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Schmilovich Z, Bourque VR, Douard E, Huguet G, Poulain C, Ross JP, Alipour P, Castonguay CÉ, Younis N, Jean-Louis M, Saci Z, Pausova Z, Paus T, Schuman G, Porteous D, Davies G, Redmond P, Harris SE, Deary IJ, Whalley H, Hayward C, Dion PA, Jacquemont S, Rouleau GA. Copy-number variants and polygenic risk for intelligence confer risk for autism spectrum disorder irrespective of their effects on cognitive ability. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1369767. [PMID: 38751416 PMCID: PMC11094536 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1369767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Rare copy number variants (CNVs) and polygenic risk for intelligence (PRS-IQ) both confer susceptibility for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but have opposing effects on cognitive ability. The field has struggled to disentangle the effects of these two classes of genomic variants on cognitive ability from their effects on ASD susceptibility, in part because previous studies did not include controls with cognitive measures. We aim to investigate the impact of these genomic variants on ASD risk while adjusting for their known effects on cognitive ability. Methods In a cohort of 8,426 subjects with ASD and 169,804 controls with cognitive assessments, we found that rare coding CNVs and PRS-IQ increased ASD risk, even after adjusting for their effects on cognitive ability. Results Bottom decile PRS-IQ and CNVs both decreased cognitive ability but had opposing effects on ASD risk. Models combining both classes of variants showed that the effects of rare CNVs and PRS-IQ on ASD risk and cognitive ability were largely additive, further suggesting that susceptibility for ASD is conferred independently from its effects on cognitive ability. Despite imparting mostly additive effects on ASD risk, rare CNVs and PRS-IQ showed opposing effects on core and associated features and developmental history among subjects with ASD. Discussion Our findings suggest that cognitive ability itself may not be the factor driving the underlying liability for ASD conferred by these two classes of genomic variants. In other words, ASD risk and cognitive ability may be two distinct manifestations of CNVs and PRS-IQ. This study also highlights the challenge of understanding how genetic risk for ASD maps onto its dimensional traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Schmilovich
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Vincent-Raphaël Bourque
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Elise Douard
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Guillaume Huguet
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Cécile Poulain
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jay P. Ross
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Paria Alipour
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Charles-Étienne Castonguay
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Nadine Younis
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Martineau Jean-Louis
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Zohra Saci
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Zdenka Pausova
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Departments of Physiology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tomas Paus
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gunter Schuman
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Porteous
- Lothian Birth Cohorts Group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Generation Scotland, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Gail Davies
- Lothian Birth Cohorts Group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Redmond
- Lothian Birth Cohorts Group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah E. Harris
- Lothian Birth Cohorts Group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ian J. Deary
- Lothian Birth Cohorts Group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Heather Whalley
- Generation Scotland, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Hayward
- Generation Scotland, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick A. Dion
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sébastien Jacquemont
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Guy A. Rouleau
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Seyed-Alipour S, Alaghband-Rad J, Faraji S, Hooshyari Z, Tehranidoost M, Motamed M. Cognitive functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorder. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38635408 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2024.2336201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuropsychological deficits in areas of Executive Functioning (EF), theory of mind, and central coherence have been well-documented among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, there remains a significant gap in knowledge with regards to neuropsychological profile in adults with ASD. This study aims to investigate the intellectual functioning and neuropsychological profiles of a clinical population of adults with ASD. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 40 available autistic individuals referred to an adult developmental disorders clinic at a hospital between 2021 and 2022. All participants were assessed using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (SBIS), Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R), and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). RESULTS Individuals with ASD exhibited lower IQ scores across all domains of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, compared to the general population, although the mean IQ scores remained within the normal range. Significant differences were observed in Full Scale IQ, Verbal IQ, Non-Verbal IQ, Fluid Reasoning, Knowledge, Quantitative Reasoning, Visual-Spatial Processing, and Working Memory compared to the general population. Additionally, autistic individuals' performance on verbal knowledge was higher compared to non-verbal knowledge. No significant correlations were found between the total and subscale scores of verbal and nonverbal IQ and AQ, RAADS-R, and SRS scores. CONCLUSION Considering the significant impacts of cognitive and executive function on the social and occupational aspects of autistic adults, further investigations in this area are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajedeh Seyed-Alipour
