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Behavioural Neurology 2022Autism spectrum disorders and epilepsies are heterogeneous human disorders that have miscellaneous etiologies and pathophysiology. There is considerable risk of frequent... (Review)
Review
Autism spectrum disorders and epilepsies are heterogeneous human disorders that have miscellaneous etiologies and pathophysiology. There is considerable risk of frequent epilepsy in autism that facilitates amplified morbidity and mortality. Several biological pathways appear to be involved in disease progression, including gene transcription regulation, cellular growth, synaptic channel function, and maintenance of synaptic structure. Here, abnormalities in excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance ratio are reviewed along with part of an epileptiform activity that may drive both overconnectivity and genetic disorders where autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy frequently co-occur. The most current ideas concerning common etiological and molecular mechanisms for co-occurrence of both autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy are discussed along with the powerful pharmacological therapies that protect the cognition and behavior of patients. Better understanding is necessary to identify a biological mechanism that might lead to possible treatments for these neurological disorders.
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic Disorder; Cognition; Epilepsy; Humans
PubMed: 35530166
DOI: 10.1155/2022/5893519 -
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Jun 2021Across Europe, there is increased awareness of the frequency and importance of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is now recognised not only as a childhood disorder...
Across Europe, there is increased awareness of the frequency and importance of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is now recognised not only as a childhood disorder but as a heterogeneous, neurodevelopmental condition that persists throughout life. Services for individuals with autism and their families vary widely, but in most European countries, provision is limited. In 2018, European Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) identified the need for a Practice Guidance document that would help to improve knowledge and practice, especially for individuals in underserviced areas. The present document, prepared by the ASD Working Party and endorsed by the ESCAP Board on October 3, 2019, summarises current information on autism and focuses on ways of detecting, diagnosing, and treating this condition.
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Evidence-Based Practice; Female; Guidelines as Topic; Humans; Male
PubMed: 32666205
DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01587-4 -
The Israel Medical Association Journal... Sep 2018
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child; Female; Humans; Israel; Male
PubMed: 30221875
DOI: No ID Found -
International Journal of Environmental... Mar 2022The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not easy as there is no direct test that exists to establish such a diagnosis. Increasing community and healthcare...
AIMS
The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not easy as there is no direct test that exists to establish such a diagnosis. Increasing community and healthcare professional knowledge of the ASD spectrum is crucial because it will encourage parents of ASD children to seek screening and diagnosis from a specialist, allowing for better early detection and treatment. This study explored the knowledge of the general population in Saudi Arabia regarding ASD and assessed variables associated with an accurate understanding of ASD.
METHODS
A total of 769 participants were involved in this cross-sectional study, which was conducted in Saudi Arabia between November 2021 and February 2022 using an online survey tool to explore the knowledge of the general population in Saudi Arabia regarding typical child development and ASD. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors affecting participants' knowledge of autism.
RESULTS
Overall, the study participants showed a weak level of knowledge about autism with a mean score of 5.9 (SD: 3.1), comprising 34.7% of the total maximum obtainable score. Participants with a middle income category of 5000-7500 SR are less likely to be knowledgeable about autism compared to others (OR: 0.60 (95% CI: 0.39-0.92)) (-value = 0.020).
CONCLUSION
The participants in our study showed limited knowledge about autism. Government funds should be made available to facilitate educational services for ASD children. More funding and resources should be allocated by the government to provide assistance for children with special needs, and changes in public facilities are required to meet the demands of ASD patients. Through an informed educational effort, various media platforms should assist in improving the community's understanding of ASD and their attitude toward ASD patients. Educational campaigns should focus on enhancing the public's knowledge about ASD treatment and etiology.
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic Disorder; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Saudi Arabia
PubMed: 35329335
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063648 -
Developmental Medicine and Child... Mar 2018The objective of this review is to provide a narrative summary of risk and resiliency in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over the lifespan. In recent years, much has been... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
The objective of this review is to provide a narrative summary of risk and resiliency in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over the lifespan. In recent years, much has been learned about risk factors for ASD which include both genetic and environmental mechanisms. Resiliency in ASD is much less studied but examples can be gleaned by exploring studies that allow for heterogeneity in causation and outcome. Possible examples come from the literature on sex difference, infant siblings, and natural history. Exciting translational opportunities can be achieved through a greater focus on understanding protective factors and resiliency in ASD than the field's almost exclusive focus on risk factors and the ability to predict poor outcomes. Although the exact nature of processes that protect in ASD are not yet known, putting a resiliency lens on research and clinical practice may prove illuminating.
WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS
Resiliency in autism spectrum disorder is a function of the vast variation seen in etiology and outcome. A focus on strengthening protective factors may improve long-term outcome.
