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Al-Beltagi M, Saeed NK, Bediwy AS, Elbeltagi R, Alhawamdeh R. Role of gastrointestinal health in managing children with autism spectrum disorder. World J Clin Pediatr 2023; 12:171-196. [PMID: 37753490 PMCID: PMC10518744 DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v12.i4.171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or autism are more prone to gastrointestinal (GI) disorders than the general population. These disorders can significantly affect their health, learning, and development due to various factors such as genetics, environment, and behavior. The causes of GI disorders in children with ASD can include gut dysbiosis, immune dysfunction, food sensitivities, digestive enzyme deficiencies, and sensory processing differences. Many studies suggest that numerous children with ASD experience GI problems, and effective management is crucial. Diagnosing autism is typically done through genetic, neurological, functional, and behavioral assessments and observations, while GI tests are not consistently reliable. Some GI tests may increase the risk of developing ASD or exacerbating symptoms. Addressing GI issues in individuals with ASD can improve their overall well-being, leading to better behavior, cognitive function, and educational abilities. Proper management can improve digestion, nutrient absorption, and appetite by relieving physical discomfort and pain. Alleviating GI symptoms can improve sleep patterns, increase energy levels, and contribute to a general sense of well-being, ultimately leading to a better quality of life for the individual and improved family dynamics. The primary goal of GI interventions is to improve nutritional status, reduce symptom severity, promote a balanced mood, and increase patient independence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Al-Beltagi
- Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Algharbia, Tanta 31511, Egypt
- Pediatrics, Univeristy Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Manama, Manama 26671, Bahrain
| | - Nermin Kamal Saeed
- Medical Microbiology Section, Pathology Department, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Ministry of Health, Manama, Manama 12, Bahrain
- Medical Microbiology Section, Pathology Department, Irish Royal College of Surgeon, Bahrain, Muharraq, Busaiteen 15503, Bahrain
| | - Adel Salah Bediwy
- Pulmonology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Algharbia, Tanta 31527, Egypt
- Pulmonology Department, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Manama, Manama 26671, Bahrain
| | - Reem Elbeltagi
- Medicine, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Bahrain, Muharraq, Busiateen 15503, Bahrain
| | - Rawan Alhawamdeh
- Pediatrics Research, and Development Department, Genomics Creativity and Play Center, Manama, Manama 0000, Bahrain
- Pediatrics Research, and Development Department, SENSORYME Dubai 999041, United Arab Emirates
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2
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Dong H, Wang T, Feng J, Xue Y, Jia F. The relationship between screen time before bedtime and behaviors of preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder and the mediating effects of sleep. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:635. [PMID: 37648993 PMCID: PMC10466770 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05128-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are overlapping effects of screen time and sleep on children's behavior. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of screen time with behavior problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the probable mediating effects of sleep, in order to provide evidence for the need for clinical identification and intervention. METHODS A sample of 358 preschoolers with ASD were included. We investigated the children's basic characteristics of sex and age, ASD symptoms (ABC, CARS, and ADOS-2), neurodevelopment (GDS-C), sleep habits (CSHQ), and behavior (CBCL). Pearson correlation tests were used to determine the direct correlations among children's screen time, CBCL, and CSHQ. Linear regression analysis was used to explore whether screen time predicted total score of CBCL. Multi-step linear regression analysis was used to investigate the mediating effect of sleep on the relationship between screen time and total score of CBCL. RESULTS Screen time before bedtime was correlated with CBCL and CSHQ, which indicated that screen time before bedtime was correlated with sleep and behavior in children with ASD. Screen time before bedtime was a predictor of CBCL total score (indicating children's behavior), and CSHQ total score (indicating children's sleep habits) played a partial mediating role between screen time before bedtime and children's behavior. CONCLUSION Clinicians should support and educate parents of children with ASD, which should focus on managing screen time, especially screen time before bedtime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanyu Dong
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Tiantian Wang
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Junyan Feng
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yang Xue
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Feiyong Jia
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
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3
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Offutt A, Breitschwerdt EB. Case report: Substantial improvement of autism spectrum disorder in a child with learning disabilities in conjunction with treatment for poly-microbial vector borne infections. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1205545. [PMID: 37663607 PMCID: PMC10473095 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1205545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Poly-microbial vector-borne infections may have contributed to neuropsychiatric symptoms in a boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Targeted antimicrobial treatment resulted in substantial improvement in cognitive (such as learning disabilities, focus, concentration) and neurobehavioral (such as oppositional, defiant, anti-social, disordered mood, immaturity, tics) symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Offutt
- Heart and Soul Integrative Health, Marble Falls, TX, United States
| | - Edward B. Breitschwerdt
- Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, and the Comparative Medicine Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
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4
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Wegmann B, Tatemoto P, Miemczyk S, Ludvigsson J, Guerrero-Bosagna C. Identification of potentially relevant metals for the etiology of autism by using a Bayesian multivariate approach for partially censored values. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12622. [PMID: 37537167 PMCID: PMC10400650 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38780-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Heavy metals are known to be able to cross the placental and blood brain barriers to affect critical neurodevelopmental processes in the fetus. We measured metal levels (Al, Cd, Hg, Li, Pb and Zn) in the cord blood of newborns and in the serum of the same children at 5 years of age, and compared between individuals with or without (controls) autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. The samples were from a biobank associated with the All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) registry. We proposed a Bayesian multivariate log-normal model for partially censored values to identify potentially relevant metals for the etiology of ASD. Our results in cord blood suggest prenatal Al levels could be indicative of later ASD incidence, which could also be related to an increased possibility of a high, potentially toxic, exposure to Al and Li during pregnancy. In addition, a larger possibility of a high, potentially beneficial, exposure to Zn could occur during pregnancy in controls. Finally, we found decisive evidence for an average increase of Hg in 5-year-old ASD children compared to only weak evidence for controls. This is concordant with previous research showing an impaired ability for eliminating Hg in the ASD group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertil Wegmann
- Division of Statistics and Machine Learning, Department of Computer and Information Science, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Patricia Tatemoto
- Center for Comparative Studies in Sustainability, Health and Welfare, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, FMVZ, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, 13635-900, Brazil
| | - Stefan Miemczyk
- Avian Behavioral Genomics and Physiology Group, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Johnny Ludvigsson
- Crown Princess Victoria Children's Hospital and Division of Pediatrics, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Carlos Guerrero-Bosagna
- Physiology and Environmental Toxicology Program, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden.
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5
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Osman HA, Haridi M, Gonzalez NA, Dayo SM, Fatima U, Sheikh A, Puvvada CS, Soomro FH, Khan S. A Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Early Initiation of Speech Therapy and Its Positive Impact on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Cureus 2023; 15:e35930. [PMID: 37050996 PMCID: PMC10085252 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.35930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition that consists predominantly of an apparent early delay in communication and social skills. Among the multiple identified etiologies, genetics play a key role. The implementation of early interventional therapy for children with ASD is starting to show promising results. A few medical databases were used to collect multiple published types of research, which were thoroughly screened. Ultimately, a small amount was selected according to the defined eligibility criteria. The 12 articles that were reviewed involved a more significant number of boys than girls, and most clinical trials displayed the importance of starting early therapy. Astonishingly, the overwhelming effects of the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect the continuation of speech therapy in certain areas. In addition, studies emphasize knowledge scarcity, insufficient resources in certain areas, and the demand to educate the community. Conversely, no difference in the level of severity was noted with the implementation of early therapy. Early therapy, chiefly speech therapy used to treat children with ASD, demonstrated favorable outcomes. Communities require awareness about the condition on a broader scale to educate caregivers on early alarming symptoms. All in all, additional exploration needs to be done.
