Different autism measures targeting different severity levels in children with autism spectrum disorder.

The Childhood Autism Rating Scale™, Second Edition (CARS™-2) and Social Responsiveness Scale™, Second Edition (SRS™-2) are two measures for identifying autism symptoms. The CARS™-2 has two versions: Standard (CARS-ST) and High-Functioning (CARS-HF). To better understand their properties, this study aimed to investigate: (1) the associations among the CARS-ST, CARS-HF and the SRS™-2, and (2) the severity consistency between the CARS-ST and the CARS-HF. A sample of 125 children with autism spectrum disorder was recruited (mean age: 80.98 months, SD = 16.08). Based on Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), children were divided into two groups: low severity level of autism spectrum disorder (LSL-ASD: VCI ≥ 80) and high severity level of autism spectrum disorder (HSL-ASD: VCI < 80). All children were evaluated with the CARS-ST and the SRS™-2, and the HF group, with the CARS-HF as well. In the LSL group, the CARS-ST and the CARS-HF had high correlation (r = 0.852, p < .001). Both versions had small to moderate correlations with the SRS™-2 (r = 0.130-0.491). In the HSL group, no significant correlations were found between the CARS-ST and SRS™-2 (p > .05). The CARS-HF and the CARS-ST had low severity consistency (Kappa = 0.376, p < .01). The CARS-ST and the CARS-HF had high correlations but low severity consistency. Different correlation patterns were found between the CARS™-2 and the SRS™-2 in the LSL and HSL groups. The results should help clinicians better understand the properties of the measures and choose appropriate measures when assessing autism symptoms.

Gender Incongruence and Autistic Traits: Cerebral and Behavioral Underpinnings.

Gender dysphoria and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) co-occur at high rates. Yet, it is unknown whether gender dysphoria and ASD are associated with common or distinct neurobiological correlates or how they relate to experiences of gender-related body incongruence. Using the Social Responsiveness Scale, we assessed autistic traits in 99 transgender and 99 cisgender individuals and investigated their associations with gender-related body incongruence, measured via a visually based "Body Morph" test, and with cortical thickness in the brain. Autistic traits were significantly higher among transgender individuals, and those with higher autistic traits had higher body incongruence scoring. Among transgender individuals, higher autistic traits were linked with a thinner cortex bilaterally in the temporal pole and the superior and inferior temporal gyri. Autistic traits were only partly associated with cortical morphology patterns previously reported in transgender individuals; instead, they were primarily linked to temporal lobe areas mediating social cognition. While replicating the previous literature on the increased prevalence of autistic traits among transgender individuals, this study reports specific regions in the brains of transgender individuals where cortical thickness is associated with autistic traits.

Autistic traits in youth with familial adenomatous polyposis: A Dutch-Canadian case-control study.

This study investigated the neurodevelopmental impact of pathogenic adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene variants in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a cancer predisposition syndrome. We hypothesized that certain pathogenic APC variants result in behavioral-cognitive challenges. We compared 66 FAP patients (cases) and 34 unaffected siblings (controls) to explore associations between APC variants and behavioral and cognitive challenges. Our findings indicate that FAP patients exhibited higher Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores, suggesting a greater prevalence of autistic traits when compared to unaffected siblings (mean 53.8 vs. 47.4, Wilcoxon p = 0.018). The distribution of SRS scores in cases suggested a bimodal pattern, potentially linked to the location of the APC variant, with scores increasing from the 5' to 3' end of the gene (Pearson's r = 0.33, p = 0.022). While we observed a trend toward lower educational attainment in cases, this difference was not statistically significant. This study is the first to explore the connection between APC variant location and neurodevelopmental traits in FAP, expanding our understanding of the genotype-phenotype correlation. Our results emphasize the importance of clinical assessment for autistic traits in FAP patients, shedding light on the potential role of APC gene variants in these behavioral and cognitive challenges.

