Gustavsson Mahjani IC, Skalkidou A, Bergink V, Mahjani B. Association of parental prenatal mental health with offspring neurodevelopmental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Med. 2026; 56: e26.

BACKGROUND: Parental prenatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are linked to child neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), but evaluations of the magnitude and mechanisms of this association are limited. This study estimates the strength of the association and whether it is impacted by genetic and environmental factors. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, OVID, and Google Scholar was performed for articles published from January 1988 to September 2025. Of 2,420 articles screened, 74 met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were conducted on 21 studies, and 53 were included in the narrative synthesis. We conducted random-effects meta-analyses, along with tests for heterogeneity (I(2)) and publication bias (Egger’s test). The review followed PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. RESULTS: Maternal PMADs were associated with a significantly increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; odds ratio [OR] 1.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.45-2.52) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD; OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.43-2.14) in children. Paternal PMADs were also associated with the risk of NDDs, with combined odds for ASD and ADHD (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.14-1.33). Several studies suggested that the link between parental PMADs and offspring NDDs might be impacted by both genetic and environmental factors, including the impact of ongoing parental depression on child behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Parental PMADs are associated with increased risk of NDDs in children. These findings likely reflect a combination of inherited liability and environmental processes; clarifying mechanisms will require genetically informed designs. Regardless of mechanism, offering optional, family-centered developmental support may help promote child well-being in families where a parent is experiencing PMADs.

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12. Kocaman O. Facial Asymmetry in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overlooked Dimension With Clinical and Psychosocial Implications. J Craniofac Surg. 2026.

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13. Kuzminski R, Bender SM, Milward D, Scott K, Black MH. Beyond play: exploring the use of videogames in service provision for autistic individuals. Disabil Rehabil. 2026: 1-15.

PURPOSE: Allied health professionals are increasingly using videogames as an intervention modality for certain populations, such as autistic youth. Use of these games may enhance client motivation, while simultaneously providing a more strengths-based and naturalistic environment for skill development. On the other hand, professionals may be concerned about the use of screen-based technologies over real-world experiences. Despite the growing use of video games in support, little research has explored professional perspectives. These insights are crucial for understanding the benefits, challenges, and implementation of games in the support process. METHOD: We conducted a qualitative exploration of professional perspectives on the use of videogames in services for autistic youth. Nineteen professionals from a service provider using videogames as part of their service provision participated in focus groups, with data analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Four themes describing professionals’ experiences and perspectives were identified. Overall professionals expressed excitement about the potential of videogames in service provision for autistic youth. However, they also raised several limitations to their use and discussed their responsibilities as clinicians. CONCLUSION: We provide insights that can guide the use and implementation of videogames as part of service provision for autistic youth. Overall, professionals perceived that videogames are a helpful modality and tool when working with autistic youth.Videogames can be used to support skill development, assessment, and rapport building.Professionals should consider the strengths, needs, contexts, and goals of youth before using videogames in the support process.Professionals have several responsibilities when using videogames as a modality and tool. eng.

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14. Luglio DG, Yu X, Lin JC, Chow T, Martinez MP, Chen Z, Eckel SP, Schwartz J, Lurmann FW, Pavlovic NR, McConnell R, Xiang AH, Rahman MM. Prenatal Exposure to Wildfire and Autism in Children. Environ Sci Technol. 2026.

Chronic health effects of wildfire PM(2.5) on neurodevelopmental outcomes are largely unknown. Therefore, the effects of wildfire PM(2.5) on autism were assessed in a southern California-based pregnancy cohort using Cox proportional hazard models. Exposure was estimated from 2006 to 2014 at maternal addresses across pregnancy and individual trimesters using three metrics: (1) mean wildfire PM(2.5) concentration, (2) number of days of smoke exposure, and (3) number of waves of smoke exposure. Analysis was restricted to days over specific PM(2.5) concentration thresholds (3 and 5 μg/m(3)). Nonmovers during pregnancy (75% of cohort) were assessed in sensitivity analyses. There were 3356 autism diagnoses by age 5. Autism risk was associated with increased number of wildfire-exposed days during the third trimester and was strongest for nonmovers. Nonmover hazard ratios (HR) with exposure to 1-5, 6-10, and >10 wildfire days in the third trimester (compared to none) were 1.108 (95% CI: 1.010,1.215), 1.118 (0.957,1.307), and 1.225 (1.043,1.440), respectively. HR per wildfire wave increase (>3 μg/m(3) for 2 consecutive days) during the third trimester were 1.073 (1.009,1.140) and 1.267 (1.054,1.205) for the entire cohort and nonmovers, respectively. There was no association with the mean wildfire PM(2.5) concentration alone. Prenatal exposure to wildfire smoke may increase risk of autism among children.

