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Xu S, Zhang H, Fan J, Jiang X, Zhang M, Guan J, Ding H, Zhang Y. Auditory Challenges and Listening Effort in School-Age Children With Autism: Insights From Pupillary Dynamics During Speech-in-Noise Perception. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024:1-44. [PMID: 38861391 DOI: 10.1044/2024_jslhr-23-00553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate challenges in speech-in-noise (SiN) processing faced by school-age children with autism spectrum conditions (ASCs) and their impact on listening effort. METHOD Participants, including 23 Mandarin-speaking children with ASCs and 19 age-matched neurotypical (NT) peers, underwent sentence recognition tests in both quiet and noisy conditions, with a speech-shaped steady-state noise masker presented at 0-dB signal-to-noise ratio in the noisy condition. Recognition accuracy rates and task-evoked pupil responses were compared to assess behavioral performance and listening effort during auditory tasks. RESULTS No main effect of group was found on accuracy rates. Instead, significant effects emerged for autistic trait scores, listening conditions, and their interaction, indicating that higher trait scores were associated with poorer performance in noise. Pupillometric data revealed significantly larger and earlier peak dilations, along with more varied pupillary dynamics in the ASC group relative to the NT group, especially under noisy conditions. Importantly, the ASC group's peak dilation in quiet mirrored that of the NT group in noise. However, the ASC group consistently exhibited reduced mean dilations than the NT group. CONCLUSIONS Pupillary responses suggest a different resource allocation pattern in ASCs: An initial sharper and larger dilation may signal an intense, narrowed resource allocation, likely linked to heightened arousal, engagement, and cognitive load, whereas a subsequent faster tail-off may indicate a greater decrease in resource availability and engagement, or a quicker release of arousal and cognitive load. The presence of noise further accentuates this pattern. This highlights the unique SiN processing challenges children with ASCs may face, underscoring the importance of a nuanced, individual-centric approach for interventions and support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyun Xu
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
- National Research Centre for Language and Well-Being, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Juan Fan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Xiaoming Jiang
- Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University, China
| | - Minyue Zhang
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
- National Research Centre for Language and Well-Being, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Hongwei Ding
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
- National Research Centre for Language and Well-Being, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences and Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
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Paveenakiattikhun S, Likhitweerawong N, Sanguansermsri C. EEG findings and clinical severity and quality of life in non-epileptic patients with autism spectrum disorders. Child Neuropsychol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38805362 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2024.2360651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities could be seen in up to 60% of non-epileptic children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They have been used as biomarkers of ASD severity. The objective of our study is to identify EEG abnormalities in children with different degrees of ASD severity based on the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC). We also want to assess the quality of life for children with ASD. All of the children underwent at least one hour of sleep-deprived EEG. Forty-five children were enrolled, of whom 42 were male. EEG abnormalities were found in 10 (22.2%) children, predominantly in the bilateral frontal areas. There were no differences in EEG findings among the mild, moderate, and severe ASD groups. The severity of ASD was associated with female sex (p-value = 0.013), ASD with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (p-value = 0.032), ASD children taking medications (p-value = 0.048), and a lower Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) (p-value <0.001). Social and emotional domains were the most problematic for health-related quality of life in ASD children, according to parent reports of PedsQL. Further studies with a larger sample size will help to clarify the potential associations between EEG abnormalities and the severity of ASD, as well as the impact on quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirada Paveenakiattikhun
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Narueporn Likhitweerawong
- Child and Development Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Chinnuwat Sanguansermsri
- Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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Sallum JMF, de Vasconcellos CFC, Pellissari MC, Carreiro LR. Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in children and adolescents with Leber's congenital amaurosis. Am J Ophthalmol 2024:S0002-9394(24)00221-6. [PMID: 38777102 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2024.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate autism spectrum disorder (ASD) indicators in children with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). METHODS Cross-sectional, correlational, and prospective study. Participants included patients aged 2 to 16 years with LCA confirmed by genetic testing. There were 20 individuals with ciliopathies (LCA cilio) and 26 with other gene mutations (LCA other). The instrument used for ASD screening was the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Marginal descriptive analyses, non-parametric tests, and a linear regression model were conducted. RESULTS Of the 46 participants, 6 had ASD scores. There was no statistically significant correlation between the different groups (LCA cilio and LCA other) (p=0.438). There was no statistically significant correlation between age and ASD (p=0.308). However, there was a statistically significant correlation between visual acuity and ASD (p=0.008) and between male gender and ASD (p=0.025). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that there is no correlation between LCA cilio, LCA other and ASD. These findings bring new insights to the existing literature, which previously lacked robust data on the relationship between LCA and ASD. These data demonstrate that visual acuity plays a crucial role in the development of children with visual impairment as poorer visual acuity is associated with a higher incidence of ASD. Based on this study, early interventions can be designed, especially for individuals without light perception, with the aim of maximizing their developmental outcomes. Furthermore, such data indicates that any improvement in visual acuity outcomes in treatment clinical trials become relevant for child development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marina Cruz Pellissari
- Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo - UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luiz Renato Carreiro
- Postgraduate Program in Human Development Sciences, Mackenzie Presbiterian University - Mackenzie, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Wang YS, Su XT, Ke L, He QH, Chang D, Nie J, Luo X, Chen F, Xu J, Zhang C, Zhang S, Zhang S, An H, Guo R, Yue S, Duan W, Jia S, Yang S, Yu Y, Zhao Y, Zhou Y, Chen LZ, Fan XR, Gao P, Lv C, Wu Z, Zhao Y, Quan X, Zhao F, Mu Y, Yan Y, Xu W, Liu J, Xing L, Chen X, Wu X, Zhao L, Huang Z, Ren Y, Hao H, Li H, Wang J, Dong Q, Chen L, Huang R, Liu S, Wang Y, Dong Q, Zuo XN. Initiating PeriCBD to probe perinatal influences on neurodevelopment during 3-10 years in China. Sci Data 2024; 11:463. [PMID: 38714688 PMCID: PMC11076487 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03211-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Adverse perinatal factors can interfere with the normal development of the brain, potentially resulting in long-term effects on the comprehensive development of children. Presently, the understanding of cognitive and neurodevelopmental processes under conditions of adverse perinatal factors is substantially limited. There is a critical need for an open resource that integrates various perinatal factors with the development of the brain and mental health to facilitate a deeper understanding of these developmental trajectories. In this Data Descriptor, we introduce a multicenter database containing information on perinatal factors that can potentially influence children's brain-mind development, namely, periCBD, that combines neuroimaging and behavioural phenotypes with perinatal factors at county/region/central district hospitals. PeriCBD was designed to establish a platform for the investigation of individual differences in brain-mind development associated with perinatal factors among children aged 3-10 years. Ultimately, our goal is to help understand how different adverse perinatal factors specifically impact cognitive development and neurodevelopment. Herein, we provide a systematic overview of the data acquisition/cleaning/quality control/sharing, processes of periCBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin-Shan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Developmental Population Neuroscience Research Center, International Data Group/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xue-Ting Su
- Department of Military Operational Medical Protection, Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Li Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Qing-Hua He
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Da Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Developmental Population Neuroscience Research Center, International Data Group/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - JingJing Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Developmental Population Neuroscience Research Center, International Data Group/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - XinLi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Developmental Population Neuroscience Research Center, International Data Group/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Fumei Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jihong Xu
- National Research Institute for Health Commission, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Cai Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Shudong Zhang
- Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Shuyue Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541001, China
| | - Huiping An
- Anyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Anyang, 455000, China
| | - Rui Guo
- People's Hospital of Liangping District, Chongqing, 405200, China
| | - Suping Yue
- Anyang Preschool Education College, Anyang, 456150, China
| | - Wen Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Shichao Jia
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Sijia Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yankun Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Li-Zhen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Developmental Population Neuroscience Research Center, International Data Group/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xue-Ru Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Developmental Population Neuroscience Research Center, International Data Group/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Peng Gao
- College of Information and Computer, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China
| | - Chenyu Lv
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Ziyun Wu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yunyan Zhao
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xi Quan
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Feng Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541001, China
| | - Yanchao Mu
- Anyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Anyang, 455000, China
| | - Yu Yan
- Anyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Anyang, 455000, China
| | - Wenchao Xu
- Anyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Anyang, 455000, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Anyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Anyang, 455000, China
| | - Lixia Xing
- Anyang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Anyang, 455000, China
| | - Xiaoqin Chen
- People's Hospital of Liangping District, Chongqing, 405200, China
| | - Xiang Wu
- People's Hospital of Liangping District, Chongqing, 405200, China
| | - Lanfeng Zhao
- People's Hospital of Liangping District, Chongqing, 405200, China
| | - Zhijuan Huang
- People's Hospital of Liangping District, Chongqing, 405200, China
| | - Yanzhou Ren
- Anyang Preschool Education College, Anyang, 456150, China
| | - Hongyan Hao
- Anyang Preschool Education College, Anyang, 456150, China
| | - Hui Li
- Anyang Preschool Education College, Anyang, 456150, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Anyang Preschool Education College, Anyang, 456150, China
| | - Qing Dong
- Anyang Preschool Education College, Anyang, 456150, China
| | - Liyan Chen
- Anyang Preschool Education College, Anyang, 456150, China
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Siman Liu
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xi-Nian Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Developmental Population Neuroscience Research Center, International Data Group/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
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Xing J, Wei R, Wang H, Hua Z, Tang X, Yi L, Li X, Liu J. Symptoms of ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder Interactively Predict Children's Verbal Fluency. J Atten Disord 2024; 28:1092-1104. [PMID: 38353406 DOI: 10.1177/10870547241232081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Verbal fluency, the capacity to generate words from a designated category, predicts myriad cognitive and life outcomes. The study investigated verbal fluency in children with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and comorbid ADHD and ASD, to understand how ADHD- and ASD-related symptoms individually and jointly predict verbal fluency, and the underlying linguistic and cognitive substrates. METHOD Thirty-three school-aged children with ADHD, 27 with ASD, 25 with comorbid ADHD and ASD, and 39 with typical development, were assessed for ADHD and ASD symptoms and completed a semantic verbal fluency task. RESULTS Findings indicated that ADHD and ASD symptoms, especially ADHD hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms and language-related ASD symptoms, interactively predicted verbal fluency across diagnostic groups. CONCLUSION The study implicated the potential cognitive and linguistic mechanisms underlying verbal fluency differences in ADHD and/or ASD, and clinical practices on enhancing verbal fluency in these clinical groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ran Wei
- Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | | | - Xinzhou Tang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Li Yi
- Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
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Waizbard-Bartov E, Fein D, Lord C, Amaral DG. Autism Severity and its Relationship to Disability. FOCUS (AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC PUBLISHING) 2024; 22:252-262. [PMID: 38680979 PMCID: PMC11046712 DOI: 10.1176/appi.focus.24022007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Autism severity is currently defined and measured based exclusively on the severity levels of the two core symptom domains: social-communication and restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviors and interests. Autistic individuals, however, are often diagnosed with other medical, developmental, and psychological co-occurring conditions. These additional challenges such as intellectual disability, limited expressive and/or receptive language, and anxiety disorders, can have a tremendous impact on the day-to-day lives of autistic individuals, for both their adaptive functioning as well as their sense of wellbeing. Furthermore, the initial presentation of core symptoms and their likelihood of changing over time are influenced by the presence of such co-occurring conditions. In order to truly understand how a person's autism impacts their life, both core symptoms as well as other challenges should be considered. This approach was recently taken by The Lancet Commission on the future of care and clinical research in autism, which proposed the term "profound autism" for a subgroup of individuals presenting with high core symptom severity, co-occurring intellectual disability, and little or no language, who require extensive long-term care. Considering other individual factors such as daily living skills, specific support needs and environmental resources would also enhance the evaluation of disability in autistic individuals. As currently employed in the assessment of intellectual disability, a multidimensional approach to autism could provide a more comprehensive system for classification of impairment. At present, however, there is no formal way to designate the combined effect of these different aspects of autism on a person's life. A comprehensive outlook that acknowledges impairments, capabilities, co-occurring conditions, and environmental factors would be useful for identifying subgroups of individuals as well as for determining individual needs and strengths in clinical assessments. Lay Summary: The severity of a person's autism is currently defined based on the severity of their core autism symptoms: impaired social-communication and the presence of restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviors and interests. But autistic people often face additional challenges such as intellectual disability, epilepsy, and anxiety disorder, that considerably impact their everyday life, wellbeing, and the need for support. A more complete view of autism severity, one that includes core symptoms as well as additional challenges, could help identify meaningful sub-groups of autistic individuals and could be useful in clinical care. Appeared originally in Autism Res 2023; 16:685-696.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat Waizbard-Bartov
