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Cha WJ, Kim K. Diminished emotion recognition with reduced face gaze in complex situation in individuals with broad autism phenotype. Int J Clin Health Psychol 2023; 23:100399. [PMID: 37577162 PMCID: PMC10413062 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2023.100399] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/objective Individuals with broad autism phenotype (BAP) showed a diminished ability to recognize emotion. This study aims to examine whether their decline in emotion recognition ability could be more clearly identified as task complexity increased and whether their decline could be influenced by their eye-gaze patterns. Method 41 individuals with BAP and 40 healthy controls performed two types of emotion recognition tasks. After confirming conditions wherein the BAP group did not perform well compared to the control group, we compared gaze proportion on faces and context between groups when performing the conditions. Results The more difficult the task, the clearer the significant relationships between the level of autistic traits and emotion recognition ability. The BAP group showed lower accuracy compared to the control group when a face with mild emotional intensity was presented with context. In terms of gaze proportion, the BAP group looked less at faces when recognizing emotions compared to the control group. Conclusion These findings indicate that diminished emotion recognition ability in individuals with BAP may be influenced by face gaze.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo-Jin Cha
- Department of Psychology, Chung-Ang University, 84, Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Kiho Kim
- Department of Psychology of Counseling, Sejong Cyber University, Cheonho-daero 680, Gwangjingu, Seoul 04992, Republic of Korea
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Patel SP, Winston M, Guilfoyle J, Nicol T, Martin GE, Nayar K, Kraus N, Losh M. Neural Processing of Speech Sounds in ASD and First-Degree Relatives. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:3257-3271. [PMID: 35672616 PMCID: PMC10019095 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05562-7] [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] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Efficient neural encoding of sound plays a critical role in speech and language, and when impaired, may have reverberating effects on communication skills. This study investigated disruptions to neural processing of temporal and spectral properties of speech in individuals with ASD and their parents and found evidence of inefficient temporal encoding of speech sounds in both groups. The ASD group further demonstrated less robust neural representation of spectral properties of speech sounds. Associations between neural processing of speech sounds and language-related abilities were evident in both groups. Parent-child associations were also detected in neural pitch processing. Together, results suggest that atypical neural processing of speech sounds is a heritable ingredient contributing to the ASD language phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani P Patel
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Molly Winston
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Janna Guilfoyle
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Trent Nicol
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Gary E Martin
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, St. John's University, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Kritika Nayar
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Nina Kraus
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Molly Losh
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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3
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Qin T, Wang Z, Li X, Zhang S. Selective Attentional Networks Deficits in Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence From Attention Network Test. Psychiatry Investig 2023; 20:721-729. [PMID: 37559453 PMCID: PMC10460981 DOI: 10.30773/pi.2022.0248] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We primarily aimed to investigate the attention network function among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the Attention Network Test (ANT). The secondary objective was to observe whether the three attention networks of all participants were related to each other. METHODS We included 28 parents of children with ASD and 28 well-matched parents of typically developing children. All participants underwent the neuropsychological assessment and ANT test. The three distinct attention networks, including alerting, orienting, and executive control, were also measured. RESULTS Compared with controls, parents of children with ASD showed less-efficient alerting and executive control network (all p<0.05), but not orienting network (p=0.74). No significant correlation was found between the alerting, orienting, and executive control network for either group. CONCLUSION Our findings showed that parents of children with ASD had deficits in alerting and executive control attention functions. The deficits are indications of a broad autism phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Qin
- School of Medical Imaging, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Computational Medicine and Intelligent Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Zihan Wang
- School of Medical Imaging, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Computational Medicine and Intelligent Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- School of Medical Imaging, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Computational Medicine and Intelligent Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Shunhua Zhang
- School of Medical Imaging, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Computational Medicine and Intelligent Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
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4
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Guilfoyle J, Winston M, Sideris J, Martin GE, Nayar K, Bush L, Wassink T, Losh M. Childhood Academic Performance: A Potential Marker of Genetic Liability to Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:1989-2005. [PMID: 35194728 PMCID: PMC9932999 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05459-5] [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] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a heritable neurodevelopmental disorder, confers genetic liability that is often expressed among relatives through subclinical, genetically-meaningful traits, or endophenotypes. For instance, relative to controls, parents of individuals with ASD differ in language-related skills, with differences emerging in childhood. To examine ASD-related endophenotypes, this study investigated developmental academic profiles among clinically unaffected siblings of individuals with ASD (n = 29). Lower performance in language-related skills among siblings mirrored previously-reported patterns among parents, which were also associated with greater subclinical ASD-related traits in themselves and their parents, and with greater symptom severity in their sibling with ASD. Findings demonstrated specific phenotypes, derived from standardized academic testing, that may represent childhood indicators of genetic liability to ASD in first-degree relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janna Guilfoyle