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15. Mahase E. Paracetamol (Tylenol) in pregnancy: fresh study dispels autism risk. Bmj. 2026; 392: s113.

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16. Miniscalco C, Åsberg Johnels J, Carlsson E. Is the Kent-Rosanoff Word Association Task Helpful in Characterizing Language Difficulties in 6- to 9-Year-Old Children with Autism?. Autism Dev Lang Impair. 2026; 11: 23969415261416776.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Previous research has suggested that a word association task called the Kent-Rosanoff task, which measures syntagmatic and paradigmatic associations, can help detect language disorder (LD) in children. We aimed to investigate the performance pattern between the results of the Kent-Rosanoff word association task and other language measures in two groups of children with autism: (1) children with autism and language disorder (ALD) and (2) children with autism and average language ability (ALN). METHODS: Forty-six children aged 6 to 9 years (9 girls, 37 boys) with autism participated in a comprehensive language assessment that focused on receptive vocabulary, receptive grammar and sentence repetition, and nonverbal cognitive ability. The children with autism were divided into two subgroups, namely ALD and ALN, based on language ability while the groups did not differ in nonverbal cognitive ability. The 50-item Kent-Rosanoff list was used to elicit word associations. The children’s responses were categorized into four different categories: phonological, syntagmatic, paradigmatic, and other/no response. RESULTS: Our results did not reveal any differences between children with ALN and ALD on the Kent-Rosanoff word association task. The most frequent category coded for both groups was paradigmatic responses. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ALD did not differ in their semantic associations when compared with the ALN group; thus, sources of diversity in language profiles in preschoolers with autism should perhaps be sought elsewhere or by using alternative measures. IMPLICATIONS: Our results show that the Kent-Rosanoff word association task did not distinguish between ALN and ALD. Future studies should continue exploring sensitive assessment formats of semantic depth in young children with or without LD and autism.

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17. Moore Hill M, Gangi D, Maqbool S, Ni R, Parikh C, Ozonoff S. Repetitive Motor Behaviors in Non-Autistic Toddlers. J Pediatr. 2026: 114994.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate repetitive motor behaviors in non-autistic toddlers using direct observational methods. STUDY DESIGN: This cohort study assessed repetitive motor behaviors (RMBs) in a community sample of 679 toddlers at 24 and 36 months of age. Initial analyses examined rates of RMBs in autistic (n=65) versus non-autistic (n=614) participants. Subsequent analyses focused on participants without autism, first examining clinical correlates of RMBs in the full non-autistic group and then comparing rates of RMBs in 2 non-autistic subgroups: 104 participants with other developmental concerns (ODC) and 510 participants with no developmental concerns (NDC). RESULTS: 36% of non-autistic children demonstrated repetitive motor behavior at 24 and/or 36 months of age. RMBs were significantly more likely in the ODC (55%) than the NDC (33%) group. Non-autistic participants with RMBs had significantly lower communication scores at 24 months and, at both ages, significantly higher scores on 2 measures of autism-related symptomatology than those without RMBs; however, group means fell within the average range and effect sizes were small. There were no RMB differences based on sex. CONCLUSIONS: RMBs are not uncommon in 24-36-month-old children who do not meet diagnostic criteria for autism. Among non-autistic children, RMBs are most likely to occur in those with other developmental challenges but are also present in some typically developing children. The presence of RMBs in toddlers should be evaluated within the context of DSM-5 ASD criteria, and RMBs alone without social communication challenges core to ASD should not be viewed as automatically indicative of autism.

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18. Pagerols M, Autet A, Prat R, Pagespetit È, Andreu M, Español-Martín G, Martínez L, Puigbó J, Prat G, Casas M, Bosch R. The negative impact of neurodevelopmental disorders and multiple co-occurring conditions on academic performance of school-age children and adolescents. Sci Rep. 2026; 16(1): 2406.