Influence of Auditory Integrative Training on Casein Kinase 2 and Its Impact on Behavioral and Social Interaction in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Considerable disturbances in post-translational protein phosphorylation have recently been discovered in multiple neurological disorders. Casein kinase-2 (CK2) is a tetrameric Ser/Thr protein kinase that phosphorylates a large number of substrates and contributes in several cellular physiological and pathological processes. CK2 is highly expressed in the mammalian brain and catalyzes the phosphorylation of a large number of substrates that are crucial in neuronal or glial homeostasis and inflammatory signaling processes across synapses. In this study, we investigated the impact of auditory integration therapy (AIT) for the treatment of sensory processing abnormalities in autism on plasma CK2 levels. A total of 25 ASD children, aged between 5 and 12 years, were enrolled and participated in the present research study. AIT was performed for two weeks, for a period of 30 min, twice a day, with a 3 h interval between sessions. Before and after AIT, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Short Sensory Profile (SSP) scores were calculated, and plasma CK2 levels were assayed using an ELISA test. The CARS and SRS indices of autism severity improved as a result of AIT, which could be related to the decreased level of plasma CK2. However, the mean value of the SSP scores was not significantly increased after AIT. The relationship between CK2 downregulation and glutamate excitotoxicity, neuro-inflammation, and leaky gut, as etiological mechanisms in ASD, was proposed and discussed. Further research, conducted on a larger scale and with a longer study duration, are required to assess whether the cognitive improvement in ASD children after AIT is related to the downregulation of CK2.

Modifying the social responsiveness scale for adaptive administration.

PURPOSE: The social responsiveness scale (SRS) is frequently used to quantify the autism-related phenotype and is gaining use in health outcomes research. However, it has a high respondent burden (65 items) for large-scale studies. Further, most evaluations of it have focused on the school-age form, not the preschool form. More validity evidence of shortened forms is necessary in the general population to support the broader health outcomes context of use. METHODS: We evaluated the psychometrics of the SRS in 7030 individuals from multiple predominantly neurotypical samples in order to shorten it based on non-autistic sample metrics. Analyses included item factor analysis, differential item functioning (DIF), and multiple-group item response theory (IRT) to place the SRS items on a comparable scale, which was then simulated via computer adaptive testing (CAT) administration. RESULTS: The SRS was broadly unidimensional with few methodological residual dependencies. On average, males had more autistic characteristics than females, and preschoolers had fewer characteristics than school-age children. The final IRT calibration included 45 items equated across forms, and each form had 11 with significant wording discrepancies and 9 items with near-identical wording that exhibited form-related DIF. The CAT simulation suggested a median of 14 items was sufficient to reach a reliable score, demonstrating its feasibility across the range of impairments. CONCLUSION: IRT allows practitioners the ability to get highly reliable scores with fewer items than the full-length SRS. This supports the future application of the SRS in a computer adaptive testing mode in both neurotypical and ASD samples.

Analysis of salivary steroid hormones in boys with autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with high incidence rate and difficult diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to explore whether salivary cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and pregnenolone can be used as biomarkers of ASD children. METHODS: The saliva samples of 55 boys with ASD were collected as the experimental group, and the saliva samples of 24 neurotypical boys were collected as the control group. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Repetitive Behavior Scale (RBS) were used to assess the severity of symptoms in boys with ASD. Cortisol, DHEA and pregnenolone concentrations in saliva were measured using an ABSSCIEX QTRAP® 6500 + LC/MS/MS system. SPSS 23.0 was used for statistical analysis. Comparisons between the two groups which conform to normal distribution were performed by T-test, and those which don't conform to normal distribution were performed by Mann-Whitney U test. Correlation analysis between two variables was performed using Spearman's correlation analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the discriminatory sensitivity of each hormone between ASD and normal control groups. Logistic regression models were used to analyze whether DHEA and salivary pregnenolone can be used as a biomarker of ASD. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, and weight between the ASD group and the normal control group. The ABC, SRS, RBS and CBCL scale scores in the ASD group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group. The salivary DHEA and pregnenolone concentrations in the ASD group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group, but there was no significant difference in cortisol. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that only pregnenolone associated with ABC. Logistic regression model analysis suggested that pregnenolone in saliva was an independent predictor of ASD. ROC analysis found that pregnenolone had good discrimination sensitivity between ASD and normal controls. CONCLUSION: Gave salivary preoperative a space for utilization as biomarker as number of cases are limited to this high expectation.

