Vic Lin, Samantha M. Matta, Julia E. Dallman, Suzanne Hosie, Manon Moreau, Ashley E. Franks, Thomas Bourgeron, Elisa L. Hill-Yardin
{"title":"A Frank Assessment of SHANK: Impacts of Pathogenic Variations in SHANK3 on Preclinical Models of Phelan McDermid Syndrome","authors":"Vic Lin, Samantha M. Matta, Julia E. Dallman, Suzanne Hosie, Manon Moreau, Ashley E. Franks, Thomas Bourgeron, Elisa L. Hill-Yardin","doi":"10.1002/aur.70112","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70112","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Although there are as many as 40 preclinical models of the neurodevelopmental disorder Phelan McDermid syndrome (PMS, or 22q13.3 deletion syndrome), detailed phenotypic analyses to compare the effects of different pathogenic variants and inform treatment design are lacking. Here, we clarify behavioral traits (social, vocalization, repetitive and anxiety-like behavior), developmental trajectories, and motor activity in addition to changes in brain structure and function in 10 widely available <i>Shank3</i> transgenic mouse models. Although behavioral deficits in <i>Shank3B</i><sup><i>−/−</i></sup> and <i>Shank3</i><sup><i>∆C/∆C</i></sup> mice were most extensively reported, each model reviewed here displayed autism-relevant behavioral traits. Most studies focused on assessing social, anxiety-like, and repetitive behavior, whereas few studies examined changes in vocalization, developmental milestones, motor function, or aggressive behavior. We did not identify any studies of gut function in the ten selected <i>Shank3</i> models. Alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiome of Shank3-deficient mice are associated with changes in bacterial abundance and composition, which may impact social behavior and gastrointestinal function. Studying preclinical models can provide critical insights into molecular pathways contributing to PMS. Further research is needed to determine how various genetic variations in Shank3 impact the brain, behavior, and potentially the gastrointestinal system.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"1935-1964"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.70112","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144980551","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}
Lin Deng, Meng-Jie Lu, Le-tong Yang, Yue Zhang, Hang-yu Tan, Miao Cao, Fei Li
{"title":"A New Paradigm for Autism Spectrum Disorder Discrimination in Children Utilizing EEG Data Collected During Cartoon Viewing With a Focus on Atypical Semantic Processing","authors":"Lin Deng, Meng-Jie Lu, Le-tong Yang, Yue Zhang, Hang-yu Tan, Miao Cao, Fei Li","doi":"10.1002/aur.70105","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70105","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, with semantic processing difficulties being a hallmark feature that significantly impacts social communication. While traditional neuroimaging studies have provided insights into language processing in ASD, ecological validity remains a challenge, particularly when assessing young children. This study introduces a novel approach to evaluate atypical semantic processing in children with ASD (aged 4–10 years) through electroencephalography (EEG) data collection during cartoon viewing, offering a more natural assessment environment. We developed an innovative methodology combining pretrained language models with regression techniques in a machine learning framework. The analysis incorporated the Six-dimensional Semantic Database system and EEG topographical mapping to investigate semantic processing preferences and neural mechanisms across various word dimensions. Our semantic processing model demonstrated robust performance with high sensitivity (91.3%) and moderate specificity (61.0%); findings successfully replicated in validation analysis. These results reveal distinct patterns in how children with ASD process semantic information, particularly in their integration and response to emotional semantic dimensions. These findings help us understand the language processing patterns in ASD and provide potential applications for auxiliary diagnosis in more natural settings, meeting important needs in clinical practice.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"1978-1990"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144980618","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}
Chun Liang Hsu, Eva Matt, Tommy Kwan Hin Fong, Joyce Yuen Ting Lam, Bolton Chau, Calvin Pak Wing Cheng, Roland Beisteiner, Teris Cheung
{"title":"Associations Between Brain Network Connectivity and Cognitive Measures in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Parent Study “Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation on Autism Spectrum Disorder”","authors":"Chun Liang Hsu, Eva Matt, Tommy Kwan Hin Fong, Joyce Yuen Ting Lam, Bolton Chau, Calvin Pak Wing Cheng, Roland Beisteiner, Teris Cheung","doi":"10.1002/aur.70093","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70093","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study presents a post hoc analysis of our parent study “Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation on Autism Spectrum Disorder” study which was a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized controlled trial. In this study, we examined associations between changes in brain network connectivity and cognitive performance in young adolescents (12–17 years) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) following the administration of transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) which is considered non-invasive, evidenced-based brain stimulation for neurodegenerative disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders. Our findings indicate that increased connectivity in specific brain networks is associated with improvements in cognitive measures, suggesting that connectivity changes may underpin cognitive changes observed after six TPS intervention. These results highlight potential neural mechanisms underlying cognitive improvements in ASD, although causality cannot be inferred from these associations.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Trial Registration:</b> ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05408793</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"1965-1977"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144980625","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}