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA (Waizbard-Bartov); The MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA (Waizbard-Bartov, Amaral); Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, USA (Fein); Departments of Psychiatry and Human Development and Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA (Lord)
| | - Deborah Fein
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA (Waizbard-Bartov); The MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA (Waizbard-Bartov, Amaral); Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, USA (Fein); Departments of Psychiatry and Human Development and Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA (Lord)
| | - Catherine Lord
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA (Waizbard-Bartov); The MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA (Waizbard-Bartov, Amaral); Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, USA (Fein); Departments of Psychiatry and Human Development and Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA (Lord)
| | - David G Amaral
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA (Waizbard-Bartov); The MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA (Waizbard-Bartov, Amaral); Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, USA (Fein); Departments of Psychiatry and Human Development and Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA (Lord)
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Fu Y, Tian M, Chen J, Chen W, Li H. Improvement of symptoms in children with autism by TOMATIS training: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1357453. [PMID: 38562516 PMCID: PMC10982311 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1357453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that is marked by deficits in social interaction, difficulty expressing oneself, lack of enthusiasm, and stereotypical conduct. The TOMATIS training method is an effective music therapy for children with ASD for its individually developed programs to improve behavioral deficits. Methods The research employed both longitudinal and crosssectional designs. Results In the cross-sectional study, the experimental group showed significant improvement in symptoms after TOMATIS training compared to the control group of children with ASD. The results validated the effect of TOMATIS treatment for ASD-related deficits, including perceptual-motor, attentional, social, and emotional issues. Discussion ASD's auditory hypersensitivity hampers social information processing, but TOMATIS enhances cochlear frequency selectivity, aiding in capturing relevant auditory stimuli. In addition, the longitudinal study confirmed these findings, which proved TOMATIS training effective in clinically treating ASD. This study focused on audiometric indicators and behavioural improvement, elucidating the mechanisms behind the training's success. Behavioral improvements might stem from TOMATIS' frequency selectivity, reshaping auditory organ-cortical feedback loops to filter interference and focus on valid information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Fu
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Tian
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
- Hai Perui Education Technology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaxi Chen
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Wenfeng Chen
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Huang Li
- Affiliated Haixia Hospital of Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, China
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Eyuboglu D, Eyuboglu M, Yaylaci F, Guller B, Sahbudak B, Avunduk A, Dagli OO, Pala SC, Arslantas D. The Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the Autism Family Experience Questionnaire (AFEQ). J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06264-y. [PMID: 38459280 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06264-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the AFEQ for Turkish parents of children with ASD. The Turkish-translated version of the AFEQ was administered to 241 parents of children aged 2-12 years with ASD to examine the construct validity and internal consistencies. Parents completed the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), and Quality of Life in Autism Questionnaire Parent version, along with the AFEQ. The mean age of the children of 241 individuals in the study group was 7.63 ± 3.02 and 88.4% (n = 213) were male. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.921 of the total variance. Cronbach alpha coefficients are 0.813 for the "Experience of being a parent" subscale, 0.768 for the "Family Life" subscale, 0.810 for the "Child Development, Understanding and Social Relationships" subscale, and 0.804 for the "Child Symptoms (Feelings and Behaviour)" subscale. In conclusion, the translated and culturally adapted AFEQ shows good reliability and validity to measure the priorities of autistic children and their families in Turkey. It can also be useful in monitoring the effectiveness of intervention programs and changes in the child.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damla Eyuboglu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey.
| | - Murat Eyuboglu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Ferhat Yaylaci
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bursa Dortcelik Children Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
| | - Baris Guller
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bursa Dortcelik Children Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
| | - Begum Sahbudak
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Manisa Mental Health and Diseases Hospital, Manisa, Turkey
| | - Aslihan Avunduk
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Onur Oktay Dagli
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Seval Caliskan Pala
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey
- Eskisehir Provincial Health Directorate, Odunpazari Health Directorate, Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Didem Arslantas
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey
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Huntjens A, Landlust A, Wissenburg S, van der Gaag M. The Prevalence of Suicidal Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder. CRISIS 2024; 45:144-153. [PMID: 37668055 DOI: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Background: Suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SA) are common in autistic individuals, but prevalence rates have not yet been estimated with meta-analysis. Aims: This meta-analysis aims to estimate SI and SA prevalence rates in autistic individuals and identify subgroup differences based on sample characteristics and study quality. Methods: A systematic search identified 52 studies with 88,509 autistic participants reporting SI and SA. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using a random-effects model. Results: Pooled prevalence estimates of lifetime SI and SA were 37.2% [95% CI 25.3-50.8] and 15.3% [95% CI 9.5-23.6], respectively. For 12-month prevalence, this was 25.4% [95% CI 19.0-33.2] and 14.1% [95% CI 7.4-25.2], respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed significant differences based on age (SI), region (SI), data collection (SI), measurement scales used to define autism and suicidality (SA), and representation of the study sample (SI and SA). Heterogeneity measures were high for all outcomes (I2 = 60.3-99.1%). Limitations: The heterogeneity of the included studies may limit the generalizability of our findings. Conclusion: The high rates of suicidal problems in autistic individuals call for a systematic evaluation of suicidality in clinical practice and adequate therapeutic interventions to improve this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Huntjens
- Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University and Amsterdam Public Health Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychosis Research, Parnassia Academy, The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Annemiek Landlust
- Autism Team Northern-Netherlands, Jonx, Department of (Youth) Mental Health and Autism, Lentis Psychiatric Institute, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sophie Wissenburg
- Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University and Amsterdam Public Health Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychosis Research, Parnassia Academy, The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Mark van der Gaag
- Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University and Amsterdam Public Health Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychosis Research, Parnassia Academy, The Hague, The Netherlands
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Sun K, Li Y, Zhai Z, Yin H, Liang S, Zhai F, Cui Y, Zhang G. Effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and exploration of brain network mechanisms in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1337101. [PMID: 38374975 PMCID: PMC10875019 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1337101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a collection of neurodevelopmental diseases characterized by poor social interaction and communication, a limited range of interests, and stereotyped behavior. High-functioning autism (HFA) indicates a subgroup of individuals with autism who possess cognitive and/or language skills that are within the average to above-normal range for their age. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) holds promise in children with HFA. However, few studies have used randomized controlled trials to validate the effectiveness of taVNS. Therefore, in this study, we intend to provide a study protocol to examine the therapeutic effects of taVNS in individuals diagnosed with HFA and to investigate the process of brain network remodeling in individuals with ASD using functional imaging techniques to observe alterations in large-scale neural networks. Methods and design We planned to employ a randomized, double-blind experimental design, including 40 children receiving sham stimulation and 40 children receiving real stimulation. We will assess clinical scales and perform functional imaging examinations before and after the stimulation. Additionally, we will include age- and gender-matched healthy children as controls and conduct functional imaging examinations. We plan first to observe the therapeutic effects of taVNS. Furthermore, we will observe the impact of taVNS stimulation on the brain network. Discussion taVNS was a low-risk, easy-to-administer, low-cost, and portable option to modulate the vagus system. taVNS may improve the social performance of HFA. Changes in the network properties of the large-scale brain network may be related to the efficacy of taVNS. Clinical trial registration http://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2300074035.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Sun
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenhang Zhai
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Heqing Yin
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuli Liang
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Zhai
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghua Cui
- Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Guojun Zhang
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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11
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Ju X, Liu H, Xu J, Hu B, Jin Y, Lu C. Effect of Yoga Intervention on Problem Behavior and Motor Coordination in Children with Autism. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:116. [PMID: 38392469 PMCID: PMC10886297 DOI: 10.3390/bs14020116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Children with autism exhibit more pronounced symptoms of both problem behaviors and motor coordination difficulties. Yoga, recognized as an effective intervention modality, can be valuable after assessing its efficacy in addressing problem behaviors and motor coordination challenges, ultimately contributing to symptom alleviation in autism. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) was used to divide 17 children with autism into an intervention group (n = 9) and a control group (n = 8). The intervention group participated in an 8-week yoga intervention training (three sessions/week, 45-50 min/session), and the control group did not participate in yoga training but only in daily program activities. Pre-test, mid-test, post-test, and after delayed test, teachers assessed the effect of yoga intervention on problem behaviors of children with autism through the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the effect of yoga intervention on motor coordination through the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC2). Results show that the yoga intervention is effective in reducing problem behaviors and improving motor coordination in children with autism. Yoga intervention significantly reduces irritability and social withdrawal in children with autism. Yoga intervention had the most significant improvement in ball skills and static and dynamic balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingda Ju
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Brain Development, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Huanhuan Liu
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Jing Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Bo Hu
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Yunlei Jin
- Children's Hospital of Changchun, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Chang Lu
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Brain Development, Changchun 130000, China
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Lai B, Yi A, Zhang F, Wang S, Xin J, Li S, Yu L. Atypical brain lateralization for speech processing at the sublexical level in autistic children revealed by fNIRS. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2776. [PMID: 38307983 PMCID: PMC10837203 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53128-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Autistic children often exhibit atypical brain lateralization of language processing, but it is unclear what aspects of language contribute to this phenomenon. This study employed functional near-infrared spectroscopy to measure hemispheric lateralization by estimating hemodynamic responses associated with processing linguistic and non-linguistic auditory stimuli. The study involved a group of autistic children (N = 20, mean age = 5.8 years) and a comparison group of nonautistic peers (N = 20, mean age = 6.5 years). The children were presented with stimuli with systematically decreasing linguistic relevance: naturalistic native speech, meaningless native speech with scrambled word order, nonnative speech, and music. The results revealed that both groups showed left lateralization in the temporal lobe when listening to naturalistic native speech. However, the distinction emerged between autism and nonautistic in terms of processing the linguistic hierarchy. Specifically, the nonautistic comparison group demonstrated a systematic reduction in left lateralization as linguistic relevance decreased. In contrast, the autism group displayed no such pattern and showed no lateralization when listening to scrambled native speech accompanied by enhanced response in the right hemisphere. These results provide evidence of atypical neural specialization for spoken language in preschool- and school-age autistic children and shed new light on the underlying linguistic correlates contributing to such atypicality at the sublexical level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baojun Lai
- Center for Autism Research, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory of Reading and Development in Children and Adolescents (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
- Tiyudong Road Primary School (Xingguo), Guangzhou, China
| | - Aiwen Yi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Pediatrics; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major 0bstetric Diseases; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Higher Education Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Joint Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fen Zhang
- VITO Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research, Mol, Belgium
| | - Suiping Wang
- Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory of Reading and Development in Children and Adolescents (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Xin
- Foshan Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, China
| | - Suping Li
- Foshan Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, China
| | - Luodi Yu
- Center for Autism Research, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
- Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory of Reading and Development in Children and Adolescents (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China.