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Elbeltagi R, Al-Beltagi M, Saeed NK, Alhawamdeh R. Play therapy in children with autism: Its role, implications, and limitations. World J Clin Pediatr 2023; 12:1-22. [PMID: 36685315 PMCID: PMC9850869 DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v12.i1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Play is a pleasurable physical or mental activity that enhances the child’s skills involving negotiation abilities, problem-solving, manual dexterity, sharing, decision-making, and working in a group. Play affects all the brain's areas, structures, and functions. Children with autism have adaptive behavior, adaptive response, and social interaction limitations. This review explores the different applications of play therapy in helping children with autism disorder. Play is usually significantly impaired in children with autism. Play therapy is mainly intended to help children to honor their unique mental abilities and developmental levels. The main aim of play therapy is to prevent or solve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal child-healthy growth and development. Play therapy helps children with autism to engage in play activities of their interest and choice to express themselves in the most comfortable ways. It changes their way of self-expression from unwanted behaviors to more non-injurious expressive behavior using toys or activities of their choice as their words. Play therapy also helps those children to experience feeling out various interaction styles. Every child with autism is unique and responds differently. Therefore, different types of intervention, like play therapy, could fit the differences in children with autism. Proper evaluation of the child is mandatory to evaluate which type fits the child more than the others. This narrative review revised the different types of play therapy that could fit children with autism in an evidence-based way. Despite weak evidence, play therapy still has potential benefits for patients and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reem Elbeltagi
- Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain, Busaiteen 15503, Bahrain
| | - Mohammed Al-Beltagi
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Group, Manama 26671, Bahrain
| | - Nermin Kamal Saeed
- Pathology Department, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Manama 12, Bahrain
- Pathology Department, Irish Royal College of Surgeon, Bahrain, Busaiteen 15503, Bahrain
| | - Rawan Alhawamdeh
- Pediatrics Research and Development Department, Genomics Creativity and Play Center, Manama 0000, Bahrain
- School of Continuing Education, Masters in Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States
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Łuczak J, Michalik J, Gawrońska K, Zakostowicz M, Zielińska I, Szczerba M. Systemic Cryotherapy in the Treatment of Autistic Children. Acta Balneol 2022. [DOI: 10.36740/abal202206102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Aim: Autistic disorders in children cover three developmental areas: social interaction, communication development disorders, and repetitive behavioral repertoire. Autistic children are a group resistant to therapeutic intervention due to their imapired contact with the environment, but the correction and compensation of disturbed functions through the interaction of motor and seems to be the most important goal of therapy.
Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 57 students of two special schools diagnosed with autism (age 6-16 (AVG 10 +/- 6), whose parents consented to participate in the research program, this 12 (21%) girls and 45 (79) %) boys. Fine and gross motor skills were assessed. The assessment of fine motoricity included the evaluation of the functions of individual parts of the body: throwing and catching a large ball, throwing tennis balls accurately into the basket while sitting on a chair, standing, lying on a mattress, pedalling on a stationary bike, performing unassisted squats, lifting the knees high in a standing position,unassisted jumping on a baton and kicking a volleyball. Large motor activity (change of place) included: walking up the stairs holding on to the handrail, stepping back and forth,going through the tunnel, walking on a ramp inclined at an angle of 45, traversing an obstacle course made of soft rollers of different sizes with the help of another person. After a two-week break, the subjects received a series of 10 treatments temperature at a temperature of - 110°C, each treatment lasting 2 minutes. The treatments took place once a day from Monday to Friday, excluding Saturdays and Sundays. After each treatment, the patient exercised for 1 hour in accordance with the previous results of fine and gross motor skills.
Results: 1 child (10 entries) completed a full series of treatments. Other children: - 9 entries - 1 child, - 8 entries - 2 children, - 4 entrances – 2 children, - 3 entries - 1 child, - 2 children refused to continue the procedure after 30 seconds, - 2 child refused to enter the cryochamber.
Conclusions: 1. It seems that cryogenic therapy should not be used in autistic children due to safety and the amount of work involved in preparing and conducting the procedures. 2. Parents’ attitudes towards the disease and their child’s treatment options make it difficult to cooperate and plan the therapy.3. In adult high-functioning autistics being treated at ZUL there is a very good tolerance of the procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Łuczak
- Department of Treatment Improvement, Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Poland; Warsaw College of Health and Engineering, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Michalik
- Department of Medical Informatics and Telemedicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Gawrońska
- Department of Treatment Improvement, Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marzena Zakostowicz
- Department of Treatment Improvement, Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Poland
| | - Izabela Zielińska
- Department of Treatment Improvement, Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Shen XY, Shi SH, Li H, Wang CC, Zhang Y, Yu H, Li YB, Liu B. The role of Gadd45b in neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders: An overview. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1021207. [PMID: 36311022 PMCID: PMC9606402 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1021207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible beta (Gadd45b) is directly intertwined with stress-induced DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, survival, and apoptosis. Previous research on Gadd45b has focused chiefly on non-neuronal cells. Gadd45b is extensively expressed in the nervous system and plays a critical role in epigenetic DNA demethylation, neuroplasticity, and neuroprotection, according to accumulating evidence. This article provided an overview of the preclinical and clinical effects of Gadd45b, as well as its hypothesized mechanisms of action, focusing on major psychosis, depression, autism, stroke, seizure, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and autoimmune diseases of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-yue Shen
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Shu-han Shi
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Cong-cong Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Hui Yu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Yan-bin Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
- Yan-bin Li,
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Bin Liu,
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Delpire E, Ben-Ari Y. A Wholistic View of How Bumetanide Attenuates Autism Spectrum Disorders. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152419. [PMID: 35954263 PMCID: PMC9367773 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The specific NKCC1 cotransporter antagonist, bumetanide, attenuates the severity of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and many neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disorders in animal models and clinical trials. However, the pervasive expression of NKCC1 in many cell types throughout the body is thought to challenge the therapeutic efficacy of bumetanide. However, many peripheral functions, including intestinal, metabolic, or vascular, etc., are perturbed in brain disorders contributing to the neurological sequels. Alterations of these functions also increase the incidence of the disorder suggesting complex bidirectional links with the clinical manifestations. We suggest that a more holistic view of ASD and other disorders is warranted to account for the multiple sites impacted by the original intra-uterine insult. From this perspective, large-spectrum active repositioned drugs that act centrally and peripherally might constitute a useful approach to treating these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Delpire
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Yehezkel Ben-Ari
- NeuroChlore, Campus Scientifique de Luminy, 163 Route de Luminy, 13273 Marseilles, France
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Sheriff B, Sakyi K, Malm EK, Zabel C, Owusu PG, Sowah LA, Anum A. Knowledge of developmental disabilities and referral sources among health workers in two Ghanaian hospitals. Int J Dev Disabil 2022; 70:458-468. [PMID: 38699501 PMCID: PMC11062274 DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2022.2097413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Proper treatment of developmental disabilities requires health workers to have adequate knowledge of etiology and referral procedures. There is a dearth of research on knowledge of developmental disabilities among health workers in Ghana. The purpose of this study was to document knowledge about developmental disorders, causes, and referral procedures among health workers. Researchers used a successive free-listing method to interview 37 health workers. Developmental disabilities which present with physical symptoms were the most salient disorders identified among health workers, while learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder were largely overlooked. The most commonly listed developmental disabilities were cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and autism spectrum disorder. Respondents had limited knowledge about the causes of and referral resources for developmental disabilities. Results show the need for continuing medical education, public awareness, and enhanced resources to support the identification and care of children with developmental disabilities in Ghana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blessed Sheriff
- Center for Learning and Childhood Development, Accra, Ghana
- Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Kwame Sakyi
- Department of Public and Environmental Wellness, Oakland University, Rochester Hills, OK, USA
| | - Esther K. Malm
- Center for Learning and Childhood Development, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Psychology, Murray State University, Murray, KY, USA
| | | | | | | | - Adote Anum
- Center for Learning and Childhood Development, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Ghana
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11
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Chen Y, Zhou Z, Cao M, Liu M, Lin Z, Yang W, Yang X, Dhaidhai D, Xiong P. Extended Reality (XR) and telehealth interventions for children or adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: Systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104683. [PMID: 35523302 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
World Health Organization reported that almost one in 100 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) worldwide. Extended Reality (XR) and Telehealth interventions are evident to be effective for ASD treatments. While there is no comprehensive systematic review to summarize and evaluate the evidence for promoting the accessibility of different technology-based treatment regiments. This paper aims to verify the efficacy and validity of XR and Telehealth interventions for children and adolescents with ASD. We reviewed 112 studies from databases of PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library, published in English between January 2010 to April 1st, 2022. We found that after interventions, positive improvements for ASD participants were observed in social interaction, acceptance, and engagement, communication and speech, emotion recognition and control, daily living skill, problem behavior reduction, attention, cost reduction, anxiety symptom reduction, pretend play, contextual processing, match to sample skill, and insomnia control. Our findings provide a solid and positive evidence of XR and Telehealth interventions in improving the treatment outcomes for children and adolescents with ASD. In the future, more research with RCTs and standardized outcome measurements are required to establish the therapeutic efficiency of the two interventions independently or combined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Chen
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuoren Zhou
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Cao
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Liu
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhihao Lin
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weixin Yang
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Denzel Dhaidhai
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Xiong
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
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12
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He X, Yu Y, Ouyang Y. Evaluation and Analysis of the Intervention Effect of Systematic Parent Training Based on Computational Intelligence on Child Autism. Comput Math Methods Med 2022; 2022:7746374. [PMID: 35720038 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7746374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Autism, also known as pervasive developmental disorder or autism spectrum disorder, is a group of clinical syndromes of developmental delay or impairment. Social impairment, verbal communication impairment, and behavioral impairment are the three conditions for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, according to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. According to relevant statistics, about 1 in 100 children is now diagnosed with autism, and their rehabilitation treatment is also valued by people from all walks of life. In the rehabilitation training of autistic children, it is found that the rehabilitation training of autistic children should pay attention to the role of parents and family environment. It is crucial that parents receive systematic training and act as partners in the development of the intervention plan. Research shows that a specific structured education and skills training program for parents of children with autism can be beneficial in improving behavioral problems, functional communication, and symptoms of autism in children with autism. To this end, this paper has completed the following work: Secondly, a portion of the systematic training of CA parents is discussed, followed by an explanation of the structure and principles of BPNN. Finally, the BPNN is utilized to create a model for assessing the impact of systematic parent instruction on CA. The experimental findings suggest that the proposed BPNN outperforms the competition.