{"title":"“Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Descendants of Women With Gestational Diabetes and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”","authors":"Francisca Bravo-Muñoz, Isidora Bustos, Diana Muñoz-Fierro, Sofía San-Martín, Catalina Tabilo, Macarena Véliz, Taide Zaror, Paulina Ormazabal, Nele Brusselaers, Romina Fornes","doi":"10.1002/aur.70110","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70110","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Some reports show that children exposed to hyperandrogenemia or hyperglycemic states in utero are more prone to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to assess the association between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or gestational diabetes (GD) and ASD. A systematic review (1980–2023) in Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus, using specific search terms “gestational diabetes”, “polycystic ovary syndrome,” “neurodevelopmental disorder” and “autism spectrum disorder” was performed. Generic inverse-variance method was used to pool the adjusted or crude effect measures with a random-effects model. Results were presented as relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Only studies from the northern hemisphere were found. All the articles evaluated the association between either GD (<i>n</i> = 16) or PCOS (8) and ASD separately. The overall analysis revealed that there is an increased risk of ASD in the offspring of women diagnosed with GD [RR = 1.23 (95% CI 1.13–1.34), <i>n</i> = 14] and in women diagnosed with PCOS [RR = 1.35 (95% CI 1.17–1.56), <i>n</i> = 6]. In a sensitivity analysis, the risk of ASD was particularly higher in mothers with GD and obesity. Although both GD and PCOS have been associated with ASD in offspring, studies in other geographical regions are needed. Future research should investigate how varying androgen levels in PCOS and the timing of GD diagnosis might influence the observed associations. Additional studies are needed to confirm these associations, address potential confounding variables, and explore whether these maternal conditions contribute directly or indirectly to autism risk.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"1916-1934"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144980575","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}
Emily C. Skaletski, Rebekah M. Rodriguez, Sharon G. Gartland, Karla K. Ausderau, Lauren Bishop, James J. Li, Brittany G. Travers
{"title":"Quality of Life in Autistic Children: Discrepancies Between Self- and Caregiver-Proxy Reports and Associations With Individual Characteristics","authors":"Emily C. Skaletski, Rebekah M. Rodriguez, Sharon G. Gartland, Karla K. Ausderau, Lauren Bishop, James J. Li, Brittany G. Travers","doi":"10.1002/aur.70108","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70108","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Quality of life (QoL) is important for everyone and has been identified as a priority for autistic people. However, studies typically focus on caregiver-proxy-reported QoL and its related individual characteristics, even though self- and caregiver-proxy-reported QoL may differ in autistic children. In 74 autistic children (5.04–10.99 years old, intelligence quotient [IQ] 47–141), we sought to determine the level of agreement between self- and caregiver-proxy-reported QoL and determine if self- and caregiver-proxy-reported QoL are differently related to personal characteristics such as age, IQ, autism features, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) features, sleep difficulties, and sensory features. Findings suggested poor inter-rater agreement (ICC = 0.16) between self- and caregiver-proxy-reported QoL. Across both self- and caregiver-proxy reports, sensory features and sleep difficulties related to QoL, but age and IQ did not. We also found an interaction effect of reporter on the relation between QoL and both autism and ADHD features, with these associations driven by caregiver-proxy-reported QoL. These findings emphasize the importance of measuring both self- and caregiver-proxy-reported QoL to provide complementary perspectives. Moreover, these results underscore the importance of understanding a child's sensory features and sleep difficulties, as these two areas were similarly related to both self- and caregiver-proxy-reported QoL.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"2063-2075"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.70108","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144876928","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}
Catrina A. Calub, Ana-Maria Iosif, Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Julie B. Schweitzer
