Maria Pizzano, Stephanie Shire, Wendy Shih, Lynne Levato, Rebecca Landa, Catherine Lord, Tristram Smith, Connie Kasari
Heterogeneity among individuals on the autism spectrum is widely acknowledged as a barrier to develop effective interventions. Overcoming this challenge requires characterization of individual differences, especially for children that are minimally verbal and often excluded from research studies. Most studies that describe autistic subgroups identify a single minimally verbal verbal group based on a single identifying measure (e.g., ADOS module one or single item indicating absence of phrase speech). Determining personalized courses of intervention requires a more detailed understanding since a single intervention will not be effective for all who are minimally verbal. The present study identified comprehensive profiles of cognitive, language, and social communication skills within a large, diverse, group of minimally verbal children with autism. The analysis combined baseline data from two studies to yield a sample of 344 participants, who were 3 to 8 years old at the time of study onset, with 60% who identified as having a race/ethnicity other than White. Via latent profile analysis (LPA), a three-group model was identified as best fit to the data. Profile identification was dependent on a participant's combination of cognitive, expressive, and social communication characteristics, rather than a single domain. One group (n = 206) had global delays, while the other two groups (n = 95 and n = 43) had variable strengths in cognition and communication. Findings suggest that low-frequency/minimally verbal communicators with autism have heterogeneous characteristics that can be systematically organized.
{"title":"Profiles of minimally verbal autistic children: Illuminating the neglected end of the spectrum","authors":"Maria Pizzano, Stephanie Shire, Wendy Shih, Lynne Levato, Rebecca Landa, Catherine Lord, Tristram Smith, Connie Kasari","doi":"10.1002/aur.3151","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3151","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Heterogeneity among individuals on the autism spectrum is widely acknowledged as a barrier to develop effective interventions. Overcoming this challenge requires characterization of individual differences, especially for children that are minimally verbal and often excluded from research studies. Most studies that describe autistic subgroups identify a single minimally verbal verbal group based on a single identifying measure (e.g., ADOS module one or single item indicating absence of phrase speech). Determining personalized courses of intervention requires a more detailed understanding since a single intervention will not be effective for all who are minimally verbal. The present study identified comprehensive profiles of cognitive, language, and social communication skills within a large, diverse, group of minimally verbal children with autism. The analysis combined baseline data from two studies to yield a sample of 344 participants, who were 3 to 8 years old at the time of study onset, with 60% who identified as having a race/ethnicity other than White. Via latent profile analysis (LPA), a three-group model was identified as best fit to the data. Profile identification was dependent on a participant's combination of cognitive, expressive, and social communication characteristics, rather than a single domain. One group (<i>n</i> = 206) had global delays, while the other two groups (<i>n</i> = 95 and <i>n</i> = 43) had variable strengths in cognition and communication. Findings suggest that low-frequency/minimally verbal communicators with autism have heterogeneous characteristics that can be systematically organized.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141158973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marisa A. Patti, Lisa A. Croen, Aisha S. Dickerson, Robert M. Joseph, Jennifer L. Ames, Christine Ladd-Acosta, Sally Ozonoff, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Heather E. Volk, Alison E. Hipwell, Kelsey E. Magee, Margaret Karagas, Cindy McEvoy, Rebecca Landa, Michael R. Elliott, Daphne Koinis Mitchell, Viren D'Sa, Sean Deoni, Michelle Pievsky, Pei-Chi Wu, Fatoumata Barry, Joseph B. Stanford, Deborah A. Bilder, Leonardo Trasande, Nicole R. Bush, Kristen Lyall, program collaborators for Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes
Evidence suggests core autism trait consistency in older children, but development of these traits is variable in early childhood. The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) measures autism-related traits and broader autism phenotype, with two age-dependent forms in childhood (preschool, 2.5–4.5 years; school age, 4–18 years). Score consistency has been observed within forms, though reliability across forms has not been evaluated. Using data from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program (n = 853), preschool, and school-age SRS scores were collected via maternal report when children were an average of 3.0 and 5.8 years, respectively. We compared reproducibility of SRS total scores (T-scores) and agreement above a clinically meaningful cutoff (T-scores ≥ 60) and examined predictors of discordance in cutoff scores across forms. Participant scores across forms were similar (mean difference: 3.3 points; standard deviation: 7), though preschool scores were on average lower than school-age scores. Most children (88%) were classified below the cutoff on both forms, and overall concordance was high (92%). However, discordance was higher in cohorts following younger siblings of autistic children (16%). Proportions of children with an autism diagnoses were also higher among those with discordant scores (27%) than among those with concordant scores (4%). Our findings indicate SRS scores are broadly reproducible across preschool and school-age forms, particularly for capturing broader, nonclinical traits, but also suggest that greater variability of autism-related traits in preschool-age children may reduce reliability with later school-age scores for those in the clinical range.
