TOPIC

Autism spectrum research

Everything we have read on autism spectrum. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

2,764 PAPERS · PAGE 3 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPCase-Control2016Basic and complex emotion recognition in children with autism: cross-cultural findings.Molecular autismAcross Israel, Britain and Sweden, children aged 5 to 9 with autism scored lower than same-age controls in recognising emotions from faces, voices, bodies and whole scenes without words. The gap appeared for basic and complex emotions.
• OTSLPCohort2017The Longitudinal Effects of Parenting on Adaptive Behavior in Children with Fragile X Syndrome.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn children with fragile X syndrome, more responsive mothers were linked to better growth in communication, socialization, and daily living, and to less decline among children who lost skills. Behavior management showed little benefit. This is an association, not proof that parent training causes change.
• SLPPilot2017Brief Report: Using a Point-of-View Camera to Measure Eye Gaze in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder During Naturalistic Social Interactions: A Pilot Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA camera in an examiner's glasses let coders identify young children's eye gaze more consistently than room cameras. Children with autism looked less at the examiner's eyes and face only when coded from the glasses.
• SLPCohort2017"Didn't I just say that?" Comparing parent report and spontaneous speech as indicators of grammatical development.Research in developmental disabilitiesParents often missed grammar their children actually used, especially pronouns and past tense. This was most marked for less verbal children with autism, so a speech sample is needed before assuming a grammar is absent.
• SLPOther2017Developmental Markers of Genetic Liability to Autism in Parents: A Longitudinal, Multigenerational Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with ASD had lower childhood language scores and slower math growth than controls. Their early language profiles were linked to adult social communication traits and to symptom severity in their children.
• SLPOther2017Language Skills of Males with Fragile X Syndrome or Nonsyndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBoys with fragile X syndrome had stronger vocabulary than boys with autism after age, nonverbal IQ, and autism severity were considered. Grammar did not separate the groups. Assess vocabulary and grammar separately, not as one language score.
• SLPCohort2017Executive Functioning Mediates the Effect of Behavioral Problems on Depression in Mothers of Children With Developmental Disabilities.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesMothers whose children had more behavioral problems showed greater executive functioning limitations, which in turn predicted higher depression scores. This link was stronger in mothers of children with fragile X syndrome than those with autism.
• SLPCase Report2017Communication Intervention for Young Children with Severe Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Via Telehealth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn three girls with severe disabilities who also received other services, parent-implemented AAC training, coached via telehealth, increased AAC requests and reduced behaviors like leading, reaching, and hitting in home routines. No maintenance follow-up was measured.
• SLPRCT2017d-Cycloserine enhances durability of social skills training in autism spectrum disorder.Molecular autismAt the end of treatment, d-cycloserine did not improve social scores more than placebo. But children given it before social skills training had better maintained parent-rated social gains at week 22.
• OTSLPOther2017Correlates of Adaptive Functioning in Minimally Verbal Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesMilder social-communication symptoms were linked with better adaptive skills in minimally verbal children with autism, but nonverbal mental age and chronological age explained more. Repetitive behaviours did not add this information after accounting for age and nonverbal mental age.
• OTSLPQualitative2017The Experiences of Fathers Who Have Offspring with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFathers of children with ASD described a path from frustration and guilt toward acceptance. They also focused on independence, fighting services, and varied support. Ask fathers what they need; do not assume one support model fits.
• SLPOther2017Distinct profiles of social skill in adults with autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAdults with autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia both showed poorer observed social skill than controls. The autism group showed more repetitive movement and asked fewer questions; the schizophrenia group showed poorer nonverbal expression. Scores were linked to IQ in schizophrenia but not autism.
• SLPSurvey2017Age of Parental Concern, Diagnosis, and Service Initiation Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesParents who first noticed verbal communication problems reported concerns earlier, their children received an ASD diagnosis earlier, and services started earlier. Nonverbal communication and unusual gestures were linked to earlier diagnosis. Behavioral concerns were reported later. The survey cannot show cause.
• SLPCohort2017Brief Report: The Development of Compliance in Toddlers at-Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersToddlers later diagnosed with autism showed less growth in compliance than high-risk toddlers without autism. They also showed more passive noncompliance, especially later in the toddler years.
• SLPOther2017Electrodermal Variability and Symptom Severity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with higher autism symptom severity showed more frequent nonspecific skin conductance responses and greater variability in skin conductance across tasks. The finding is an association, not proof that arousal causes symptoms.
• SLPSurvey2016Addressing phonological memory in language therapy with clients who have Down syndrome: Perspectives of speech-language pathologists.International journal of language & communication disordersSpeech-language pathologists who worked with clients with Down syndrome were least likely to address memory for speech sounds, compared with clients with specific language impairment or autism. Almost half addressed it occasionally or regularly.
• PTSLPCohort2017Infant muscle tone and childhood autistic traits: A longitudinal study in the general population.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchLow muscle tone in infancy was linked to more parent-reported autistic traits at age 6. High muscle tone was not. This was a population study, so it is not a diagnostic sign.