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13
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Shi CL, Xin XW, Zhang JC. Domain adaptation based on rough adjoint inconsistency and optimal transport for identifying autistic patients. Comput Methods Programs Biomed 2022; 215:106615. [PMID: 35016084 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2021.106615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Computer aided diagnosis technology has been widely used to diagnose autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from neural images. The performance of the model usually depends largely on a sufficient number of training samples that reflect the real sample distribution. Due to the lack of labelled neural images data, multisite data are often pooled together to expand the sample size. However, the heterogeneity among sites will inevitably lead to a decline in the generalization of models. To solve this problem, we propose a multisource unsupervised domain adaptation method using rough adjoint inconsistency and optimal transport. METHODS First, we define the concept of rough adjoint inconsistency and propose a double quantization method based on rough adjoint inconsistency and Dempster-Shafer (D-S) evidence theory to estimate the weight coefficient of each source domain to accurately describe the importance of each source domain to the target domain. Second, using optimal transport theory, we weaken the data distribution differences between domains and solve the problem of class imbalance by adjusting the sampling weights among classes. RESULTS The ASD recognition accuracy of the proposed method is improved on all eight tasks, which are 70.67%, 64.86%, 62.50%, 70.80%, 73.08%, 71.19%, 75.41% and 75.76%, respectively. Our proposed model achieves superior performance compared to traditional machine learning methods and other recently proposed deep learning model. CONCLUSIONS Our method demonstrates that the fusion of rough adjoint inconsistency and optimal transport can be a powerful tool for identifying ASD and quantifying the correlations between domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Lei Shi
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xian-Wei Xin
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jia-Cai Zhang
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Technology and Educational Application, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100875, China.
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Al-Biltagi M, Saeed NK, Qaraghuli S. Gastrointestinal disorders in children with autism: Could artificial intelligence help? Artif Intell Gastroenterol 2022; 3:1-12. [DOI: 10.35712/aig.v3.i1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism is one of the pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders usually associated with many medical comorbidities. Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are pervasive in children, with a 46%-84% prevalence rate. Children with Autism have an increased frequency of diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting, gastroesophageal reflux and/or disease, abdominal pain, chronic flatulence due to various factors as food allergies, gastrointestinal dysmotility, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). These GI disorders have a significant negative impact on both the child and his/her family. Artificial intelligence (AI) could help diagnose and manage Autism by improving children's communication, social, and emotional skills for a long time. AI is an effective method to enhance early detection of GI disorders, including GI bleeding, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Coeliac disease, food allergies, IBS, IBD, and rectal polyps. AI can also help personalize the diet for children with Autism by microbiome modification. It can help to provide modified gluten without initiating an immune response. However, AI has many obstacles in treating digestive diseases, especially in children with Autism. We need to do more studies and adopt specific algorithms for children with Autism. In this article, we will highlight the role of AI in helping children with gastrointestinal disorders, with particular emphasis on children with Autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Al-Biltagi
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31511, Alghrabia, Egypt
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Manama 26671, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Nermin Kamal Saeed
- Medical Microbiology Section, Pathology Department, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Bahrain, Manama 12, Manama, Bahrain
- Microbiology Section, Pathology Department, Irish Royal College of Surgeon, Bahrain, Busaiteen 15503, Muharraq, Bahrain
| | - Samara Qaraghuli
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plant, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad 14022, Baghdad, Iraq
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15
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Wang J, Ma B, Wang J, Zhang Z, Chen O. Global prevalence of autism spectrum disorder and its gastrointestinal symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:963102. [PMID: 36081466 PMCID: PMC9445193 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.963102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a severe public health concern, and Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are becoming more common among co-morbidities. The evidence has to be updated depending on differences in different parts of the world. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to better understand the existing epidemiological condition and help make health-related decisions. METHODS Searches in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase databases are limited to 14 March 2022. We reviewed the global prevalence of ASD and the prevalence of GI in people with ASD. Data were extracted by two independent researchers. Literature quality assessment using the National Institutes of Health Study Quality Assessment Tool. RESULTS We discovered that the global pooled prevalence of ASD was 98/10,000 (95% confidence interval, 95%CI: 81/10,000-118/10,000, I 2 = 99.99%, p < 0.001), with 48.67% (95%CI: 43.50 -53.86, I 2 = 99.51%) of individuals with ASD reporting GI symptoms. Based on the subgroup analyses, we found a higher prevalence of ASD in males (90/10,000, 95%CI: 71/10,000-112/10,000, I 2 = 99.99%) than females (21/10,000, 95%CI: 15/10,000-27/10,000, I 2 = 99.99%). Prevalence of pooling is higher in developing countries (155/10,000, 95% CI: 111/10,000-204/10,000, I 2 = 99.87%) than in developed countries (85/10,000, 95%CI: 67/10,000-105/10,000, I 2 = 99.99%). CONCLUSION The global prevalence of ASD and the prevalence of GI symptoms in ASD are both significant. The prevalence of ASD is much higher in men than in women. Further attention to ASD and its related comorbidities will be required in the future to inform coping strategy adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Wang
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Bin Ma
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zeyi Zhang
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ou Chen
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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16
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Nenniger G, Hofmann V, Müller CM. Gender Differences in Peer Influence on Autistic Traits in Special Needs Schools-Evidence From Staff Reports. Front Psychol 2021; 12:718726. [PMID: 34803801 PMCID: PMC8599132 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.718726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Children and adolescents with an intellectual disability (ID) and autistic traits often attend special needs schools where they are surrounded by peers with diverse characteristics. Given the role that peers can play in social development, we examined whether autistic traits development in students with ID and high levels of such characteristics are influenced by the level of autistic traits among the schoolmates they like most. Furthermore, we investigated the degree to which this peer influence susceptibility depends on students’ gender. A longitudinal design, with data collection points at the beginning and the end of a school year, was used. Staff reported on 330 students with high levels of autistic traits (20.6% girls; age 10.17 years, SD = 3.74) who attended 142 classrooms in 16 Swiss special needs schools. Results showed that students’ future individual level of autistic traits (T2) was not predicted by the autistic traits level of preferred peers (T1), controlling for individual autistic traits at T1, level of general functioning, gender, and age. However, the peer effect was significantly moderated by students’ gender, indicating that girls but not boys were susceptible to peer influence. These findings are discussed in terms of implications for understanding autistic traits development and directions of support for children and adolescents in their peer context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Nenniger
- Department of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Verena Hofmann
- Department of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Christoph M Müller
- Department of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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17
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Mohammadi MR, Zandifar A, Badrfam R. The prospect of autism in the next generation; the need to pay attention to the COVID-19 pandemic. World J Biol Psychiatry 2021; 22:557-558. [PMID: 33475040 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2021.1878390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Reza Mohammadi
- Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, South Kargar, Tehran, Iran
| | - Atefeh Zandifar
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Rajaei Educational & Medical Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.,Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Rahim Badrfam
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Rajaei Educational & Medical Center, Hesarak, Karaj, Alborz, Iran
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18