{"title":"Trajectory of Irritability in Autistic and Typically Developing Youth From Early Childhood to Adolescence","authors":"Catrina A. Calub, Ana-Maria Iosif, Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Julie B. Schweitzer","doi":"10.1002/aur.70100","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70100","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study examines changes in irritability from early childhood to adolescence and differences by diagnostic group, sex, and early childhood nonverbal and verbal abilities. Participants included 243 autistic (AUT) and 194 typically developing (TD) children, with 20% of participants being female, 47% identifying as non-White, and 26% identifying as Hispanic. Data were drawn from the CHARGE (Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment) Study, which evaluated children at ages 2–5 years and followed up during pre- (ages 8–12) or late (ages 15–19) adolescence through the ReCHARGE Study. Irritability was higher in the AUT group than in the TD group across all time points; participants overall experienced a decrease in irritability over time. A three-way interaction among sex, diagnosis, and time emerged in late adolescence but not in pre-adolescence, and this effect remained significant even after adjusting for early cognitive abilities. Specifically, TD males and females, and AUT males, showed reductions in irritability, while AUT females exhibited persistently high irritability. In pre-adolescence, higher early verbal and nonverbal cognitive abilities were linked to greater reductions in irritability regardless of diagnosis, whereas in late adolescence, only nonverbal ability predicted irritability change, with this effect specific to autistic youth. Higher levels of adolescent psychopathology were associated with less improvement in irritability, regardless of diagnostic group. Collectively, these findings reveal that while irritability generally decreases over time, its trajectory varies by diagnostic group, sex, and early cognitive ability—highlighting the importance of early identification and interventions, particularly in autistic females, targeting irritability to support positive long-term outcomes.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"2076-2087"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144876929","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}
Roseann C. Schaaf, Elizabeth M. Ridgway, Emily A. Jones, Rachel L. Dumont, John Foxe, Tim Conly, Catherine Sancimino, Misung Yi, Zoe Mailloux, Joanne M. Hunt, Leon Kirschner, Ben E. Leiby, Sophie Molholm
{"title":"A Comparative Trial of Occupational Therapy Using Ayres Sensory Integration and Applied Behavior Analysis Interventions for Autistic Children","authors":"Roseann C. Schaaf, Elizabeth M. Ridgway, Emily A. Jones, Rachel L. Dumont, John Foxe, Tim Conly, Catherine Sancimino, Misung Yi, Zoe Mailloux, Joanne M. Hunt, Leon Kirschner, Ben E. Leiby, Sophie Molholm","doi":"10.1002/aur.70099","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70099","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Many autistic children demonstrate sensory integration differences that impact their participation in daily living activities and tasks. Occupational Therapy using Ayres Sensory Integration (OT-ASI) is an evidence-based intervention for autistic children that addresses the sensory integrative factors impacting daily living skills and participation in a variety of tasks and activities. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the recommended evidence-based practice for autism to improve a range of developmental domains. This study compared Occupational Therapy using Ayres Sensory Integration, Applied Behavior Analysis, and no treatment on daily living skills and individualized goals for autistic children who also show sensory differences. A parallel arm comparative effectiveness trial design with participants randomized equally to OT-ASI, ABA, or no treatment. Intervention consisted of 30 one-hour sessions. Significant gains in individualized goals, measured by Goal Attainment Scaling, were found in both treatment arms over the no treatment group. Both the OT-ASI and the ABA groups improved in daily living skills measured on the Pediatric Evaluation of Disabilities Inventory; although the improvements over the no treatment group were not significant. Both OT-ASI and ABA improved individualized goals and daily living skills at comparable levels. These findings are discussed in light of their implications for intervention.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Trial Registration:</b> NCT02536365</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"2120-2134"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144857165","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}
Rebecca Sutherland, Marie Antoinette Hodge, Kelsie Boulton, Sarah Baracz, Gillian Brooks, Beverley Bennett, Natalie Ong, Angela Papanicolaou, Gail Tomsic, Marcia Williamsz, Adam Guastella, Natalie Silove
{"title":"Screen to Screen Versus Face to Face: Evaluating Telehealth Autism Diagnostic Assessments for Young Children in a Diverse Clinical Setting","authors":"Rebecca Sutherland, Marie Antoinette Hodge, Kelsie Boulton, Sarah Baracz, Gillian Brooks, Beverley Bennett, Natalie Ong, Angela Papanicolaou, Gail Tomsic, Marcia Williamsz, Adam Guastella, Natalie Silove","doi":"10.1002/aur.70113","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70113","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Access to autism diagnostic assessments continues to be problematic for many families and children. While telehealth assessments have been shown to be feasible and reliable in research settings, less is known about the agreement between telehealth autism assessments compared with in-person evaluations in clinical settings with linguistic, cultural, and social diversity. Twenty-one minimally verbal children (between 23.9 and 51.7 months, mean = 36.5 months, SD = 8 months) participated in a telehealth autism assessment (the TELE-ASD-PEDS; TAP) with a parent, and then in an in-person, multidisciplinary team assessment. Telehealth clinicians were blinded to history and questionnaire information; in-person clinicians were blinded to the telehealth