{"title":"Reproducibility between preschool and school-age Social Responsiveness Scale forms in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes program","authors":"Marisa A. Patti, Lisa A. Croen, Aisha S. Dickerson, Robert M. Joseph, Jennifer L. Ames, Christine Ladd-Acosta, Sally Ozonoff, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Heather E. Volk, Alison E. Hipwell, Kelsey E. Magee, Margaret Karagas, Cindy McEvoy, Rebecca Landa, Michael R. Elliott, Daphne Koinis Mitchell, Viren D'Sa, Sean Deoni, Michelle Pievsky, Pei-Chi Wu, Fatoumata Barry, Joseph B. Stanford, Deborah A. Bilder, Leonardo Trasande, Nicole R. Bush, Kristen Lyall, program collaborators for Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes","doi":"10.1002/aur.3147","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3147","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Evidence suggests core autism trait consistency in older children, but development of these traits is variable in early childhood. The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) measures autism-related traits and broader autism phenotype, with two age-dependent forms in childhood (preschool, 2.5–4.5 years; school age, 4–18 years). Score consistency has been observed within forms, though reliability across forms has not been evaluated. Using data from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program (<i>n</i> = 853), preschool, and school-age SRS scores were collected via maternal report when children were an average of 3.0 and 5.8 years, respectively. We compared reproducibility of SRS total scores (<i>T</i>-scores) and agreement above a clinically meaningful cutoff (<i>T</i>-scores ≥ 60) and examined predictors of discordance in cutoff scores across forms. Participant scores across forms were similar (mean difference: 3.3 points; standard deviation: 7), though preschool scores were on average lower than school-age scores. Most children (88%) were classified below the cutoff on both forms, and overall concordance was high (92%). However, discordance was higher in cohorts following younger siblings of autistic children (16%). Proportions of children with an autism diagnoses were also higher among those with discordant scores (27%) than among those with concordant scores (4%). Our findings indicate SRS scores are broadly reproducible across preschool and school-age forms, particularly for capturing broader, nonclinical traits, but also suggest that greater variability of autism-related traits in preschool-age children may reduce reliability with later school-age scores for those in the clinical range.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141094718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jeffrey T. Anderson, Jeffrey D. Roth, Kashia A. Rosenau, Patrick S. Dwyer, Alice A. Kuo, Julian A. Martinez-Agosto
Data repositories, particularly those storing data on vulnerable populations, increasingly need to carefully consider not only what data is being collected, but how it will be used. As such, the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) has created the Infrastructure for Collaborative Research (ICR) to establish standards on data collection practices in Autism repositories. The ICR will strive to encourage inter-site collaboration, amplify autistic voices, and widen accessibility to data. The ICR is staged as a three-tiered framework consisting of (1) a request for proposals system, (2) a REDCap-based data repository, and (3) public data dashboards to display aggregate de-identified data. Coupled with a review process including autistic and non-autistic researchers, this framework aims to propel the implementation of equitable autism research, enhance standardization within and between studies, and boost transparency and dissemination of findings. In addition, the inclusion of a contact registry that study participants can opt into creates the base for a robust participant pool. As such, researchers can leverage the platform to identify, reach, and distribute electronic materials to a greater proportion of potential participants who likely fall within their eligibility criteria. By incorporating practices that promote effective communication between researchers and participants, the ICR can facilitate research that is both considerate of and a benefit to autistic people.