Students with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND) are at risk for academic impairment. However, the pervasive co-occurrence among these conditions has rarely been considered when evaluating this association. This study examined whether intellectual disabilities (ID), communication disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), specific learning disorder (SLD), and motor disorders were related to academic outcomes. Parents and teachers completed standardized screening instruments for mental health problems and learning difficulties. Children who screened positive were interviewed for diagnostic confirmation according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, while students who screened negative served as controls. Academic performance across multiple subjects was obtained from school records. The final sample comprised 9018 participants aged 5-17. Mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression models determined the independent and combined effects of ND on academic performance, adjusting for background and coexisting conditions. When examined separately, each diagnostic category was significantly associated with lower marks in all educational outcomes, even after adjusting for sociodemographic and school-related factors. However, when the influence of neurodevelopmental co-occurrence was controlled for, ID emerged as the strongest predictor of poor academic performance, followed by ADHD, SLD, and communication disorders. ASD and motor disorders were only associated with lower marks in arts and physical education. Furthermore, youth with coexisting conditions were at higher risk for academic impairment across all subjects. These findings highlight the need for early diagnosis and targeted interventions to address the specific educational needs of students with ND. Likewise, co-occurring diagnoses should be actively sought to avoid disadvantaging children with multiple disorders.

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19. Radley KC, Hood JK, Giblette G, Gray MJ, Vigeland SH. Evaluation of a Brief Version of Superheroes Social Skills With Autistic Preschool Students. J Autism Dev Disord. 2026.

PURPOSE: Social skill interventions are frequently used to support the development of social competence in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Superheroes Social Skills program (SSS), a multicomponent social skills curriculum, has shown promise in supporting social skill acquisition and use in autistic children. The present exploratory pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief version of SSS on social skill accuracy and quality of skill use of five young children with ASD. METHOD: Single-case design (multiple probe design across skills, replicated across participants) was used to evaluate the effect of a brief SSS intervention implemented in a series of weekly 20-minute sessions. Five young autistic children participated in the study. Social skill accuracy and quality of skill use were measured to assess the impact of the intervention. RESULTS: Results of the study indicated that participants increased in social skill accuracy and quality of skill use following participation in the intervention, with statistical analysis of data also supporting the effectiveness of the brief intervention. CONCLUSION: Although preliminary, findings of this pilot study suggest that a brief variation of SSS may have utility as a strategy to address social skill needs in young children with ASD. Given the small sample included in the study, further replication is necessary to address limitations to external validity.

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20. Shah S, Barnes D, Liu B, Tseyang T, Do T, Bubenik JL, Jung S, Anadolu MN, Ivshina MP, Martínez-Cerdeño V, Berry-Kravis E, Swanson MS, Spinelli JB, Richter JD. Metabolic reprogramming during human neuron differentiation indicates glutaminase as a key determinant in Fragile X syndrome. Cell Rep. 2026; 45(1): 116857.

Metabolic homeostasis gone awry is a contributor to, if not an underlying cause of, several neurologic disorders. Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a trinucleotide repeat expansion in FMR1 and consequent loss of the encoded protein FMRP, which results in downstream molecular, neurologic, and mitochondrial deficits that are linked to cognitive impairment. In the human postmortem brain, many metabolites and solute carrier proteins are coordinately dysregulated, which also occurs during the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into excitatory neurons. Metabolic tracing in FXS neurons demonstrates a dearth of glutamine deamidation to glutamate, which reduces anaplerosis into the TCA cycle, potentially hindering the bioenergetic and biosynthetic functions of mitochondria. Mechanistically, aberrant expression of glutaminase isoforms in FXS is responsible for reduced glutaminolysis, thereby altering glutamate levels, which may contribute to FXS.

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21. Song S, Wei Q, Tu Y, Zhou S, Zhou J, Tao J, Chen Y, Zhou H, You M. Chlorpyrifos-induced autism and depression-like behaviors are ameliorated by trehalose: Integrating network pharmacology and toxicology analyses and animal experiments. Environ Pollut. 2026; 393: 127670.

The risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is elevated by exposure to the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) during pregnancy and lactation. As a neurodevelopmental disorder, ASD often co-occurs with depression, exacerbating the social isolation experienced by affected individuals. Trehalose (Tre), a naturally occurring non-reducing sugar, has neuroprotective properties. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which it exerts protective effects against CPF-induced ASD and depression-like behaviors remain unclear. The objective of study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying Tre combating CPF-induced ASD and depression through network pharmacology and toxicology analyses. In animal studies, Tre was administered to offspring mice exposed to CPF during pregnancy and lactation. Behavioral assessments revealed that Tre alleviated CPF-induced repetitive and stereotypic behaviors, social deficits, and depression-like behaviors in offspring mice. Findings from network pharmacology and toxicology analyses and animal experiments supported the notion that mammalian target of rapamycin-related autophagy and TLR4-related necroptosis signaling may contribute to the protective effects of Tre against CPF-induced hippocampal damage. This research offers valuable information regarding the potential protective effects of Tre against neurodevelopmental disorders linked to environmental chemicals.

