-
Journal of Molecular Microbiology and... 2015Microbial products, released into the bloodstreams of mammals including humans, cross the blood-brain barrier and influence neurodevelopment. They can either promote or... (Review)
Review
Microbial products, released into the bloodstreams of mammals including humans, cross the blood-brain barrier and influence neurodevelopment. They can either promote or alleviate neurological disorders including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This editorial describes how our microbiota influence our feelings, attitudes and mental states with particular reference to ASD.
Topics: Autistic Disorder; Central Nervous System; Gastrointestinal Tract; Humans; Microbiota
PubMed: 25792275
DOI: 10.1159/000375303 -
British Journal of Nursing (Mark Allen... Feb 2023Autism spectrum disorder is an increasing diagnosis on a global scale. Despite limitations related to the diagnosis, many people with autism are active in the workforce,...
Autism spectrum disorder is an increasing diagnosis on a global scale. Despite limitations related to the diagnosis, many people with autism are active in the workforce, often within the health care sector. It is reasonable to assume that some of those are nurses. There are very few examples of nurses with autism in the literature, mostly in non-scientific contexts, and that these mention both autism-related strengths and limitations at work. A conclusion is that research about nurses with autism is almost non-existent, and it is high time to conduct explorative research in this area. If employers are given the knowledge and the ability to support the needs of nurses with autism, it is likely to benefit the health of the individual nurse, the psychosocial working climate and patient safety.
Topics: Humans; Autistic Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Diagnosis, Differential
PubMed: 36828568
DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2023.32.4.210 -
Advances in Neurobiology 2020Characterized by a wide range of behavioural, social and language problems, autism is a complex developmental disability that affects an individual's capacity to... (Review)
Review
Characterized by a wide range of behavioural, social and language problems, autism is a complex developmental disability that affects an individual's capacity to communicate and interact with others. Although the real causes that lead to the development of autism are still unclear, the gastrointestinal tract has been found to play a major role in the development of autism. Alterations in macrobiotic compositions have been reported in autistic children. Irregularities in carbohydrate digestion and absorption could also explain some of the gastrointestinal problems reported in autistic patients, although their role in the neurological and behavioural problems remains uncertain. A relationship between improved gut health and decrease of symptoms in autism has been reported as well. Studies done to evaluate the gluten-free diets, casein-free diets, pre- and probiotic and multivitamin supplementation have shown promising results. Probiotics have been thought to alleviate the progression of autism and reduce cognitive and behavioural deficits.
Topics: Autistic Disorder; Brain; Dietary Carbohydrates; Gastrointestinal Tract; Humans; Probiotics
PubMed: 32006375
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-30402-7_21 -
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B Jun 2015Many individuals with autism have epileptiform discharges on their EEG without having definite clinical seizures. The clinical significance of epileptiform activity in... (Review)
Review
Many individuals with autism have epileptiform discharges on their EEG without having definite clinical seizures. The clinical significance of epileptiform activity in patients with autism is controversial. Some consider it an epiphenomenon of the underlying condition that should be ignored, and others believe that frequent spikes may contribute to the cognitive impairment and advocate treatment. Several studies have reported variable rates of epileptiform activity and variable response to treatment. There is an urgent need to conduct controlled clinical trials to assess the true incidence of epileptiform activity in children with autism, develop a risk assessment model, and study the effectiveness of treatment. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Autism and Epilepsy".
Topics: Autistic Disorder; Child; Cognition Disorders; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy; Humans
PubMed: 25847431
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.02.025 -
Lancet (London, England) May 2016
Topics: Autistic Disorder; History, 18th Century; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans
PubMed: 27308673
DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(16)30530-x -
Revista de Neurologia Feb 2017Kanner, in 1943, and Asperger, in 1944, published papers that have been considered the first descriptions of autism. Kanner is acknowledged as having been the first to...