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13
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Palmer JK, van der Pols JC, Sullivan KA, Staudacher HM, Byrne R. A Double-Blind Randomised Controlled Trial of Prebiotic Supplementation in Children with Autism: Effects on Parental Quality of Life, Child Behaviour, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and the Microbiome. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06239-z. [PMID: 38291245 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06239-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Modifying gut bacteria in children with autism may influence behaviour, with potential to improve family functioning. We conducted a randomised controlled trial to assess the effect of prebiotics on behaviour, gastrointestinal symptoms and downstream effects on parental quality of life. METHOD Children with autism (4-10yrs) were randomised to 2.4 g/d of prebiotic (GOS) or placebo for six weeks. Pre and post stools samples were collected, and validated questionnaires used to measure change in social and mealtime behaviours, GI symptoms and pQOL. Linear mixed models evaluated group differences for behavioural variables, and Mann Whitney U tests were used to compare change between-groups for GI symptoms, differential abundance of genera and alpha diversity of the microbiome. RESULTS Thirty-three parent-child dyads completed the trial. No group difference was seen for behavioural variables but both groups improved significantly from baseline. There was a medium effect size between groups for GI symptoms (d = 0.47) and pQOL (d = 0.44) driven by greater improvements in the prebiotic group. Bifidobacterium increased threefold following prebiotics (1.4-5.9%, p < 0.001) with no change in controls. Supplements were well tolerated, compliance with dose 94%. CONCLUSION Prebiotics modify levels of Bifidobacterium and prove well tolerated but in this instance, resulted in only marginal effects on GI symptoms and pQOL. A larger sample of children with more severe symptoms could help to determine the potential of prebiotics in autism. TRIAL REGISTRATION https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12619000615189 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline K Palmer
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Jolieke C van der Pols
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Karen A Sullivan
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Heidi M Staudacher
- Food & Mood Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, IMPACT Institute, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Rebecca Byrne
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Abdelmageed RI, Youssef AM, Rihan LS, Abdelaziz AW. Validation of the autism behavior checklist in Egyptian children with autism spectrum disorder. Child Neuropsychol 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38275152 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2024.2309016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
This study was designed to validate the Arabic version of the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) for the Egyptian population. A total of 500 mothers of children aged 4-14 years, of whom 150 had a diagnosis of ASD, 100 with intellectual disability, and 250 typically developing children completed the ABC. The factor analysis showed that 48 of 57 ABC items yielded a five-dimensional factor structure. The ABC-Arabic version indicated acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.85) and test - retest reliability (0.82). Also, the ABC exhibited good concurrent validity and discriminative validity. A cutoff score of 58 obtained a sensitivity of 94.7% and a specificity of 92.14% for detecting children with ASD. Our findings support the use of the ABC as a valid screening measure for ASD cases, and it may promote the use of the ABC for clinical and research purposes among Arabic-speaking communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reham I Abdelmageed
- Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Azza M Youssef
- Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Lamiaa S Rihan
- Faculty of Medicine, Egyptian Ministry of Health, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Asmaa W Abdelaziz
- Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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15
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Lin F, Jun Li, Ziqi Wang, Zhang T, Lu T, Jiang M, Yang K, Jia M, Zhang D, Wang L. Replication of previous autism-GWAS hits suggests the association between NAA1, SORCS3, and GSDME and autism in the Han Chinese population. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23677. [PMID: 38234914 PMCID: PMC10792458 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social interaction deficits, impairments in communication, and restricted and repetitive stereotyped behavior and activities. Family and twin studies suggested an essential role of genetic factors in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Also, other studies found SORCS3 and GSDME (DFNA5) might be involved in brain development and susceptible to ASD. Methods In this study, 17 genome-wide significant SNPs reported in previous ASD genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and 7 SNPs in strong linkage disequilibrium with known ASD GWAS hits were selected to investigate the association between these SNPs and autism in the Han Chinese population. Then, 10 tagSNPs in SORCS3 and 11 tagSNPs in GSDME were selected to analyze the association between these SNPs and autism. The selected 24 SNPs and tagSNPs were genotyped using the Agena MassARRAY SNP genotyping assay in 757 Han Chinese autism trios. Results Rs1484144 in NAA11 was significantly associated with autism; significance remained after the Bonferroni correction (P < 0.0022). Also, rs79879286, rs12154597, and rs12540919 near GSDME, as well as rs9787523 and rs3750261 in SORCS3, were nominally associated with autism. Conclusion Our study suggests that rs1484144 in NAA11 is a significant SNP for autism in the Han Chinese population, while SORCS3 and GSDME might be the susceptibility genes for autism in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Lin
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Ziqi Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Tianlan Lu
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Miaomiao Jiang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Kang Yang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Meixiang Jia
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Dai Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation (IBRR), South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lifang Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
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16
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Feng Y, Li Y, Zhou X, Qin X, Deng T, Liu S, Zhang L. Predictors of posttraumatic growth in 475 Chinese parents of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. J Pediatr Nurs 2023; 73:e469-e476. [PMID: 37867033 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2023.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine the predictive effects of children's symptom severity, rumination, parental self-efficacy, and social support on posttraumatic growth (PTG) in parents of autistic children. DESIGN AND METHODS Parents (n = 475) completed the demographic questionnaire, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Autism Behavior Checklist, Event Related Rumination Inventory, Parenting Sense of Competence, and Social Support Rating Scale in a cross-sectional survey conducted in a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou, China, between September 2019 and January 2021. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.0. RESULTS The PTG score was positively associated with rumination (r = 0.325, P < 0.05), parental self-efficacy (r = 0.219, P < 0.05), and social support (r = 0.374, P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that household income (β = 0.095, P < 0.05), intrusive rumination (β = -0.100, P < 0.05), deliberate rumination (β = 0.391, P < 0.001), subjective support (β = 0.239, P < 0.001), and children's daily living skills deficiencies as perceived by parents (β = 0.107, P < 0.05) significantly predicted PTG, accounting for 33.3% of the variance [F(P) = 13.444, P < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS Psychosocial factors (rumination and subjective support) are essential to facilitate PTG in parents whose children are newly diagnosed with autism. PRACTICE AND IMPLICATIONS With the consideration of different sociodemographic features, clinicians and researchers are encouraged to explore cognitive-based psychosocial interventions targeting parents' psychological growth and parenting training programs targeting autistic children's self-care ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongshen Feng
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yongmei Li
- Child Development Behavior Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University Lingnan Hospital, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Xuezhen Zhou
- Nursing department, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510200, China
| | - Xiuqun Qin
- Child Development Behavior Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University Lingnan Hospital, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Tao Deng
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Shaofei Liu
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Lifeng Zhang
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
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Dai Y, Deng T, Chen M, Huang B, Ji Y, Feng Y, Liu S, Zhong D, Zhang T, Zhang L. Improving early detection, diagnosis and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder: A cross-sectional survey in China. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2023; 142:104616. [PMID: 37820392 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Detection and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are prerequisites for early interventions. However, few studies focused on this topic. AIM This study aims to characterize the timing from symptom detection to intervention in children with ASD and identify predictors of age at ASD diagnosis, presence of intervention, and the time lag between detection and diagnosis. METHODS AND PROCEDURES A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 303 parents (111 fathers and 192 mothers, 21-54 years) of children with ASD in Guangzhou, China. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS The median time from symptom observation to the first doctor visit was 3 months, while the time to ASD diagnosis averaged 6 months. Most children (76.24 %) were diagnosed within one year after detection, and 25.58 % had no intervention after diagnosis. Predictors of earlier ASD diagnosis included ASD-related symptoms identified at an older age, less serious symptoms, and initial symptoms with atypical motor development and sensory anomalies. ASD-related symptoms observed at an older age, initial symptoms with social deficits, sensory anomalies, and without language impairment, primary caregivers other than parents, families with lower income, and less social support utilization increased the odds of a time lag between detection and diagnosis. Children with fathers having lower education were less likely to receive interventions. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Earlier ASD identification and intervention might be facilitated by health education on typical symptoms of ASD for parents with young children and incorporating ASD screening during routine health examinations for children. For children whose primary caregivers are not their parents and from lower-income families, additional support may be required for timely diagnosis after reporting ASD-related symptoms. Moreover, more intervention supports are expected for children whose fathers have lower education levels. Helping families take full advantage of support is also important for early diagnosis and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushen Dai
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Deng
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Miaoying Chen
- Child Development and Behavior Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University Lingnan Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Baoqin Huang
- Child Development and Behavior Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University Lingnan Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Ji
- Child Development and Behavior Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University Lingnan Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongshen Feng
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaofei Liu
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongmei Zhong
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China
| | - Lifeng Zhang
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Chen HB, Warrington R, Mandy W, Yang F, Tang Y, Yang JJ, Li A, Lin YQ, Xu MZ, Jia FJ, Hou CL. Validation of the developmental, dimensional and diagnostic interview -short version (3Di-sv) for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in Chinese children. Asian J Psychiatr 2023; 88:103733. [PMID: 37597345 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric features of the Chinese version of the developmental dimensional diagnostic interview-short version (3Di-sv). A total sample of 138 children including 79 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 59 typically developing children completed the 3Di-sv interview. The Chinese version of the 3Di-sv has a good internal consistency (0.94). Test-retest analysis confirmed the instrument's time stability (0.89). The instrument's concurrent validity with the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and clinical diagnosis was verified; the correlation between total scores was 0.72, 0.82 and 0.90, respectively. The 3Di-sv significantly distinguished between autistic children and non-autistic children in every area of autism symptoms. Optimal cutoffs were derived using receiver operating characteristics curves. Using clinical diagnosis as criterion, overall sensitivity was 98 % and specificity was 90 %. The study determined that the Chinese version of 3Di-sv can well distinguish autistic children from typically developing children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Bei Chen
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China; Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Richard Warrington
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK
| | - William Mandy
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Fan Yang
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Yi Tang
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Jing-Jing Yang
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Ai Li
- Shantou University Mental Health Center, Shantou, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Yong-Qiang Lin
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Ming-Zhi Xu
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Fu-Jun Jia
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Cai-Lan Hou
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China; Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China.