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Molly Winston
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - John Sideris
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | | | - Kritika Nayar
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Lauren Bush
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | | | - Molly Losh
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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5
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Kulasinghe K, Whittingham K, Mitchell AE. Emotional availability in the mother-child relationship for families of young children with autism spectrum disorder in Australia: A cross-sectional survey. Res Dev Disabil 2022; 131:104365. [PMID: 36347112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104365] [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] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) the mother-child relationship can be affected by many factors; however, the impacts of maternal broad autism phenotype (BAP) and attachment styles are unknown. This study investigated predictors of emotional availability in the mother-child relationship in families of children with ASD. METHODS Mothers (N = 231) of children with ASD living in Australia completed questionnaires assessing emotional availability in the parent-child relationship (mutual attunement, child involvement, affect quality) and mothers' BAP, mental health, adult attachment style and parenting experiences. Hierarchical multiple regressions and a mediation analysis were conducted. RESULTS Parent-reported positive parenting experiences was the greatest predictor of mutual attunement, child involvement and affect quality in the parent-child relationship. Maternal stress and anxiety predicted poorer mutual attunement, stress and depressive symptoms predicted less child involvement and anxiety predicted worse affect quality. Negative parenting experiences, maternal anxiety and stress mediated the relationship between BAP and mutual attunement. CONCLUSION Interventions combining mental health and parenting support for mothers of children with ASD to bolster emotional availability within the mother-child relationship may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavindri Kulasinghe
- Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, Centre for Children's Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, 62 Graham Street, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia.
| | - Koa Whittingham
- Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, Centre for Children's Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, 62 Graham Street, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
| | - Amy E Mitchell
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, N48 Health Sciences Building, Nathan Campus, Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, 13 Upland Rd, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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6
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Bertrams A. From autistic pragmatic language problems to a negative attitude toward human nature-a serial multiple mediation model. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 152:139-143. [PMID: 35724495 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.06.022] [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: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
It has recently been found that individuals high in autistic traits tend to believe that they are usually not treated fairly. In the present study, it is assumed that such a lowered personal belief in a just world is based on cumulative humiliation experiences that stem from autistic pragmatic language problems (e.g., communicating in a monotonous voice, not being "in tune" with others during conversations). Furthermore, the less individuals believe that they receive fair treatment, the more they may develop a negative attitude toward human nature (i.e., believing that humans are generally untrustworthy, unfair, and unhelpful). The serial multiple mediation model reflecting these assumptions received initial empirical support in a nonclinical sample (N = 344). Implications for professional health care are addressed.
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7
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Nayar K, Shic F, Winston M, Losh M. A constellation of eye-tracking measures reveals social attention differences in ASD and the broad autism phenotype. Mol Autism 2022; 13:18. [PMID: 35509089 PMCID: PMC9069739 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00490-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Social attention differences, expressed through gaze patterns, have been documented in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with subtle differences also reported among first-degree relatives, suggesting a shared genetic link. Findings have mostly been derived from standard eye-tracking methods (total fixation count or total fixation duration). Given the dynamics of visual attention, these standard methods may obscure subtle, yet core, differences in visual attention mechanisms, particularly those presenting sub-clinically. This study applied a constellation of eye-tracking analyses to gaze data from individuals with ASD and their parents. Methods This study included n = 156 participants across groups, including ASD (n = 24) and control (n = 32) groups, and parents of individuals with ASD (n = 61) and control parents (n = 39). A complex scene with social/non-social elements was displayed and gaze tracked via an eye tracker. Eleven analytic methods from the following categories were analyzed: (1) standard variables, (2) temporal dynamics (e.g., gaze over time), (3) fixation patterns (e.g., perseverative or regressive fixations), (4) first fixations, and (5) distribution patterns. MANOVAs, growth curve analyses, and Chi-squared tests were applied to examine group differences. Finally, group differences were examined on component scores derived from a principal