{"title":"Enhancing multi-site autism research through the development of a collaborative data platform","authors":"Jeffrey T. Anderson, Jeffrey D. Roth, Kashia A. Rosenau, Patrick S. Dwyer, Alice A. Kuo, Julian A. Martinez-Agosto","doi":"10.1002/aur.3167","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3167","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Data repositories, particularly those storing data on vulnerable populations, increasingly need to carefully consider not only what data is being collected, but how it will be used. As such, the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) has created the Infrastructure for Collaborative Research (ICR) to establish standards on data collection practices in Autism repositories. The ICR will strive to encourage inter-site collaboration, amplify autistic voices, and widen accessibility to data. The ICR is staged as a three-tiered framework consisting of (1) a request for proposals system, (2) a REDCap-based data repository, and (3) public data dashboards to display aggregate de-identified data. Coupled with a review process including autistic and non-autistic researchers, this framework aims to propel the implementation of equitable autism research, enhance standardization within and between studies, and boost transparency and dissemination of findings. In addition, the inclusion of a contact registry that study participants can opt into creates the base for a robust participant pool. As such, researchers can leverage the platform to identify, reach, and distribute electronic materials to a greater proportion of potential participants who likely fall within their eligibility criteria. By incorporating practices that promote effective communication between researchers and participants, the ICR can facilitate research that is both considerate of and a benefit to autistic people.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3167","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141094716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tobias Thiel, Saskia Riedelbauch, Sebastian Gaigg, Veit Roessner, Melanie Ring
Quality of life (QoL) is lower in adults on the autism spectrum (AS) compared with typically developing (TD) adults. In this context, recent studies have examined the role of depression and anxiety in reducing QoL in AS adults. The aim of this study was to (1) replicate these findings of lower QoL and (2) assess the negative influence of depressive and anxious symptoms on QoL in an adult AS (N = 86) and TD (N = 87) German sample with a broad age range (18–70 years). For this, we used questionnaires that have been validated for the AS and TD population: the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version, the Autism-Specific QoL items, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. We replicated previous findings and extended them to autism-specific QoL. Our AS sample had lower QoL compared with the TD adults. However, depressive symptoms were the largest contributor to lower QoL in both samples, more so than group membership and anxious symptoms. We conclude that interventions to improve QoL in AS adults should specifically target depressive symptoms and for this, improvements to the diagnostic process and treatment of depression in AS are necessary.