results. Assessment results in each setting, along with diagnostic impression (telehealth) and diagnostic outcome (in-person), were compared. Assessment scores across the settings showed very good agreement and were strongly correlated (<i>r</i> = 0.75, <i>p</i> < 0.001). There was diagnostic agreement (either autism/autism or no-autism/no-autism) for 19/21 children, or 90% of the participants. This study adds to the growing literature on autism diagnostic assessments administered via telehealth. Our research builds on previous work by comparing telehealth findings directly with in-person assessment and diagnostic results. The results of the present study yielded high rates of diagnostic agreement as well as strong agreement between telehealth and in-person assessment scores for young children with limited language and high levels of autism symptoms, which to our knowledge, have not to date been directly compared.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"2054-2062"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.70113","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144857167","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}
Yu-Chieh Chuang, Yu-Jui Huang, Meng-Chuan Lai, Sheng-Siang Su, Chian-Jue Kuo
{"title":"Incidence of Physical Health Conditions in Autistic Children Within 5 Years After Their Autism Diagnosis","authors":"Yu-Chieh Chuang, Yu-Jui Huang, Meng-Chuan Lai, Sheng-Siang Su, Chian-Jue Kuo","doi":"10.1002/aur.70109","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70109","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study aimed to investigate the incidence of physical illnesses of autistic young children compared with children in the general population. This population-based study included children (aged ≤ 5 years) with newly diagnosed autism (autism group), followed up for 5 years after their autism diagnoses. Data were collected from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database in the period of 2000–2019. Autistic children (<i>n</i> = 45,680) were matched (1:20; by age and sex [assigned at birth]) with a comparison group from the general population (<i>n</i> = 913,600). We calculated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for physical illnesses diagnosed within 5 years after autism diagnoses. Data were analyzed using Poisson regression models adjusted for person-time and stratified by sex and the presence/absence of intellectual disabilities. The prevalence of almost all illnesses across major organ systems after 1 year of autism diagnosis was higher in the autism group than in the comparison group. The autism group exhibited significantly elevated incidence of cardiovascular disorders, cerebrovascular disorders, and endocrine diseases within 1 year after autism diagnosis (IRR 2.30–71.42). Although the incidence rates of these illnesses decreased over the 5-year follow-up period in the autism group, they remained higher than those in the comparison group, with most IRRs exceeding 2 in the fifth year after autism diagnosis. The IRRs were significant in both autistic male and female children and those with and without intellectual disabilities, although those with intellectual disabilities displayed descriptively larger IRRs. Autistic young children have heightened risks of being diagnosed with physical illnesses soon after their autism diagnoses. Future research should understand the etiological associations between autism and physical illnesses to offer tailored care from early in life.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"2088-2103"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144857166","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}
Caroline Larson, Laura M. Morett, Sophie Barth, Stephanie Durrleman, Mila Vulchanova
{"title":"Dis/Associations Between Language and In-the-Moment Mental Rotation Effort in Autism","authors":"Caroline Larson, Laura M. Morett, Sophie Barth, Stephanie Durrleman, Mila Vulchanova","doi":"10.1002/aur.70101","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.70101","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In-the-moment dissociations between language and visuospatial systems in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may explain notable heterogeneity observed in both language and visuospatial skills. The current study used pupillometry, a physiological measure of in-the-moment cognitive effort, during a mental rotation task to examine associations between structural language and visuospatial cognition. Participants were 25 children and young adults with ASD and 25 age- and IQ-matched neurotypical (NT) peers. The mental rotation task involved four conditions: two- and three-dimensional figures, and two- and three-dimensional objects. We measured structural language using the grammar subscale from the Test of Language Development: Intermediate. Growth-curve mixed-effects model results indicated no overall group differences in average pupil dilation or the time course of cognitive effort. Group differences were evident in the association between grammar skills and latency of cognitive effort for stimuli in the objects, 3D, and, more narrowly, 3D objects conditions. Autistic individuals with relatively better grammar skills deployed cognitive effort less efficiently, whereas, NT individuals with relatively better grammar skills deployed cognitive effort more efficiently. These findings suggest that language and visuospatial systems are more dissociated in autistic individuals than in NT peers. This work underscores the importance of examining the time course of how language and cognition interact in ASD.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 10","pages":"2041-2053"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849949","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}