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Xie H, Waschl N, Zeng S. Measuring family outcomes for young autistic children receiving interventions in China: The structure of the Family Outcomes Survey and predicting variables. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:2048-2062. [PMID: 36823989 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231152563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Efforts to measure, document, and monitor family outcomes can be helpful to practitioners in developing and delivering effective and sustainable interventions. Researchers have developed the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A, for measuring the outcomes experienced by families of children in the early intervention/early childhood special education system. Little has been reported on how well the five outcomes on the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A describe the experiences and expectations of families of autistic children in China. We conducted a survey using the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A, Chinese version with 467 caregivers of young autistic children in China. First, the five-outcome structure of the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A seemed to be appropriate for measuring family outcomes of autistic children in China. We also found that the Chinese caregivers of autistic children seemed to give general lower ratings on all five outcomes on the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A as compared to caregivers of children in early intervention/early childhood special education in Western countries like the United States and Australia. Furthermore, caregivers' ratings on the five Family Outcomes Survey, Form A outcomes seemed to be related to their educational attainment, employment status, family income level, and how much time caregivers spent with their autistic child. This study supported the use of the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A, Chinese version with families of autistic children in China. We also discussed how the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic could have impacted the family outcomes as reported by the Chinese caregivers.
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Reed P. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder are differentially sensitive to interference from previous verbal feedback. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:2011-2020. [PMID: 36700917 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221150377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Individuals with autism spectrum disorder can find behavioural flexibility challenging, often exhibited in terms of repetitive behaviours or restricted ranges of interests and activities. An inability to shift efficiently from one situation to another is connected with problems in daily life, and identifying factors associated with this ability may help develop teaching strategies to improve behavioural flexibility. Some existing findings imply shifting performance for individuals with autism spectrum disorder is better with nonverbal, compared to verbal, feedback - even for those with strong verbal abilities. Unfortunately, there are few behavioural examinations that further explore these findings, which is the aim of this study. In this study, 28 children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and 28 typically developing children matched on cognitive and verbal abilities learned to sort cards according to one out of a possible three dimensions (colour, shape and number), and then had to relearn the sorting rule. One group of typically developing children, and one group of autism spectrum disorder children, received verbal feedback on their performance, and one group received nonverbal feedback. Children with autism spectrum disorder learned an initial categorisation rule as fast as matched typically developing children, and there was little difference in the impact of the type of feedback on acquisition. However, on shifting the classification rule, children with autism spectrum disorder showed slower rates of learning the new rule, which was worse when verbal feedback was used compared to nonverbal feedback. This finding has implications for the interpretations of set-shifting performance and for classroom use of feedback strategies.
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21
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Gabbatore I, Marchetti Guerrini A, Bosco F. The fuzzy boundaries of the social (pragmatic) communication disorder (SPCD): Why the picture is still so confusing? Heliyon 2023; 9:e19062. [PMID: 37664706 PMCID: PMC10468801 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Since the introduction of Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder (SPCD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) in 2013, a debate has arisen in the scientific community about its usefulness in differential diagnosis for other clinical categories such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Specific Language Impairment (SLI). Indeed, SPCD criteria share a common deficit in communication and pragmatic skills with these diagnostic entities. Available assessment tools seem scarce and not sensitive enough to clarify diagnostic criteria and clinical boundaries. This study aims to review the existing literature on diagnostic screening for SPCD to highlight confounding variables in the domains examined, overlap with other diagnostic entities, and lack of specificity of available assessment tools in identifying the core deficits of the disorder. Methods The search strategy was defined by combining the following keywords: "social pragmatic communication disorder," "DSM-5," "differential diagnosis," and "child." The search was performed in three databases: Medline (PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science. All studies published between 2013 and April 2023, written in English, and with a major focus on SPCD were included in the review. Results After the screening for the eligibility, 18 studies were included in the review. Most of these studies aimed to investigate the differential diagnosis between SPCD and other diagnostic categories (e.g., specific language impairment and autism spectrum disorder). Of these researches, only 6 were ad hoc experimental studies, while the others were based on previously collected databases. Conclusions SPCD seems to have its own peculiarities and characteristics, indicating its clinical relevance, as emphasized by the DSM-5. However, the lack of specific instruments and a number of confounding variables make it difficult to identify and differentiate SPCD from other diagnostic entities. Further research is needed to overcome the lack of specific clinical instruments and lack of empirical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- I. Gabbatore
- Department of Psychology, GIPSI Research Group, University of Turin, Italy
| | - A. Marchetti Guerrini
- Department of Psychology, GIPSI Research Group, University of Turin, Italy
- Associazione La Nostra Famiglia – IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - F.M. Bosco
- Department of Psychology, GIPSI Research Group, University of Turin, Italy
- Centro Interdipartimentale di Studi Avanzati di Neuroscienze – NIT, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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22
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Xu S, Fan J, Zhang H, Zhang M, Zhao H, Jiang X, Ding H, Zhang Y. Hearing Assistive Technology Facilitates Sentence-in-Noise Recognition in Chinese Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023:1-21. [PMID: 37418749 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-22-00589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Hearing assistive technology (HAT) has been shown to be a viable solution to the speech-in-noise perception (SPIN) issue in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, little is known about its efficacy in tonal language speakers. This study compared sentence-level SPIN performance between Chinese children with ASD and neurotypical (NT) children and evaluated HAT use in improving SPIN performance and easing SPIN difficulty. METHOD Children with ASD (n = 26) and NT children (n = 19) aged 6-12 years performed two adaptive tests in steady-state noise and three fixed-level tests in quiet and steady-state noise with and without using HAT. Speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) and accuracy rates were assessed using adaptive and fixed-level tests, respectively. Parents or teachers of the ASD group completed a questionnaire regarding children's listening difficulty under six circumstances before and after a 10-day trial period of HAT use. RESULTS Although the two groups of children had comparable SRTs, the ASD group showed a significantly lower SPIN accuracy rate than the NT group. Also, a significant impact of noise was found in the ASD group's accuracy rate but not in that of the NT group. There was a general improvement in the ASD group's SPIN performance with HAT and a decrease in their listening difficulty ratings across all conditions after the device trial. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicated inadequate SPIN in the ASD group using a relatively sensitive measure to gauge SPIN performance among children. The markedly increased accuracy rate in noise during HAT-on sessions for the ASD group confirmed the feasibility of HAT for improving SPIN performance in controlled laboratory settings, and the reduced post-use ratings of listening difficulty further confirmed the benefits of HAT use in daily scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyun Xu
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Juan Fan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Minyue Zhang
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Hang Zhao
- Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai
| | - Xiaoming Jiang
- Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University, China
| | - Hongwei Ding
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences and Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
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23
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Al-Kafaji G, Jahrami HA, Alwehaidah MS, Alshammari Y, Husni M. Mitochondrial DNA copy number in autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1196035. [PMID: 37484684 PMCID: PMC10361772 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1196035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Several reports suggest that altered mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-cn), a common biomarker for aberrant mitochondrial function, is implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but the results are still elusive. Methods A meta-analysis was performed to summarize the current indication and to provide a more precise assessment of the mtDNA-cn in ASD and ADHD. A search in the MEDLINE-PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE databases was done to identify related studies up to the end of February 2023. The meta-analysis was conducted according to recommendations of the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews. Results Fourteen studies involving 666 cases with ASD and ADHD and 585 controls were collected and judged relevant for the systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled results by a random effects meta-analysis was reported as a geometric mean of the estimated average response ratio and 95% confidence interval. Overall analysis of studies reported differences in mtDNA-cn in blood samples (k = 10) and non-blood samples (brain tissues and oral samples; k = 4) suggested significantly higher mtDNA-cn in patients compared to controls (p = 0.0275). Sub-analysis by stratifying studies based on tissue type, showed no significant increase in mtDNA-cn in blood samples among patients and controls (p = 0.284). Conversely, higher mtDNA-cn was observed in non-blood samples in patients than in controls (p = 0.0122). Further stratified analysis based on blood-cell compositions as potential confounds showed no significant difference in mtDNA-cn in peripheral blood samples of patients comparted to controls (p = 0.074). In addition, stratified analysis of aged-matched ASD and ADHD patients and controls revealed no significant difference in mtDNA-cn in blood samples between patients and controls (p = 0.214), whereas a significant increase in mtDNA-cn was observed in non-blood samples between patients and controls (p < 0.001). Finally, when the mtDNA-cn was analyzed in blood samples of aged-matched patients with ASD (peripheral blood, leukocytes, and PBMCs) or ADHD (peripheral blood), no significant difference in mtDNA-cn was observed between ASD patients and controls (p = 0.385), while a significant increase in mtDNA-cn was found between ADHD patients and controls (p = 0.033). Conclusion In this first meta-analysis of the evaluation of mtDNA-cn in ASD/ADHD, our results show elevated mtDNA-cn in ASD and ADHD, further emphasizing the implication of mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders. However, our results indicate that the mtDNA-cn in blood is not reflected in other tissues in ASD/ADHD, and the true relationship between blood-derived mtDNA-cn and ASD/ADHD remains to be defined in future studies. The importance of blood-cell compositions as confounders of blood-based mtDNA-cn measurement and the advantages of salivary mtDNA-cn should be considered in future studies. Moreover, the potential of mtDNA-cn as a biomarker for mitochondrial malfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders deserves further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghada Al-Kafaji
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Al-Jawhara Centre for Molecular Medicine, Genetics, and Inherited Disorders, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Haitham Ali Jahrami
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
- Government Hospital, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Materah Salem Alwehaidah
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Faculty of Allied Health, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | | | - Mariwan Husni
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
- Department of Psychiatry, Northern Ontarion School of Medicine University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
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24
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Bilgiç A, Ferahkaya H, Karagöz H, Kılınç İ, Energin VM. Serum claudin-5, claudin-11, occludin, vinculin, paxillin, and beta-catenin levels in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder. Nord J Psychiatry 2023; 77:506-511. [PMID: 36662163 DOI: 10.1080/08039488.2023.2168055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
AIM Increased intestinal and blood-brain barriers (BBB) permeability has been suggested to have a role in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Claudin-5, claudin-11, occludin, β-catenin, vinculin, and paxillin are crucial components of these barriers. This study assessed concentrations of these molecules in preschool children with ASD. METHODS A total of 80 children with ASD and 40 controls aged 18-60 months were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of biochemical variables were determined using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. RESULTS Serum claudin-11, occludin, and β-catenin levels were significantly higher in the ASD group than in the control group. However, no significant difference for serum claudin-5, vinculin, and paxillin levels was detected between the groups. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that claudin-11, occludin, and β-catenin may be involved in the pathogenesis of ASD. These proteins may affect the brain by causing dysregulation in intestinal or blood-brain barrier permeability or with other unknown mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayhan Bilgiç
