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Roberts AL, Lyall K, Weisskopf MG. Maternal Exposure to Childhood Abuse is Associated with Mate Selection: Implications for Autism in Offspring. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 47:1998-2009. [PMID: 28393290 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3115-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Maternal experience of childhood abuse has been associated with offspring autism. To explore whether familial tendency towards autistic traits-presumably related to genetic predisposition-accounts for this association, we examined whether women who experienced childhood abuse were more likely to select mates with high levels of autistic traits, and whether parental autistic traits accounted for the association of maternal abuse and offspring autism in 209 autism cases and 833 controls. Maternal childhood abuse was strongly associated with high paternal autistic traits (severe abuse, OR = 3.98, 95% CI = 1.26, 8.31). Maternal and paternal autistic traits accounted for 21% of the association between maternal abuse and offspring autism. These results provide evidence that childhood abuse affects mate selection, with implications for offspring health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L Roberts
- Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marc G Weisskopf
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Yenkoyan K, Grigoryan A, Fereshetyan K, Yepremyan D. Advances in understanding the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders. Behav Brain Res 2017; 331:92-101. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Bashir S, AL-Ayadhi L. Role of serum levels of neurotensin in children with autism spectrum disorder. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.npbr.2013.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Roberts AL, Lyall K, Rich-Edwards JW, Ascherio A, Weisskopf MG. Association of maternal exposure to childhood abuse with elevated risk for autism in offspring. JAMA Psychiatry 2013; 70:508-15. [PMID: 23553149 PMCID: PMC4069029 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Adverse perinatal circumstances have been associated with increased risk for autism in offspring. Women exposed to childhood abuse experience more adverse perinatal circumstances than women unexposed, but whether maternal abuse is associated with autism in offspring is unknown. OBJECTIVES To determine whether maternal exposure to childhood abuse is associated with risk for autism in offspring and whether possible increased risk is accounted for by a higher prevalence of adverse perinatal circumstances among abused women, including toxemia, low birth weight, gestational diabetes, previous induced abortion, intimate partner abuse, pregnancy length shorter than 37 weeks, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use, and alcohol use and smoking during pregnancy. DESIGN AND SETTING Nurses' Health Study II, a population-based longitudinal cohort of 116 430 women. PARTICIPANTS Nurses with data on maternal childhood abuse and child's autism status (97.0% were of white race/ethnicity). Controls were randomly selected from among children of women who did not report autism in offspring (participants included 451 mothers of children with autism and 52 498 mothers of children without autism). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Autism spectrum disorder in offspring, assessed by maternal report and validated with the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised in a subsample. RESULTS Exposure to abuse was associated with increased risk for autism in children in a monotonically increasing fashion. The highest level of abuse was associated with the greatest prevalence of autism (1.8% vs 0.7% among women not abused, P = .005) and with the greatest risk for autism adjusted for demographic factors (risk ratio, 3.7; 95% CI, 2.3-5.8). All adverse perinatal circumstances except low birth weight were more prevalent among women abused in childhood. Adjusted for perinatal factors, the association of maternal childhood abuse with autism in offspring was slightly attenuated (risk ratio for highest level of abuse, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.9-4.8). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE We identify an intergenerational association between maternal exposure to childhood abuse and risk for autism in the subsequent generation. Adverse perinatal circumstances accounted for only a small portion of this increased risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L Roberts
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Etiopathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders: fitting the pieces of the puzzle together. Med Hypotheses 2013; 81:26-35. [PMID: 23622947 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2013.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Revised: 03/26/2013] [Accepted: 04/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are disorders of the central nervous system characterized by impairments in communication and social reciprocity. Despite thousands of studies on this topic, the etiopathogenesis of these disorders remains unclear, apart from a general belief that they derive from an interaction between several genes and the environment. Given the mystery surrounding the etiopathogenesis of ASD it is impossible to plan effective preventive and treatment measures. This is of particular concern due to the progressive increase in the prevalence of ASD, which has reached a figure as high as 1:88 children in the USA. Here we present data corroborating a novel unifying hypothesis of the etiopathogenesis of ASD. We suggest that ASD are disorders of the immune system that occur in a very early phase of embryonic development. In a background of genetic predisposition and environmental predisposition (probably vitamin D deficiency), an infection (notably a viral infection) could trigger a deranged immune response which, in turn, results in damage to specific areas of the central nervous system. If proven, this hypothesis would have dramatic consequences for strategies aimed at preventing and treating ASD. To confirm or refute this hypothesis, we need a novel research approach, which unlike former approaches in this field, examine the major factors implicated in ASD (genetic, infections, vitamin D deficiency, immune system deregulation) not separately, but collectively and simultaneously.
