Age-moderating effect in prepotent response inhibition in boys with Asperger syndrome: a 2.5 years longitudinal study

Longitudinal changes in executive function in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analyses

Individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis show impairment in executive function (EF). However, findings are mixed regarding differences in the age effect on EF between autistic individuals and persons with typical development (TD). Questions remain regarding whether the age-related trajectories of EF in ASD are the same as or different from those in TD. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses of longitudinal studies that compared age-related changes in EF between ASD and TD groups (preregistration: osf.io/j5764). A literature search was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science on January 29, 2024. After screening by two independent reviewers, 14 longitudinal studies were included. Random-effects meta-analyses of studies involving a maximum total of 518 autistic and 3558 TD children and adolescents (mean baseline ages: 5.7-12.0 years) showed that ASD had significantly poorer EF than TD at both baseline and follow-up. However, there was no significant group difference in the age-related change in EF across domains, including working memory, inhibition, shifting, and planning. Robust Bayesian meta-analyses also provided substantial evidence in favor of the null hypothesis that ASD and TD groups showed similar changes over time for most EF processes. Limitations of the literature included the limited number of longitudinal studies and a narrow range of developmental stages and EF constructs analyzed across studies. Altogether, these findings suggest that autistic children and adolescents generally can improve in EF over time similarly to their neurotypical peers. This has important implications for parents and educators, encouraging appropriate EF training and intervention for autistic children and adolescents at an early stage.

Unaffected Memory and Inhibitory Functioning Several Weeks Postpartum in Women with Pregnancy Complicated by Preeclampsia

Several studies reported impaired cognitive functioning after pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. The present study examined cognitive and executive functioning in women with preeclampsia at a time at which immediate effects of gestation have resolved, brain damage due to other risk factors have not yet manifested, and impairments may thus primarily occur as a result of the huge stress induced by the potentially life threatening condition. Verbal learning/memory (California Verbal Learning Test) and inhibitory functioning (Mittenecker Pointing Test) of 35 women with preeclampsia and 38 women with uncomplicated pregnancy were followed over five measurement time points during the period from 16 to 48 weeks postpartum. A further control group comprised 40 women with no history of recent pregnancy. The groups did not differ in their verbal learning/memory performance. Higher levels of currently experienced everyday-life stress were associated with poorer inhibitory control/greater stereotypy in responding, but this effect was not directly connected with pregnancy complications. Taken together, the findings do not indicate rapid-onset cognitive impairment after preeclampsia, brought about by its extremely stressful nature or other factors that take effect during gestation. Deficits observed in later life may develop on a long-term basis through late-diagnosed hypertension and unfavorable lifestyle factors. The large time window in which exaggerated cognitive decline can be prevented or mitigated should be utilized for the control of risk factors and interventions to improve lifestyle where appropriate.

Developmental outcomes in adolescence of children with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability: A systematic review of prospective studies

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability (ID) represent approximately two-thirds of the ASD population. Here we focused on prospective research assessing different areas of functioning of children with ASD, without ID, until adolescence. Based on a pre-registered protocol (PROSPERO CRD42020189029), a systematic review of prospective studies (published between 01.01.2010 and 01.01.2020) was conducted. Twenty-eight studies met eligibility criteria. Findings indicated that ASD diagnosis and the Intelligence Quotient were highly stable over time across studies. Executive Functioning, Theory of Mind and Central Coherence processes tended to improve, although deficits remained when compared to typically developed controls. Adaptive difficulties and psychiatric comorbidity were relatively stable over time. We discuss potential implications of the findings for clinicians and educators and suggest recommendations for future research.

Audio-visual and olfactory-visual integration in healthy participants and subjects with autism spectrum disorder

The human capacity to integrate sensory signals has been investigated with respect to different sensory modalities. A common denominator of the neural network underlying the integration of sensory clues has yet to be identified. Additionally, brain imaging data from patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not cover disparities in neuronal sensory processing. In this fMRI study, we compared the underlying neural networks of both olfactory-visual and auditory-visual integration in patients with ASD and a group of matched healthy participants. The aim was to disentangle sensory-specific networks so as to derive a potential (amodal) common source of multisensory integration (MSI) and to investigate differences in brain networks with sensory processing in individuals with ASD. In both groups, similar neural networks were found to be involved in the olfactory-visual and auditory-visual integration processes, including the primary visual cortex, the inferior parietal sulcus (IPS), and the medial and inferior frontal cortices. Amygdala activation was observed specifically during olfactory-visual integration, with superior temporal activation having been seen during auditory-visual integration. A dynamic causal modeling analysis revealed a nonlinear top-down IPS modulation of the connection between the respective primary sensory regions in both experimental conditions and in both groups. Thus, we demonstrate that MSI has shared neural sources across olfactory-visual and audio-visual stimulation in patients and controls. The enhanced recruitment of the IPS to modulate changes between areas is relevant to sensory perception. Our results also indicate that, with respect to MSI processing, adults with ASD do not significantly differ from their healthy counterparts.