Autism Research最新文献

{"title":"Disentangling the perceptual underpinnings of autism: Evidence from a face aftereffects experiment","authors":"Julius Hennig,&nbsp;Arne Doose,&nbsp;Clara Marie Breier,&nbsp;Alexander Soutschek,&nbsp;Nicole Beyer,&nbsp;Stefan Schweinberger,&nbsp;Ingeborg Kamp-Becker,&nbsp;Luise Poustka,&nbsp;Katja Albertowski,&nbsp;Veit Roessner,&nbsp;Stefan Ehrlich","doi":"10.1002/aur.3283","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3283","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Existing literature has documented diminished norm-based adaptation (aftereffects) across several perceptual domains in autism. However, the exact underlying mechanisms, such as sensory dominance possibly caused by imprecise priors and/or increased sensory precision, remain elusive. The “Bayesian brain” framework offers refined methods to investigate these mechanisms. This study utilized both model-free (frequentist statistics) and model-based (hierarchical Drift Diffusion Modeling) analytical approaches to compare gender face aftereffects in male adolescents with autism (<i>n</i> = 29) to neurotypical controls (<i>n</i> = 39) using a behavioral choice experiment. Contrary to our initial hypotheses, our analyses did not find support for imprecise priors or increased sensory precision within the autistic group. Instead, we observed generally decreased drift rates towards male but not female stimuli in the autistic group. Thus, our findings suggest a lack of own-gender bias in face processing among the autistic participants. These findings align with more recent behavioral and neurophysiological research observing intact priors in individuals with autism, suggesting that other mechanisms may better explain the perceptual challenges in autism. Our study contributes to the ongoing discourse on perceptual processing in autism, emphasizing the necessity for more nuanced analytical approaches in order to unravel the complexity of this condition.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 2","pages":"349-361"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3283","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142830984","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}

{"title":"Action execution and observation in autistic adults: A systematic review of fMRI studies","authors":"Sara Stillesjö,&nbsp;Hanna Hjärtström,&nbsp;Anna-Maria Johansson,&nbsp;Thomas Rudolfsson,&nbsp;Daniel Säfström,&nbsp;Erik Domellöf","doi":"10.1002/aur.3291","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3291","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Motor impairments are common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) although less is known about the neural mechanisms related to such difficulties. This review provides an outline of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) findings associated with execution and observation of naturalistic actions in autistic adults. Summarized outcomes revealed that adults with ASD recruit similar brain regions as neurotypical adults during action execution and during action observation, although with a difference in direction and/or magnitude. For action execution, this included higher and lower activity bilaterally in the precentral cortex, the parietal cortex, the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), the middle temporal gyrus (MTG), the occipital cortex, and the cerebellum. For action observation, differences mainly concerned both higher and lower activity in bilateral IFG and right precentral gyrus, and lower activity in MTG. Activity overlaps between action execution and observation highlight atypical recruitment of IFG, MTG, precentral, and parieto-occipital regions in ASD. The results show atypical recruitment of brain regions subserving motor planning and/or predictive control in ASD. Atypical brain activations during action observation, and the pattern of activity overlaps, indicate an association with difficulties in understanding others' actions and intentions.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 2","pages":"238-260"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3291","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142824960","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}

{"title":"Associations of maternal peripregnancy cannabis use with behavioral and developmental outcomes in children with and without symptoms of autism spectrum disorder: Study to Explore Early Development","authors":"Carolyn DiGuiseppi,&nbsp;Tessa Crume,&nbsp;Brady Holst,&nbsp;Kaylynn Aiona,&nbsp;Julia Van Dyke,&nbsp;Lisa A. Croen,&nbsp;Julie L. Daniels,&nbsp;Sandra Friedman,&nbsp;Katherine R. Sabourin,&nbsp;Laura A. Schieve,&nbsp;Lisa Wiggins,&nbsp;Gayle C. Windham,&nbsp;Cordelia Robinson Rosenberg","doi":"10.1002/aur.3284","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3284","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Some studies report increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and associated symptoms with prenatal cannabis exposure. We examined whether associations of maternal cannabis use from 3 months preconception through delivery (“peripregnancy”) with behavior and development in the offspring varied with the presence of ASD symptoms. Children ages 30–68 