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Naik US, Gangadharan C, Abbagani K, Nagalla B, Dasari N, Manna SK. A study of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B in childhood autism. PLoS One 2011; 6:e19488. [PMID: 21573053 PMCID: PMC3090385 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2010] [Accepted: 04/08/2011] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several children with autism show regression in language and social development while maintaining normal motor milestones. A clear period of normal development followed by regression and subsequent improvement with treatment, suggests a multifactorial etiology. The role of inflammation in autism is now a major area of study. Viral and bacterial infections, hypoxia, or medication could affect both foetus and infant. These stressors could upregulate transcription factors like nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), a master switch for many genes including some implicated in autism like tumor necrosis factor (TNF). On this hypothesis, it was proposed to determine NF-κB in children with autism. METHODS Peripheral blood samples of 67 children with autism and 29 control children were evaluated for NF-κB using electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). A phosphor imaging technique was used to quantify values. The fold increase over the control sample was calculated and statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 15. RESULTS We have noted significant increase in NF-κB DNA binding activity in peripheral blood samples of children with autism. When the fold increase of NF-κB in cases (n = 67) was compared with that of controls (n = 29), there was a significant difference (3.14 vs. 1.40, respectively; p<0.02). CONCLUSION This finding has immense value in understanding many of the known biochemical changes reported in autism. As NF-κB is a response to stressors of several kinds and a master switch for many genes, autism may then arise at least in part from an NF-κB pathway gone awry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usha S. Naik
- Department of Psychiatry, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad,
India
| | - Charitha Gangadharan
- Laboratory of Immunology, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics,
Nampally, Hyderabad, India
| | | | | | - Niranjan Dasari
- Department of Psychiatry, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad,
India
| | - Sunil K. Manna
- Laboratory of Immunology, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics,
Nampally, Hyderabad, India
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Tamiji J, Crawford DA. The neurobiology of lipid metabolism in autism spectrum disorders. Neurosignals 2011; 18:98-112. [PMID: 21346377 DOI: 10.1159/000323189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2010] [Accepted: 11/29/2010] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in communication and reciprocal social interaction, coupled with repetitive behavior, which typically manifests by 3 years of age. Multiple genes and early exposure to environmental factors are the etiological determinants of the disorder that contribute to variable expression of autism-related traits. Increasing evidence indicates that altered fatty acid metabolic pathways may affect proper function of the nervous system and contribute to autism spectrum disorders. This review provides an overview of the reported abnormalities associated with the synthesis of membrane fatty acids in individuals with autism as a result of insufficient dietary supplementation or genetic defects. Moreover, we discuss deficits associated with the release of arachidonic acid from the membrane phospholipids and its subsequent metabolism to bioactive prostaglandins via phospholipase A(2)-cyclooxygenase biosynthetic pathway in autism spectrum disorders. The existing evidence for the involvement of lipid neurobiology in the pathology of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism is compelling and opens up an interesting possibility for further investigation of this metabolic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javaneh Tamiji
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ont., Canada
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Fujita-Shimizu A, Suzuki K, Nakamura K, Miyachi T, Matsuzaki H, Kajizuka M, Shinmura C, Iwata Y, Suda S, Tsuchiya KJ, Matsumoto K, Sugihara G, Iwata K, Yamamoto S, Tsujii M, Sugiyama T, Takei N, Mori N. Decreased serum levels of adiponectin in subjects with autism. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2010; 34:455-8. [PMID: 20074612 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2009.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2009] [Revised: 12/24/2009] [Accepted: 12/24/2009] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The neurobiological basis for autism remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that adipokines, such as adiponectin, may play a role in the pathophysiology of autism. In this study, we examined whether serum levels of adiponectin are altered in subjects with autism. We measured serum levels of adiponectin in male subjects with autism (n=31) and age-matched healthy male subjects (n=31). The serum levels of adiponectin in the subjects with autism were significantly lower than that of normal control subjects. The serum adiponectin levels in the subjects with autism were negatively correlated with their domain A scores in the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, which reflects their impairments in social interaction. This study suggests that decreased levels of serum adiponectin might be implicated in the pathophysiology of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azusa Fujita-Shimizu