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Abstract
Objective The aim of the present work was to propose and implement deep neural network (DNN)-based handheld diagnosis system for more accurate diagnosis and severity assessment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods Initially, the learning of the proposed system for ASD diagnosis was performed by implementing DNN algorithms such as a convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM), and multilayer perceptron (MLP) with DSM-V based acquired dataset. The performance of the DNN algorithms was analyzed based on parameters viz. accuracy, loss, mean squared error (MSE), precision, recall, and area under the curve (AUC) during the training and validation process. Later, the optimum DNN algorithm, among the tested algorithms, was implemented on handheld diagnosis system (HDS) and the performance of HDS was analyzed. The stability of proposed DNN-based HDS was validated with the dataset group of 20 ASD and 20 typically developed (TD) individuals. Results It was observed during comparative analysis that LSTM resulted better in ASD diagnosis as compared to other artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms such as CNN and MLP since LSTM showed stabilized results achieving maximum accuracy in less consumption of epochs with minimum MSE and loss. Further, the LSTM based proposed HDS for ASD achieved optimum results with 100% accuracy in reference to DSM-V, which was validated statistically using a group of ASD and TD individuals. Conclusion The use of advanced AI algorithms could play an important role in the diagnosis of ASD in today's era. Since the proposed LSTM based HDS for ASD and determination of its severity provided accurate results with maximum accuracy with reference to DSM-V criteria, the proposed HDS could be the best alternative to the manual diagnosis system for diagnosis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Khullar
- I.K.G. Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala; CT Institute of Engineering, Management and Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Harjit Pal Singh
- I.K.G. Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala; CT Institute of Engineering, Management and Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Manju Bala
- I.K.G. Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala; Khalsa College of Engineering and Technology, Amritsar, Punjab, India
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Czarnecka K, Pilarz A, Rogut A, Maj P, Szymańska J, Olejnik Ł, Szymański P. Aspartame-True or False? Narrative Review of Safety Analysis of General Use in Products. Nutrients 2021; 13:1957. [PMID: 34200310 PMCID: PMC8227014 DOI: 10.3390/nu13061957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspartame is a sweetener introduced to replace the commonly used sucrose. It was discovered by James M. Schlatter in 1965. Being 180-200 times sweeter than sucrose, its intake was expected to reduce obesity rates in developing countries and help those struggling with diabetes. It is mainly used as a sweetener for soft drinks, confectionery, and medicines. Despite its widespread use, its safety remains controversial. This narrative review investigates the existing literature on the use of aspartame and its possible effects on the human body to refine current knowledge. Taking to account that aspartame is a widely used artificial sweetener, it seems appropriate to continue research on safety. Studies mentioned in this article have produced very interesting results overall, the current review highlights the social problem of providing visible and detailed information about the presence of aspartame in products. The studies involving the impact of aspartame on obesity, diabetes mellitus, children and fetus, autism, neurodegeneration, phenylketonuria, allergies and skin problems, its cancer properties and its genotoxicity were analyzed. Further research should be conducted to ensure clear information about the impact of aspartame on health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Czarnecka
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analyses and Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, Muszyńskiego 1, 90-151 Lodz, Poland; (A.P.); (A.R.); (P.M.); (J.S.); (Ł.O.)
- Department of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 4 Kozielska St., 01-163 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Pilarz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analyses and Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, Muszyńskiego 1, 90-151 Lodz, Poland; (A.P.); (A.R.); (P.M.); (J.S.); (Ł.O.)
| | - Aleksandra Rogut
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analyses and Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, Muszyńskiego 1, 90-151 Lodz, Poland; (A.P.); (A.R.); (P.M.); (J.S.); (Ł.O.)
| | - Patryk Maj
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analyses and Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, Muszyńskiego 1, 90-151 Lodz, Poland; (A.P.); (A.R.); (P.M.); (J.S.); (Ł.O.)
| | - Joanna Szymańska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analyses and Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, Muszyńskiego 1, 90-151 Lodz, Poland; (A.P.); (A.R.); (P.M.); (J.S.); (Ł.O.)
| | - Łukasz Olejnik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analyses and Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, Muszyńskiego 1, 90-151 Lodz, Poland; (A.P.); (A.R.); (P.M.); (J.S.); (Ł.O.)
| | - Paweł Szymański
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analyses and Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, Muszyńskiego 1, 90-151 Lodz, Poland; (A.P.); (A.R.); (P.M.); (J.S.); (Ł.O.)
- Department of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 4 Kozielska St., 01-163 Warsaw, Poland
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20
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Abstract
The term "Autism spectrum disorder" (ASD), in vogue at present, has evolved after continual substantial developments taking place over more than a century. ASD is a heterogeneous, multi-factorial, developmental disability in which an unusual pattern of development takes place during infant and toddler years. As per DSM-5, Autism spectrum disorder is a combined phrase for a family of complex developmental disabilities inclusive of "Autistic Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger's Disorder". "ASD is characterized not only by persistent impairments in reciprocal social communication and social interactions, but is also manifested by restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities". The classical clinical signs that exist in two major domains, viz. the 'social domain' and the 'behavioral domain' for the precise diagnosis of ASD have been tabulated and major differences between DSM-5 and DSM-4 are depicted with the help of a figure in this basic review article. A sharp rise in the incidence of ASD cases has been observed worldwide owing to various risk factors such as genetic predisposition coupled with adverse environmental conditions, gynecological interventions, etc. Two official manuals viz. the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM) (published by the American Psychiatric Association), and the "International Classification of Diseases" (ICD) (published by the World Health Organization) is being regularly updated to facilitate diagnosis of ASD. ICD-11 guidelines being prospectively implemented with effect from January 2022 have attracted global attention.
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21
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Wang YM, Qiu MY, Liu Q, Tang H, Gu HF. Critical role of dysfunctional mitochondria and defective mitophagy in autism spectrum disorders. Brain Res Bull 2021; 168:138-145. [PMID: 33400955 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders, including autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder and childhood disintegrative disorder. Mitochondria not only provide neurons with energy in the form of ATP to sustain neuron growth, proliferation and neurodevelopment, but also regulate neuron apoptosis, intracellular calcium ion (Ca2+) homeostasis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) clearance. Due to their postmitotic state and high energy-demanded feature, neurons are particularly prone to mitophagy and mitochondrial disfunction. Mitophagy, a selective autophagy, is critical for sustaining mitochondrial turnover and quality control via eliminating unwanted and dysfunctional mitochondria in neurons. Dysfunctional mitochondria and dysregulated mitophagy have been closely associated with the onset of ASDs. In this review, we summarize the mechanism of mitophagy and its role in neurons, and the consequence of mitophagy dysfunction in ASDs. Deeper appreciation of the role of mitophagy in ASDs pathology is required for developing new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Mei Wang
- Hengyang Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Impairment & Institute of Neuroscience, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People's Republic of China; Lhasa Guangsheng Hospital, Lhasa, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming-Yue Qiu
- Hengyang Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Impairment & Institute of Neuroscience, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People's Republic of China; Lhasa Guangsheng Hospital, Lhasa, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Liu
- Hengyang Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Impairment & Institute of Neuroscience, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People's Republic of China; Lhasa Guangsheng Hospital, Lhasa, People's Republic of China
| | - Huang Tang
- Hengyang Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Impairment & Institute of Neuroscience, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People's Republic of China; Lhasa Guangsheng Hospital, Lhasa, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Feng Gu
- Hengyang Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Impairment & Institute of Neuroscience, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People's Republic of China; Lhasa Guangsheng Hospital, Lhasa, People's Republic of China.