months with ASD symptoms (i.e., met study criteria for ASD or had ASD symptoms on standardized assessments or community ASD diagnosis, <i>N</i> = 2734) and without ASD symptoms (other developmental delay/disorders or general population sample, <i>N</i> = 3454) were evaluated with the Child Behavior Checklist and Mullen Scales of Early Learning. We examined cannabis use during three time periods: peripregnancy, pregnancy, and only preconception. Peripregnancy cannabis exposure was reported for 6.0% of children with and 4.6% of children without ASD symptoms. Preconception-only cannabis use (versus no use) was associated with more aggressive behavior, emotional reactivity, and sleep problems in children with ASD symptoms, but not in children without ASD symptoms. Cannabis use during pregnancy was associated with increased attention and sleep problems in children with ASD symptoms; these associations did not differ significantly by ASD symptoms. Peripregnancy cannabis use was not associated with child developmental abilities regardless of ASD symptoms. In summary, associations of peripregnancy cannabis use with some behavioral outcomes differed in children with and without ASD symptoms. With rising cannabis use among pregnant women, future studies that examine a range of developmental risks associated with timing and patterns of cannabis use prior to conception as well as during pregnancy could inform clinical guidance.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 1","pages":"202-216"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142808679","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":"Remote monitoring of social attention in neurogenetic syndromes and idiopathic neurodevelopmental disability","authors":"Thomas W. Frazier,&nbsp;Robyn M. Busch,&nbsp;Patricia Klaas,&nbsp;Katherine Lachlan,&nbsp;Shafali Jeste,&nbsp;Alexander Kolevzon,&nbsp;Eva Loth,&nbsp;Jacqueline Harris,&nbsp;Tom Pepper,&nbsp;Kristin Anthony,&nbsp;J. Michael Graglia,&nbsp;Kathryn Helde,&nbsp;Christal Delagrammatikas,&nbsp;Sandra Bedrosian-Sermone,&nbsp;Constance Smith-Hicks,&nbsp;Mustafa Sahin,&nbsp;Eric A. Youngstrom,&nbsp;Charis Eng,&nbsp;Lacey Chetcuti,&nbsp;Antonio Y. Hardan,&nbsp;Mirko Uljarevic","doi":"10.1002/aur.3290","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3290","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Social attention is a key aspect of neurodevelopment and is significantly altered in neurodevelopmental genetic syndromes and many individuals with idiopathic autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The primary aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of webcam-collected social attention measurements, including four new specific aspects of social attention, in three genetic syndromes (PTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome—PHTS; Malan Syndrome—NFIX; and SYNGAP1-related disorder—SYNGAP1), a mixed group of other neurodevelopmental genetic syndromes (Other NDGS), and individuals with a range of idiopathic neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD). The secondary aim was to evaluate the construct validity of these social attention measurements, including evaluating known-groups validity across study groups and concurrent validity for separating ASD and non-ASD cases. Participants (<i>N</i> = 467, age 3–45; PHTS <i>n</i> = 102, NFIX <i>n</i> = 23, SYNGAP1 <i>n</i> = 42, other NDGS <i>n</i> = 63, idiopathic NDD <i>n</i> = 53, neurotypical siblings <i>n</i> = 71, and unrelated neurotypical controls <i>n</i> = 113) completed a 4-min online-administered social attention paradigm that includes a variety of distinct stimuli at three timepoints (baseline, 1-month, and 4-month follow-up). Social attention measures had good scale and test–retest reliability, with the exception of measures of non-social preference and face-specific processing. Unique patterns of social attention emerged across study groups, with near neurotypical levels in PHTS and weaker social attention in NFIX and SYNGAP1 relative to controls. Global social attention had good accuracy in detecting ASD within NDGS participants. Remote monitoring social attention, including distinct aspects of social attention, may be useful for characterizing phenotypic profiles and tracking the natural history of distinct NDGS and idiopathic NDD as well as identifying ASD within NDGS. Given their reproducibility and stability, global social attention and several distinct social attention measures may be useful outcomes for future clinical trials.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 2","pages":"334-348"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3290","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142792738","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}