component analysis (PCA) that reduced variables to distinct dimensions. Results No group differences emerged among standard, first fixation, and distribution pattern variables. Both the ASD and ASD parent groups demonstrated on average reduced social attention over time and atypical perseverative fixations. Lower social attention factor scores derived from PCA strongly differentiated the ASD and ASD parent groups from controls, with parent findings driven by the subset of parents demonstrating the broad autism phenotype. Limitations To generalize these findings, larger sample sizes, extended viewing contexts (e.g., dynamic stimuli), and even more eye-tracking analytical methods are needed. Conclusions Fixations over time and perseverative fixations differentiated ASD and the ASD parent groups from controls, with the PCA most robustly capturing social attention differences. Findings highlight their methodological utility in studies of the (broad) autism spectrum to capture nuanced visual attention differences that may relate to clinical symptoms in ASD, and reflect genetic liability in clinically unaffected relatives. This proof-of-concept study may inform future studies using eye tracking across populations where social attention is impacted. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13229-022-00490-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kritika Nayar
- Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Lab, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Frederick Shic
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Molly Winston
- Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Lab, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Molly Losh
- Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Lab, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
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8
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Godoy-Giménez M, González-Rodríguez A, Cañadas F, Estévez AF, Sayans-Jiménez P. Is it Possible to Assess the Two-Domain Definition of the Broad Autism Phenotype Using the Available Measurement Tools? J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:2884-2895. [PMID: 34185239 PMCID: PMC9213296 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05158-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Although, the operationalization of the autism spectrum disorder has been updated around two domains, the broad autism phenotype (BAP) one has not. Additionally, the items of the three common BAP measures, the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ), the Autism Quotient, and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), remain organized around a non-consensual number of factors. We explored whether the items of these measures matched with the two-domain operationalization through a parallel analysis, which has suggested two main components, and two expert judgments which have assessed item wording, relevance, and construct representativeness. A remaining pool of 48 BAP-relevant items suggested a possible under-representation of two subdomains. Despite the relevance of all the BAPQ items, only the SRS ones tapped in all subdomains.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Godoy-Giménez
- Department of Psychology, University of Almeria, 04120, Almería, Spain
| | | | - F Cañadas
- Department of Psychology, University of Almeria, 04120, Almería, Spain.,CERNEP Research Centre, University of Almeria, 04120, Almería, Spain
| | - A F Estévez
- Department of Psychology, University of Almeria, 04120, Almería, Spain. .,CERNEP Research Centre, University of Almeria, 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - P Sayans-Jiménez
- Department of Psychology, University of Almeria, 04120, Almería, Spain.
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9
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Bishop J, Zhou C, Antolovic K, Grebe L, Hwang KH, Imaezue G, Kistanova E, Lee KE, Paulino K, Zhang S. Brief Report: Autistic Traits Predict Spectral Correlates of Vowel Intelligibility for Female Speakers. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:2344-2349. [PMID: 34041683 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05087-5] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of research finds that neurotypical autistic traits are predictive of speech perception and language comprehension patterns, but considerably less is known about the influence of these traits on speech production. In this brief report, we present an analysis of vowel productions from 74 American English speakers who participated in a communicative speaking task. Results show higher autistic trait load to be broadly and inversely related to spectral correlates of vowel intelligibility. However, the statistical significance of this relationship is specific to autistic traits along the pragmatic communication dimension, and limited to female speakers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Bishop
- Program in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, City University of New York-Graduate, Center, 365 5th Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Program in Linguistics, City University of New York-Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Linguistics Program, City University of New York-College of Staten Island, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Chen Zhou
- Program in Linguistics, City University of New York-Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katarina Antolovic
- Program in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, City University of New York-Graduate, Center, 365 5th Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Lauren Grebe
- Program in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, City University of New York-Graduate, Center, 365 5th Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | | | - Gerald Imaezue
- Program in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, City University of New York-Graduate, Center, 365 5th Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Ekaterina Kistanova
- Program in Linguistics, City University of New York-Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kyung Eun Lee
- Program in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, City University of New York-Graduate, Center, 365 5th Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Katherine Paulino
- Program in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, City University of New York-Graduate, Center, 365 5th Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Sichen Zhang
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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10