- Faculty of Medicine, Izmir University of Economics, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Hurşit Ferahkaya
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr. Ali Kemal Belviranlı Gynecology and Pediatrics Hospital, Konya, Turkey
| | - Hülya Karagöz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Meram School of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - İbrahim Kılınç
- Department of Biochemistry, Meram School of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Vesile Meltem Energin
- Department of Child Health and Disease, Meram School of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
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25
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Chen YJ, Strodl E, Hou XY, Wu CA, Chen JY, Huang LH, Yin XN, Wen GM, Sun DL, Xian DX, Yang GY, Chen WQ. Parent-child interactions in early life mediating association between prenatal maternal stress and autistic-like behaviors among preschoolers. PSYCHOL HEALTH MED 2023; 28:2156-2168. [PMID: 35477332 DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2022.2070226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
A range of studies have shown that prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) exposure is associated with offspring autistic-like behaviors, however the potential pathways remain unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the mediating role of parent-child interactions in early life in the association between PNMS exposure and preschoolers' autistic-like behaviors. Data from 65,928 child-parent dyads were obtained via a primary caregiver-reported questionnaire administered as part of the Longhua Child Cohort Study. To strengthen confidence in the reliability of the results, the analyses were initially conducted on a random selection of 70% of the total sample, and then validated on the remaining 30% of the sample. Analysis of covariance and multiple linear models were employed to estimate the associations between PNMS exposure, parent-child interactions in early life, and children's autistic-like behaviors. The results showed that PNMS exposure was positively associated with the presence of autistic-like behaviors at preschool age. The total indirect effect of the frequency of positive parent-child interactions in early life accounted for 9.69% or 8.99% of the variance of the association. Our findings indicate that parent-child interactions in early life might function as potential mediators of the association between PNMS and the increased risk of offspring autistic-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Jie Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Esben Strodl
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Xiang-Yu Hou
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland
| | - Chuan-An Wu
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing-Yi Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Li-Hua Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiao-Na Yin
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Guo-Min Wen
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Deng-Li Sun
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Dan-Xia Xian
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Gui-You Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei-Qing Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Information Management, Xinhua College of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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26
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Waizbard-Bartov E, Fein D, Lord C, Amaral DG. Autism severity and its relationship to disability. Autism Res 2023; 16:685-696. [PMID: 36786314 PMCID: PMC10500663 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Autism severity is currently defined and measured based exclusively on the severity levels of the two core symptom domains: social-communication and restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviors and interests. Autistic individuals, however, are often diagnosed with other medical, developmental, and psychological co-occurring conditions. These additional challenges such as intellectual disability, limited expressive and/or receptive language, and anxiety disorders, can have a tremendous impact on the day-to-day lives of autistic individuals, for both their adaptive functioning as well as their sense of wellbeing. Furthermore, the initial presentation of core symptoms and their likelihood of changing over time are influenced by the presence of such co-occurring conditions. In order to truly understand how a person's autism impacts their life, both core symptoms as well as other challenges should be considered. This approach was recently taken byThe Lancet Commission on the future of care and clinical research in autism, which proposed the term "profound autism" for a subgroup of individuals presenting with high core symptom severity, co-occurring intellectual disability, and little or no language, who require extensive long-term care. Considering other individual factors such as daily living skills, specific support needs and environmental resources would also enhance the evaluation of disability in autistic individuals. As currently employed in the assessment of intellectual disability, a multidimensional approach to autism could provide a more comprehensive system for classification of impairment. At present, however, there is no formal way to designate the combined effect of these different aspects of autism on a person's life. A comprehensive outlook that acknowledges impairments, capabilities, co-occurring conditions, and environmental factors would be useful for identifying subgroups of individuals as well as for determining individual needs and strengths in clinical assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat Waizbard-Bartov
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
- The MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Deborah Fein
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Catherine Lord
- Departments of Psychiatry and Human Development and Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - David G. Amaral
- The MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
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27
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Kopp S, Asztély KS, Landberg S, Waern M, Bergman S, Gillberg C. Girls With Social and/or Attention Deficit Re-Examined in Young Adulthood: Prospective Study of Diagnostic Stability, Daily Life Functioning and Social Situation. J Atten Disord 2023; 27:830-846. [PMID: 36915033 DOI: 10.1177/10870547231158751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Investigate diagnostic stability, daily life functioning and social situation in women diagnosed with ADHD and/or ASD in childhood. METHODS Prospective 17 to 20-year follow-up study of 100 girls of whom 92 diagnosed in childhood with main DSM-IV ADHD or ASD, and 60 comparison girls. Ninety and 54 of these women were examined (M = 27, 4 years old) with semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, close relatives were interviewed. RESULTS At follow-up, 89% of women with ADHD or ASD in childhood still met the criteria for either of these diagnoses. Very few women were "in remission." In 34% the main diagnosis shifted from ADHD to ASD. Women with ADHD and ASD had significantly more disability and unfavorable social situation than comparison women. CONCLUSION Women with ADHD and/or ASD in childhood had impairing problems 17 to 20 years later. Early ADHD changed to ASD in adulthood in some cases. Nearly all with ASD met criteria for ADHD as adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenny Kopp
- University of Gothenburg Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Göteborg, Sweden
| | | | - Sara Landberg
- University of Gothenburg Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Margda Waern
- University of Gothenburg Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Stefan Bergman
- University of Gothenburg Institute of Medicine, Göteborg, VG Region, Sweden
| | - Christopher Gillberg
- University of Gothenburg Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Göteborg, Sweden
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28
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Waizbard-Bartov E, Miller M. Does the severity of autism symptoms change over time? A review of the evidence, impacts, and gaps in current knowledge. Clin Psychol Rev 2023; 99:102230. [PMID: 36469976 PMCID: PMC10357465 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Studies evaluating change in autism symptom severity across the lifespan have yielded inconsistent results, making it difficult to assess the prevalence of meaningful change in autism symptom severity, and what characterizes it. Better understanding the ways in which autism symptoms change over time is crucial, with important implications for intervention. Synthesizing information across past studies, autism symptom severity change (especially decreases) appears common, though stability of symptoms is also frequent. Symptom severity change is characterized by variability in patterns of change between different individuals (between-person), variability in change within a person's trajectory across time (within-person), and variability in change patterns across symptom domains (i.e., social-communication, restricted/repetitive behaviors). Variability in severity change is likely impacted by differences in person-level characteristics (e.g., sex, IQ, sociodemographic factors) as well as developmental processes across time. Numerous methodological issues may impact our ability to understand how common change in symptom severity is, including varying measurement tools, analytic approaches, and change patterns between symptom domains across time. Potential implications of better understanding and characterizing symptom severity change include incorporation of severity change patterns and predictors of change into research on biomarkers, and consideration of such predictors as moderators or mediators of change in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat Waizbard-Bartov
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA; MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
| | - Meghan Miller
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
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29
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Lee B, Park S, Kwon HJ, Hwang GS, Kim M. Integrative treatment program for the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder: A prospective observational case series. Front Neurol 2023; 13:1017005. [PMID: 36686506 PMCID: PMC9846134 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1017005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In a situation where conventional treatments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are labor-intensive and there are concerns about the side effects of conventional medications, a 6-month integrative treatment program, including herbal medicine (HM), Floortime, and sensory enrichment therapy (SET) has been used on children with ASD in Korean medicine clinical settings. Methods We observed the treatment responses of 18 children with ASD (66.7% male, mean age 3.9 ± 0.9 years) to the integrative treatment program as part of a prospective, single-center, observational case series. Individualized HMs were administered according to the patient's symptoms, and parents were instructed to perform Floortime and SET with their children at home for 2 h and 20 min a day, 5 days a week, respectively. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) were used to evaluate the core symptoms of ASD. A linear mixed model for repeated measures was used for analyzing the effect of the program over time, and logistic regression used to explore the predictors of treatment response. Results The CARS and ABC scores were significantly improved from 34.58 ± 6.27 and 69.28 ± 15.73 at baseline to 28.56 ± 6.05 and 39.67 ± 20.36 after 6 months (p < 0.0001, respectively). No serious adverse events (AEs) were reported, and compliance with HM, Floortime, and SET was high at >90%. Conclusion This 6-month integrative treatment program appears to be a potentially effective, safe, and feasible option for children with ASD. Low baseline CARS scores may be predictors of higher treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boram Lee
- KM Science Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Serin Park
- Floortime Center Korea, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Gwi Seo Hwang
- College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Moonju Kim
- I-Tomato Korean Medicine Clinic, Seoul, South Korea,*Correspondence: Moonju Kim
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30
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Yang J, Shen Y, Tian Y, Peng J, Fu X, Li Y, Ou J. Investigating and comparing the psychometric properties of the Chinese Mandarin version of social responsiveness scale-2 and its shortened version in preschool-age children with autism spectrum disorder. Asian J Psychiatr 2023; 79:103395. [PMID: 36495828 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2022.103395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to investigate and compare the psychometric properties of the Chinese Mandarin Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) and its shortened version. The study assessed 670 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 30-54 months and 138 typical developmental (TD) children of the same age in mainland China. Our item reliability test revealed that only 36 items of the 65 items in the Chinese Mandarin SRS-2 (Preschool) met the reliability criteria. Moreover, the shortened version of SRS-2 (Preschool) with four subscales and 30 items maintained strong correlations (r = 0.961) with the Chinese Mandarin SRS-2 (Preschool), and demonstrated improved psychometric performance on the 4-week test-retest reliability (intraclass correlations was 0.70), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.71-0.91), construct validity, and convergent validity with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, and Child Behavior Checklist. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses showed excellent and comparable discriminant validity of the shortened version with an area under the curve of 0.992. Our data suggested a cutoff ≥ 22.5 for the shortened version, with good accuracy in screening autism symptoms (sensitivity=96.9 %, specificity=94.2 %). Our findings demonstrated that the shortened version of SRS-2 (Preschool) was a reliable and valid instrument for identifying preschoolers with ASD in mainland China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Yang
- Clinical Nursing Teaching and Research Section, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Yidong Shen
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Hunan Medical Center for Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Yusheng Tian
- Clinical Nursing Teaching and Research Section, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Hunan Medical Center for Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Juan Peng
- Clinical Nursing Teaching and Research Section, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China; Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Xi Fu
- Clinical Nursing Teaching and Research Section, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Yamin Li
- Clinical Nursing Teaching and Research Section, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
| | - Jianjun Ou
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Hunan Medical Center for Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