Different aspects of visual perception are important for 12-year social functioning depending on gestational age.

AIM: Perceptual mechanisms in social functioning might promote interventions. We investigated relations between visual perception and social functioning, in preterm children. METHODS: A prospective preterm cohort born in Uppsala County, Sweden, in 2004-2007 and 49 full-term controls were examined at 12 years. Aspects of visual perception, including static shapes, emotions and time to detect biological motion, were related to social functioning and visual acuity. RESULTS: The preterm group comprised 25 extremely preterm children, EPT, born below 28 gestational weeks and 53 children born between 28 and 31 weeks. Preterm children had difficulties in perception of static shapes (p = 0.004) and biological motion (p < 0.001), but not in emotion perception, compared to controls. In the EPT children, poorer shape perception and lower scores on emotion perception were associated with more social problems (p = 0.008) and lower visual acuity (p = 0.004). Shape perception explained more variance in social functioning than emotion perception. In controls, fewer social problems were linked to faster biological motion perception (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Static shape and biological motion perception was affected in the preterm groups. Biological motion perception was relevant for social functioning in full-term children. In EPT children, only shape perception was linked to social functioning, suggesting differential visual perception mechanisms for social deficits.

Cardiometabolic Pregnancy Complications in Association With Autism-Related Traits as Measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale in ECHO.

Prior work has examined associations between cardiometabolic pregnancy complications and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but not how these complications may relate to social communication traits more broadly. We addressed this question within the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes program, with 6,778 participants from 40 cohorts conducted from 1998-2021 with information on ASD-related traits via the Social Responsiveness Scale. Four metabolic pregnancy complications were examined individually, and combined, in association with Social Responsiveness Scale scores, using crude and adjusted linear regression as well as quantile regression analyses. We also examined associations stratified by ASD diagnosis, and potential mediation by preterm birth and low birth weight, and modification by child sex and enriched risk of ASD. Increases in ASD-related traits were associated with obesity (ß = 4.64, 95% confidence interval: 3.27, 6.01) and gestational diabetes (ß = 5.21, 95% confidence interval: 2.41, 8.02), specifically, but not with hypertension or preeclampsia. Results among children without ASD were similar to main analyses, but weaker among ASD cases. There was not strong evidence for mediation or modification. Results suggest that common cardiometabolic pregnancy complications may influence child ASD-related traits, not only above a diagnostic threshold relevant to ASD but also across the population.

The factor structure of the macaque social responsiveness scale-revised predicts social behavior and personality dimensions.

Most primate species are highly social. Yet, within species, pronounced individual differences in social functioning are evident. In humans, the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) measures variation in social functioning. The SRS provides a quantitative measure of social functioning in natural social settings and can be used as a screening tool for autistic traits. The SRS was previously adapted for use in chimpanzees and recently refined for rhesus macaques, resulting in the macaque Social Responsiveness Scale-Revised (mSRS-R). Here, we performed an exploratory factor analysis on the mSRS-R in a large sample of male rhesus macaques (N = 233). We investigated the relationships of the resulting mSRS-R factors to quantitative social behavior (alone, proximity, contact, groom, and play) and to previously-established personality dimensions (Sociability, Confidence, Irritability, and Equability). Factor analysis yielded three mSRS-R factors: Poor Social Motivation, Poor Social Attractiveness, and Inappropriate Behavior. mSRS-R factors mapped closely to social behavior and personality dimensions in rhesus macaques, providing support for this instrument's convergent and discriminant validity. Animals with higher Poor Social Motivation were more likely to be observed alone and less likely to be observed in contact and grooming with conspecifics. Animals with higher Poor Social Attractiveness were less likely to be observed playing but more likely to be observed grooming with conspecifics. Inappropriate Behavior did not predict any behavioral measure. Finally, animals with higher Poor Social Motivation and higher Poor Social Attractiveness had less sociable personalities, whereas animals with more Inappropriate Behavior were more confident and more irritable. These findings suggest that the mSRS-R is a promising, psychometrically robust tool that can be deployed to better understand the psychological factors contributing to individual differences in macaque social functioning and, with relevant species-specific modification, the SRS may hold promise for investigating variation in social functioning across diverse primate taxa.