与发育正常的成年人相比,自闭症谱系(AS)成年人的生活质量(QoL)较低。在这种情况下,最近的研究探讨了抑郁和焦虑在降低自闭症成人生活质量方面的作用。本研究的目的是:(1) 复制这些降低 QoL 的研究结果;(2) 评估抑郁和焦虑症状对 QoL 的负面影响,研究对象是年龄跨度较大(18-70 岁)的德国 AS(86 人)和 TD(87 人)成人样本。为此,我们使用了已在 AS 和 TD 群体中得到验证的问卷:世界卫生组织生活质量简明版、自闭症专用 QoL 项目以及医院焦虑抑郁量表。我们复制了之前的研究结果,并将其扩展到自闭症特异性 QoL。与自闭症成人相比,我们的自闭症样本的 QoL 较低。然而,在这两个样本中,抑郁症状是导致QoL较低的最大因素,比群体成员身份和焦虑症状的影响更大。我们的结论是,改善 AS 成人 QoL 的干预措施应特别针对抑郁症状,为此,有必要改进 AS 抑郁症的诊断过程和治疗方法。
{"title":"The impact of depressive and anxious symptoms on quality of life in adults on the autism spectrum","authors":"Tobias Thiel, Saskia Riedelbauch, Sebastian Gaigg, Veit Roessner, Melanie Ring","doi":"10.1002/aur.3144","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3144","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Quality of life (QoL) is lower in adults on the autism spectrum (AS) compared with typically developing (TD) adults. In this context, recent studies have examined the role of depression and anxiety in reducing QoL in AS adults. The aim of this study was to (1) replicate these findings of lower QoL and (2) assess the negative influence of depressive and anxious symptoms on QoL in an adult AS (<i>N</i> = 86) and TD (<i>N</i> = 87) German sample with a broad age range (18–70 years). For this, we used questionnaires that have been validated for the AS and TD population: the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version, the Autism-Specific QoL items, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. We replicated previous findings and extended them to autism-specific QoL. Our AS sample had lower QoL compared with the TD adults. However, depressive symptoms were the largest contributor to lower QoL in both samples, more so than group membership and anxious symptoms. We conclude that interventions to improve QoL in AS adults should specifically target depressive symptoms and for this, improvements to the diagnostic process and treatment of depression in AS are necessary.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3144","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141089353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alessandra Piatti, Sara Van der Paelt, Petra Warreyn, Herbert Roeyers
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with life-long challenges with social cognition, and one of its earliest and most common manifestations is atypical joint attention, which is a pivotal skill in social-cognitive and linguistic development. Early interventions for ASD children often focus on training initiation of joint attention (IJA) and response to joint attention bids (RJA), which are important for social communication and cognition. Here, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy and behavioral measures to test typically developing (TD, n = 17) and ASD children (n = 18), to address the relationship between the neural correlates of RJA and social-communicative behavior. Group-level differences were present for RJA-specific activation over right temporal sites, where TD children showed higher levels of activation during RJA than ASD children, whereas the two groups did not differ in the control condition. Correlations between neural activation and behavioral traits suggest that, in ASD children, neural activation during RJA is related to the frequency of RJA behavior when the former is measured over left temporal sites, and to social affect symptoms when considered for right temporal sites. Possible implications of the evidenced correlations are discussed.
{"title":"Neural correlates of response to joint attention in 2-to-5-year-olds in relation to ASD and social-communicative abilities: An fNIRS and behavioral study","authors":"Alessandra Piatti, Sara Van der Paelt, Petra Warreyn, Herbert Roeyers","doi":"10.1002/aur.3149","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3149","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with life-long challenges with social cognition, and one of its earliest and most common manifestations is atypical joint attention, which is a pivotal skill in social-cognitive and linguistic development. Early interventions for ASD children often focus on training initiation of joint attention (IJA) and response to joint attention bids (RJA), which are important for social communication and cognition. Here, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy and behavioral measures to test typically developing (TD, <i>n</i> = 17) and ASD children (<i>n</i> = 18), to address the relationship between the neural correlates of RJA and social-communicative behavior. Group-level differences were present for RJA-specific activation over right temporal sites, where TD children showed higher levels of activation during RJA than ASD children, whereas the two groups did not differ in the control condition. Correlations between neural activation and behavioral traits suggest that, in ASD children, neural activation during RJA is related to the frequency of RJA behavior when the former is measured over left temporal sites, and to social affect symptoms when considered for right temporal sites. Possible implications of the evidenced correlations are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141082439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Engaging in meaningful activities (e.g., leisure, spiritual, fitness) significantly affects caregivers' quality of life (QoL), yet the determinants of participation in caregivers of Autistic children remain largely unknown. The current study examined child and caregiver correlates of primary caregiver participation in meaningful activities. One hundred and six primary caregivers of Autistic children (7–12 years) were recruited from three unique cohorts of Autistic children in this cross-sectional study. Primary caregivers completed online questionnaires measuring occupational gaps (i.e., desired activities caregivers are not participating in), QoL, parenting stress, perceived family outcomes, and social support. In addition to undertaking direct assessments of children's cognition and language, primary caregivers also reported on their child's adaptive behavior, social–emotional skills, and participation. Caregivers reporting fewer occupational gaps (i.e., ≤2 desired activities) were more likely to have Autistic children with no co-occurring conditions, who were older, and with better adaptive behaviors, social–emotional skills, and more frequent home and school participation, compared to caregivers reporting many gaps (i.e., ≥3 desired activities). Caregivers with fewer occupational gaps also reported improved QoL, parenting stress, social support, perceived community inclusiveness, and family outcomes. Logistic regression analysis identified child age, child adaptive behavior, social–emotional skills, home participation, and the caregivers' perceived family outcomes and QoL as important predictors of their occupational gaps. The findings demonstrate that caregiver participation in desired activities was associated with increased functional ability and independence of the child, as well as their perceived capacity to meet their child's needs. Supporting parents' sense of efficacy in meeting their children's needs and building their skills and knowledge will serve to improve both caregiver and child outcomes.