• SLPOther2017Over-Selectivity is Related to Autism Quotient and Empathizing, But not to Systematizing.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHigher autistic-trait scores and lower empathy scores were linked to over-selectivity in 80 nonclinical adults. Over-selectivity means responding to one cue rather than several. Systemizing scores were not linked. No treatment effect was tested.
• SLPOther2017Developing Autism Screening Criteria for the Brief Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (BITSEA).Journal of autism and developmental disordersBITSEA ASD-Competence score 11.5 or less flagged 91% of toddlers with ASD and 80% of toddlers without ASD; the 59 false positives, as a group, had lower language and developmental scores.
• OTSLPCohort2017In pursuit of neurophenotypes: The consequences of having autism and a big brain.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchBoys with autism and very large brains were more likely to have IQ under 70 and low language by age 5, while autism severity scores were similar.
• SLPCohort2017Umbilical cord blood androgen levels and ASD-related phenotypes at 12 and 36 months in an enriched risk cohort study.Molecular autismIn 137 high-risk infants, cord testosterone and related androgens were not associated with 12-month autism traits or 36-month social impairment scores. A small subgroup finding in 22 infants with a female older affected sibling was imprecise.
• SLPOther2017A Path Model of Expressive Vocabulary Skills in Initially Preverbal Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn preverbal preschool children with ASD, intentional communication, diversity of key consonants, and parent responses to the child's focus predicted later expressive vocabulary. Receptive vocabulary did not explain these links.
• SLPCase-Control2017Atypical Processing of Gaze Cues and Faces Explains Comorbidity between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism, with or without ADHD, had atypical brain responses to faces and gaze cues. ADHD alone did not change these brain responses, but children with ADHD were slower to respond, especially when the cue did not point to the target.
• OTSLPOther2017Emotion Perception Mediates the Predictive Relationship Between Verbal Ability and Functional Outcome in High-Functioning Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn high-functioning adults with autism, better emotion perception and verbal fluency were linked with better adaptive functioning. Emotion perception was part of the link between verbal ability and everyday functioning.
• SLPRCT2017Parent-delivered early intervention in infants at risk for ASD: Effects on electrophysiological and habituation measures of social attention.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchInfants at high familial risk for autism who received 10 weekly parent-mediated interaction visits showed faster habituation to faces and greater frontal brain activity than infants who only received monitoring. These were brain and attention measures, not clinical symptoms.
• SLPOther2017Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) in Phelan-McDermid Syndrome: Validity and Suggestions for Use in Minimally Verbal Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn 18 minimally verbal children with Phelan-McDermid syndrome, LENA often missed child speech. Its speech/non-speech ratio matched human coding and related to a caregiver language score. Use LENA cautiously in older children or children with high repetitive speech.
• SLPCase Report2017Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms in Infants with Fragile X Syndrome: A Prospective Case Series.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn a small series of infants with fragile X syndrome, early autism features were common in infancy, but by the second year they were mainly seen in those later diagnosed with autism. Social communication differences were noted in the case summaries.
• SLPOther2017A Causal and Mediation Analysis of the Comorbidity Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn children and young people with ASD or ADHD, social communication difficulties linked directly to inattention and impulsivity, while repetitive behaviour linked to hyperactivity. These are exploratory associations, not evidence that treating one symptom will improve the other.
• SLPOther2017Assessment of Autistic Traits in Children Aged 2 to 4½ Years With the Preschool Version of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-P): Findings from Japan.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMother ratings did not separate autism from other clinical problems well, but the SRS-P gave stable parent and teacher ratings of autistic traits in Japanese preschoolers. Use it as a trait measure, not a diagnosis.
• SLPCohort2017Predicting Intentional Communication in Preverbal Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMotor imitation at study entry was linked to more intentional communication 12 months later in preverbal preschoolers with autism, after initial communication was considered. Parent physical play and spoken replies were not linked to later intentional communication.
• SLPOther2017Brief Report: Examining Executive and Social Functioning in Elementary-Aged Children with Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn 23 elementary-aged children with autism, teacher-rated poorer initiation and working memory related to more solitary play, and better planning related to more joint play; better test-based switching and inhibition also related to more solitary play.
• SLPOther2017Autism spectrum disorder in sub-saharan africa: A comprehensive scoping review.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchASD evidence in sub-Saharan Africa is thin and clinic-based. Intervention studies were too small to show whether any treatment works, and many tools were not tested in local languages and settings.
• SLPOther2017Measuring Theory of Mind in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with autism scored lower than matched controls on a new video test of understanding social interactions. The difference was seen only when groups were compared, and some adults with autism performed in the typical range, so it is not a diagnostic or severity marker.
• SLPOther2017Daily Couple Experiences and Parent Affect in Families of Children with Versus Without Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with autism reported less daily time with their partner and fewer positive couple interactions. Fathers felt less close. Partner support and negative interactions did not differ. They also began the diary with lower positive and higher negative affect.