- Roozbeh Hospital, Faculty of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Alaghband-Rad
- Roozbeh Hospital, Faculty of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saba Faraji
- Roozbeh Hospital, Faculty of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Hooshyari
- Ziaeian Hospital, Faculty of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Tehranidoost
- Roozbeh Hospital, Faculty of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahtab Motamed
- Roozbeh Hospital, Faculty of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Peristeri E, Andreou M. Intellectual development in young children with autism spectrum disorders: A longitudinal study. Autism Res 2024; 17:543-554. [PMID: 38183366 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Intelligence profiles in autism have been characterized by great variability. The questions of how autistic children's intelligence changes over time, and what factors influence these changes deserve study as part of efforts to document child autism profiles, but also because the relationship between intellectual functioning and children's background characteristics is poorly understood, particularly in a longitudinal context. A total of 39 autistic children and 39 age-matched neurotypical children (5-9 years old) completed two IQ assessments at preschool age and up to 4 years later. Repeated-measures analyses assessed longitudinal changes in the children's verbal (VIQ), performance (PIQ), and full-scale IQ (FSIQ) at group level. We further sought to identify clusters with distinct profiles in each group by adopting an unsupervised K-means clustering approach, and detect possible between-subgroup differences in terms of children's socioeconomic status and autism severity. The largest cluster in the autistic group was composed of children whose PIQ significantly dropped at follow-up, while the second largest cluster improved in all quotients; the smallest cluster, wherein children had more highly educated mothers than the rest of the clusters, was characterized by large improvement in VIQ. For the neurotypical children, there was a two-cluster division; the majority of them improved in the three quotients, while very few dropped in PIQ at follow-up. The relation between socioeconomic status and IQ changes was significant for both groups. The findings demonstrate both the complexity of intelligence changes in autism and the need to view this complexity through the lens of the children's socioeconomic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Peristeri
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, School of English, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Andreou
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, University of Peloponnese, Kalamata, Greece
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Schmilovich Z, Bourque VR, Douard E, Huguet G, Poulain C, Ross JP, Alipour P, Castonguay CÉ, Younis N, Jean-Louis M, Saci Z, Pausova Z, Paus T, Schuman G, Porteous D, Davies G, Redmond P, Harris SE, Deary IJ, Whalley H, Hayward C, Dion PA, Jacquemont S, Rouleau GA. Copy-number variants and polygenic risk for intelligence confer risk for autism spectrum disorder irrespective of their effects on cognitive ability. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.11.29.23299190. [PMID: 38076919 PMCID: PMC10705642 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.23299190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Rare copy number variants (CNVs) and polygenic risk for intelligence (PRS-IQ) both confer risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but have opposing effects on cognitive ability. The field has struggled to disentangle the effects of these two classes of genomic variants on cognitive ability from their effects on ASD risk, in part because previous studies did not include controls with cognitive measures. We aim to investigate the impact of these genomic variants on ASD risk while adjusting for their known effects on cognitive ability. In a cohort of 8,426 subjects with ASD and 169,804 controls with cognitive assessments, we found that rare coding CNVs and PRS-IQ increased ASD risk, even after adjusting for their effects on cognitive ability. Bottom decile PRS-IQ and CNVs both decreased cognitive ability but had opposing effects on ASD risk. Models combining both classes of variants showed that the effects of rare CNVs and PRS-IQ on ASD risk and cognitive ability were largely additive, further suggesting that risk for ASD is conferred independently from its effects on cognitive ability. Despite imparting mostly additive effects on ASD risk, rare CNVs and PRS-IQ showed opposing effects on core and associated features and developmental history among subjects with ASD. Our findings suggest that cognitive ability itself may not be the factor driving the underlying risk for ASD conferred by these two classes of genomic variants. In other words, ASD risk and cognitive ability may be two distinct manifestations of CNVs and PRS-IQ. This study also highlights the challenge of understanding how genetic risk for ASD maps onto its dimensional traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Schmilovich
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Vincent-Raphaël Bourque