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Nayar K, Sealock JM, Maltman N, Bush L, Cook EH, Davis LK, Losh M. Elevated Polygenic Burden for Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Associated With the Broad Autism Phenotype in Mothers of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:476-485. [PMID: 33229037 PMCID: PMC7901138 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [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: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder that encompasses a complex and heterogeneous set of traits. Subclinical traits that mirror the core features of ASD, referred to as the broad autism phenotype (BAP), have been documented repeatedly in unaffected relatives and are believed to reflect underlying genetic liability to ASD. The BAP may help inform the etiology of ASD by allowing the stratification of families into more phenotypically and etiologically homogeneous subgroups. This study explores polygenic scores related to the BAP. METHODS Phenotypic and genotypic information were obtained from 2614 trios from the Simons Simplex Collection. Polygenic scores of ASD (ASD-PGSs) were generated across the sample to determine the shared genetic overlap between the BAP and ASD. Maternal and paternal ASD-PGSs were explored in relation to BAP traits and their child's ASD symptomatology. RESULTS Maternal pragmatic language was related to child's social communicative atypicalities. In fathers, rigid personality was related to increased repetitive behaviors in children. Maternal (but not paternal) ASD-PGSs were related to the pragmatic language and rigid BAP domains. CONCLUSIONS Associations emerged between parent and child phenotypes, with more associations emerging in mothers than in fathers. ASD-PGS associations emerged with BAP in mothers only, highlighting the potential for a female protective factor, and implicating the polygenic etiology of ASD-related phenotypes in the BAP.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Molly Losh
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
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11
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Haggerty DK, Strakovsky RS, Talge NM, Carignan CC, Glazier-Essalmi AN, Ingersoll BR, Karthikraj R, Kannan K, Paneth NS, Ruden DM. Prenatal phthalate exposures and autism spectrum disorder symptoms in low-risk children. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2021; 83:106947. [PMID: 33412243 PMCID: PMC7825926 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.106947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals has been associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) symptoms in some, but not all, studies, but most research has not accounted for other childhood behavior problems. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the specific associations of prenatal phthalate exposures with ASD symptoms in children (ages 3-6) accounting for other behavior problems, and to assess sex differences in these associations. METHODS We measured phthalate metabolites in prenatal urine samples. Mothers completed the Social Responsiveness Scale-2nd edition (SRS-2) to assess child ASD symptoms and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to assess general behavior problems. We assessed associations of the sum of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites, monobutyl phthalate, mono-isobutyl phthalate, and monoethyl phthalate (mEP) with ASD symptoms, adjusting for other behavior problems, using linear regression models (n=77). RESULTS Most associations were null, and the sample size limited power to detect associations, particularly in the stratified analyses. After adjusting for internalizing and externalizing problems from the CBCL, ASD symptoms increased for each doubling of prenatal mEP concentration among boys only. CONCLUSIONS Further investigation of maternal prenatal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and ASD symptoms while adjusting for other behavioral problems is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana K Haggerty
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Rita S Strakovsky
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Nicole M Talge
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Courtney C Carignan
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | | | - Brooke R Ingersoll
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | | | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Nigel S Paneth
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Douglas M Ruden
- Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA; Institutes for Environmental Health Science, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
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12
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Carpita B, Carmassi C, Calderoni S, Muti D, Muscarella A, Massimetti G, Cremone IM, Gesi C, Conti E, Muratori F, Dell'Osso L. The broad autism phenotype in real-life: clinical and functional correlates of autism spectrum symptoms and rumination among parents of patients with autism spectrum disorder. CNS Spectr 2020; 25:765-73. [PMID: 31747980 DOI: 10.1017/S1092852919001615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [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] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Increasing literature reported higher rates of psychiatric disorders in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as of autistic-like features in social and cognitive functioning. However, little attention has been paid to the association between autistic traits (AT) and global functioning in this population. The aim of the present work was to investigate clinical and functional correlates of AT among parents of ASD children, with a specific focus on ruminative thinking. METHODS One hundred and twenty parents of ASD children were assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). RESULTS Subjects with at least 1 psychiatric disorder (39.2%) showed significantly higher AdAS Spectrum and RRS scores. Subjects with a history of school difficulties and with language development alterations scored significantly higher on specific AdAS Spectrum domains. A significant negative correlation was found between SOFAS and AdAS Spectrum scores, as well as between SOFAS and RRS scores. AdAS Spectrum nonverbal communication domain score was identified has a statistically predictive variable for the presence of psychiatric disorders and lower SOFAS scores. Finally, we found a significant indirect effect of AdAS total score on SOFAS score, which was fully mediated by RRS total score. CONCLUSIONS AT in parents of ASD children seem to be associated with a higher vulnerability toward psychopathology and with a lower global functioning. Ruminative thinking may play a role in the relationship between AT and functional outcome.
