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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 -
Medecine Sciences : M/S Feb 2021Autistic subjects frequently display sensory anomalies. Those regarding nociception and its potential outcome, pain, are of crucial interest. Indeed, because of numerous... (Review)
Review
Autistic subjects frequently display sensory anomalies. Those regarding nociception and its potential outcome, pain, are of crucial interest. Indeed, because of numerous comorbidities, autistic subjects are more often exposed to painful situation. Despite being often considered as less sensitive, experimental studies evaluating this point are failing to reach consensus. Using animal model can help reduce variability and bring, regarding autism, an overview of potential alterations of the nociceptive system at the cellular and molecular level.
Topics: Animals; Autistic Disorder; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Nociception; Pain; Pain Measurement; Pain Threshold
PubMed: 33591257
DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2020280 -
Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience Dec 2017In 2003, we proposed the hypersystemizing theory of autism. The theory proposes that the human mind possesses a systemizing mechanism (SM) that helps identify lawful... (Review)
Review
In 2003, we proposed the hypersystemizing theory of autism. The theory proposes that the human mind possesses a systemizing mechanism (SM) that helps identify lawful regularities (often causal) that govern the input-operation-output workings of a system. The SM can be tuned to different levels, from low to high, with a normal distribution of individual differences in how strongly people search for such input-operation-out-put regularities in any data that is systemizable. Evidence suggests that people with autism are on average hypersystemizers, scoring higher than average on the systemizing quotient and on performance tests of systemizing. In this article, we consider the neural basis behind the SM, since there has been little consideration of the brain basis of systemizing. Finally, we discuss directions for future work in this field.
Topics: Autistic Disorder; Brain; Brain Mapping; Cognition Disorders; Humans
PubMed: 29398930
DOI: 10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.4/sbaroncohen -
Autism : the International Journal of... Aug 2022Children with autism typically experience difficulties interacting socially with others when compared to their non-autistic peers. Establishing how effective...
Children with autism typically experience difficulties interacting socially with others when compared to their non-autistic peers. Establishing how effective interventions are for improving social functioning is important to help inform what should be offered to children with autism. This study reviewed how effective interventions that involved interaction with a live animal, known as animal-assisted interventions, are in improving social functioning in children with autism. A systematic search of the evidence on this topic found nine studies, which were explored for the effectiveness of animal-assisted interventions and the quality of methods used. Overall, these studies showed improvements in social functioning following equine-assisted or therapeutic horse-riding interventions, with initial evidence showing improvements are sustained in the short and medium term. However, several issues were identified, which limit the strength of any conclusions that can be drawn from this evidence. For example, in many studies people assessing the children were aware that they received the intervention or were in a control group. There was also not enough evidence available to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of other animal-assisted interventions. Future research should address the limitations that were common in the designs of these studies and investigate the potential benefit of other animal populations, such as dogs and cats.
Topics: Animal Assisted Therapy; Animals; Autistic Disorder; Child; Horses; Humans; Social Interaction
PubMed: 35403450
DOI: 10.1177/13623613221085338 -
Developmental Medicine and Child... Jan 2024Motor features of autism have long been acknowledged by clinicians, researchers, and community stakeholders. Current DSM-5 and ICD-11 guidelines allow clinicians to... (Review)
Review
Motor features of autism have long been acknowledged by clinicians, researchers, and community stakeholders. Current DSM-5 and ICD-11 guidelines allow clinicians to assign a co-occurring diagnosis of developmental [motor] coordination disorder (DCD) for autistic individuals with significant motor problems. DCD is characterized by poor motor proficiency with an onset of symptoms in early development. Studies have shown considerable overlap in the behavioral motor features observed in autism and DCD. However, others indicate that motor problems in autism and DCD may stem from different underlying sensorimotor mechanisms. Regardless of whether autism has a unique motor phenotype or an overlap with DCD, changes need to be made in the clinical pipeline to address motor problems in autism at the stages of recognition, assessment, diagnosis, and intervention. Consensus is needed to address unmet needs in research on the etiology of motor problems in autism and their overlap with DCD, to optimize clinical practice guidelines. The development of screening and assessment tools for motor problems that are valid and reliable for use with autistic individuals is essential, and an evidence-based clinical pipeline for motor problems in autism is urgently needed. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Motor problems in autism are highly prevalent, yet underdiagnosed and poorly managed. An evidence-based clinical pipeline for motor problems in autism is urgently needed.