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Elise Douard
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Guillaume Huguet
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Cécile Poulain
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jay P. Ross
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Paria Alipour
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Charles-Étienne Castonguay
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Nadine Younis
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Martineau Jean-Louis
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Zohra Saci
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Zdenka Pausova
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Departments of Physiology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tomas Paus
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gunter Schuman
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, England
| | - David Porteous
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Generation Scotland, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Gail Davies
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Paul Redmond
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sarah E. Harris
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ian J. Deary
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Heather Whalley
- Generation Scotland, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Caroline Hayward
- Generation Scotland, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Patrick A. Dion
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Sébastien Jacquemont
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Pédiatrie, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Guy A. Rouleau
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
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Faerman A, Sakallah A, Skiba S, Kansara S, Kopald BE, Lewine JD, Demopoulos C. Language Abilities are Associated with Both Verbal and Nonverbal Intelligence in Children on the Autism Spectrum. Dev Neuropsychol 2023; 48:248-257. [PMID: 37326312 PMCID: PMC10527100 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2023.2225663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Intellectual abilities factor into levels of functioning used to characterize autism. Language difficulties are highly prevalent in autism and may impact performance on measures of intellectual abilities. As such, nonverbal tests are often prioritized in classifying intelligence in those with language difficulties and autism. However, the relationship between language abilities and intellectual performance is not well characterized, and the superiority of tests with nonverbal instructions is not well established. The current study evaluates verbal and nonverbal intellectual abilities in the context of language abilities in autism and the potential benefit of tests with nonverbal instructions. Participants were 55 children and adolescents on the autism spectrum who underwent a neuropsychological evaluation as part of a study examining language functioning in autism. Correlation analyses were performed to examine relations between expressive and receptive language abilities. Language abilities (CELF-4) were significantly correlated with all measures of both verbal (WISC-IV VCI) and nonverbal intelligence scores (WISC-IV PRI and Leiter-R). There were no significant differences between nonverbal intelligence measures with verbal or nonverbal instructions. We further discuss the role of assessment of language abilities in interpreting results of intelligence testing in populations with higher prevalence of language difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afik Faerman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Alaa Sakallah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Division of Clinical Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, USA
| | - Sara Skiba
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Seemran Kansara
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Brandon E Kopald
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Jeffrey David Lewine
- Departments of Neurology and Psychology, University of New Mexico, USA
- Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Carly Demopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Departments of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, California
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Rossow T, MacLennan K, Tavassoli T. The Predictive Relationship Between Sensory Reactivity and Depressive Symptoms in Young Autistic Children with Few to No Words. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:2384-2394. [PMID: 35338437 PMCID: PMC8956453 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05528-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Depression and sensory reactivity are both common in autism. However, there is little understanding of the predictive relationship between these factors, or the nature of this relationship in autistic children who speak few to no words. This study set out to explore the longitudinal relationship between sensory reactivity and depressive symptoms in 33 young autistic children who speak few to no words. We found positive correlations between depressive symptoms and hyper-reactivity and sensory seeking at both timepoints, and across timepoints. We further found a bidirectional predictive relationship between depressive symptoms and sensory seeking. These results implicate sensory seeking in the development of depressive symptoms in young autistic children who use few to no words. Our findings have important implications for preventative mental health interventions, especially for those with a developmental language delay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Rossow
- University of Reading, Harry Pitt Building, Earley Gate, Reading, RG6 6BZ, UK.