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13
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Yule S, Wanik J, Holm EM, Bruder MB, Shanley E, Sherman CQ, Fitterman M, Lerner J, Marcello M, Parenchuck N, Roman-White C, Ziff M. Nutritional Deficiency Disease Secondary to ARFID Symptoms Associated with Autism and the Broad Autism Phenotype: A Qualitative Systematic Review of Case Reports and Case Series. J Acad Nutr Diet 2020; 121:467-492. [PMID: 33221247 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2020.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The demographics, weight statuses, and dietary patterns of people with autism or the broad autism phenotype who experience a severe nutrient deficiency disease due to symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder have not been well established. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this review was to examine the relationship between the demographics, weight statuses, dietary patterns, and nutrient deficiency diseases that characterize the most severe manifestations of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder symptomology associated with autism or the broad autism phenotype. METHODS A systematic review of English and non-English articles published up to August 29, 2019, on the Scopus, PubMed, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature Plus electronic databases was conducted. Additional cases were identified through the reference list of all included articles. The search terms used were "autis∗ AND (deficiency OR scurvy)". Only case reports or case series in which a person of any age who had been identified as having a formal diagnosis of autism or autism symptoms and a disease of nutritional deficiency due to self-imposed dietary restrictions were included. Data were independently extracted by 8 authors using predefined data fields. RESULTS A total of 76 cases (patients were aged 2.5 to 17 years) from 63 articles that were published from 1993 through 2019 were found. More than 85% cases (65 of 76 patients) were from articles published in the past 10 years. The largest percentage of published cases (69.7% [53 of 76]) involved scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency. The second-largest percentage of published cases (17.1% [13 of 76]) involved eye disorders secondary to vitamin A deficiency. Other primary nutrient deficiencies reported were thiamin, vitamin B-12, and vitamin D. In 62.9% (22 of 35) of the patients for which a body mass index or a weight percentile for age was provided, the patient was within normal weight parameters, per Centers for Disease Control weight status categories. CONCLUSIONS Based on the 63 articles extracted for this systematic review, nutritional deficiency diseases related to inadequate intakes of vitamin A, thiamin, vitamin B-12, vitamin C, and vitamin D were found in individuals with autism and the broad autism phenotype who had severe self-imposed dietary restrictions. When weight information was provided, most of the youth in these cases were not reported to be underweight. Individuals of any weight who present with symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder can benefit from early and frequent screening for adequacy of micronutrient intake, regardless of whether they have a clinical diagnosis of autism.
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14
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Patel SP, Nayar K, Martin GE, Franich K, Crawford S, Diehl JJ, Losh M. An Acoustic Characterization of Prosodic Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder and First-Degree Relatives. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 50:3032-3045. [PMID: 32056118 PMCID: PMC7374471 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04392-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This study examined prosody through characterization of acoustic properties of the speech of individuals with ASD and their parents, during narration. A subset of utterances were low-pass filtered and rated for differences in intonation, speech rate, and rhythm. Listener ratings were minimally related to acoustic measures, underscoring the complexity of atypical prosody in ASD. Acoustic analyses revealed greater utterance-final fundamental frequency excursion size and slower speech rate in the ASD group. Slower speech rate was also evident in the ASD parent group, particularly parents with the broad autism phenotype. Overlapping prosodic differences in ASD and ASD Parent groups suggest that prosodic differences may constitute an important phenotype contributing to ASD features and index genetic liability to ASD among first-degree relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani P Patel
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Frances Searle Building, #2-366, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Kritika Nayar
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Frances Searle Building, #2-366, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Gary E Martin
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, St. John's University, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Kathryn Franich
- Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
- Department of Linguistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Stephanie Crawford
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Frances Searle Building, #2-366, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | | | - Molly Losh
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Frances Searle Building, #2-366, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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15
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Shalev I, Uzefovsky F. Empathic disequilibrium in two different measures of empathy predicts autism traits in neurotypical population. Mol Autism 2020; 11:59. [PMID: 32660537 PMCID: PMC7359469 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00362-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Features of autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are normally distributed within the population, giving rise to the notion of the autism spectrum. One of the hallmark features of ASC is difficulties in social communication, which relies heavily on our ability to empathize with others. Empathy comprises of both cognitive (CE) and emotional (EE) components that, together, allow us to understand another’s emotions and be affected by them appropriately, while maintaining a self-other distinction. Although CE and EE depend on distinct neural and developmental trajectories, it was suggested that the two empathic capacities can influence, balance, and regulate each other. Previous findings regarding the role of emotional and cognitive empathy in ASC have been mixed. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate whether the intra-personal empathy imbalance between the cognitive and emotional components, a measure we termed empathic disequilibrium (ED), can be associated with autism traits at the neurotypical range. Methods Participants were 671 young-adults at the neurotypical range who self-reported their empathy, assessed using two highly validated questionnaires—the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the Empathy Quotient, autism traits using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, and the related traits, alexithymia, and systemizing. Results Controlling for the total empathy score, greater ED was found to be positively correlated with autism traits. Specifically, autism traits were found to be elevated in groups of individuals with relatively higher EE than CE, underscoring their imbalance. Conclusions Our study offers a novel perspective on the understanding of the social difficulties associated with autism tendencies in the general population and has potentially important clinical implications for understanding of ASC. We also propose a novel characterization of autism tendencies based on the imbalance between EE and CE, which we term ED, as opposed to examining EE and CE separately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ido Shalev
- Department of Psychology Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beersheba, Israel.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Florina Uzefovsky
- Department of Psychology Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beersheba, Israel. .,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel.