Kanner, in 1943, and Asperger, in 1944, published papers that have been considered the first descriptions of autism. Kanner is acknowledged as having been the first to recognise this condition, while Asperger is attributed with the identification of a milder form of autism which has been denominated Asperger's syndrome. Kanner's paper played an important role in the development of the conceptualisation of autism due to its being published in the United States, where it became popular in the field of child psychiatry. In contrast, Asperger's work, written in German during the period dominated by Nazism, was practically ignored until almost four decades later. A review of the historical data, mostly collected by Silberman, reveals that Kanner had first-hand knowledge of the work on autism that Asperger had begun ten years earlier. Moreover, on re-reading and analysing the pioneering publications it becomes clear that the contributions made by Asperger are still fully valid today, to the point of having intuited a complex polygenic aetiology and that it would fit in perfectly with autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5.
Topics: Asperger Syndrome; Autistic Disorder; Child; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; History, 20th Century; Humans
PubMed: 28256681
DOI: No ID Found -
Handbook of Clinical Neurology 2018The cerebellum has long been known for its importance in motor learning and coordination. However, increasing evidence supports a role for the cerebellum in cognition... (Review)
Review
The cerebellum has long been known for its importance in motor learning and coordination. However, increasing evidence supports a role for the cerebellum in cognition and emotion. Consistent with a role in cognitive functions, the cerebellum has emerged as one of the key brain regions affected in nonmotor disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Here, we discuss behavioral, postmortem, genetic, and neuroimaging studies in humans in order to understand the cerebellar contributions to the pathogenesis of both disorders. We also review relevant animal model findings.
Topics: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Autistic Disorder; Cerebellar Diseases; Cerebellum; Humans
PubMed: 29891077
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-64189-2.00004-4 -
Medicina 2020We start from the evidence that confirms a greater vulnerability to anxiety in people with autism and to wonder to what extent the intolerance to the uncertainty... (Review)
Review
We start from the evidence that confirms a greater vulnerability to anxiety in people with autism and to wonder to what extent the intolerance to the uncertainty mediates in that anxiety. In addition, the alterations of the predictive abilities in autism could explain the coherence between greater intolerance to uncertainty and some peculiarities inherent in autism such as patterns of restrictive and stereotyped behaviors, interests and activities, and particularities in the processing of sensory information. This information will allow us to develop interventions specifically focused on this construct for the prevention and improvement of anxiety symptoms in autism in cases that the severity of intolerance to uncertainty constitutes a significant risk factor.
Topics: Anxiety Disorders; Autistic Disorder; Humans; Risk Factors; Sensation Disorders; Stereotyped Behavior; Uncertainty
PubMed: 32150707
DOI: No ID Found -
AMA Journal of Ethics Apr 2015
Topics: Autistic Disorder; Biodiversity; Humans; Medicalization; Social Behavior
PubMed: 26084068
DOI: No ID Found -
Pediatrics Nov 2023Children with autism face significant barriers to accessing evaluations and intervention services often because of confusing referral processes, lack of centralized... (Review)
Review
Children with autism face significant barriers to accessing evaluations and intervention services often because of confusing referral processes, lack of centralized coordination across organizations serving children with autism, insurance coverage gaps, multiyear waitlists for diagnostic services, and limited provider knowledge about autism. Racism and systemic inequities exist and persist in autism care across the United States. This article reviews targeted initiatives implemented by a multidisciplinary team to advocate for, and address barriers faced, by autistic children and their families in Washington, DC. We describe initiatives across multiple levels of the health care system including: 1. infrastructure-building initiatives (eg, coalition-building, policy, and advocacy); 2. enabling services (eg, population- and community-level supports that increase provider capacity to serve children's and families' needs); and 3. direct services (eg, innovative, gap-filling programs that directly serve children and families). We review outcomes and describe lessons learned.
Topics: Child; Humans; United States; Autistic Disorder; Delivery of Health Care; Autism Spectrum Disorder
PubMed: 37795558
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-060584