Topics: Humans; Autistic Disorder; Motor Skills Disorders; Autism Spectrum Disorder
PubMed: 37332143
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15674 -
Neuropsychopharmacology : Official... Jan 2013
Review
Topics: Animals; Autistic Disorder; Autoimmune Diseases; Brain; Humans; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 23147483
DOI: 10.1038/npp.2012.174 -
Brain & Development Feb 2009The autisms and epilepsies are heterogeneous disorders that have diverse etiologies and pathologies. The severity of impairment and of symptoms associated with autism or... (Review)
Review
The autisms and epilepsies are heterogeneous disorders that have diverse etiologies and pathologies. The severity of impairment and of symptoms associated with autism or with particular epilepsy syndromes reflects focal or global, structurally abnormal or dysfunctional neuronal networks. The complex relationship between autism and epilepsy, as reflected in the autism-epilepsy phenotype, provides a bridge to further knowledge of shared neuronal networks that can account for both the autisms and the epilepsies. Although epilepsy is not a causal factor for autism, increased understanding of common genetic and molecular biological mechanisms of the autism-epilepsy phenotype has provided insight into the pathophysiology of the autisms. The autism-epilepsy phenotype provides a novel model to the study of interventions that may have a positive modulating effects on social cognitive outcome.
Topics: Age of Onset; Autistic Disorder; Cognition; Epilepsy; Humans; Nerve Net; Phenotype; Regression, Psychology; Risk Factors
PubMed: 19006654
DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2008.09.009 -
Annual Review of Medicine 2009Autism is a common childhood neurodevelopmental disorder with strong genetic liability. It is not a unitary entity but a clinical syndrome, with variable deficits in... (Review)
Review
Autism is a common childhood neurodevelopmental disorder with strong genetic liability. It is not a unitary entity but a clinical syndrome, with variable deficits in social behavior and language, restrictive interests, and repetitive behaviors. Recent advances in the genetics of autism emphasize its etiological heterogeneity, with each genetic susceptibility locus accounting for only a small fraction of cases or having a small effect. Therefore, it is not surprising that no unifying structural or neuropathological features have been conclusively identified. Given the heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), approaches based on studying heritable components of the disorder, or endophenotypes, such as language or social cognition, provide promising avenues for genetic and neurobiological investigations. Early intensive behavioral and cognitive interventions are efficacious in many cases, but autism does not remit in the majority of children. Therefore, development of targeted therapies based on pathophysiologically and etiologically defined subtypes of ASD remains an important and achievable goal of current research.
Topics: Autistic Disorder; Brain; Humans
PubMed: 19630577
DOI: 10.1146/annurev.med.60.053107.121225 -
Pediatric Annals Jan 2024
Topics: Child; Humans; Autistic Disorder
PubMed: 38194656
DOI: 10.3928/19382359-20231204-01 -
Revista de Neurologia Feb 2003Hyperlexia is described in children who present alterations or retardation in development and is frequently characterised by their teaching themselves to read at an... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Hyperlexia is described in children who present alterations or retardation in development and is frequently characterised by their teaching themselves to read at an early age. This ability to decode words does not correlate with their intellectual level and can course with different degrees of mental retardation. It is always accompanied by difficulty in establishing social relationships. Autism is a disorder that is prototypical of the autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), which are essentially characterised by qualitative alterations in social interaction, in communication and language development, and in the presence of a limited repertory of interests, accompanied by stereotyped or peculiar responses.
METHOD
The presence of hyperlexia in autistic children is more frequent than in other development disorders. This phenomenon is linked with the increased skills involving visual memory, visual discrimination and motivation/interest towards visually represented material that is to be found in people with autism. However, not all autistic individuals present hyperlexia and not all children with hyperlexia present autism, although evidence shows that hyperlexia is a phenomenon that is observed with greater frequency in autism and in ASD.
CONCLUSION
Hyperlexia, understood as meaning a little island of ability in children with autism and ASD, poses a number of questions and represents an important challenge in neuropsychological research in this population.
Topics: Age Factors; Autistic Disorder; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Reading
PubMed: 12599104
DOI: No ID Found