参与有意义的活动(如休闲、精神和健身)会极大地影响照顾者的生活质量(QoL),但自闭症儿童照顾者参与活动的决定因素在很大程度上仍不为人所知。本研究探讨了儿童和照顾者参与有意义活动的相关因素。这项横断面研究从三个独特的自闭症儿童队列中招募了 16 名自闭症儿童(7-12 岁)的主要照顾者。主要照护者填写了在线问卷,测量职业差距(即照护者未参与的理想活动)、QoL、养育压力、感知的家庭成果和社会支持。除了对孩子的认知和语言进行直接评估外,主要照顾者还报告了孩子的适应行为、社会情感技能和参与情况。与报告有较多空白(即≥3 项预期活动)的照护者相比,报告有较少空白(即≤2 项预期活动)的照护者更有可能照护无并发症、年龄较大、适应行为和社会情感技能较好、更经常参与家庭和学校活动的自闭症儿童。职业差距较小的照护者还报告说,他们的生活质量、养育压力、社会支持、社区包容性感知以及家庭成果都有所改善。逻辑回归分析表明,儿童年龄、儿童适应行为、社会情感技能、家庭参与以及照顾者感知到的家庭成果和 QoL 是预测其职业差距的重要因素。研究结果表明,照顾者参与所期望的活动与孩子功能能力和独立性的提高以及他们所认为的满足孩子需求的能力有关。支持父母在满足孩子需求方面的效能感,并培养他们的技能和知识,将有助于改善照顾者和孩子的结果。
{"title":"Child and caregiver predictors of primary caregiver participation in families of school-aged Autistic children","authors":"Gemma Davy, Josephine Barbaro, Katy Unwin, Megan Clark, Rachel Jellett, Perrin Date, Melanie Muniandy, Cheryl Dissanayake","doi":"10.1002/aur.3166","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3166","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Engaging in meaningful activities (e.g., leisure, spiritual, fitness) significantly affects caregivers' quality of life (QoL), yet the determinants of participation in caregivers of Autistic children remain largely unknown. The current study examined child and caregiver correlates of primary caregiver participation in meaningful activities. One hundred and six primary caregivers of Autistic children (7–12 years) were recruited from three unique cohorts of Autistic children in this cross-sectional study. Primary caregivers completed online questionnaires measuring occupational gaps (i.e., desired activities caregivers are not participating in), QoL, parenting stress, perceived family outcomes, and social support. In addition to undertaking direct assessments of children's cognition and language, primary caregivers also reported on their child's adaptive behavior, social–emotional skills, and participation. Caregivers reporting fewer occupational gaps (i.e., ≤2 desired activities) were more likely to have Autistic children with no co-occurring conditions, who were older, and with better adaptive behaviors, social–emotional skills, and more frequent home and school participation, compared to caregivers reporting many gaps (i.e., ≥3 desired activities). Caregivers with fewer occupational gaps also reported improved QoL, parenting stress, social support, perceived community inclusiveness, and family outcomes. Logistic regression analysis identified child age, child adaptive behavior, social–emotional skills, home participation, and the caregivers' perceived family outcomes and QoL as important predictors of their occupational gaps. The findings demonstrate that caregiver participation in desired activities was associated with increased functional ability and independence of the child, as well as their perceived capacity to meet their child's needs. Supporting parents' sense of efficacy in meeting their children's needs and building their skills and knowledge will serve to improve both caregiver and child outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3166","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141089345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Kember, P. Patenaude, H. Sweatman, L. Van Schaik, Z. Tabuenca, X. J. Chai
Structural and functional differences in the hippocampus have been related to the episodic memory and social impairments observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In neurotypical individuals, hippocampal–cortical functional connectivity systematically varies between anterior and posterior hippocampus, with changes observed during typical development. It remains unknown whether this specialization of anterior–posterior hippocampal connectivity is disrupted in ASD, and whether age-related differences in this specialization exist in ASD. We examined connectivity of the anterior and posterior hippocampus in an ASD (N = 139) and non-autistic comparison group (N = 133) aged 5–21 using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from the Healthy Brain Network (HBN). Consistent with previous results, we observed lower connectivity between the whole hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex in ASD. Moreover, preferential connectivity of the posterior relative to the anterior hippocampus for memory-sensitive regions in posterior parietal cortex was reduced in ASD, demonstrating a weaker anterior–posterior specialization of hippocampal–cortical connectivity. Finally, connectivity between the posterior hippocampus and precuneus negatively correlated with age in the ASD group but remained stable in the comparison group, suggesting an altered developmental specialization. Together, these differences in hippocampal–cortical connectivity may help us understand the neurobiological basis of the memory and social impairments found in ASD.
