Autism Research最新文献

Mismatch negativity (MMN) has been frequently used to assess auditory processing and change detection in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but findings have been fairly inconsistent. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of MMN amplitude (76 effect sizes) and latency (62 effect sizes) in ASD to identify factors contributing to this heterogeneity and to interpret findings within the predictive coding framework. While residual heterogeneity remained, significant effects of the interaction between age group and design type (unifeature vs. multifeature, i.e., one or several types of deviants) and deviant type were found for MMN amplitude. In multifeature designs, autistic children and adolescents exhibited reduced MMN amplitudes compared to neurotypical peers (g = 0.25, p = 0.01), whereas autistic adults showed increased MMN amplitudes (g = −0.26, p = 0.02). In addition, autistic individuals had significantly smaller MMN amplitudes than neurotypical individuals in paradigms using phoneme deviants (g = 0.41, p < 0.001). Across designs, no significant MMN latency differences were observed between neurotypical and autistic individuals. These results are discussed within the predictive coding framework, as MMN responses are thought to reflect prediction errors, aligning with theories suggesting heightened prediction errors in autistic adults. Future studies with larger samples and improved data reporting are needed to further clarify the developmental trajectory and variability of MMN responses in ASD. Additionally, computational modeling approaches can help characterize learning dynamics and disentangle predictive coding accounts among autistic individuals.

Recent studies have implicated oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Postmortem brain studies have revealed decreased levels of the reduced form of glutathione (GSH), an important antioxidant, in some brain regions in individuals with ASD; however, in vivo evidence is lacking. Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, T₁-weighted/T₂-weighted ratio-derived myelin maps, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and cognitive tasks, we examined whether brain GSH levels are lower in individuals with ASD than in those with typical development (TD) and explored ASD-specific association patterns between brain GSH levels, myelination, functional connectivity, and behavioral characteristics. Data from 30 adults with ASD and 27 adults with TD were analyzed. Contrary to our hypothesis, GSH levels in the left temporoparietal junction (TPJ) were higher in the ASD group than in the TD group. Using individual myelin maps, we found a significant group difference in the correlation between left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) myelination and left TPJ GSH levels. Multivariate pattern analysis of resting-state functional MRI revealed that whole-brain functional connectivity patterns from the left MFG differed between the groups in their association with left MFG myelination. Finally, we found a significant group difference in the correlation between emotion recognition ability and the functional connectivity of the left MFG with the bilateral occipitoparietal junction. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate an ASD-specific pattern of associations between left TPJ GSH levels, left MFG myelination, whole-brain functional connectivity patterns of the left MFG, and cognitive phenotype, which suggests compensatory neural mechanisms in ASD.

Autism is an early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by restricted, repetitive behaviors and atypical patterns of social communication and interaction. A considerable proportion of autistic individuals experience divergent auditory perception, which can interfere with their ability to navigate everyday sound environments. Auditory brainstem responses are electrophysiological potentials elicited by auditory stimuli that evaluate neural activity along the auditory nerve and brainstem. Importantly, the auditory brainstem response varies by sex, with females typically showing higher amplitudes and shorter latencies than males. This sex-specific neurophysiological profile is especially relevant in autism research, where the male-to-female diagnosis ratio is approximately 3:1. Thus, exploring the neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex-specific variations in autistic traits is essential. Furthermore, autism sensory profiles may vary based on the independent and mutual effects of environmental and genetic factors. To deepen this understanding, we examined auditory brainstem responses in two rat models of autism: the GRIN2B rare mutation model and the prenatal valproic acid induction model, alongside control animals. We assessed peak amplitudes and latencies (Waves I through V), inter-peak intervals (I–III, I–V, and III–V), and amplitude ratios (III:I, V:I, and V:III). Female rats generally exhibited greater amplitudes and longer latencies across waveforms. Regarding rat models, control animals consistently showed larger amplitudes and shorter latencies compared to autism-like models. Exploratory analyses further suggested pairwise interactions between sex and rat model, indicating modulation of auditory phenotypes linked to autism. Thus, our findings reveal key insights into the effects of sex and rat model, as well as their interactions.

Parental insightfulness (PI), the parent's capacity to reflect upon their own and their child's mental and emotional states, has been associated with various aspects of children's socio-emotional development. This study examined PI regarding child-peer interactions and its association with social competence in autistic and non-autistic (NA) children, aged 4–7 years. We hypothesized that parents of autistic and NA children would demonstrate different patterns of PI and that PI would moderate the association between autism diagnosis and social competence. Participants included 68 autistic children and their parents and 46 NA children and their parents. Parents watched videos of their child playing with a peer and completed the Insightfulness Assessment (IA) interview. They also reported on their child's social competence and their own parental reflective functioning. Results revealed that compared to NA children's parents, parents of autistic children showed similar levels of positive insightfulness about their child but had greater difficulties maintaining focus on their child's mental states, showed less acceptance, and more concern about the child. PI moderated the negative association between autism diagnosis and children's social competence so that in higher PI levels, the association was weaker than in lower PI levels. This study's findings suggest higher PI may mitigate social challenges for autistic children. Hence, PI and its nuances may be an intervention target for autistic children's parents with the aim of improving children's social outcomes.

Although there are clear international standards for intervention science and reporting in healthcare, implementation and uptake have been limited within autism intervention research. To address this concern, a Special Interest Group (SIG) was convened at the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) Annual Meetings in May 2023 and May 2024. This SIG comprised members of the autistic community, senior clinical scientists, clinicians, advanced researchers, and early career researchers, who discussed and debated quality standards for autism intervention trials. This commentary summarizes relevant literature highlighted by SIG panelists and recommendations generated from small breakout groups and larger group discussions with SIG attendees. We recommend that all journals publishing autism intervention findings, especially autism-focused journals, institute mandatory reporting practices (e.g., trial registration, protocol, analysis plan) to facilitate transparency and rigorous autism intervention science, as well as related education initiatives in support of this goal. Findings from the SIG offer practical, actionable recommendations that we advocate be systematically adopted across autism-focused journals.