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Humans; Resilience, Psychological; Risk Factors; Sex Characteristics; Siblings
PubMed: 28976014
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.13588 -
Pharmacology & Therapeutics Feb 2022Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex underlying genetic architecture. There are currently no known... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex underlying genetic architecture. There are currently no known pharmacologic treatments for the core ASD symptoms of social deficits and restricted/ repetitive behavior. However, there are dozens of clinical trials currently underway that are testing the impact of novel and existing agents on core and associated symptoms in ASD.
METHODS
We present a narrative synthesis of the historical and contemporary challenges to drug discovery in ASD. We then provide an overview of novel treatments currently under investigation from a genomics and systems biology perspective.
RESULTS
Data driven network and cluster analyses suggest alterations in transcriptional regulation, chromatin remodelling, synaptic transmission, neuropeptide signalling, and/or immunological mechanisms may contribute to or underlie the development of ASD. Agents and upcoming trials targeting each of the above listed systems are reviewed.
CONCLUSION
Identifying effective pharmacologic treatments for the core and associated symptom domains in ASD will require further collaboration and innovation in the areas of outcome measurement, biomarker research, and genomics, as well as systematic efforts to identify and treat subgroups of individuals with ASD who may be differentially responsive to specific treatments.
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Biomarkers; Drug Discovery; Genomics; Humans; Systems Biology
PubMed: 34174273
DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107939 -
American Family Physician Dec 2016
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child, Preschool; Early Intervention, Educational; Humans; Infant; Risk Factors
PubMed: 28075098
DOI: No ID Found -
Discovery Medicine Aug 2016Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by marked heterogeneity in biology, expression, and response to treatment. The past... (Review)
Review
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by marked heterogeneity in biology, expression, and response to treatment. The past decade has yielded considerable progress in understanding the underlying biological mechanisms, in characterizing the earliest behavioral phenotype(s), and in developing and evaluating effective treatments for ASD. This review highlights recent research advances in genetics and neuroimaging, as well as in novel behavioral and psychopharmacological treatment approaches, arguing for the value of trans-disciplinary initiatives to move the field forward exponentially. Despite considerable complexity, patterns are beginning to emerge that can inform the identification of novel treatment targets and approaches. The next generation of major innovations in ASD research will involve collaborations across genetics/genomics, neuroimaging, and intervention science. Such efforts, currently under way, hold tremendous promise for exponentially increasing our capacity to understand the mechanisms that contribute to the emergence of ASD and to develop and evaluate personalized interventions that yield maximal impact in a meaningful way.
Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Humans; Neuroimaging
PubMed: 27585230
DOI: No ID Found -
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in... Apr 2016Epilepsy and autistic spectrum disorder frequently coexist in the same individual. Electroencephalogram (EEG) epileptiform activity is also present at a substantially... (Review)
Review
Epilepsy and autistic spectrum disorder frequently coexist in the same individual. Electroencephalogram (EEG) epileptiform activity is also present at a substantially higher rate in children with autism than normally developing children. As with epilepsy, there are a multitude of genetic and environmental factors that can result in autistic spectrum disorder. There is growing consensus from both animal and clinical studies that autism is a disorder of aberrant connectivity. As measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and EEG, the brain in autistic spectrum disorder may be under- or overconnected or have a mixture of over- and underconnectivity. In the case of comorbid epilepsy and autism, an imbalance of the excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) ratio in selected regions of the brain may drive overconnectivity. Understanding the mechanism by which altered connectivity in individuals with comorbid epilepsy and autistic spectrum disorder results in the behaviors specific to the autistic spectrum disorder remains a challenge.
Topics: Age Factors; Animals; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Brain; Child; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Prevalence
PubMed: 26989064
DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a022749 -
Journal of Stomatology, Oral and... Nov 2022Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be more predisposed to oral pathology, including dentoalveolar trauma. Our aim was to assess the risk of dentoalveolar... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be more predisposed to oral pathology, including dentoalveolar trauma. Our aim was to assess the risk of dentoalveolar trauma in patients with ASD.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Meta-analysis methodology was used to compare the prevalence of dentoalveolar trauma in individuals with ASD compared to individuals without ASD. A literature search was carried out, with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, to identify controlled studies evaluating dentoalveolar trauma in individuals with ASD. Data were combined using the random-effects meta-analysis model.
RESULTS
Out of an initial 154 studies, 14 were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis, resulting in a total of 1488 individuals with ASD. Meta-analysis results showed significant difference in the overall risk of dentoalveolar trauma between individuals with ASD versus a control group (RR = 1.45). Looking at specific types of dentoalveolar trauma, individuals with ASD were found to be more at risk for partial or total (avulsion) luxation injuries (RR = 3.02) than healthy individuals.
CONCLUSIONS
Individuals with ASD are more at risk for dentoalveolar trauma than those without ASD, especially for more severe dentoalveolar trauma such as luxation and avulsion injuries.
Topics: Humans; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Prevalence
PubMed: 35777731
DOI: 10.1016/j.jormas.2022.06.026