Sensory processing profiles and autistic symptoms as predictive factors in autism spectrum disorder and Williams syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Unusual sensory responses were included in the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet they are also common among individuals with other neurodevelopmental disorders, including Williams syndrome (WS). Cross-syndrome comparisons of sensory atypicalities and the evaluation of their syndrome specificity however have rarely been undertaken. We aimed to (1) examine and compare the sensory profiles in ASD and WS groups and (2) investigate whether autistic symptoms, including sensory processing scores, can predict a group membership. METHODS: Parents of 26 children with ASD and intellectual disability, 30 parents of children with ASD (no intellectual disability) and 26 with WS aged between 4 and 16 years were recruited. Parents completed the Sensory Profile to provide information about their children's sensory experiences and the Social Responsiveness Scale - Second Edition (SRS-2) to assess the degree of social impairment in their children. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in sensory processing scores between the three groups. Binary logistic regression analyses were undertaken with sensory quadrants and SRS-2 total score as factors. Models significantly predicted group membership, with Low Registration, Sensory Sensitivity and SRS-2 total score being significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that high rates of sensory atypicalities are a common neurodevelopmental characteristic that do not reliably distinguish between WS and ASD groups. Low Registration and Sensory Sensitivity-related behaviours might, however, be more specific to ASD. Further work is needed to explore what behaviours within sensory profiles can discriminate between neurodevelopmental disorders and should be included in diagnostic classifications.

Vitamin A and vitamin D deficiencies exacerbate symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the vitamin A (VA) and vitamin D (VD) levels in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and to determine whether co-deficiency of VA and VD exacerbates clinical symptoms in autistic children. Methods: The Autism Behavior Checklist, Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) were used to assess the symptoms of 332 children diagnosed as ASD. And the Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS) was used to evaluate neurodevelopment in children with ASD. Anthropometric measurement and questionnaire results were compared for all autistic children and 197 age- and gender-matched control children. Serum retinol levels were detected with high-performance liquid chromatography, and serum levels of 25-OH vitamin D were measured with an immunoassay method in the two groups. Results: The ZHA, ZWA, and ZBMIA of the children with ASD were significantly lower than those of the control children. Furthermore, higher proportions of children with picky eating, resistance to new foods, and eating problems were observed in the ASD group when compared with the control group. Serum retinol and 25-OH vitamin D levels in autistic children were significantly lower than those in the control children. Additionally, VA and VD co-deficiency impacts more on the symptoms and development in autistic children. Conclusions: We found that children with autism have more VA and VD deficiencies than control children, and VA and VD co-deficiency may exacerbate the symptoms of children with ASD.

Psychometric properties of the French Version of the Social Responsiveness Scale in autism spectrum disorder with or without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVES: The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) is an instrument that is commonly used to screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) frequently occurs with ASD and both disorders share some phenotypic similarities. In the present study, we aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the French version of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and its 5 subscales (social awareness, social cognition, social communication, social motivation, and autistic mannerisms) to discriminate between children with ADHD and those with ASD (differential diagnosis) and children with ADHD from those with a dual diagnosis of ADHD and ASD (comorbid diagnosis). METHOD: SRS total scores and the 5 subscores of the SRS were compared between 4 groups of children: ADHD (n=32), ASD+ADHD (n=30), ASD (n=31) and typical neurodevelopment (TD; n=30) children. The discriminant validity was estimated using the Area Under the ROC Curves (AUC). RESULTS: SRS Social cognition (AUC=0.73) and Autistic mannerisms (AUC=0.70) subscores were the most discriminating for differential diagnosis of ASD and ADHD. SRS total scores (AUC=0.70), and Social communication (AUC=0.66) and Autistic mannerisms (AUC=0.75) subscores were the most discriminating for comorbid diagnosis of ASD among ADHD children. CONCLUSION: The SRS autistic mannerisms subscore was found to be clinically relevant for both differential diagnosis of ASD and ADHD and comorbid diagnoses of ASD among ADHD children but with a modest discriminant power.