{"title":"Specialization of anterior and posterior hippocampal functional connectivity differs in autism","authors":"J. Kember, P. Patenaude, H. Sweatman, L. Van Schaik, Z. Tabuenca, X. J. Chai","doi":"10.1002/aur.3170","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3170","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Structural and functional differences in the hippocampus have been related to the episodic memory and social impairments observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In neurotypical individuals, hippocampal–cortical functional connectivity systematically varies between anterior and posterior hippocampus, with changes observed during typical development. It remains unknown whether this specialization of anterior–posterior hippocampal connectivity is disrupted in ASD, and whether age-related differences in this specialization exist in ASD. We examined connectivity of the anterior and posterior hippocampus in an ASD (<i>N =</i> 139) and non-autistic comparison group (<i>N</i> = 133) aged 5–21 using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from the Healthy Brain Network (HBN). Consistent with previous results, we observed lower connectivity between the whole hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex in ASD. Moreover, preferential connectivity of the posterior relative to the anterior hippocampus for memory-sensitive regions in posterior parietal cortex was reduced in ASD, demonstrating a weaker anterior–posterior specialization of hippocampal–cortical connectivity. Finally, connectivity between the posterior hippocampus and precuneus negatively correlated with age in the ASD group but remained stable in the comparison group, suggesting an altered developmental specialization. Together, these differences in hippocampal–cortical connectivity may help us understand the neurobiological basis of the memory and social impairments found in ASD.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3170","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141072426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MaryKate Frisch, Kirsty L. Coulter, Rebecca P. Thomas, Marianne L. Barton, Diana L. Robins, Deborah A. Fein
Preferred interests are characteristic of autism spectrum disorder and are reported by parents starting at an early age. However, limited research has explored the presentation of preferred interests in toddlerhood. Previous literature suggests that both the intensity and type of preferred interests held by autistic individuals differ from those held by peers with developmental delay and no diagnosis and that autistic interests are more unusual in nature. While preferred interests are seen in typical child development, previous research suggests that the presence of preferred interests in children with no diagnosis declines with age. Literature also indicates that the sex and cognitive ability of autistic children influences preferred interests. Identification of early preferred interests commonly held by autistic toddlers could serve as a useful clinical indicator of future diagnosis. This article explored whether diagnostic group, age, sex, and cognitive ability predict the likelihood that parents reported preferred interests in children aged 12–36 months with diagnoses of autism, developmental delay, and those with no diagnosis. Additionally, we explored potential diagnostic group differences in interest type. Results suggest that diagnostic group, but not age, sex, or cognitive ability, predicts the likelihood that parents report preferred interests. No differences in the type of interests among diagnostic groups were identified. These results support the use of preferred interests as an early sign of autism but suggest that interest type may not be a helpful clinical indicator of autism in toddlerhood.