{"title":"Subregion-specific thalamocortical functional connectivity, executive function, and social behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders","authors":"Jasmine Si Min Chuah,&nbsp;Aisleen M. A. Manahan,&nbsp;Shi Yu Chan,&nbsp;Zhen Ming Ngoh,&nbsp;Pei Huang,&nbsp;Ai Peng Tan","doi":"10.1002/aur.3280","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3280","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The thalamus has extensive cortical connections and is an integrative hub for cognitive functions governing social behavior. This study examined (1) associations between thalamocortical resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) and social behavior in children and (2) how various executive function (EF) subdomains mediate the association between thalamocortical RSFC and social behavior. Children from the autism brain imaging data exchange (ABIDE) initiative with neuroimaging, behavioral, and demographic data were included in our study (age &lt; 14, ASD; <i>n</i> = 207, typically developing; <i>n</i> = 259). Thalamocortical RSFC was examined for associations with social communication and interaction (SCI) scores (SRS; social responsiveness scale) using Spearman's rank-order correlation, first in ASD children and then in typically developing children. This was followed by a more granular analysis at the thalamic subregion level. We then examined the mediating roles of eight EF subdomains in ASD children (<i>n</i> = 139). Right thalamus-default mode network (DMN) RSFC was significantly associated with SCI scores in ASD children (<i>ρ</i> = 0.23, <i>p</i>_FDR = 0.012), primarily driven by the medial (<i>ρ</i> = 0.22, <i>p</i>_FDR = 0.013), ventral (<i>ρ</i> = 0.17, <i>p</i>_FDR = 0.036), and intralaminar (<i>ρ</i> = 0.17, <i>p</i>_FDR = 0.036) thalamic subregions. Cognitive flexibility (ACME = 0.13, <i>p</i>_unc = 0.016) and emotional control (ACME = 0.08, <i>p</i>_unc = 0.020) significantly mediated the association between right thalamus-DMN RSFC and SCI scores. This study provided novel insights into the association between thalamocortical RSFC and social behavior in ASD children at the thalamic subregion level, providing higher levels of precision in brain-behavior mapping. Cognitive flexibility and emotion regulation were highlighted as potential targets to ameliorate the downstream effects of altered thalamocortical connectivity to improve social outcomes in ASD children.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 1","pages":"70-82"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142782002","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":"Cognitive flexibility in autism: How task predictability and sex influence performances","authors":"Adeline Lacroix,&nbsp;Emma Torija,&nbsp;Alexander Logemann,&nbsp;Monica Baciu,&nbsp;Renata Cserjesi,&nbsp;Frédéric Dutheil,&nbsp;Marie Gomot,&nbsp;Martial Mermillod","doi":"10.1002/aur.3281","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3281","url":null,"abstract":"<p>While cognitive flexibility challenges are frequently reported in autistic individuals, inconsistencies in the findings prompt further investigation into the factors influencing this flexibility. We suggest that unique aspects of the predictive brain in autistic individuals might contribute to these challenges, potentially varying by sex. Our study aimed to test these hypotheses by examining cognitive flexibility under different predictability conditions in a sample including a similar number of males and females. We conducted an online study with 263 adults (127 with an autism diagnosis), where participants completed a flexibility task under varying levels of predictability (unpredictable, moderately predictable, and predictable). Our results indicate that as task predictability increases, performance improves; however, the response time gap between autistic and non-autistic individuals also widens. Moreover, we observe significant differences between autistic males and females, which differ from non-autistic individuals, highlighting the need to consider sex differences in research related to the cognition of autistic individuals. Overall, our findings contribute to a better understanding of cognitive flexibility and sex differences in autism in light of predictive brain theories and suggest avenues for further research.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 2","pages":"281-294"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3281","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142787906","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}

{"title":"Is it still autism? The increasing broadening of the autism spectrum","authors":"Marco O. Bertelli,&nbsp;Veronica Boniotti,&nbsp;Katrina Scior","doi":"10.1002/aur.3282","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3282","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Clinical significance of a broad autism phenotype (BAP) seems to be increasingly supported by growing reports of high prevalence of subthreshold autism spectrum disorder (sASD) or autistic traits (AT) in various demographic samples, particularly in individuals with psychiatric conditions. We question this increasing extension of the autism spectrum and its potential negative consequences for clinical services, research, cultural attitudes, and resource allocation, as well as alternative explanations of what is currently attributed to sASD and AT.