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
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10
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Abstract
Improving clinical tests are allowing us to more precisely classify autism spectrum disorders and diagnose them at earlier ages. This raises the possibility of earlier and potentially more effective therapeutic interventions. To fully capitalize on this opportunity, however, will require better understanding of the neurobiological changes underlying this devastating group of developmental disorders. It is becoming clear that the normal trajectory of neurodevelopment is altered in autism, with aberrations in brain growth, neuronal patterning and cortical connectivity. Changes to the structure and function of synapses and dendrites have also been strongly implicated in the pathology of autism by morphological, genetic and animal modeling studies. Finally, environmental factors are likely to interact with the underlying genetic profile, and foster the clinical heterogeneity seen in autism spectrum disorders. In this review we attempt to link the molecular pathways altered in autism to the neurodevelopmental and clinical changes that characterize the disease. We focus on signaling molecules such as neurotrophin, Reelin, PTEN and hepatocyte growth factor, neurotransmitters such as serotonin and glutamate, and synaptic proteins such as neurexin, SHANK and neuroligin. We also discuss evidence implicating oxidative stress, neuroglial activation and neuroimmunity in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Pardo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287. USA.
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Toyoda T, Nakamura K, Yamada K, Thanseem I, Anitha A, Suda S, Tsujii M, Iwayama Y, Hattori E, Toyota T, Miyachi T, Iwata Y, Suzuki K, Matsuzaki H, Kawai M, Sekine Y, Tsuchiya K, Sugihara GI, Ouchi Y, Sugiyama T, Takei N, Yoshikawa T, Mori N. SNP analyses of growth factor genes EGF, TGFβ-1, and HGF reveal haplotypic association of EGF with autism. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2007; 360:715-20. [PMID: 17626784 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.06.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2007] [Accepted: 06/06/2007] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed in early childhood. Growth factors have been found to play a key role in the cellular differentiation and proliferation of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is detected in several regions of the developing and adult brain, where, it enhances the differentiation, maturation, and survival of a variety of neurons. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta) isoforms play an important role in neuronal survival, and the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to exhibit neurotrophic activity. We examined the association of EGF, TGFbeta1, and HGF genes with autism, in a trio association study, using DNA samples from families recruited to the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange; 252 trios with a male offspring scored for autism were selected for the study. Transmission disequilibrium test revealed significant haplotypic association of EGF with autism. No significant SNP or haplotypic associations were observed for TGFbeta1 or HGF. Given the role of EGF in brain and neuronal development, we suggest a possible role of EGF in the pathogenesis of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takao Toyoda
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan
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Shinohe A, Hashimoto K, Nakamura K, Tsujii M, Iwata Y, Tsuchiya KJ, Sekine Y, Suda S, Suzuki K, Sugihara GI, Matsuzaki H, Minabe Y, Sugiyama T, Kawai M, Iyo M, Takei N, Mori N. Increased serum levels of glutamate in adult patients with autism. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2006; 30:1472-7. [PMID: 16863675 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2006.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2006] [Revised: 06/08/2006] [Accepted: 06/15/2006] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Precise mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of autism are currently unknown. Given the major role of glutamate in brain development, we have hypothesized that glutamatergic neurotransmission plays a role in the pathophysiology of autism. In this study, we studied whether amino acids (glutamate, glutamine, glycine, D-serine, and L-serine) related to glutamatergic neurotransmission are altered in serum of adult patients with autism. METHODS We measured serum levels of amino acids in 18 male adult patients with autism and age-matched 19 male healthy subjects using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS Serum levels (mean = 89.2 microM, S.D. = 21.5) of glutamate in the patients with autism were significantly (t = -4.48, df = 35, p < 0.001) higher than those (mean = 61.1 microM, S.D. = 16.5) of normal controls. In contrast, serum levels of other amino acids (glutamine, glycine, d-serine, l-serine) in the patients with autism did not differ from those of normal controls. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.523, p = 0.026) between serum glutamate levels and Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) social scores in patients. CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests that an abnormality in glutamatergic neurotransmission may play a role in the pathophysiology of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuko Shinohe