{"title":"Categorizing and identifying preferred interests in autistic toddlers","authors":"MaryKate Frisch, Kirsty L. Coulter, Rebecca P. Thomas, Marianne L. Barton, Diana L. Robins, Deborah A. Fein","doi":"10.1002/aur.3169","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3169","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Preferred interests are characteristic of autism spectrum disorder and are reported by parents starting at an early age. However, limited research has explored the presentation of preferred interests in toddlerhood. Previous literature suggests that both the intensity and type of preferred interests held by autistic individuals differ from those held by peers with developmental delay and no diagnosis and that autistic interests are more unusual in nature. While preferred interests are seen in typical child development, previous research suggests that the presence of preferred interests in children with no diagnosis declines with age. Literature also indicates that the sex and cognitive ability of autistic children influences preferred interests. Identification of early preferred interests commonly held by autistic toddlers could serve as a useful clinical indicator of future diagnosis. This article explored whether diagnostic group, age, sex, and cognitive ability predict the likelihood that parents reported preferred interests in children aged 12–36 months with diagnoses of autism, developmental delay, and those with no diagnosis. Additionally, we explored potential diagnostic group differences in interest type. Results suggest that diagnostic group, but not age, sex, or cognitive ability, predicts the likelihood that parents report preferred interests. No differences in the type of interests among diagnostic groups were identified. These results support the use of preferred interests as an early sign of autism but suggest that interest type may not be a helpful clinical indicator of autism in toddlerhood.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141072425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rujuta B. Wilson, Sitaram Vangala, Rachel Reetzke, Antonia Piergies, Sally Ozonoff, Meghan Miller
Early motor delays and differences are common among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Yet, little work has shown whether there are early atypical motor signs that differentiate these groups. Quantitative measures of movement variability hold promise for improving the identification of subtle and specific differences in motor function among infants and toddlers at high likelihood for ASD and ADHD. To this end, we created a novel quantitative measure of movement variability (movement curvature) and conducted a preliminary investigation as to whether this measure improves outcome predictions. We used a wearable triaxial accelerometer to evaluate continuous motion-based activity in infants at high and low likelihood for ASD and ADHD at 12, 18, 24, and 36 months of age. At 36 months, participants were categorized into three outcome groups: ASD (n = 19), ADHD concerns (n = 17), and a comparison group (n = 82). We examined group differences in movement curvature and whether movement curvature is predictive of a later ASD or ADHD concerns classification. We found that movement curvature was significantly lower in infants with later ASD diagnosis at 18, 24, and 36 months of age compared to infants with either ADHD concerns or those in the comparison group. Movement curvature was also a significant predictor of ASD at 18, 24, and 36 months (AUC 0.66–0.71; p = 0.005–0.039) and when adjusting for high ASD likelihood at 18 and 24 months (AUC 0.90, p = 0.05–0.019). These results indicate that lower movement curvature may be a feature of early motor differences in infants with later ASD diagnosis as early as 18 months of age.