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22
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Abstract
BACKGROUND 15q11-13 region is one of the most complex chromosomal regions in the human genome. UBE3A is an important candidate gene of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which located at the 15q11-13 region and encodes ubiquitin-protein ligase E3A. Previous studies about UBE3A gene and ASD have shown inconsistent results and few studies were performed in Chinese population. This study aimed to detect the genetic mutations of UBE3A gene in Chinese Han population with ASD and analyze genetic association between these variants and ASD. METHODS The samples consisted of 192 patients with autism according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and 192 healthy controls. We searched for mutations at coding sequence (CDS) regions and their adjacent non-coding regions of UBE3A gene using the high resolution melting (HRM) and Sanger sequencing methods. We further increased sample size to validate the detected variants using HRM and conducted association analysis between case and control groups. RESULTS A known single nucleotide polymorphism (T > C, rs150331504) located at the CDS4 and a known 5 bp insertion/deletion variation (AACTC+/-, rs71127053) located at the intron region of the upstream 288 bp of the CDS2 of UBE3A gene were detected using Sanger sequencing method. The ASD samples of case group were 391 for rs71127053, 384 for rs150331504 and 384 healthy controls, which were used to make an association analysis. The results of association analysis suggested that there were no significant difference about the allele and genotype frequencies of rs71127053 and rs150331504 between case and control groups after extending the sample size. Besides, rs150331504 is a synonymous mutation and we compared the secondary structure and minimum free energy (MFE) of mRNA harboring the allele T or C of rs150331504 using RNAfold software. We found that the centroid secondary structure apparently differs along with the polymorphisms of rs150331504 T > C, the results suggested that this variant might change the secondary structure of mRNA of UBE3A gene. We did not detect mutations in other coding regions of UBE3A gene. CONCLUSIONS These findings showed that UBE3A gene might not be a major disease gene in Chinese ASD cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhao
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wanping Nan Road, Shanghai, 200030 China
| | - Ran Zhang
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wanping Nan Road, Shanghai, 200030 China
| | - Shunying Yu
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wanping Nan Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.
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Kang J, Han X, Song J, Niu Z, Li X. The identification of children with autism spectrum disorder by SVM approach on EEG and eye-tracking data. Comput Biol Med 2020; 120:103722. [PMID: 32250854 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.103722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify autistic children, we used features extracted from two modalities (EEG and eye-tracking) as input to a machine learning approach (SVM). METHODS A total of 97 children aged from 3 to 6 were enrolled in the present study. After resting-state EEG data recording, the children performed eye-tracking tests individually on own-race and other-race stranger faces stimuli. Power spectrum analysis was used for EEG analysis and areas of interest (AOI) were selected for face gaze analysis of eye-tracking data. The minimum redundancy maximum relevance (MRMR) feature selection method combined with SVM classifiers were used for classification of autistic versus typically developing children. RESULTS Results showed that classification accuracy from combining two types of data reached a maximum of 85.44%, with AUC = 0.93, when 32 features were selected. LIMITATIONS The sample consisted of children aged from 3 to 6, and no younger patients were included. CONCLUSIONS Our machine learning approach, combining EEG and eye-tracking data, may be a useful tool for the identification of children with ASD, and may help for diagnostic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Kang
- College of Electronic & Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Xiaoya Han
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Jiajia Song
- College of Electronic & Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Zikang Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
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Meeking MM, MacFabe DF, Mepham JR, Foley KA, Tichenoff LJ, Boon FH, Kavaliers M, Ossenkopp KP. Propionic acid induced behavioural effects of relevance to autism spectrum disorder evaluated in the hole board test with rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 97:109794. [PMID: 31639413 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a set of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by abnormal social interactions, impaired language, and stereotypic and repetitive behaviours. Among genetically susceptible subpopulations, gut and dietary influences may play a role in etiology. Propionic acid (PPA), produced by enteric gut bacteria, crosses both the gut-blood and the blood-brain barrier. Previous research has demonstrated that repeated intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusions of PPA in adult rats produce behavioural and neuropathological changes similar to those seen in ASD patients, including hyperactivity, stereotypy, and repetitive movements. The current study examined dose and time related changes of exploratory and repetitive behaviours with the use of the hole-board task. Adult male Long-Evans rats received ICV infusions twice a day, 4 h apart, of either buffered PPA (low dose 0.052 M or high dose 0.26 M, pH 7.5, 4 μL/infusion) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS, 0.1 M) for 7 consecutive days. Locomotor activity and hole-poke behaviour were recorded daily in an automated open field apparatus (Versamax), equipped with 16 open wells, for 30 min immediately after the second infusion. In a dose dependent manner PPA infused rats displayed significantly more locomotor activity, stereotypic behaviour and nose-pokes than PBS infused rats. Low-dose PPA animals showed locomotor activity levels similar to those of PBS animals at the start of the infusion schedule, but gradually increased to levels comparable to those of high-dose PPA animals by the end of the infusion schedule, demonstrating a dose and time dependent effect of the PPA treatments.
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ElObeid T, Moawad J, Shi Z. Importance of Nutrition Intervention in Autistic Patients. Adv Neurobiol 2020; 24:535-545. [PMID: 32006372 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-30402-7_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Along with the issues of inflated social and financial burden associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), specific treatment for this disorder has also not been developed. Having a thorough look at previous trials done to treat autism, we find that nutrition intervention had been used frequently as a complementary form of therapy. Indeed, an early diagnosis of nutrition deficiency and metabolic disorders done concomitantly with accurate therapeutic interventions can be a cornerstone for improving cognitive and behavioral aptitudes of people with autism. Several studies have showed that increasing the intake of specific nutrients can reduce the symptoms and comorbidities associated with autism. Consequently, nutrition intervention and appropriate supplementation can be crucial in managing and treating autism. This paper will discuss recent literature on the significance of metabolic aspects in autistic disorder and highlight the influence of nutrition intervention on the symptoms of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahra ElObeid
- Human Nutrition Department, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Joyce Moawad
- Human Nutrition Department, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Zumin Shi
- Human Nutrition Department, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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Deb S, Phukan BC, Dutta A, Paul R, Bhattacharya P, Manivasagam T, Thenmozhi AJ, Babu CS, Essa MM, Borah A. Natural Products and Their Therapeutic Effect on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Adv Neurobiol 2020; 24:601-614. [PMID: 32006376 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-30402-7_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is evident in early childhood and can persist throughout the entire life. The disease is basically characterized by hurdles in social interaction where the individuals demonstrate repetitive and stereotyped interests or patterns of behavior. A wide number of neuroanatomical studies with autistic patients revealed alterations in brain development which lead to diverse cellular and anatomical processes including atypical neurogenesis, neuronal migration, maturation, differentiation, and degeneration. Special education programs, speech and language therapy, have been employed for the amelioration of behavioral deficits in autism. Although commonly prescribed antidepressants, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and stimulants have revealed satisfactory responses in autistic individuals, adverse side effects and increased risk of several other complications including obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, etc. have compelled the researchers to turn their attention toward herbal remedies. Alternative approaches with natural compounds are on continuous clinical trial to confirm their efficacy and to understand their potential in autism treatment. This chapter aims to cover the major plant-based natural products which hold promising outcomes in the field of reliable therapeutic interventions for autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satarupa Deb
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India
| | - Banashree Chetia Phukan
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India
| | - Ankumoni Dutta
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India
| | - Rajib Paul
- Department of Zoology, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Adarsha Mahavidyalaya (PDUAM), Karimganj, Assam, India
| | - Pallab Bhattacharya
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Thamilarasan Manivasagam
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Arokiasamy Justin Thenmozhi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Chidambaram Saravana Babu
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSSAHER), Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - Musthafa Mohamed Essa
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, CAMS, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.,Ageing and Dementia Research Group, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.,Food and Brain Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anupom Borah
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India.