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
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Abstract
Adaptation is a central organizing principle throughout biology, whether we are studying species, populations, or individuals. Adaptation in biological systems occurs in response to molar and molecular environments. Thus, we would predict that genetic systems and nervous systems would be dynamic (cybernetic) in contrast to previous conceptualizations with genes and brains fixed in form and function. Questions of nature versus nurture are meaningless, and we must turn to epigenetics--the way in which biology and experience work together to enhance adaptation throughout thick and thin. Defining endophenotypes--road markers that bring us closer to the biological origins of the developmental journey--facilitates our understanding of adaptive or maladaptive processes. For human behavioral disorders such as schizophrenia and autism, the inherent plasticity of the nervous system requires a systems approach to incorporate all of the myriad epigenetic factors that can influence such outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irving I Gottesman
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA.
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Vargas DL, Nascimbene C, Krishnan C, Zimmerman AW, Pardo CA. Neuroglial activation and neuroinflammation in the brain of patients with autism. Ann Neurol 2005; 57:67-81. [PMID: 15546155 DOI: 10.1002/ana.20315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1368] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired communication and social interaction and may be accompanied by mental retardation and epilepsy. Its cause remains unknown, despite evidence that genetic, environmental, and immunological factors may play a role in its pathogenesis. To investigate whether immune-mediated mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of autism, we used immunocytochemistry, cytokine protein arrays, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to study brain tissues and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from autistic patients and determined the magnitude of neuroglial and inflammatory reactions and their cytokine expression profiles. Brain tissues from cerebellum, midfrontal, and cingulate gyrus obtained at autopsy from 11 patients with autism were used for morphological studies. Fresh-frozen tissues available from seven patients and CSF from six living autistic patients were used for cytokine protein profiling. We demonstrate an active neuroinflammatory process in the cerebral cortex, white matter, and notably in cerebellum of autistic patients. Immunocytochemical studies showed marked activation of microglia and astroglia, and cytokine profiling indicated that macrophage chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and tumor growth factor-beta1, derived from neuroglia, were the most prevalent cytokines in brain tissues. CSF showed a unique proinflammatory profile of cytokines, including a marked increase in MCP-1. Our findings indicate that innate neuroimmune reactions play a pathogenic role in an undefined proportion of autistic patients, suggesting that future therapies might involve modifying neuroglial responses in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana L Vargas
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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Palmer RF, Blanchard S, Jean CR, Mandell DS. School district resources and identification of children with autistic disorder. Am J Public Health 2005; 95:125-30. [PMID: 15623872 PMCID: PMC1449864 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2003.023077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We estimated the effect of community and school district resources on the identification of children with autistic disorder. METHODS Latent growth curve regression models were applied to school district-level data from one large state. RESULTS The rate of identification of autistic disorder increased on average by 1.0 child per 10000 per year (P<.001), with statistically significant district variation. After adjustment for district and community characteristics, each increase in decile of school revenue was associated with an increase of 0.16 per 10000 children identified with autistic disorder. The proportion of economically disadvantaged children per district was inversely associated with autistic disorder cases. CONCLUSIONS District revenue was associated with higher proportions of children identified with autistic disorder at baseline and increasing rates of identification when measured longitudinally. Economically disadvantaged communities may need assistance to identify children with autistic spectrum disorders and other developmental delays that require attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond F Palmer
- University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, Department of Family and Community Medicine, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-7795, USA.
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