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16
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Abstract
It has been suggested that atypical emotional face processing strategies observed in autism may extend in milder form to the general population. We investigated the relationship between autistic traits (AT) and gaze behaviour in a neurotypical adult sample. Novel naturalistic videos featuring happy, fearful and neutral faces were first validated in a sample of 22 participants. A separate sample of participants (N = 67) then viewed the three videos in counterbalanced order. Eye-tracking data showed that participants looked longer at emotional than neutral faces, and exploration of facial features varied with emotional condition. AT did not influence viewing patterns, time to first fixation or number of early fixations. We conclude that AT in the general population do not affect visual processing of emotional faces.
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17
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Condy EE, Factor RS, Swain DM, Strege MV, Scarpa A. Maternal Affect During a Challenging Mother-Child Interaction: The Effects of Broad Autism Phenotype and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Reactivity in Mothers of Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:4891-900. [PMID: 31473950 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04198-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is proposed to index cognitive and behavioral inflexibility. Broad autism phenotype (BAP) traits are prevalent in family members of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study investigated whether RSA and BAP traits in mothers of typically developing (TD) children and mothers of children with ASD influence maternal affect. It was hypothesized that these factors would interact to influence mother-child interactions. Twenty-three mother-child dyads participated in a challenging interaction while measuring mother's RSA. Results indicated that mothers of children with ASD show different RSA reactivity than mothers of TD children. Furthermore, preliminary analyses revealed RSA reactivity moderated the relationship between mothers' rigidity and maternal affect during this interaction. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.
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18
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Abstract
Investigated between-group differences in cognitive/affective theory of mind (ToM) and predictors of cognitive ToM both within broad autism phenotype/non (BAP/Non-BAP) groups as well as across the sample. The BAP group (n = 45) performed worse than the Non-BAP group (n = 102) on the unexpected outcomes test (UOT), but groups were similar regarding reading the mind in the eyes test (RMET). Stepwise regression indicated RMET best predicted UOT for the BAP group; block design best predicted UOT in the Non-BAP group. BAP traits did not mediate the relation of RMET to UOT performance. While RMET and UOT appear similarly related in BAP/Non-BAP samples, use of emotion recognition abilities in a cognitive ToM task may reflect over-reliance on this skill in the BAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Camodeca
- Psychology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, 100 University Drive, Monaca, PA, 15061, USA.
- University of Windsor, 100 University Drive, Windsor, ON, Canada.
- The Pennsylvania State University, Beaver Campus, 100 University Drive, Monaca, PA, 15108, USA.