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Wu HF, Chen YJ, Chu MC, Hsu YT, Lu TY, Chen IT, Chen PS, Lin HC. Deep Brain Stimulation Modified Autism-Like Deficits via the Serotonin System in a Valproic Acid-Induced Rat Model. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19092840. [PMID: 30235871 PMCID: PMC6164279 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19092840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is known to be a promising treatment for resistant depression, which acts via the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) system in the infralimbic prefrontal cortex (ILPFC). Previous study revealed that dysfunction of brain 5-HT homeostasis is related to a valproate (VPA)-induced rat autism spectrum disorder (ASD) model. Whether ILPFC DBS rescues deficits in VPA-induced offspring through the 5-HT system is not known. Using VPA-induced offspring, we therefore explored the effect of DBS in autistic phenotypes and further investigated the underlying mechanism. Using combined behavioral and molecular approaches, we observed that applying DBS and 5-HT1A receptor agonist treatment with 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) reversed sociability deficits, anxiety and hyperactivity in the VPA-exposed offspring. We then administered the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist N-[2-[4-(2-Methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-2-pyridinylcyclohexanecarboxamide maleate (WAY 100635), following which the effect of DBS in terms of improving autistic behaviors was blocked in the VPA-exposed offspring. Furthermore, we found that both 8-OH-DPAT and DBS treatment rescued autistic behaviors by decreasing the expressions of NR2B subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and the β₃ subunit of γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAAR) in the PFC region. These results provided the first evidence of characteristic behavioral changes in VPA-induced offspring caused by DBS via the 5-HT system in the ILPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Fang Wu
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Ju Chen
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
| | - Ming-Chia Chu
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
| | - Ya-Ting Hsu
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
| | - Ting-Yi Lu
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
| | - I-Tuan Chen
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
| | - Po See Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
- Addiction Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
| | - Hui-Ching Lin
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
- Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
- Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
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Thongnak C, Hnoonual A, Tangviriyapaiboon D, Silvilairat S, Puangpetch A, Pasomsub E, Chantratita W, Limprasert P, Sukasem C. Whole-Exome Sequencing Identifies One De Novo Variant in the FGD6 Gene in a Thai Family with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Genomics 2018; 2018:8231547. [PMID: 29888248 DOI: 10.1155/2018/8231547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism is complex and it is unclear. Genetic testing such as microarray or sequencing was widely used to identify autism markers, but they are unsuccessful in several cases. The objective of this study is to identify causative variants of autism in two Thai families by using whole-exome sequencing technique. Whole-exome sequencing was performed with autism-affected children from two unrelated families. Each sample was sequenced on SOLiD 5500xl Genetic Analyzer system followed by combined bioinformatics pipeline including annotation and filtering process to identify candidate variants. Candidate variants were validated, and the segregation study with other family members was performed using Sanger sequencing. This study identified a possible causative variant for ASD, c.2951G>A, in the FGD6 gene. We demonstrated the potential for ASD genetic variants associated with ASD using whole-exome sequencing and a bioinformatics filtering procedure. These techniques could be useful in identifying possible causative ASD variants, especially in cases in which variants cannot be identified by other techniques.
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Abstract
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a key nutritional n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid and needs to be supplied by the human diet. High levels of DHA intake appear to reduce the risk of depression, bipolar disorder, and mood disorders. On the basis of these connections between DHA and neurological health, this paper reviews what is currently known about DHA and children neurodevelopment as well as the benefits of DHA intake to prevention of autism and behavior disorders through a selective and representative revision of different papers ranging from pure observational studies to randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This review also highlights the issue of DHA bioaccessibility and its implications to the performance of studies. As main conclusions, it can be mentioned that high DHA intake may prevent autism disorder. However, more studies are required to strengthen the connection between autism and dietary DHA. Regarding behavioral disorders, the evidence is also contradictory, thereby raising the need of further studies. From all screened studies on autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and other disorders, it can be concluded that study samples should be larger for greater statistical significance and RCTs should be more carefully designed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Cardoso
- a Department of Sea and Marine Resources , Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA, IP) , Rua Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho, Lisbon , Portugal.,b CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research , University of Porto , Rua dos Bragas 289, Porto , Portugal
| | - Cláudia Afonso
- a Department of Sea and Marine Resources , Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA, IP) , Rua Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho, Lisbon , Portugal.,b CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research , University of Porto , Rua dos Bragas 289, Porto , Portugal
| | - Narcisa M Bandarra
- a Department of Sea and Marine Resources , Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA, IP) , Rua Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho, Lisbon , Portugal.,b CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research , University of Porto , Rua dos Bragas 289, Porto , Portugal
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Wu HF, Chen PS, Hsu YT, Lee CW, Wang TF, Chen YJ, Lin HC. D-Cycloserine Ameliorates Autism-Like Deficits by Removing GluA2-Containing AMPA Receptors in a Valproic Acid-Induced Rat Model. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:4811-4824. [PMID: 28733898 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0685-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Valproic acid (VPA)-exposed rat offspring have demonstrated autism spectrum disorder (ASD) phenotypes and impaired N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-dependent long-term depression (LTD) in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala. NMDAR partial agonist D-cycloserine (DCS) has been reported to act as a cognitive enhancer by increasing the NMDAR response to improve autistic-like phenotypes in animals. However, the mechanism of DCS in alleviating the ASD is still unknown. Using combined behavioral, electrophysiological, and molecular approaches, we found that DCS administration rescued social interaction deficits and anxiety/repetitive-like behaviors observed in VPA-exposed offspring. In the amygdala synapses, DCS treatment reversed the decreased paired pulse ratio (PPR) and the impaired NMDAR-dependent LTD, increased the frequency and amplitude of miniature excitatory post-synaptic currents (mEPSCs), and resulted in a higher dendritic spine density at the amygdala synapses in the VPA-exposed offspring. Moreover, we found that DCS facilitated the removal of GluA2-containing α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (GluA2/AMPARs) by inducing NMDAR-dependent LTD in the VPA-exposed offspring. We further established that the effects of DCS treatment, including increased GluA2/AMPAR removal and rescues of impaired social behavior, were blocked by Tat-GluA23Y, a GluA2-derived peptide that disrupted regulation of AMPAR endocytosis. These results provided the first evidence that rescue of the ASD-like phenotype by DCS is mediated by the mechanism of GluA2/AMPAR removal in VPA-exposed rat offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Fang Wu
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Po See Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan
- Addiction Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ting Hsu
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wei Lee
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Feng Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Cheng Kung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ju Chen
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Ching Lin
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan.
- Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan.
- Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
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Jeddi MZ, Janani L, Memari AH, Akhondzadeh S, Yunesian M. The role of phthalate esters in autism development: A systematic review. Environ Res 2016; 151:493-504. [PMID: 27567353 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Revised: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Available evidence implicates environmental factors in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the role of specific environmental chemicals such as phthalate esters that influence ASD risk remains elusive. This paper systematically reviews published evidences on association between prenatal and/or childhood exposure to phthalate and ASD. METHODS Studies pertaining to systematic literature search from Scopus, PubMed, PsycInfo and Web of Science prior to December 2015 were identified. The authors included studies which assessed the effect of exposure to phthalates on occurrence of ASD. This comprehensive bibliographic search identified five independent studies. Each eligible paper was summarized with respect to its methods and results with particular attention to study design and exposure assessment. Because of the heterogeneity in the type of included studies, different methods of assessing exposure to phthalates and the use of different statistics for summarizing the results, meta-analysis could not be used to combine the results of included studies. RESULTS The results of this systematic review have revealed the limited number of studies conducted and assessed phthalate exposure. Seven studies were regarded as relevant to the objectives of this review. Two of them did not measure phthalate exposure directly and did not result in quantitative results. Out of the five studies in which phthalate exposure was mainly measured by the examining biomarkers in biological samples, two were cohort studies (one with positive results and another one with not clear association). Among the three case control studies, two of them showed a significant relation between exposure to phthalate and ASD and the last case control study had negative results. Indeed, this case control studies showed a compromised phthalate metabolite glucuronidation pathway, as a probable explanation of mechanism of the relation between phthalate exposure and ASD. CONCLUSIONS This review reveals evidence showing a connection between exposure to phthalates and ASD. Nevertheless, further research is needed with appropriate attention to exposure assessment and relevant pre and post-natal cofounders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Zare Jeddi
- Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Janani
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Memari
- Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahin Akhondzadeh
- Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masud Yunesian
- Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Carter C. The barrier, airway particle clearance, placental and detoxification functions of autism susceptibility genes. Neurochem Int 2016; 99:42-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Wu HF, Chen PS, Chen YJ, Lee CW, Chen IT, Lin HC. Alleviation of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor-Dependent Long-Term Depression via Regulation of the Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β Pathway in the Amygdala of a Valproic Acid-Induced Animal Model of Autism. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:5264-5276. [PMID: 27578017 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0074-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The amygdala plays crucial roles in socio-emotional behavior and cognition, both of which are abnormal in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Valproic acid (VPA)-exposed rat offspring have demonstrated ASD phenotypes and amygdala excitatory/inhibitory imbalance. However, the role of glutamatergic synapses in this imbalance remains unclear. In this study, we used a VPA-induced ASD-like model to assess glutamatergic synapse-dependent long-term depression (LTD) and depotentiation (DPT) in the amygdala. We first confirmed that the VPA-exposed offspring exhibited sociability deficits, anxiety, depression-like behavior, and abnormal nociception thresholds. Then, electrophysiological examination showed a significantly decreased paired-pulse ratio in the amygdala. In addition, both NMDA-dependent LTD and DPT were absent from the amygdala. Furthermore, we found that the levels of glycogen synthase kinase3β (GSK-3β) phosphorylation and β-catenin were significantly higher in the amygdala of the experimental animals than in the controls. Local infusion of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin into the amygdala reversed the increased phosphorylation level and impaired social behavior. Taken together, the results suggested that NMDA receptor-related synaptic plasticity is dysfunctional in VPA-exposed offspring. In addition, GSK-3β in the amygdala is critical for synaptic plasticity at the glutamatergic synapses and is related to social behavior. Its role in the underlying mechanism of ASD merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Fang Wu
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Po See Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Addiction Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ju Chen
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wei Lee
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - I-Tuan Chen
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Ching Lin
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan. .,Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan. .,Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
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Kałużna-czaplińska J, Jóźwik-pruska J. Nutritional strategies and personalized diet in autism-choice or necessity? Trends Food Sci Technol 2016; 49:45-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2016.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Businaro R, Corsi M, Azzara G, Di Raimo T, Laviola G, Romano E, Ricci L, Maccarrone M, Aronica E, Fuso A, Ricci S. Interleukin-18 modulation in autism spectrum disorders. J Neuroinflammation 2016; 13:2. [PMID: 26728085 PMCID: PMC4700739 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-015-0466-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease which affects 1 in 88 children. Its etiology remains basically unknown, but it is apparent that neuroinflammation is involved in disease development. Great attention has been focused on pro-inflammatory cytokines, and several studies have reported their dysfunction unbalance in serum as well as in the brain. The present work aimed at evaluating putative dysregulation of interleukin-18 (IL-18), a pro-inflammatory cytokine of the IL-1 family in the sera of patients with ASD of different grades, compared to healthy controls, as well as in postmortem brain samples obtained from patients with tuberous sclerosis as well as acute inflammatory diseases. Moreover, quantitative analysis of IL-18 was performed in the sera and brain obtained from Reeler mice, an experimental model of autism. METHODS Serum IL-18 levels were measured by ELISA. IL-18 was localized by immunohistochemical analysis in brain sections obtained from tuberous sclerosis and encephalitis patients, as well as from gender- and age-matched controls, and in the brain sections of both Reeler and wild-type mice. IL-18 was also quantified by Western blots in homogenates of Reeler and wild-type mice brains. IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) was evaluated in Reeler and wild-type mice plasma as well as in their brains (sections and homogenates). RESULTS IL-18 content decreased in the sera of patients with autism compared to healthy subjects and in Reeler sera compared to wild-type controls. IL-18 was detected within glial cells and neurons in the brain of subjects affected by tuberous sclerosis and encephalitis whereas in healthy subjects, only a weak IL-18 positivity was detected at the level of glial cells. Western blot identified higher amounts of IL-18 in Reeler brain homogenates compared to wild-type littermates. IL-18BP was expressed in higher amounts in Reeler brain compared to the brain of wild-type mice, whereas no significant difference was detected comparing IL-18BP plasma levels. CONCLUSIONS IL-18 is dysregulated in ASD patients. Further studies seemed necessary to clarify the molecular details behind IL-18 increase in the brain and IL-18 decrease in the sera of patients. An increase in the size of the patient cohort seems necessary to ascertain whether decreased IL-18 content in the sera can become a predictive biomarker of ASD and whether its measure, in combination with other markers (e.g., increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)), may be included in a diagnostic panel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Businaro
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Corso della Repubblica 79, 04100, Latina, Italy.
| | - Mariangela Corsi
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Corso della Repubblica 79, 04100, Latina, Italy.
| | - Gabriella Azzara
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Corso della Repubblica 79, 04100, Latina, Italy.
| | - Tania Di Raimo
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Corso della Repubblica 79, 04100, Latina, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Laviola
- Section of Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Section Behavioural Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
| | - Emilia Romano
- Section of Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Section Behavioural Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
| | - Lidia Ricci
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Legal Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64-65, 00143, Rome, Italy. .,School of Medicine and Center of Integrated Research, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128, Rome, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Academic Medical Center and Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Andrea Fuso
- European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64-65, 00143, Rome, Italy. .,Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Serafino Ricci
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Legal Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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Sivaratnam CS, Newman LK, Tonge BJ, Rinehart NJ. Attachment and Emotion Processing in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Neurobiological, Neuroendocrine, and Neurocognitive Considerations. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s40489-015-0048-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Jani S, Banu S, Shah AA. SSRI Use During Pregnancy and Autism: Is It a Real Threat? Psychiatr Ann 2015. [DOI: 10.3928/00485713-20150212-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Nikoo M, Radnia H, Farokhnia M, Mohammadi M, Akhondzadeh S. N-Acetylcysteine as an Adjunctive Therapy to Risperidone for Treatment of Irritability in Autism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Efficacy and Safety. Clin Neuropharmacol 2015; 38:11-7. [DOI: 10.1097/wnf.0000000000000063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Downs R, Perna J, Vitelli A, Cook D, Dhurjati P. Model-based hypothesis of gut microbe populations and gut/brain barrier permeabilities in the development of regressive autism. Med Hypotheses 2014; 83:649-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Revised: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Hur Y, Han SB, Kang SW, Lee Y. Quantitative Analysis of Porphyrins in Dried Blood Spots Using Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry with Pre-column Derivatization. B KOREAN CHEM SOC 2014. [DOI: 10.5012/bkcs.2014.35.10.3103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Abdoli A, Dalimi A. Are There any Relationships between Latent Toxoplasma gondii Infection, Testosterone Elevation, and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder? Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:339. [PMID: 25309376 PMCID: PMC4173877 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amir Abdoli
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology, Kashan University of Medical Science , Kashan , Iran ; Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology, Tarbiat Modares University , Tehran , Iran
| | - Abdolhossein Dalimi
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology, Tarbiat Modares University , Tehran , Iran
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Abstract
Current evidence suggests the phenotype of autism spectrum disorder to be driven by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors impacting onto brain maturation, synaptic function, and cortical networks. However, findings are heterogeneous, and the exact neurobiological pathways of autism spectrum disorder still remain poorly understood. The co-twin control or twin-difference design is a potentially powerful tool to disentangle causal genetic and environmental contributions on neurodevelopment in autism spectrum disorder. To this end, monozygotic twins discordant for this condition provide unique means for the maximum control of potentially confounding factors. Unfortunately, only few studies of a rather narrow scope, and limited sample size, have been conducted. In an attempt to highlight the great potential of combining the brain connectome approach with monozygotic twin design, we first give an overview of the existing neurobiological evidence for autism spectrum disorder and its cognitive correlates. Then, a special focus is made onto the brain imaging findings reported within populations of monozygotic twins phenotypically discordant for autism spectrum disorder. Finally, we introduce the brain connectome model and describe an ongoing project using this approach among the largest cohort of monozygotic twins discordant for autism spectrum disorder ever recruited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katell Mevel
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden CNRS UMR 8240, University of Caen Basse-Normandie and University of Paris Descartes - Sorbonne Paris Cité, France
| | - Peter Fransson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Sven Bölte
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm County Council, Sweden
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Taylor LE, Swerdfeger AL, Eslick GD. Vaccines are not associated with autism: an evidence-based meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies. Vaccine 2014; 32:3623-9. [PMID: 24814559 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.04.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 285] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2013] [Revised: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 04/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
There has been enormous debate regarding the possibility of a link between childhood vaccinations and the subsequent development of autism. This has in recent times become a major public health issue with vaccine preventable diseases increasing in the community due to the fear of a 'link' between vaccinations and autism. We performed a meta-analysis to summarise available evidence from case-control and cohort studies on this topic (MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar up to April, 2014). Eligible studies assessed the relationship between vaccine administration and the subsequent development of autism or autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Two reviewers extracted data on study characteristics, methods, and outcomes. Disagreement was resolved by consensus with another author. Five cohort studies involving 1,256,407 children, and five case-control studies involving 9,920 children were included in this analysis. The cohort data revealed no relationship between vaccination and autism (OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.92 to 1.06) or ASD (OR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.68 to 1.20), nor was there a relationship between autism and MMR (OR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.70 to 1.01), or thimerosal (OR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.77 to 1.31), or mercury (Hg) (OR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.93 to 1.07). Similarly the case-control data found no evidence for increased risk of developing autism or ASD following MMR, Hg, or thimerosal exposure when grouped by condition (OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.83 to 0.98; p=0.02) or grouped by exposure type (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76 to 0.95; p=0.01). Findings of this meta-analysis suggest that vaccinations are not associated with the development of autism or autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, the components of the vaccines (thimerosal or mercury) or multiple vaccines (MMR) are not associated with the development of autism or autism spectrum disorder.