Impaired lipid metabolism markers to assess the risk of neuroinflammation in autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial disorder caused by an interaction between environmental risk factors and a genetic background. It is characterized by impairment in communication, social interaction, repetitive behavior, and sensory processing. The etiology of ASD is still not fully understood, and the role of neuroinflammation in autism behaviors needs to be further investigated. The aim of the present study was to test the possible association between prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), prostaglandin PGE2 EP2 receptors and nuclear kappa B (NF-κB) and the severity of cognitive disorders, social impairment, and sensory dysfunction. PGE2, COX-2, mPGES-1, PGE2-EP2 receptors and NF-κB as biochemical parameters related to neuroinflammation were determined in the plasma of 47 Saudi male patients with ASD, categorized as mild to moderate and severe as indicated by the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) or the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) or the Short Sensory Profile (SSP) and compared to 46 neurotypical controls. The data indicated that ASD patients have remarkably higher levels of the measured parameters compared to neurotypical controls, except for EP2 receptors that showed an opposite trend. While the measured parameter did not correlate with the severity of social and cognitive dysfunction, PGE2, COX-2, and mPGES-1 were remarkably associated with the dysfunction in sensory processing. NF-κB was significantly increased in relation to age. Based on the discussed data, the positive correlation between PGE2, COX-2, and mPGES-1 confirm the role of PGE2 pathway and neuroinflammation in the etiology of ASD, and the possibility of using PGE2, COX-2 and mPGES-1 as biomarkers of autism severity. NF-κB as inflammatory inducer showed an elevated level in plasma of ASD individuals. Receiver operating characteristic analysis together with predictiveness diagrams proved that the measured parameters could be used as predictive biomarkers of biochemical correlates to ASD.

Impact of Auditory Integrative Training on Transforming Growth Factor-ß1 and Its Effect on Behavioral and Social Emotions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of auditory integrative training (AIT) on the inflammatory biomarker transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 and to assess its effect on social behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 15 patients (14 males and 1 female) with ASD aged 3-12 years were recruited. All were screened for autism using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Plasma levels of TGF-ß1 were measured in all patients using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) immediately and 1 and 3 months after the AIT sessions. Pre- and post-AIT behavioral scores were also calculated for each child using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and the Short Sensory Profile (SSP). Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 21.0 for Windows). RESULTS: Plasma levels of TGF-ß1 significantly increased to 85% immediately after AIT (20.13 ± 12 ng/mL, p < 0.05), to 95% 1 month after AIT (21.2 ± 11 ng/mL, p < 0.01), and to 105% 3 months after AIT (22.25 ± 16 ng/mL, p < 0.01) compared to before AIT (10.85 ± 8 ng/mL). Results also revealed that behavioral rating scales (CARS, SRS, and SSP) improved in terms of disease severity after AIT. CONCLUSION: Increased plasma levels of TGF-ß1 support the therapeutic effect of AIT on TGF-ß1 followed by improvement in social awareness, social cognition, and social communication in children with ASD. Furthermore, TGF-ß1 was associated with severity in all scores tested (CARS, SRS, and SSP); if confirmed in studies with larger sample sizes, TGF-ß1 may be considered as a marker of ASD severity and to assess the efficacy of therapeutic interventions.

Investigating the validation of the Chinese Mandarin version of the Social Responsiveness Scale in a Mainland China child population.

BACKGROUND: Researchers from several different countries have found the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) to have good psychometric properties. However, to our knowledge, no studies on this subject have been reported in Mainland China. In this study, we investigated the psychometric properties of the Chinese Mandarin version of the SRS when used in Mainland China. METHODS: The reliability and validity of the parent-report SRS in a sample of 749 children of 4- to 14-year-olds: 411 typically developing and 338 clinical participants (202 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)) were examined. RESULTS: Internal consistency for total scale (0.871-0.922), test-retest reliability (0.81-0.94), and convergent validity with the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) (0.302-0.647) were satisfactory. The SRS total score discriminated between the ASD and other developmental disorders. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses revealed that the SRS was predicted to accurately classify 69.2-97.2% of youth ASD. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) supported a single-factor solution for the ASD subsample. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) did not confirm the theoretical construct of five factors model with inadequate fit in the ASD subsample. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our findings supported the reliability and validity of the parent-report SRS as one ASD screening instrument. In addition, we also suggest that the use of separate cut-offs for screening purposes (optimizing sensitivity) vs. clinical confirmation (optimizing specificity) should be considered.

