Scientists clash over 'positionality statements'.

In a growing practice, researchers are adding descriptions of their identities to their papers.

A Pilot Feasibility Study Assessing the Combined Effects of Early Behavioral Intervention and Propranolol on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder typified by differences in social communication as well as restricted and repetitive behaviors, is often responsive to early behavioral intervention. However, there is limited information on whether such intervention can be augmented with pharmacological approaches. We conducted a double-blinded, placebo-controlled feasibility trial to examine the effects of the ß-adrenergic antagonist propranolol combined with early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for children with ASD. Nine participants with ASD, ages three to ten, undergoing EIBI were enrolled and randomized to a 12-week course of propranolol or placebo. Blinded assessments were conducted at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. The primary outcome measures focusing on social interaction were the General Social Outcome Measure-2 (GSOM-2) and Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2). Five participants completed the 12-week visit. The sample size was insufficient to evaluate the treatment efficacy. However, side effects were infrequent, and participants were largely able to fully participate in the procedures. Conducting a larger clinical trial to investigate propranolol's effects on core ASD features within the context of behavioral therapy will be beneficial, as this will advance and individualize combined therapeutic approaches to ASD intervention. This initial study helps to understand feasibility constraints on performing such a study.

Altered Allocation of Vertical Attention in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Typical adults most frequently orient their attention to other people's eyes, whereas individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) orient their attention to other people's mouths. Typical adults also reveal visuospatial biases on tasks such as vertical and horizontal line bisections. Therefore, the difference in face viewing might be related to a more general group difference in the allocation of vertical attention. OBJECTIVE: To use vertical line bisection and quadrisection tasks to evaluate whether individuals with ASD have a more downward-oriented vertical attentional bias than do typical individuals. METHOD: We recruited 20 individuals with ASD and 20 control participants matched for age (6-23 years), IQ, and sex. We asked the individuals to bisect and quadrisect lines on the top and bottom when the vertical lines were placed at the intersection of their right, left, and center egocentric sagittal planes and their coronal plane. The distances from the true midpoint and quadripoint were measured, and between-group performances were compared. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the ASD and control groups for vertical line bisections or lower line quadrisections. However, when the ASD group was compared with the control group for higher line quadrisections, the ASD group exhibited a greater upward deviation. CONCLUSION: There is no downward vertical attentional spatial bias associated with ASD that could help to explain these individuals' attentional bias toward the mouth. However, additional studies are required to learn if this atypical upward vertical attentional bias might account for some of the symptoms and signs associated with ASD.

Autism researchers face off over language.

Terminology dispute underscores divide about what direction the field should take.

Beta-adrenergic antagonism alters functional connectivity during associative processing in a preliminary study of individuals with and without autism.

Beta-adrenergic antagonism (e.g. propranolol) has been associated with cognitive/behavioral benefits following stress-induced impairments and for some cognitive/behavioral domains in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. In this preliminary investigation, we examined whether the benefits of propranolol are associated with functional properties in the brain. Adolescents/adults (mean age = 22.54 years) with (n = 13) and without autism spectrum disorder (n = 13) attended three sessions in which propranolol, nadolol (beta-adrenergic antagonist that does not cross the blood-brain barrier), or placebo was administered before a semantic fluency task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Autonomic nervous system measures and functional connectivity between language/associative processing regions and within the fronto-parietal control, dorsal attention, and default mode networks were examined. Propranolol was associated with improved semantic fluency performance, which was correlated with the baseline resting heart rate. Propranolol also altered network efficiency of regions associated with semantic processing and in an exploratory analysis reduced functional differences in the fronto-parietal control network in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Thus, the cognitive benefits from beta-adrenergic antagonism may be generally associated with improved information processing in the brain in domain-specific networks, but individuals with autism spectrum disorder may also benefit from additional improvements in domain-general networks. The benefits from propranolol may also be able to be predicted from baseline autonomic nervous system measures, which warrants further investigation.

Characterizing autism-relevant social behavior in poodles (Canis familiaris) via owner report.

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 131(2) of Journal of Comparative Psychology (see record 2017-20237-001). In the article, the scientific name for the species was missing in the title. All versions of this article have been corrected.] Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors. It can be difficult to model the complex behavioral features of this disorder with rodent models, which have limited similarity to human behaviors. The domestic dog may be a promising model of complex human behavior, including core features of ASD. The present study examines ASD-relevant social behavior in Miniature and Standard Poodles using an owner-report questionnaire with questions adapted from the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Lord, Rutter, DiLavore, & Risi, 2000). A previous study identified 3 behavioral constructs examined by this questionnaire: initiation of reciprocal social behaviors, response to social interaction, and communication. In the present study, confirmatory and experimental factor analyses used to assess how collected data fit with the previous model revealed moderate model fit and a similar factorial structure. Between-breed comparisons across these factors and at the individual question level revealed differences between Miniature and Standard Poodles in showing behaviors. Cluster analyses used to group dogs within each breed according to social behavior identified smaller subgroups of dogs with less social behavior across all 3 factors compared with the average within each breed. Within- and between-breed differences in social behavior warrant investigation of genetic variation underlying this complex trait as it relates to ASD-relevant behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record

Beta-adrenergic antagonism modulates functional connectivity in the default mode network of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder.

The beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol benefits some social and communication domains affected in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and these benefits appear to be associated with increased functional connectivity (FC) in the brain during task performance. FC is implicated in ASD, with the majority of studies suggesting long distance hypo-connectivity combined with regionally specific local hyper-connectivity. The objective in the current investigation was to examine the effect of propranolol on FC at rest and determine whether ASD-specific effects exist. Participants with and without ASD attended three sessions in which propranolol, nadolol (a beta-adrenergic antagonist that does not cross the blood-brain barrier), or placebo were administered. Resting-state fMRI data were acquired, and graph theory techniques were utilized to assess additional aspects of FC. Compared to placebo, propranolol administration was associated with decreased FC in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex subnetwork of the default mode network and increased FC in the medial temporal lobe subnetwork, regardless of diagnosis. These effects were not seen with nadolol suggesting that the alterations in FC following propranolol administration were not exclusively due to peripheral cardiovascular effects. Thus, beta-adrenergic antagonism can up- or down- regulate FC, depending on the network, and alter coordinated functional activation in the brain. These changes in information processing, as demonstrated by FC, may mediate some of the clinical and behavioral effects of beta-adrenergic antagonism previously reported in patients with ASD.

Effects of acute beta-adrenergic antagonism on verbal problem solving in autism spectrum disorder and exploration of treatment response markers.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social communication as well as restricted, repetitive behaviors. Evidence suggests that some individuals with ASD have cognitive impairments related to weak central coherence and hyperrestricted processing. Reducing noradrenergic activity may improve aspects of network processing and thus improve cognitive abilities, such as verbal problem solving, in individuals with ASD. The present pilot study explores the effects of acute administration of the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol on verbal problem solving in adults and adolescents with ASD. In a within-subject crossover-design, 20 participants with ASD received a single dose of propranolol or placebo on one of two sessions in a double-blinded, counterbalanced manner. Verbal problem solving was assessed via an anagram task. Baseline measurements of autonomic nervous system functioning were obtained, and anxiety was assessed at baseline and following drug administration. Participants solved the anagrams more quickly in the propranolol condition, as compared to the placebo condition, suggesting a potential cognitive benefit of this agent. Additionally, we observed a negative linear relationship between response to propranolol on the anagram task and two measures of baseline autonomic activity, as well as a positive linear relationship between drug response and baseline anxiety. These relationships propose potential markers for treatment response, as propranolol influences both autonomic functioning and anxiety. Further investigation is needed to expand on the present single-dose psychopharmacological challenge and explore the observed effects of propranolol in a serial-dose setting.

Effects of propranolol on conversational reciprocity in autism spectrum disorder: a pilot, double-blind, single-dose psychopharmacological challenge study.

RATIONALE: Pharmacological intervention for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an important addition to treatment, yet currently available agents target co-morbid psychiatric concerns, such as aggression and irritability. Propranolol, a beta-adrenergic antagonist with anxiolytic effects, has been shown to improve verbal fluency and working memory in adults and adolescents with ASD in single-dose challenges. OBJECTIVES: The present pilot study explores the acute effects of propranolol on a measure of conversational reciprocity in this population. We also examined whether autonomic activity and anxiety moderate or mediate response to the drug, given relationships between these variables and ASD, as well as the drug's effects. METHODS: In a within-subject crossover design, 20 individuals with ASD received a single dose of propranolol or placebo during two sessions in a double-blinded, counterbalanced manner. After drug administration, participants performed a conversational reciprocity task by engaging in a short conversation with the researcher. Measurements of autonomic activity and anxiety were obtained before and after drug administration. RESULTS: Propranolol significantly improved performance on the conversational reciprocity task total [d = 0.40] and nonverbal communication domain scores when compared to the placebo condition. However, neither autonomic activity nor anxiety was significantly associated with drug response. CONCLUSIONS: Acute propranolol administration improved conversational reciprocity in ASD. Further exploration of these preliminary findings, as well as other potential treatment response predictors, with serial doses is warranted.

Effect of propranolol on facial scanning in autism spectrum disorder: a preliminary investigation.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Whereas current pharmacological interventions for ASD focus primarily on psychiatric symptoms, including agitation and obsessive behaviors, few agents target core symptomatology. It has been previously hypothesized that abnormalities in facial scanning, such as reduced eye contact or increased mouth fixation, contribute to social communication deficits in ASD. In addition, previous reports have suggested elevated stress and anxiety in ASD, symptoms that are believed to impact facial scanning patterns. OBJECTIVES: The present pilot study sought to explore the effects of pharmacological intervention via propranolol, a nonselective ß-adrenergic antagonist and known anxiolytic, on facial scanning in ASD. Specifically, we wished to determine whether there is an increase in eye contact and a decrease in mouth fixation with administration of propranolol. METHOD: A sample of 14 participants with ASD and 14 matched controls participated in two study sessions in which propranolol and placebo were administered in a counterbalanced, double-blinded manner. At each session, ocular fixation data were collected during presentation of video stimuli of 16 human faces. Fixation time on the eye, nose, and mouth regions of the face stimuli was analyzed. RESULTS: The baseline fixation patterns for the ASD and control groups did not significantly differ; however, administration of propranolol was associated with a significant reduction in mouth fixation for the ASD group. Additionally, mouth fixation was positively related to nonverbal communication impairment in the ASD group. CONCLUSIONS: Although eye fixation in ASD appears typical in the present study, the effect of propranolol in reducing mouth fixation suggests an important focus for further research. Future studies are needed to better characterize the relationship between stress and anxiety and facial scanning in ASD, as well as the effects of pharmacological intervention.