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Tayubi IA, Shome S, Hashmi S. Drug formulation studies on regulation of BCL-2 family for treatment of autism. BMC Genomics 2014. [PMCID: PMC4075611 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-s2-p38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in reciprocal social interactions as well as restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior. The etiology of ASD is not well understood, although many factors have been associated with its pathogenesis, such genetic, neurological, environmental and immunological factors. Several studies have reported the production of numerous autoantibodies that react with specific brain proteins and brain tissues in autistic children and alter the function of the attacked brains tissue. In addition, the potential role of maternal autoantibodies to the fatal brain in the etiology of some cases of autism has also been reported. Identification and understanding of the role of brain autoantibodies as biological biomarkers may allow earlier detection of ASD, lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of ASD and have important therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadra E Elamin
- Autism Research & Treatment Center, Shaik AL-Amodi Autism Research Chair, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Laila Y Al-Ayadhi
- Autism Research & Treatment Center, Shaik AL-Amodi Autism Research Chair, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, PO Box 2925, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common and severe neuro-developmental disorder in early childhood which is defined by social and communication deficits and repetitive and stereotypic behaviours. The aetiology of ASD remains poorly understood. Susceptibility to development of ASD has significant environmental components, in addition to the profound genetic heritability. Few genes have been associated to the risk for ASD development. There is substantial evidence implicating chronic neurological inflammation and immune dysregulation leading to upregulation of inflammatory cytokines in the ASD brain, probably due to altered blood-brain barrier function. The immune system is characterized by excessive and skewed cytokine responses, modulated T cell reactivity, decreased regulation and production of immunosuppressive cytokines, modified NK function and increased autoantibody production. CONCLUSION The perinatal environment generates vulnerability to chronic neuro-inflammation in the brain associated with profound modulation and dysregulation in the immune system leading to the rapid development of ASD in genetically susceptible children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Briceno Noriega
- Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Zawadzka D, Rymarczuk A, Bugaj R. Evaluation of the effectiveness of Sensory Integration and Sherborne Developmental Movement in improving of psychomotor functioning of autistic children. Physiotherapy 2014. [DOI: 10.1515/physio-2014-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIntroduction: Autism is considered to be a holistic, pervasive developmental disorder, significantly determining functioning of the people suffering from it. Currently we witness an increase in detectability of this developmental disorder, with multi-factor, unclear ethology. To holistically improve functioning of autistic persons, early therapeutic intervention is necessary; its character should be individually adjusted to the needs of every child. Sensory Integration and Weronika Sherborne’s Developmental Movement positively influence the psychomotor development of autistic children. They are among therapy methods preferred by therapists and accepted by children. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Sensory Integration and Sherborne Developmental Movement in improving psychomotor functioning of children with autism. Material and methods: We studied a group of 24 children aged 6-12, clinically diagnosed with autism. 12 children participated in the Sensory Integration sessions and similarly, 12 children participated in Sherborne Developmental Movement. To assess the children’s activity regarding psychomotor development, the scale for observing children’s behaviour (SOZ-D) by Marta Bogdanowicz was used. Four development areas were studied: cognitive, emotional, social and motor, as well as various aspects of each of them. The study had two stages. Observation was conducted at the beginning of the therapy and after it had ended. For both methods the duration of the therapeutic programme was 4 months, with 45 minute sessions once a week. They took place in a properly equipped room, adapted for the needs of autistic children. Results: Based on analysis of the results of the research conducted we determined that both therapy methods resulted in a significant improvement in all development sub-scales: cognitive, emotional, social and motor. No significant differences in the effectiveness of both methods were observed. Conclusions: Both Sensory Integration and Sherborne Developmental Movement positively impact children with autism and can be effective forms of therapy.
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Scumpia PO, Kelly-Scumpia K, Stevens BR. Alpha-lipoic acid effects on brain glial functions accompanying double-stranded RNA antiviral and inflammatory signaling. Neurochem Int 2013; 64:55-63. [PMID: 24269587 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2013.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2013] [Revised: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 11/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA) serve as viral ligands that trigger innate immunity in astrocytes and microglial, as mediated through Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR). Beneficial transient TLR3 and PKR anti-viral signaling can become deleterious when events devolve into inflammation and cytotoxicity. Viral products in the brain cause glial cell dysfunction, and are a putative etiologic factor in neuropsychiatric disorders, notably schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Parkinson's, and autism spectrum. Alpha-lipoic acid (LA) has been proposed as a possible therapeutic neuroprotectant. The objective of this study was to test our hypothesis that LA can control untoward antiviral mechanisms associated with neural dysfunction. Utilizing rat brain glial cultures (91% astrocytes:9% microglia) treated with PKR- and TLR3-ligand/viral mimetic dsRNA, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyI:C), we report in vitro glial antiviral signaling and LA reduction of the effects of this signaling. LA blunted the dsRNA-stimulated expression of IFNα/β-inducible genes Mx1, PKR, and TLR3. And in polyI:C treated cells, LA promoted gene expression of rate-limiting steps that benefit healthy neural redox status in glutamateric systems. To this end, LA decreased dsRNA-induced inflammatory signaling by downregulating IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, iNOS, and CAT2 transcripts. In the presence of polyI:C, LA prevented cultured glial cytotoxicity which was correlated with increased expression of factors known to cooperatively control glutamate/cystine/glutathione redox cycling, namely glutamate uptake transporter GLAST/EAAT1, γ-glutamyl cysteine ligase catalytic and regulatory subunits, and IL-10. Glutamate exporting transporter subunits 4F2hc and xCT were downregulated by LA in dsRNA-stimulated glia. l-Glutamate net uptake was inhibited by dsRNA, and this was relieved by LA. Glutathione synthetase mRNA levels were unchanged by dsRNA or LA. This study demonstrates the protective effects of LA in astroglial/microglial cultures, and suggests the potential for LA efficacy in virus-induced CNS pathologies, with the caveat that antiviral benefits are concomitantly blunted. It is concluded that LA averts key aspects of TLR3- and PKR-provoked glial dysfunction, and provides rationale for exploring LA in whole animal and human clinical studies to blunt or avert neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip O Scumpia
- University of Florida, College of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, USA
| | - Kindra Kelly-Scumpia
- University of Florida, College of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, USA
| | - Bruce R Stevens
- University of Florida, College of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, USA.
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