</p><p>In modern psychiatry the diagnostic threshold is paramount and associated with a significant impairment of functioning, implying that symptom specificity is more relevant than sensitivity. Within a syndrome, symptoms have to be present together, with the parts related to and interconnected with the whole. Single autism symptomatic dimensions have low syndromic specificity and can be observed in many different mental disorders. For instance, communication problems may present in communication disorders, social-cognitive difficulties can be found in schizophrenia, and rigid and/or repetitive behaviors can be found in obsessive compulsive disorder. One alternative interpretation of AT and/or sASD relates to personality traits. For example, within the Big 5 Model, low openness is associated with a dislike of change and a narrow range of interests, low extraversion with social withdrawal and coldness, and low agreeableness with disinterest in others and disregard for their feelings.</p><p>These risks of overreliance on non-specific aspects of autism are particularly likely to occur with screening checklists, self-assessment, or assessment by a lay interviewer with only limited expertise in clinical assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 1","pages":"37-43"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142787908","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":"Structure and dynamics of anxiety in people with ASD and ID: A network analysis","authors":"Gema P. Sáez-Suanes","doi":"10.1002/aur.3285","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3285","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Anxiety is a very common mental health disorder in the ASD population. Despite the common comorbidity this association is not well understood. To understand the relationship between anxiety symptoms and ASD in a sample of people with ASD and intellectual disability, a network analysis was carried out. One hundred and twenty-eight adults (<i>M</i> = 36.63 age, SD = 8,54) were evaluated to know the structure of anxiety symptoms in autism and their relationship with ASD symptomatology. The results showed a single network where both symptomatologies were mixed. Bridging symptoms such as fear of being touched, fear of something bad happening to them, and the need for invariance and anticipation were identified. Moreover, social issues such as difficulty in making friends were associated with anxiety symptoms. Knowing and identifying ASD symptoms that are strongly linked to the anxiety network has important implications for the prevention of anxiety in this case in people with autism and intellectual disabilities.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 2","pages":"325-333"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.3285","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142787910","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}

{"title":"The potential of exercise to benefit and harm social-cognitive abilities","authors":"Sebastian Ludyga,&nbsp;Markus Gerber","doi":"10.1002/aur.3288","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3288","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 1","pages":"20-21"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142787912","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":"Children's social preference for teachers versus peers in autism inclusion classrooms: An objective perspective","authors":"Madison Drye,&nbsp;Chitra Banarjee,&nbsp;Lynn Perry,&nbsp;Alyssa Viggiano,&nbsp;Dwight Irvin,&nbsp;Daniel Messinger","doi":"10.1002/aur.3276","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aur.3276","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In inclusive preschools, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD) are less socially engaged with peers than are typically developing (TD) children. However, there is limited objective information describing how children with ASD engage with teachers, or how teacher engagement compares to engagement with peers. We tracked over 750 hours' worth of children's (<i>N</i> = 77; <i>N</i>_ASD = 24, <i>N</i>_DD = 23, <i>N</i>_TD = 30; <i>M</i>_age = 43.98 months) and teachers' (<i>N</i> = 12) locations and orientations across eight inclusion preschool classrooms to quantify child-teacher and child-peer social preference. Social approach velocity and time in social contact were computed for each child and compared across social partners to index children's preference for teachers over peers. Children with ASD approached teachers–-but not peers—more quickly than children with TD, and children with ASD were approached more quickly by teachers and more slowly by peers than children with TD. Children with ASD spent less time in social contact with peers and did not differ from children with TD in their time in social contact with teachers. Overall, children with ASD showed a greater preference for approaching, being approached by, and being in social contact with teachers (relative to peers) than children with TD. No significant differences emerged between children with DD and children with TD. In conclusion, children with ASD exhibited a stronger preference for engaging with teachers over peers, re-emphasizing the need for classroom-based interventions that support the peer interactions of children with ASD.</p>","PeriodicalId":131,"journal":{"name":"Autism Research","volume":"18 1","pages":"179-194"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11782723/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142775152","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}