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Karavallil Achuthan S, Coburn KL, Beckerson ME, Kana RK. Amplitude of low frequency fluctuations during resting state fMRI in autistic children. Autism Res 2023; 16:84-98. [PMID: 36349875 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) provides an excellent platform for examining the amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF), which are key indices of brain functioning. However, ALFF and fALFF have been used only sporadically to study autism. rs-fMRI data from 69 children (40 autistic, mean age = 8.47 ± 2.20 years; age range: 5.2 to 13.2; and 29 non-autistic, mean age = 9.02 ± 1.97 years; age range 5.9 to 12.9) were obtained from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE II). ALFF and fALFF were measured using CONN connectivity toolbox and SPM12, at whole-brain & network-levels. A two-sampled t-test and a 2 Group (autistic, non-autistic) × 7 Networks ANOVA were conducted to test group differences in ALFF and fALFF. The whole-brain analysis identified significantly reduced ALFF values for autistic participants in left parietal opercular cortex, precuneus, and right insula. At the network level, there was a significant effect of diagnostic group and brain network on ALFF values, and only significant effect of network, not group, on fALFF values. Regression analyses indicated a significant effect of age on ALFF values of certain networks in autistic participants. Such intrinsically different network-level responses in autistic participants may have implications for task-level recruitment and synchronization of brain areas, which may in turn impact optimal cognitive functioning. Moreover, differences in low frequency fluctuations of key networks, such as the DMN and SN, may underlie alterations in brain responses in autism that are frequently reported in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smitha Karavallil Achuthan
- Department of Psychology & The Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Kelly L Coburn
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA
| | - Meagan E Beckerson
- Department of Psychology & The Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology & The Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
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Han Y, Jin S, Liu L, Qu Z, Gao L, Li P, Xiong W, Zhang X. Exploring associations between urine levels of phthalates and autism spectrum disorder symptoms: a case-control study in Tianjin, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:80805-80816. [PMID: 35729382 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21526-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a group of neurodevelopmental disorders. The etiology of autism remains unclear, but a growing body of evidence indicates that phthalates play a role in its pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to compare the urine levels of phthalates in children with ASD and healthy children. We also explored whether phthalates have an effect on ASD symptoms. The participants in this study included 101 children with ASD (79 boys and 22 girls) and 101 sex- and age-matched controls. The levels of phthalates were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We detected significant differences in monoethyl phthalate (MEP) levels between the severe ASD and control groups (p < 0.05). Mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP) concentration was positively correlated with language skill impairment in ASD (β: 0.387, p = 0.041). MEP levels were associated with the CARS "Imitation" score in all children (OR: 1.470). MBP levels were associated with the "Nonverbal Communication" score among boys (OR: 1.233), and MEP levels were associated with the "Nonverbal Communication" score among girls (OR: 2.648). MEP levels were related to the CARS total score after adjustment for sex (β: 1.524, p = 0.047). Compared with the reference mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) group, children with ASD in the medium-exposure group had an OR of 3.370 for aggravating ASD severity. These results suggested that increased exposure to phthalates contributes to more ASD symptoms and that there are potentially sex-specific associations. These findings warrant further confirmation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Han
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, People's Republic of China
| | - Shihao Jin
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, People's Republic of China
| | - Liyuan Liu
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiyi Qu
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Gao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, People's Republic of China
| | - Peiying Li
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjuan Xiong
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, People's Republic of China.
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Vitamin D status is primarily associated with core symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder: A multicenter study in China. Psychiatry Res 2022; 317:114807. [PMID: 36063750 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and core symptoms and neurodevelopmental levels in children with ASD with a multicenter survey. METHODS We enrolled 1321 ASD children and 1279 typically developing (TD) children aged 2-7 years from 13 cities in China. ASD symptoms were assessed with the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and neurodevelopmental levels were evaluated with the Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale-Revision 2016 (CNBS-R2016). RESULTS Children with ASD had lower serum 25(OH)D levels than TD children. Serum 25(OH)D levels were negatively associated with CARS and communication warning behavior of CNBS-R2016 scores, and were not associated with the development quotients of ASD children. ASD Children were grouped based on the quartiles for 25(OH)D levels in the controls, and children in the first to third quartiles had higher SRS social communication and/or CARS and communication warning behavior of CNBS-R2016 scores than those in the fourth quartile. CONCLUSIONS Serum 25(OH)D levels were primarily associated with core symptoms in children with ASD, and individuals with relatively lower 25(OH)D levels displayed worse autistic symptomatology. More research is needed to determine whether vitamin D supplements would be a useful treatment for ASD.
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Duan D, He L, Chen H, Lei Y, Wu W, Li T. Efficacy of auricular plaster therapy for sleep disorders in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Front Neurol 2022; 13:973609. [PMID: 36262834 PMCID: PMC9574001 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.973609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) suffer from sleep disorders to a considerable degree; however, there is no safe and effective treatment available in clinical practice. The objective of the trial is to assess the clinical effectiveness of auricular plaster therapy (APT) in treating sleep disorders in children with ASD. Method This is a single-center, patient-assessor blind, randomized controlled trial. A total of 44 preschool children with sleep disorders with ASD will be included in this study. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the auricular plaster group or the sham auricular plaster group in a 1:1 ratio. Participants in the different groups will receive APT or sham APT, respectively, for a total of 30 sessions over 30 days. The primary outcome includes the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), while secondary outcomes include the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and polysomnography (PSG) for total sleep time, sleep latency, awakening duration, and sleep structures. The CSHQ and ABC will be assessed at baseline, 10, 20, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after randomization, whereas PSG will be assessed at baseline and 30 days after randomization. The follow-up period will be scheduled to be 60, 90, and 120 days after randomization. Discussion The results of this study may provide evidence of the efficacy of APT, as well as offer new alternatives for the treatment of sleep disorders in children with ASD. Trial registration CHiCTR.org.cn (ChiCTR2100048257). Registered on July 5, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duoxi Duan
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin He
- Foreign Language School, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Lei
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Li
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Yang JH, Strodl E, Wu CA, Hou XY, Yin XN, Wen GM, Sun DL, Xian DX, Chen JY, Chen YJ, Chen J, Chen WQ. Maternal exposure to cooking oil fumes during pregnancy and autistic-like behaviors in Chinese preschoolers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:74688-74698. [PMID: 35639306 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21113-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that cooking oil fumes (COFs) are harmful indoor air pollutants. However, there is a dearth of research investigating whether maternal COFs exposure during pregnancy may affect children's autistic-like behaviors in China. This study aimed to explore this association, and examine the effects of different cooking fuels and ventilation methods used by mothers on the presence of autistic-like behaviors. This study analyzed the survey data of the Longhua Child Cohort Study in 2017 with a total of 62,372 mothers enrolled in this study. A self-administrative questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, cooking habits during pregnancy, and autistic-like behaviors (measured using the Autism Behavior Checklist). After adjusting for potential confounders, the results showed that compared with children whose mothers never cooked during pregnancy, children whose mothers cooked sometimes, often, always during pregnancy had the higher risk of autistic-like behaviors. As the amounts of COFs exposed to and the frequency of cooking during pregnancy increased, the risk of a child's autistic-like behaviors also increased. Mothers using natural gas as cooking fuels had a lower risk of their child having autistic-like behaviors, compared with mothers using coal or other cooking fuels. Furthermore, pregnant women using ventilation measures during cooking significantly decreased likelihood of the presence of autistic-like behaviors in their children. These results suggest that maternal exposure to COFs during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of the presence of autistic-like behaviors in offspring. These findings support a recommendation that pregnant women should avoid exposure to COFs and use clean fuels and ventilation equipment in kitchens to reduce the risk of autistic-like behaviors in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Hui Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74, 2nd Yat-Sen Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, 510080, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Esben Strodl
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Chuan-An Wu
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiang-Yu Hou
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Xiao-Na Yin
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guo-Min Wen
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Deng-Li Sun
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dan-Xia Xian
- Women's and Children's Hospital of Longhua District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing-Yi Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74, 2nd Yat-Sen Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, 510080, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Ying-Jie Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74, 2nd Yat-Sen Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, 510080, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74, 2nd Yat-Sen Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, 510080, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Wei-Qing Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74, 2nd Yat-Sen Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, 510080, Guangdong Province, China.
- Department of Information Management, Xinhua College of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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36
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Medicine Insufficient Evidence for the Efficacy of Massage as Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:5328320. [PMID: 36193150 PMCID: PMC9526643 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5328320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The efficacy of massage therapy in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unclear. This study systematically reviewed the impact of massage therapy on children with ASD according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) declaration guidelines. A literature search of the PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) electronic databases from inception to December 20, 2020, was conducted using the term “autistic/autism” along with one of the following terms, “massages,” and “Tui na.” The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias Tool. Eight randomized controlled trials examining the impact of massage on children with ASD were included. Interventions combining Qigong massage or Tui na with the control group treatments from once a day to twice a week, for a duration of 15–30 mins, and lasting for six weeks to five months were the main interventions. All reviewed studies reported significant improvement in children with ASD who received massage, especially in the sensory domain, and that massage in combination with control treatment was superior to control treatment alone. However, the overall quality of the available studies is poor with a high degree of heterogeneity. The majority of studies showed a high risk of bias with poor study design, inconsistency in massage protocols, and subjective outcome measures. Assessment bias was a common weakness of these studies. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that massage is effective for ASD. Future studies should include large sample sizes, incorporate double-blind designs, employ appropriate outcome measures, and allow for long observation and follow-up periods. Furthermore, consensus must be reached on standardized treatments and additional therapies in order to provide better quality evidence for the treatment of ASD.
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Kaba D, Hasanlı J, Efe A, Yavuz-Çolak M, Akın-Sarı B. Predictors of burnout and distress in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder during COVID-19 home confinement. CHILDRENS HEALTH CARE 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/02739615.2022.2119974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Duygu Kaba
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Jamal Hasanlı
- Psychiatry Department, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ayşegül Efe
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Sami Ulus Maternity and Children’s Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Meriç Yavuz-Çolak
- Biostatistics Department, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Burcu Akın-Sarı
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
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Screening for Intellectual Disabilities and/or Autism Amongst Older Children and Young Adults: a Systematic Review of Tools for Use in Africa. REVIEW JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40489-022-00342-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
There are many well-developed screening tools for both intellectual disabilities and autism, but they may not be culturally appropriate for use within Africa. Our specific aims were to complete a systematic review to (1) describe and critically appraise short screening tools for the detection of intellectual disabilities and autism for older children and young adults, (2) consider the psychometric properties of these tools, and (3) judge the cultural appropriateness of these tools for use within Africa. Six screening tools for intellectual disabilities and twelve for autism were identified and appraised using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines. We identified two screening tools which appeared appropriate for validation for use within African nations.