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19
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Abstract
Research shows that the general population varies with regard to both autistic traits and theory of mind (ToM) ability. Other work has shown that autistic individuals may not underperform on ToM tests when the agent of evaluation is anthropomorphic rather than typically human. Two studies examined the relation between ToM and autistic trait profiles in over 650 adults using either the standard Faux Pas Recognition Test (FPT) or an anthropomorphized version of the FPT (FPTa). Results showed that autistic trait profiles were related to faux pas detection ability in the FPT but not the FPTa. Furthermore, while those with the broad autism phenotype scored significantly worse than those who were typically developed on the FPT, scores did not significantly differ on the FPTa. These findings add to a growing body of work suggesting that ToM ability is not at a global deficit in those on the autistic spectrum, but may relate to the mindreading of specifically human agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gray Atherton
- a Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing , Department of Psychology, University of Wolverhampton , Wolverhampton , UK
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20
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Abstract
Individuals with higher levels of the broad autism phenotype (BAP) have some symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Like individuals with ASD, people with higher-BAP may have fewer sexual experiences and may experience more same-sex attraction. This study measured BAP traits, sexual experiences, and sexual orientation in typically developing (TD) individuals to see if patterns of sexual behavior and sexual orientation in higher-BAP resemble those in ASD. Although BAP characteristics did not predict sexual experiences, one BAP measure significantly predicted sexual orientation, β = 0.22, t = 2.72, p = .007, controlling for demographic variables (R2 change = .04, F = 7.41, p = .007), showing individuals with higher-BAP also reported increased same-sex attraction. This finding supports the hypothesis that individuals with higher-BAP resemble ASD individuals in being more likely than TD individuals to experience same-sex attraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia R Qualls
- Virginia Consortium Program for Clinical Psychology, 555 Park Avenue, Norfolk, VA, 23504, USA.
| | - Kathrin Hartmann
- Virginia Consortium Program for Clinical Psychology, 555 Park Avenue, Norfolk, VA, 23504, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 825 Fairfax Ave. Suite 710, Norfolk, VA, 23507, USA
| | - James F Paulson
- Virginia Consortium Program for Clinical Psychology, 555 Park Avenue, Norfolk, VA, 23504, USA.,Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, 5115 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA
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21
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Nayar K, Gordon PC, Martin GE, Hogan AL, La Valle C, McKinney W, Lee M, Norton ES, Losh M. Links between looking and speaking in autism and first-degree relatives: insights into the expression of genetic liability to autism. Mol Autism 2018; 9:51. [PMID: 30338047 PMCID: PMC6180594 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0233-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [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: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rapid automatized naming (RAN; naming of familiar items presented in an array) is a task that taps fundamental neurocognitive processes that are affected in a number of complex psychiatric conditions. Deficits in RAN have been repeatedly observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and also among first-degree relatives, suggesting that RAN may tap features that index genetic liability to ASD. This study used eye tracking to examine neurocognitive mechanisms related to RAN performance in ASD and first-degree relatives, and investigated links to broader language and clinical-behavioral features. Methods Fifty-one individuals with ASD, biological parents of individuals with ASD (n = 133), and respective control groups (n = 45 ASD controls; 58 parent controls) completed RAN on an eye tracker. Variables included naming time, frequency of errors, and measures of eye movement during RAN (eye-voice span, number of fixations and refixations). Results Both the ASD and parent-ASD groups showed slower naming times, more errors, and atypical eye-movement patterns (e.g., increased fixations and refixations), relative to controls, with differences persisting after accounting for spousal resemblance. RAN ability and associated eye movement patterns were correlated with increased social-communicative impairment and increased repetitive behaviors in ASD. Longer RAN times and greater refixations in the parent-ASD group were driven by the subgroup who showed clinical-behavioral features of the broad autism phenotype (BAP). Finally, parent-child dyad correlations revealed associations between naming time and refixations in parents with the BAP and increased repetitive behaviors in their child with ASD. Conclusions Differences in RAN performance and associated eye movement patterns detected in ASD and in parents, and links to broader social-communicative abilities, clinical features, and parent-child associations, suggest that RAN-related abilities might constitute genetically meaningful neurocognitive markers that can help bridge connections between underlying biology and ASD symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C Gordon
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | | | - Abigail L Hogan
- Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA
| | - Chelsea La Valle
- Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
- Boston University, Boston, USA
| | - Walker McKinney
- Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
- University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA
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22
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Abstract
Father-child and mother-child interactions were examined in order to investigate concurrent associations between three characteristics of parental broad autism phenotype (i.e., aloofness, rigidity, pragmatic language deficits), parental verbal responsiveness, and language skills of children with ASD. Results for mothers indicated that aloofness and rigidity were negatively associated with both child-initiated engagement and child language skills. Maternal aloofness was also negatively correlated with verbal responsiveness to their children, but rigidity was not. Results suggest that the association between aloofness and child language are potentially mediated by maternal use of responsive verbal behaviors. Maternal pragmatic language deficits were not concurrently related to child-initiated engagement or language skills. In contrast, for fathers, aloofness and rigidity were unrelated to child-initiated engagement and language skills. Paternal pragmatic deficits were also not associated with child language, however significant positive associations were found between paternal pragmatic language deficits and frequency of child-initiated engagement. Results are discussed in reference to potential clinical implications and directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Flippin
- Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
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23
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Losh M, Martin GE, Lee M, Klusek J, Sideris J, Barron S, Wassink T. Developmental Markers of Genetic Liability to Autism in Parents: A Longitudinal, Multigenerational Study. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:834-845. [PMID: 28070788 PMCID: PMC5352796 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2996-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Genetic liability to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be expressed in unaffected relatives through subclinical, genetically meaningful traits, or endophenotypes. This study aimed to identify developmental endophenotypes in parents of individuals with ASD by examining parents' childhood academic development over the school-age period. A cohort of 139 parents of individuals with ASD were studied, along with their children with ASD and 28 controls. Parents' childhood records in the domains of language, reading, and math were studied from grades K-12. Results indicated that relatively lower performance and slower development of skills (particularly language related skills), and an uneven rate of development across domains predicted ASD endophenotypes in adulthood for parents, and the severity of clinical symptoms in children with ASD. These findings may mark childhood indicators of genetic liability to ASD in parents, that could inform understanding of the subclinical expression of ASD genetic liability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Losh
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Frances Searle, 2240 N Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
| | - Gary E Martin
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, St. John's University, Staten Island, NY, 10301, USA
| | - Michelle Lee
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Frances Searle, 2240 N Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Jessica Klusek
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29201, USA
| | - John Sideris
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | - Sheila Barron
- College of Education, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Thomas Wassink
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
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24
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Estabillo JA, Matson JL, Jiang X. The association between familial ASD diagnosis, autism symptomatology and developmental functioning in young children. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2016; 25:1133-40. [PMID: 26983421 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-016-0838-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have directly compared individuals with and without a relative diagnosed with ASD on various domains. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between familial ASD diagnosis and the exhibition of ASD symptoms in young children with and without ASD diagnoses. Participants included 8353 children aged 17-37 months old and their families. They were divided into four groups based on individual and family diagnosis, then compared on autism symptomatology and developmental domains. No differences were found between ASD groups on overall scores and each of the factor domains, indicating no association between family ASD diagnosis and ASD symptomatology or developmental functioning. Disparate results were found for atypically developing groups with and without relatives diagnosed with ASD. Implications of these results are discussed.
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25
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Erstenyuk V, Swanson MR, Siller M. Pupillary responses during a joint attention task are associated with nonverbal cognitive abilities and sub-clinical symptoms of autism. Res Autism Spectr Disord 2014; 8:644-653. [PMID: 25821516 PMCID: PMC4376279 DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2014.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Measures of pupillary dilation provide a temporally sensitive, quantitative indicator of cognitive resource allocation. The current study included 39 typically developing children between 3 and 9 years of age. Children completed a free-viewing task designed to elicit gaze following, a core deficit of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Results revealed a negative association between children's pupil dilation and a standardized measure of nonverbal intelligence, suggesting that children with lower intelligence allocated more cognitive resources than children with higher intelligence. In addition, the results revealed a negative association between pupil dilation and a parent-report measure of sub-clinical symptoms of ASD, suggesting that children with fewer ASD-related symptoms allocated more cognitive resources than children who showed more sub-clinical symptoms of ASD. Both associations were independent of each other and could not be explained by variation in chronological age. These findings extend previous research demonstrating associations between basic aspects of visual processing and intelligence. In addition, these findings comport with recent theories of ASD that emphasize reduced sensitivity to the reward value of social situations. When confronted with social ambiguity, children with more ASD-related symptoms allocated fewer cognitive resources to resolving this ambiguity than children who showed fewer sub-clinical symptoms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentyna Erstenyuk
- Hunter College, City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Meghan R. Swanson
- Hunter College, City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The Graduate Center of City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4309, USA
| | - Michael Siller
- Hunter College, City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The Graduate Center of City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4309, USA
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26
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Abstract
This study investigated rapid automatized naming (RAN) ability in high functioning individuals with autism and parents of individuals with autism. Findings revealed parallel patterns of performance in parents and individuals with autism, where both groups had longer naming times than controls. Significant parent-child correlations were also detected, along with associations with language and personality features of the broad autism phenotype (retrospective reports of early language delay, socially reticent personality). Together, findings point towards RAN as a potential marker of genetic liability to autism.
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