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22. Taylor L. FDA removes web page warning of dangers of unproved autism treatments. Bmj. 2026; 392: s112.

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23. Thompson T, Bothwell S, Janusz J, Wilson R, Howell S, Davis S, Swenson K, Martin S, Kowal K, Ikomi C, Despradel M, Ross J, Tartaglia N. Quantifying the Spectrum of Early Motor and Language Milestones in Sex Chromosome Trisomy. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2026; 81(1): 12-4.

The sex chromosome trisomies (SCT), including XXY, XYY, and XXX, are common chromosomal aneuploidies associated with increased risk for early developmental delays and later neurodevelopmental disorders. Precise data on the timing and variability of early milestones in this population remain limited, so despite rising rates of prenatal SCT diagnosis, clinicians and families lack clear, evidence-based expectations for early motor and language development. This study aims to quantify the spectrum of early developmental milestones in infants with SCT and compare their timing with well-established standards for unaffected children to better contextualize early developmental risk. This analysis used data from the eXtraordinarY Babies Natural History Study, a prospective cohort of prenatally identified infants with SCT followed from infancy through early childhood. Between 2 and 36 months of life, parents reported easily observable gross motor and expressive language milestones, and clinicians validated these findings at regularly scheduled study visits as part of a broader assessment of development and health trajectories. A total of 12 milestones were collected for each participant: 8 gross motor skills and 4 expressive communication milestones. To compare these values with a normative reference group, data were retrieved from the Denver II Scales, the WHO Motor Development Study, and the Primitive Reflex Profile. Analyses assessed the median age of acquisition, variance, and differences across SCT karyotypes, as well as the proportion of children who fell outside CDC milestone expectations. Among 298 infants with SCT (174 with XXY, 50 with XYY, and 74 with XXX), results showed a later median age of acquisition for 9 of the 12 milestones evaluated, including rolling front to back, sitting, cruising, walking, running, cooing, babbling, first words, and 2-word phrases. There was also greater variance in milestone timing for the SCT group compared with the reference population, with extended upper percentiles across most skills indicating a wider range of typical achievement. While these delays were statistically significant, there was considerable overlap between the SCT group and the general pediatric population, and only a minority of infants met the CDC criteria for developmental delay. Differences across SCT karyotypes were small and generally not significant, although children with XXY achieved several skills slightly earlier than those with XYY or XXX. These findings provide an evidence-based schedule for early motor and language milestones in infants with SCT to aid early childhood surveillance and counseling. The later median age of acquisition and greater variability observed across all SCT conditions support the need for periodic developmental assessment beyond guidelines for the general population to identify children requiring additional support earlier. Although many infants with SCT will experience developmental trajectories similar to unaffected peers, this study shows that they remain at higher developmental risk and may benefit from increased monitoring, clearer parent guidance, and earlier referral for intervention when indicated.(Abstracted from Pediatrics (2025) 156 (2): e2024068773. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-068773.).

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24. Ward T, Popazov S, Adams J, Clapham H, Lawson W, Karaminis T, Pellicano E. Understanding phenomenological experiences of autistic inertia using online community discourse. Commun Psychol. 2026.

The term ‘inertia’ refers to the seemingly common Autistic experience of remaining in a state of rest or a state of motion until there is some form of external intervention. While a heavily discussed phenomenon in the Autistic community, it has been scarcely acknowledged in the academic literature. The present study aimed to advance knowledge of Autistic inertia by analysing a large qualitative sample of naturalistic discourse on the topic from Autistic online communities on the social media platform, ‘Reddit’. We identified 501 relevant posts shared between 2005 and 2023, including 9,955 comments. We analysed the posts using reflexive thematic analysis with an inductive approach. We identified four themes, centred on the « all or nothing » extremes of inertia (Theme 1), the range of factors that intersect with and exacerbate it (Theme 2), its joyful and often highly-disabling impacts (Theme 3), and the varied ways in which Reddit users manage it (Theme 4). Our findings corroborated those from existing interview-based studies and also uncovered additional insights, elaborating on ‘the vicious cycle’ of inertia, its fatiguing effects and its interaction with other commonly co-occurring conditions. We discuss these less-reported experiences and identify what we know – and are still yet to understand – about the key features of Autistic inertia.

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