• SLPCohort2017Response to changing contingencies in infants at high and low risk for autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAt 10 months, high-risk infants shook a silent rattle less at first than low-risk infants, showing weaker expectation that shaking will make sound. They learned the sounding-rattle contingency at a similar rate, so this is not a simple learning deficit.
• SLPCohort2017Neural circuitry at age 6 months associated with later repetitive behavior and sensory responsiveness in autism.Molecular autismIn infants later diagnosed with autism, brain wiring at six months predicted repetitive behaviors and sensory responses at age two. Higher white matter integrity was linked to more severe symptoms. This association was specific to these behaviors and not seen in unaffected siblings.
• SLPCohort2017Shorter sleep duration is associated with social impairment and comorbidities in ASD.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn 2,714 children with autism spectrum disorder, shorter parent-reported sleep was associated with more severe social impairment, repetitive behaviors, lower IQ, and more ADD, depressive disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder reports. It does not show that sleep causes symptoms or that treating sleep improves them.
• SLPOther2017Psychosexual Functioning of Cognitively-able Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared to Typically Developing Peers: The Development and Testing of the Teen Transition Inventory- a Self- and Parent Report Questionnaire on Psychosexual Functioning.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdolescents with autism reported more difficulty making and being accepted by friends and lower self-esteem and social competence. Parents also reported less sexual experience and more inappropriate sexualized behavior than typically developing peers.
• SLPCase-Control2017Glutathione metabolism in the prefrontal brain of adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: an MRS study.Molecular autismAdults with high-functioning autism had no significant difference in prefrontal glutathione compared with controls. A lower anterior cingulate glutathione trend was not stable. The study does not provide evidence for brain antioxidant differences to guide therapy.
• SLPCohort2017Neural correlates of language variability in preschool-aged boys with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchPreschool boys with autism and more developed language had different white matter wiring in major brain pathways, and the strongest links were to language scores rather than autism severity.
• SLPOther2017Signaling of noncomprehension in communication breakdowns in fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and autism spectrum disorder.Journal of communication disordersBoys and girls with fragile X syndrome plus autism and those with Down syndrome signaled confusion less often than typical peers in a structured task. Boys with fragile X alone or autism alone performed like typical peers. Autism severity predicted fewer signals in boys with fragile X.
• OTSLPCohort2017Autism Spectrum Disorder in Males with Sex Chromosome Aneuploidy: XXY/Klinefelter Syndrome, XYY, and XXYY.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPASD was much more common in males with XYY or XXYY than in XXY/KS, reaching 43% and 52% under DSM-5. Updating from DSM-IV to DSM-5 raised the overall rate slightly, but the study did not show a clear change.
• SLPOther2017Clinical evaluation of autistic symptoms in women with anorexia nervosa.Molecular autismTwenty-three percent of women hospitalized for anorexia nervosa scored above the autism cutoff on direct observation. Their symptoms involved social difficulties and speech oddities, but rarely repetitive behaviors. These traits linked to anxiety and emotional processing issues, not starvation or eating disorder severity.
• SLPSystematic Review2017Environmental risk factors for autism: an evidence-based review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Molecular autismIncluded reviews found no evidence that vaccination or maternal smoking raises autism risk, while maternal valproate use and higher parental age were linked to higher risk. The evidence does not prove cause.
• SLPCase-Control2017Formal Thought Disorder and Executive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Old Leads and New Avenues.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren and adolescents with high-functioning autism showed more disorganized speech on a story task and reported more odd speech than matched controls. Within the autism group, weaker verbal working memory was linked to more disorganized speech, not response inhibition.
• SLPOther2017Attempting to "Increase Intake from the Input": Attention and Word Learning in Children with Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPointing to the mouth did not help children learn a new word in the first experiment. Children with autism looked more at the target when the object was held next to the mouth in the second experiment.
• SLPCohort2017Acquisition of voice onset time in toddlers at high and low risk for autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchToddlers at high risk for autism produced similar words, errors, and speech timing as controls. At 36 months, children with autism were less likely to make measurably separate /b/ and /p/ sounds. This was a small speech difference, not a tested treatment effect.
• SLPOther2017Multisensory speech perception in autism spectrum disorder: From phoneme to whole-word perception.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic children recognized speech less accurately than peers, especially whole words in noise. Seeing the mouth still helped identify individual speech sounds, but whole-word benefit was smaller at the hardest noise level.
• SLPOther2017The diagnosis of autism and autism spectrum disorder in low- and middle-income countries: Experience from Jamaica.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceJamaican children already classified as having autism by the CARS all matched ADOS, and most matched ADI-R and ADOS-2. The study did not include children without autism or milder symptoms, so it cannot show the CARS is accurate for all diagnoses.
• SLPCase-Control2017No evidence of early head circumference enlargements in children later diagnosed with autism in Israel.Molecular autismIn children later diagnosed with autism, head circumference did not show early overgrowth compared with matched controls. Controls had larger head circumference and weight at birth and 3 months, and head size did not relate to autism severity or verbal status.