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Saban-Bezalel R, Zachor DA, Ben-Itzchak E. Relationship between cognitive ability and predictors for age at the time of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Psychiatry Res 2022; 315:114696. [PMID: 35809494 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased awareness of the need for early diagnosis and intervention; however, not all children are diagnosed at preschool age. In the literature, findings regarding factors that may play a role in later diagnosis are inconsistent. Presence or absence of intellectual disability is a possible factor. This study aimed to identify factors associated with later diagnosis of ASD among children grouped according to low and high cognitive levels. Data of children who were previously diagnosed with ASD between 2002 and 2016 at a national autism center were analyzed. Better cognitive ability, having more siblings, and previous diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were predictors of later diagnosis among the entire cohort. Children exhibiting lower cognitive levels (LC-ASD; DQ/IQ < 70; n = 209) were diagnosed much earlier. Among this group, later ASD diagnosis was predicted by poorer adaptive behavior, more severe restricted and repetitive behaviors, and previous diagnosis of epilepsy. In the higher cognitive level group (HC-ASD; DQ/IQ ≥ 70; n = 321), familial variables and more severe social impairments were predictors of later ASD diagnosis. Clinicians should be aware of variables that may affect ASD diagnostic age among children with varying cognitive abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronit Saban-Bezalel
- Bruckner Center for Autism Research, Department of Communication Disorders, Ariel University, Israel.
| | - Ditza A Zachor
- The Autism Center/ALUT, Department of Pediatrics, Shamir (Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Zerifin, 70300, Israel
| | - Esther Ben-Itzchak
- Bruckner Center for Autism Research, Department of Communication Disorders, Ariel University, Israel
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Li P, Yang Q, Li Y, Han Y, Qu Z, Gao L, Cui T, Xiong W, Xi W, Zhang X. Association of urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites with symptoms among autistic children: A case–control study in Tianjin, China. Autism Res 2022; 15:1941-1960. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.2788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peiying Li
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
| | - Qiaoyun Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
| | - Yao Li
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
| | - Yu Han
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
| | - Zhiyi Qu
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
| | - Lei Gao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
| | - Tingkai Cui
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
| | - Wenjuan Xiong
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
| | - Wei Xi
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin China
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Examining Predictors of Different ABA Treatments: A Systematic Review. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:bs12080267. [PMID: 36004838 PMCID: PMC9405151 DOI: 10.3390/bs12080267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In the recent literature, there is a broad consensus on the effectiveness of Applied Behavior Analysis interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite their proven efficacy, research in clinical settings shows that these treatments are not equally effective for all children and the issue of which intervention should be chosen for an individual remains a common dilemma. The current work systematically reviewed studies on predictors and moderators of response to different types of evidence-based treatment for children with ASD. Specifically, our goal was to critically review the relationships between pre-treatment child characteristics and specific treatment outcomes, covering different aspects of functioning (i.e., social, communicative, adaptive, cognitive, motor, global functioning, play, and symptom severity). Our results questioned the binomial “better functioning-better outcome”, emphasizing the complex interplay between pre-treatment child characteristics and treatment outcomes. However, some pre-treatment variables seem to act as prerequisites for a specific treatment, and the issue of “what works for whom and why” remains challenging. Future research should focus on the definition of evidence-based decision-making models that capture those individual factors through which a specific intervention will exert its effects.
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Yang X, Li L, Chai X, Liu J. The association between ST8SIA2 gene and behavioral phenotypes in children with autism spectrum disorder. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:929878. [PMID: 35957920 PMCID: PMC9359136 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.929878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveST8 alpha-N-acetyl-neuraminide alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase 2 (ST8SIA2) encodes a type II membrane protein that is thought to catalyze the transfer of sialic acid (SA) from CMP-SA to N-linked oligosaccharides and glycoproteins. Some population and animal studies have indicated an association between the ST8SIA2 gene and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there is limited information on the correlation between ST8SIA2 and autistic behavioral symptoms.MethodsIn this study, 69 ASD and 76 normal control children who were age- and sex-matched were recruited. ST8SIA2 expression and methylation levels were measured by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR and pyrosequencing, respectively, and the behavioral phenotypes of ASD children were assessed.ResultsThe ASD group had lower ST8SIA2 gene expression levels than the control group [t(0.05/2,143) = 2.582, p = 0.011]. Moreover, ST8SIA2 expression levels were positively correlated with daily life skills (rs = 0.381, p = 0.008) and negatively associated with stereotyped behaviors in the ASD group (rs = -0.510, p = 0.004). The methylation levels of the Chr. 15: 92984625 and Chr. 15: 92998561 sites of the ST8SIA2 gene in ASD children were higher than those of controls. The Chr. 15: 92984625 site was positively correlated with the stereotyped behaviors of ASD children (rs = 0.41, p = 0.039).ConclusionThis study provides a scientific basis to elucidate the relationship between the ST8SIA2 gene and behavioral phenotypes of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Yang
- Postdoctoral Workstation, Research Institute of Medical and Pharmacy, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, China
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, China
| | - Lin Li
- Center for Prevention of Disease, Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Qiqihar, Qiqihar, China
| | - Xuejiao Chai
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, China
| | - Jicheng Liu
- Postdoctoral Workstation, Research Institute of Medical and Pharmacy, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, China
- *Correspondence: Jicheng Liu,
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Marital Satisfaction and Perceived Family Support in Families of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Dyadic Analysis. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10071227. [PMID: 35885754 PMCID: PMC9322168 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10071227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Raising children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) causes tremendous stress for parents that may lead to marital conflict and relationship dissatisfaction. Many factors are associated with parent relationships including severity of autistic behaviors and social support. This study aimed to investigate whether severity of autistic behaviors, perceived family support, and complementarity of interpersonal styles between husbands and wives predicted couple satisfaction among the parents of children with ASD. Method: Seven hundred ninety-seven parent dyads of children aged 7–14 years old with ASD participated in the study. Measurements used included couple satisfaction index, perceived family support using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, inter-personal style using the inventory of interpersonal problems, the ABC autism checklists as well as sociodemographic and related factors. The Actor Partner Interdependence Model estimated by multilevel modeling was used for analysis. Results: Perceived family support was relevant in married couples regarding their marital relationship, but the effects on husbands and wives differed. Husbands’ relationship satisfaction was predicted by how they perceived being supported by family. The severity of autistic behaviors predicted relationship satisfaction but only actor effect. Negative prediction of interpersonal complementarity on couple satisfaction was observed. In addition, time spent on raising children had a negative impact on the quality of the relationship. Partner effect of time spent was observed among women. Conclusion: Dyadic analysis using an actor–partner independence model confirmed perception of family support predicts relationship satisfaction among parents of children with ASD in addition to the severity of autistic behaviors and time spent caring for children. Complementarity of individual interpersonal style had no effect on couple satisfaction. This research suggests implications for interventions regarding building skills that elicit support from family members.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Social interaction and social communication are among the central areas of difficulty for autistic people. Music therapy uses music experiences and the relationships that develop through them to enable communication and expression, thus attempting to address some of the core problems of autistic people. Music therapy has been applied in autism since the early 1950s, but its availability to autistic individuals varies across countries and settings. The application of music therapy requires specialised academic and clinical training which enables therapists to tailor the intervention to the specific needs of the individual. The present version of this review on music therapy for autistic people is an update of the previous Cochrane review update published in 2014 (following the original Cochrane review published in 2006). OBJECTIVES To review the effects of music therapy, or music therapy added to standard care, for autistic people. SEARCH METHODS In August 2021, we searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, eleven other databases and two trials registers. We also ran citation searches, checked reference lists, and contacted study authors to identify additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA All randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-randomised trials and controlled clinical trials comparing music therapy (or music therapy alongside standard care) to 'placebo' therapy, no treatment, or standard care for people with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder were considered for inclusion. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We used standard Cochrane methodological procedures. Four authors independently selected studies and extracted data from all included studies. We synthesised the results of included studies in meta-analyses. Four authors independently assessed risk of bias (RoB) of each included study using the original RoB tool as well as the certainty of evidence using GRADE. MAIN RESULTS: We included 16 new studies in this update which brought the total number of included studies to 26 (1165 participants). These studies examined the short- and medium-term effect of music therapy (intervention duration: three days to eight months) for autistic people in individual or group settings. More than half of the studies were conducted in North America or Asia. Twenty-one studies included children aged from two to 12 years. Five studies included children and adolescents, and/or young adults. Severity levels, language skills, and cognition were widely variable across studies. Measured immediately post-intervention, music therapy compared with 'placebo' therapy or standard care was more likely to positively effect global improvement (risk ratio (RR) 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06 to 1.40; 8 studies, 583 participants; moderate-certainty evidence; number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) = 11 for low-risk population, 95% CI 6 to 39; NNTB = 6 for high-risk population, 95% CI 3 to 21) and to slightly increase quality of life (SMD 0.28, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.49; 3 RCTs, 340 participants; moderate-certainty evidence, small to medium effect size). In addition, music therapy probably results in a large reduction in total autism symptom severity (SMD -0.83, 95% CI -1.41 to -0.24; 9 studies, 575 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). No clear evidence of a difference between music therapy and comparison groups at immediately post-intervention was found for social interaction (SMD 0.26, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.57, 12 studies, 603 participants; low-certainty evidence); non-verbal communication (SMD 0.26, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.55; 7 RCTs, 192 participants; low-certainty evidence); and verbal communication (SMD 0.30, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.78; 8 studies, 276 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Two studies investigated adverse events with one (36 participants) reporting no adverse events; the other study found no differences between music therapy and standard care immediately post-intervention (RR 1.52, 95% CI 0.39 to 5.94; 1 study, 290 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this updated review provide evidence that music therapy is probably associated with an increased chance of global improvement for autistic people, likely helps them to improve total autism severity and quality of life, and probably does not increase adverse events immediately after the intervention. The certainty of the evidence was rated as 'moderate' for these four outcomes, meaning that we are moderately confident in the effect estimate. No clear evidence of a difference was found for social interaction, non-verbal communication, and verbal communication measured immediately post-intervention. For these outcomes, the certainty of the evidence was rated as 'low' or 'very low', meaning that the true effect may be substantially different from these results. Compared with earlier versions of this review, the new studies included in this update helped to increase the certainty and applicability of this review's findings through larger sample sizes, extended age groups, longer periods of intervention and inclusion of follow-up assessments, and by predominantly using validated scales measuring generalised behaviour (i.e. behaviour outside of the therapy context). This new evidence is important for autistic individuals and their families as well as for policymakers, service providers and clinicians, to help in decisions around the types and amount of intervention that should be provided and in the planning of resources. The applicability of the findings is still limited to the age groups included in the studies, and no direct conclusions can be drawn about music therapy in autistic individuals above the young adult age. More research using rigorous designs, relevant outcome measures, and longer-term follow-up periods is needed to corroborate these findings and to examine whether the effects of music therapy are enduring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Geretsegger