Increase of cytosolic phospholipase A2 as hydrolytic enzyme of phospholipids and autism cognitive, social and sensory dysfunction severity.

BACKGROUND: Autism is neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by developmental, behavioral, social and sensory abnormalities. Researchers have focused in last years in immunological alteration and inflammation as a hot subject in autism field. This work aims to study the alteration in phospholipids (PE, PS, and PC) together with the change in cPLA2 concentration as the main phospholipid hydrolytic enzyme in autistic patients compared to control. It was also extended to find a correlation between these biomarkers and severity of autism measured as childhood autism rating scale (CARS), Social responsiveness scale (SRS), and Short sensory profile (SSP). METHODS: Phospholipids (PE, PS, PC) and cPLA2 as biochemical parameters were determined in the plasma of 48 Saudi autistic male patients, categorized as mild-moderate and severe as indicated by their Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), social responsiveness scale (SRS) and short sensory profile (SSP) and compared to 40 age- and gender-matched control samples. RESULTS: The reported data demonstrate significantly lower levels of PE, PS, and PC together with a significant increase in cPLA2. While association between severity of autism and impaired phospholipid concentration was completely lacked, an association between cPLA2 and impaired sensory processing was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The impaired phospholipid level and remarkable increased in cPLA2 concentration asserted their roles in the etiology of autism. Receiver operating characteristic analysis together with predictiveness diagrams proved that the measured parameters could be used as predictive biomarkers of clinical symptoms and provide significant guidance for future therapeutic strategy to re-establish physiological homeostasis.

Correlation of reduced social communicational and interactional skills with regional grey matter volumes in schizophrenia patients.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have detected similarities between autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. We investigated structural abnormalities associated with autistic-like traits in patients with schizophrenia by voxel-based morphometry. METHODS: Patients with schizophrenia and healthy subjects were evaluated by the adult version of the social responsiveness scale (SRS-A), which is sensitive to autistic traits and symptoms even under subthreshold conditions, and magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: There were significant decreases in the anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral hippocampi, cerebellums, and right insula of patients with schizophrenia, compared with healthy subjects. We found significant negative correlations of the social communication and interaction (SCI) score, a subscale of SRS-A, with grey matter volume in the left posterior superior temporal region of schizophrenia patients. When subscales of SCI were examined separately in schizophrenic patients, negative correlations were observed between the social cognition score and the volumes of the left posterior superior temporal region, and between social motivation and the posterior cingulate cortex. CONCLUSION: We found significant negative correlation between the SCI score and the grey matter volume in the left posterior superior temporal region of schizophrenia patients. This area was the region affected in previous studies of autistic spectrum disorders. Further, this area was associated with the theory of mind. Schizophrenia patients not necessarily show the impairment of SCI, nor this correlated region was not always the point with schizophrenia-specific change. However, we reveal the relationship between the left posterior superior temporal gyrus and the severity of the SCI in schizophrenia by using with SRS-A.