{"title":"Objective measurement of movement variability using wearable sensors predicts ASD outcomes in infants at high likelihood for ASD and ADHD","authors":"Rujuta B. Wilson, Sitaram Vangala, Rachel Reetzke, Antonia Piergies, Sally Ozonoff, Meghan Miller","doi":"10.1002/aur.3150","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3150","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Early motor delays and differences are common among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Yet, little work has shown whether there are early atypical motor signs that differentiate these groups. Quantitative measures of movement variability hold promise for improving the identification of subtle and specific differences in motor function among infants and toddlers at high likelihood for ASD and ADHD. To this end, we created a novel quantitative measure of movement variability (movement curvature) and conducted a preliminary investigation as to whether this measure improves outcome predictions. We used a wearable triaxial accelerometer to evaluate continuous motion-based activity in infants at high and low likelihood for ASD and ADHD at 12, 18, 24, and 36 months of age. At 36 months, participants were categorized into three outcome groups: ASD (<i>n</i> = 19), ADHD concerns (<i>n</i> = 17), and a comparison group (<i>n</i> = 82). We examined group differences in movement curvature and whether movement curvature is predictive of a later ASD or ADHD concerns classification. We found that movement curvature was significantly lower in infants with later ASD diagnosis at 18, 24, and 36 months of age compared to infants with either ADHD concerns or those in the comparison group. Movement curvature was also a significant predictor of ASD at 18, 24, and 36 months (AUC 0.66–0.71; <i>p</i> = 0.005–0.039) and when adjusting for high ASD likelihood at 18 and 24 months (AUC 0.90, <i>p</i> = 0.05–0.019). These results indicate that lower movement curvature may be a feature of early motor differences in infants with later ASD diagnosis as early as 18 months of age.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3150","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140923705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Autistic people exhibit atypical use of prior information when processing simple perceptual stimuli; yet, it remains unclear whether and how these difficulties in using priors extend to complex social stimuli. Here, we compared autistic people without accompanying intellectual disability and nonautistic people in their ability to acquire an “emotional prior” of a facial expression and update this prior to a different facial expression of the same identity. Participants performed a two-interval same/different discrimination task between two facial expressions. To study the acquisition of the prior, we examined how discrimination was modified by the contraction of the perceived facial expressions toward the average of presented stimuli (i.e., regression to the mean). At first, facial expressions surrounded one average emotional prior (mostly sad or angry), and then the average switched (to mostly angry or sad, accordingly). Autistic people exhibited challenges in facial discrimination, and yet acquired the first prior, demonstrating typical regression-to-the-mean effects. However, unlike nonautistic people, autistic people did not update their perception to the second prior, suggesting they are less flexible in updating an acquired prior of emotional expressions. Our findings shed light on the perception of emotional expressions, one of the most pressing challenges in autism.
{"title":"Is she still angry? Intact learning but no updating of facial expressions priors in autism","authors":"Renana Twito, Bat-Sheva Hadad, Sarit Szpiro","doi":"10.1002/aur.3145","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3145","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Autistic people exhibit atypical use of prior information when processing simple perceptual stimuli; yet, it remains unclear whether and how these difficulties in using priors extend to complex social stimuli. Here, we compared autistic people without accompanying intellectual disability and nonautistic people in their ability to acquire an “emotional prior” of a facial expression and update this prior to a different facial expression of the same identity. Participants performed a two-interval same/different discrimination task between two facial expressions. To study the acquisition of the prior, we examined how discrimination was modified by the contraction of the perceived facial expressions toward the average of presented stimuli (i.e., regression to the mean). At first, facial expressions surrounded one average emotional prior (mostly sad or angry), and then the average switched (to mostly angry or sad, accordingly). Autistic people exhibited challenges in facial discrimination, and yet acquired the first prior, demonstrating typical regression-to-the-mean effects. However, unlike nonautistic people, autistic people did not update their perception to the second prior, suggesting they are less flexible in updating an acquired prior of emotional expressions. Our findings shed light on the perception of emotional expressions, one of the most pressing challenges in autism.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3145","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140878043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}