- GAMUT - The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway
| | - Laura Fusar-Poli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Psychiatry Unit, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Cochavit Elefant
- Department of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Karin A Mössler
- GAMUT - The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway
| | - Giovanni Vitale
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Christian Gold
- GAMUT - The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Yaylaci F, Guller B. Diagnostic evaluation of patients referred by family physicians with the suspicion of autism spectrum disorder. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2022; 69:936-945. [PMID: 37885848 PMCID: PMC10599202 DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2022.2070419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Current evidence shows that early interventions in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more efficient and associated with better long-term outcomes. This also highlights the need for early recognition of children with ASD symptoms by family physicians and referral to child psychiatrists. This study aimed to evaluate how family physicians' knowledge about ASD is reflected in clinical practice by making a diagnostic evaluation of the cases referred with suspected ASD. The study included 149 cases that family physicians referred to child psychiatrists regarding the assessment for ASD. Diagnostic evaluation of the subjects was carried out using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) criteria. Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) were used in the evaluation process. Denver II developmental screening inventory was used to evaluate all subjects under six. The mean age of all participants was 39.1 (±13.2) months, and in ASD cases, it was 34.6 (±7.8) months. Of all referred cases, 72,5% were diagnosed according to the DSM-5 criteria. The most common diagnoses were global developmental delay (28.9%), language disorder (15.4%), ASD (15.4%), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (8.7%), respectively. The most common reason for referral specified on the consultation note was delayed speech, with a rate of 87.2%. In addition, 148 (99.3%) of the symptoms noted on the referral note were clustered within the DSM-5 ASD A criteria and 19 (12.8%) within the ASD B criteria. Developmental delay was more prominent in cases with ASD when compared to those with global developmental delay and language disorder. The most common diagnosis was a global developmental delay in referred cases, and only some of the symptoms seen in ASD from the referral notes of family physicians stood out as the reason for referral. These results underline the necessity of continuing ASD training for family physicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferhat Yaylaci
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bursa Dörtcelik Child Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
| | - Baris Guller
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bursa Dörtcelik Child Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
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Fang Z, Barlow J, Zhang C. Parenting Programs That Address Physical Abuse in Childhood for Families of Children With Developmental Disabilities in Mainland China: Systematic Review and Meta-Regression. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2022; 23:457-475. [PMID: 32323637 PMCID: PMC8905128 DOI: 10.1177/1524838020915599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Millions of children in China are diagnosed with developmental disabilities (DD), many of whom are subject to physical abuse. While a significant body of research suggests that parenting interventions can reduce the incidence and risk of such abuse, there is currently limited evidence of their effectiveness for this population or from non-English-speaking countries. This review involved searches in both English and Chinese databases to identify randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies of parenting interventions for families of children with DD in mainland China. Multilevel meta-analyses were undertaken to examine the effectiveness of parenting programs. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were conducted to investigate heterogeneity and identify potential moderators with a focus on intervention and delivery components. Risk of bias was assessed for each study. Thirty-one studies were included. The results showed that parenting interventions could reduce child emotional and behavioral problems (CEBP) and improve the parent-child relationship, although only one study directly measured the actual incidence of abuse. Programs for autism and epilepsy had stronger treatment effects. Teaching knowledge about CEBP, skills to improve parental mental health, and techniques to cultivate empathy were associated with program success; however, positive reinforcement was associated with more problems. The results also supported the delivery of programs with longer duration, a combination of group and individual sessions, efforts to build rapport, ongoing communication outside the programs, and delivery in hospitals or service agencies. Further research is needed, however, in addition to improvements in the quality of research and reporting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuyi Fang
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Barlow
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Cheng Zhang
- School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
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Wang Z, Lu T, Li X, Jiang M, Jia M, Liu J, Zhang D, Li J, Wang L. Altered Expression of Brain-specific Autism-Associated miRNAs in the Han Chinese Population. Front Genet 2022; 13:865881. [PMID: 35342389 PMCID: PMC8942769 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.865881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder. However, its etiology is still unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key post-transcriptional regulators. They play an important role in neurodevelopment and brain functions and may be involved in the pathogenesis of autism. Previous studies indicated altered expression of miRNAs in patients with autism. However, the findings were not consistent, and further explorations were needed. This study aimed to investigate whether miRNAs were dysregulated in autism. We examined the expression of 30 brain-specific autism-associated miRNAs in 110 patients with autism and 113 controls in the Han Chinese population using quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. The results demonstrated that 10 miRNAs (hsa-miR-191-5p, hsa-miR-151a-3p, hsa-miR-139-5p, hsa-miR-181a-5p, hsa-miR-432-5p, hsa-miR-181b-5p, hsa-miR-195-5p, hsa-miR-328-3p, hsa-miR-106a-5p, and hsa-miR-484) were significantly differentially expressed (false discovery rate <0.05). All of them were up-regulated in patients with autism compared with controls. The targets of these miRNAs were enriched for genes and pathways related to neurodevelopment, brain functions and autism. These findings suggested the participation of these 10 miRNAs in the pathogenesis of autism in the Han Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Tianlan Lu
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Xianjing Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Miaomiao Jiang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Meixiang Jia
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Dai Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation (IBRR), South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Lifang Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
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Ouyang M, Peng Y, Sotardi S, Hu D, Zhu T, Cheng H, Huang H. Flattened Structural Network Changes and Association of Hyperconnectivity With Symptom Severity in 2-7-Year-Old Children With Autism. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:757838. [PMID: 35237118 PMCID: PMC8882907 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.757838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the brain differences present at the earliest possible diagnostic age for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is crucial for delineating the underlying neuropathology of the disorder. However, knowledge of brain structural network changes in the early important developmental period between 2 and 7 years of age is limited in children with ASD. In this study, we aimed to fill the knowledge gap by characterizing age-related brain structural network changes in ASD from 2 to 7 years of age, and identify sensitive network-based imaging biomarkers that are significantly correlated with the symptom severity. Diffusion MRI was acquired in 30 children with ASD and 21 typically developmental (TD) children. With diffusion MRI and quantified clinical assessment, we conducted network-based analysis and correlation between graph-theory-based measurements and symptom severity. Significant age-by-group interaction was found in global network measures and nodal efficiencies during the developmental period of 2-7 years old. Compared with significant age-related growth of the structural network in TD, relatively flattened maturational trends were observed in ASD. Hyper-connectivity in the structural network with higher global efficiency, global network strength, and nodal efficiency were observed in children with ASD. Network edge strength in ASD also demonstrated hyper-connectivity in widespread anatomical connections, including those in default-mode, frontoparietal, and sensorimotor networks. Importantly, identified higher nodal efficiencies and higher network edge strengths were significantly correlated with symptom severity in ASD. Collectively, structural networks in ASD during this early developmental period of 2-7 years of age are characterized by hyper-connectivity and slower maturation, with aberrant hyper-connectivity significantly correlated with symptom severity. These aberrant network measures may serve as imaging biomarkers for ASD from 2 to 7 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhui Ouyang
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yun Peng
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Yun Peng,
| | - Susan Sotardi
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Di Hu
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Department of Radiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianjia Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Hua Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Huang
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Hao Huang,
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Flores-Rodríguez Y, Roldán Ceballos O, Albores-Gallo L. Assessing autism with DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). SALUD MENTAL 2022. [DOI: 10.17711/sm.0185-3325.2022.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) is an observational instrument for assessing autism. It is the most widely used instrument for the diagnosis of autism in Mexico. Objective. To study the psychometric properties in the Mexican population using DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria. Method. This is an observational, cross-sectional study. Participants (N = 137) were 78.8% male, with an age range between 2 and 18 years, mean 8.5. Parents completed the M-CHAT, the ABC, the ADI-R, and semi-structured clinical interviews with DSM-IV. We inferred DSM-5 criteria by selecting atypical sensory items from the ABC. Results. The internal consistency for the total CARS items was α = .88. The concurrent validity of the CARS and the DSM-IV criteria showed a Spearman coefficient of correlation of rs = .62. The convergent validity with the ADI-R showed moderate correlations, rs = .32 to .61, with the DSM-IV k = .33 and DSM-5 k = .36. The concordance with the DSM-IV and DSM-5 was 71% and 84.5%, sensitivity was 58.1% and 46-7%, and specificity 76.6% and 90.5%, respectively. The discriminant analysis showed that the CARS correctly classified 97% of children with autism, 70% with pervasive developmental disorders not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and 12.5% with Asperger’s syndrome. Discussion and conclusion. The Mexican version of the CARS is a valid and reliable instrument for diagnosing autism in Mexican children and adolescents.
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Xu YA, Naigles LR, Su YE. Early Word Order Usage in Preschool Mandarin-Speaking Typical Children and Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Influences of Caregiver Input? Front Psychol 2022; 12:766133. [PMID: 35069339 PMCID: PMC8770832 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.766133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study explores the emergence and productivity of word order usage in Mandarin-speaking typically-developing (TD) children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and examines how this emergence relates to frequency of use in caregiver input. Forty-two caregiver-child dyads participated in video-recorded 30-min semi-structured play sessions. Eleven children with ASD were matched with 10 20-month-old TD children and another 11 children with ASD were matched with 10 26-month-old TD children, on expressive language. We report four major findings: (1) Preschool Mandarin-speaking children with ASD produced word order structures with pervasive ellipsis at similar rates to language-matched TD children, but also displayed differences from TD children in their usage of SVt and VtO frames; (2) Grammatical productivity was observed in both TD children and children with ASD; moreover, children with ASD with higher expressive language produced less stereotyped language; (3) Both TD children and children with ASD heard a range of word orders in their caregivers’ input, with TD children’s input greater in amount and complexity; however, caregivers of both groups also showed no age/language-related changes in word order usage; (4) Few word-order-specific correlations emerged between caregivers and their children; however, strong correlations were observed for mean length of utterances (MLU) for both groups: Caregivers who produced longer/more complex utterances had children who did the same. Taken together, it seems that despite their pragmatic deficits, the early grammatical knowledge of word order in Mandarin-exposed children with ASD is well preserved and in general follows the typical developmental pattern. Moreover, caregiver input is broadly rather than finely tuned to the linguistic development of TD children and children with ASD, and plays a more important role in children’s general syntactic development than in specific word order acquisition. Thus, early word order usage in preschool Mandarin-speaking TD children and children with ASD may be influenced by both caregiver input and child abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Alice Xu
- Child Language Lab, School of Foreign Languages, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Letitia R Naigles
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Yi Esther Su
- Child Language Lab, School of Foreign Languages, Central South University, Changsha, China
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