The effect of epilepsy on autistic symptom severity assessed by the social responsiveness scale in children with autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in people with epilepsy ranges from 15 to 47 % (Clarke et al. in Epilepsia 46:1970-1977, 2005), it is speculated that there is a special relationship between the two disorders, yet there has been a lack of systematic studies comparing the behavioral phenotype between autistic individuals and autistic individuals with epilepsy. This study aims to investigate how the co-occurrence of epilepsy and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects autistic characteristics assessed by the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), which has been used as a measure of autism symptoms in previous studies. In this research we referred to all individuals with Autism or Autistic Disorder as individuals with ASD. METHODS: We reviewed the complete medical records of 182 participants who presented to a single tertiary care referral center from January 1, 2013 to July 28, 2015, and subsequently received complete child and adolescent psychiatric assessments. Of the 182 participants, 22 were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and epilepsy. Types of epilepsy observed in these individuals included complex partial seizure, generalized tonic-clonic seizure, or infantile spasm. Using 'Propensity Score Matching' we selected 44 children, diagnosed with only Autism Spectrum Disorder, whose age, gender, and intelligence quotient (IQ) were closely matched with the 22 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and epilepsy. Social functioning of participants was assessed by the social responsiveness scale, which consists of five categories: social awareness, social cognition, social communication, social motivation, and autistic mannerisms. Bivariate analyses were conducted to compare the ASD participants with epilepsy group with the ASD-only group on demographic and clinical characteristics. Chi square and t test p values were calculated when appropriate. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age (p = 0.172), gender (p > 0.999), IQ (FSIQ, p = 0.139; VIQ, p = 0.114; PIQ, p = 0.295) between the two groups. ASD participants with epilepsy were significantly more impaired than ASD participants on some measures of social functioning such as social awareness (p = 0.03) and social communication (p = 0.027). ASD participants with epilepsy also scored significantly higher on total SRS t-score than ASD participants (p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the relationship between ASD and epilepsy is critical for appropriate management (e.g. social skills training, seizure control) of ASD participants with co-occurring epilepsy. Results of this study suggest that mechanisms involved in producing epilepsy may play a role in producing or augmenting autistic features such as poor social functioning. Prospective study with larger sample sizes is warranted to further explore this association.

Cysteinyl leukotriene correlated with 8-isoprostane levels as predictive biomarkers for sensory dysfunction in autism.

BACKGROUND: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that clinically presented as cognitive deficits, social impairments and sensory dysfunction. An increasing body of evidence has shown that oxidative stress and inflammation are involved in the pathophysiology of autism. Recording biomarkers as measure of the severity of autistic features might help in understanding the pathophysiology of autism. METHODS: This study investigates the plasma levels of 8-isoprostane and Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) in 44 autistic children and 40 healthy controls. The recruited autistic patients were assessed for behavior, cognitive and sensory deficits by using different autism severity rating scales, including the Childhood Autism Rating Scales (CARS), Social responsiveness scale (SRS) and Short Sensory Profile (SSP). Receiver Operating Characteristics analysis (ROC) of the obtained data was performed to measure the predictive value of 8-isoprostane and Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) as oxidative stress- related parameters. Pearson's correlations between the measured parameters was also performed. RESULTS: The concentrations of 8-isoprostane and CysLTs in autistic patients were significantly higher than those in controls. While cognitive and social impairments did not show any significant differences, the SSP results were strongly correlated with the levels of both of the biomarkers assessed. However, autistic children showed improvements in oxidative stress status (as determined by 8-isoprostane levels) at increasing ages. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that 8-isoprostane and CysLTs can be used as markers for the early recognition of autistic patients through sensory deficits phenotypes which might help early intervention.

Broader autism phenotype in mothers predicts social responsiveness in young children with autism spectrum disorders.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify phenotypes in mothers and fathers that are specifically associated with disturbances in reciprocal social interactions and communication in their young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a Japanese sample. METHODS: Autistic traits in parents were evaluated using the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ) in 88 parents (44 mothers and corresponding fathers) of children with ASD and in 60 parents (30 mothers and corresponding fathers) of typically developing (TD) children. For the measurement of autistic traits in children, we employed the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). RESULTS: In two of the five AQ subscales (social skills and communication), the parents of ASD children scored significantly higher than did the parents of TD children, regardless of whether the parent was a mother or a father. In addition, in mothers of ASD children, there were significant positive correlations between two of the five AQ subscales (attention-switching and communication) and the SRS T-score in their children. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate that the social skills and communication subscales in the AQ are more sensitive as autism traits in a Japanese sample and to demonstrate that some autistic traits in mothers are specifically associated with disturbances in the social ability of their young children with ASD, as measured by the SRS score. Further study is necessary to determine whether these results were caused by genetic or environmental factors.