| | - Keren MacLennan
- University of Reading, Harry Pitt Building, Earley Gate, Reading, RG6 6BZ, UK
| | - Teresa Tavassoli
- University of Reading, Harry Pitt Building, Earley Gate, Reading, RG6 6BZ, UK
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7
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Briguglio M, Turriziani L, Currò A, Gagliano A, Di Rosa G, Caccamo D, Tonacci A, Gangemi S. A Machine Learning Approach to the Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Multi-Systemic Developmental Disorder Based on Retrospective Data and ADOS-2 Score. Brain Sci 2023; 13:883. [PMID: 37371363 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Early and accurate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and tailored therapeutic interventions can improve prognosis. ADOS-2 is a standardized test for ASD diagnosis. However, owing to ASD heterogeneity, the presence of false positives remains a challenge for clinicians. In this study, retrospective data from patients with ASD and multi-systemic developmental disorder (MSDD), a term used to describe children under the age of 3 with impaired communication but with strong emotional attachments, were tested by machine learning (ML) models to assess the best predictors of disease development as well as the items that best describe these two autism spectrum disorder presentations. Maternal and infant data as well as ADOS-2 score were included in different ML testing models. Depending on the outcome to be estimated, a best-performing model was selected. RIDGE regression model showed that the best predictors for ADOS social affect score were gut disturbances, EEG retrievals, and sleep problems. Linear Regression Model showed that term pregnancy, psychomotor development status, and gut disturbances were predicting at best for the ADOS Repetitive and Restricted Behavior score. The LASSO regression model showed that EEG retrievals, sleep disturbances, age at diagnosis, term pregnancy, weight at birth, gut disturbances, and neurological findings were the best predictors for the overall ADOS score. The CART classification and regression model showed that age at diagnosis and weight at birth best discriminate between ASD and MSDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Briguglio
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Polyclinic Hospital University, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Laura Turriziani
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Polyclinic Hospital University, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Arianna Currò
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Polyclinic Hospital University, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Antonella Gagliano
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Polyclinic Hospital University, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Gabriella Di Rosa
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Polyclinic Hospital University, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Daniela Caccamo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging, Polyclinic Hospital University, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessandro Tonacci
- Clinical Physiology Institute, National Research Council of Italy (IFC-CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Gangemi
- Unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Polyclinic Hospital University, 98125 Messina, Italy
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8
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Chien YL, Chen YJ, Tseng WL, Hsu YC, Wu CS, Tseng WYI, Gau SSF. Differences in white matter segments in autistic males, non-autistic siblings, and non-autistic participants: An intermediate phenotype approach. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022; 27:1036-1052. [PMID: 36254873 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221125620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT White matter is the neural pathway that connects neurons in different brain regions. Although research has shown white matter differences between autistic and non-autistic people, little is known about the properties of white matter in non-autistic siblings. In addition, past studies often focused on the whole neural tracts; it is unclear where differences exist in specific segments of the tracts. This study identified neural segments that differed between autistic people, their non-autistic siblings, and the age- and non-autistic people. We found altered segments within the tracts connected to anterior brain regions corresponding to several higher cognitive functions (e.g. executive functions) in autistic people and non-autistic siblings. Segments connecting to regions for social cognition and Theory of Mind were altered only in autistic people, explaining a large portion of autistic traits and may serve as neuroimaging markers. Segments within the tracts associated with fewer autistic traits or connecting brain regions for diverse highly integrated functions showed compensatory increases in the microstructural properties in non-autistic siblings. Our findings suggest that differential white matter segments that are shared between autistic people and non-autistic siblings may serve as potential "intermediate phenotypes"-biological or neuropsychological characteristics in the causal link between genetics and symptoms-of autism. These findings shed light on a promising neuroimaging model to refine the intermediate phenotype of autism which may facilitate further identification of the genetic and biological bases of autism. Future research exploring links between compensatory segments and neurocognitive strengths in non-autistic siblings may help understand brain adaptation to autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ling Chien
- National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taiwan.,National Taiwan University, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | - Chi-Shin Wu
- National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taiwan
| | | | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taiwan.,National Taiwan University, Taiwan
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Gavazzi F, Pierce SR, Vithayathil J, Cunningham K, Anderson K, McCann J, Moll A, Muirhead K, Sherbini O, Prange E, Dubbs H, Tochen L, Fraser J, Helbig I, Lewin N, Thakur N, Adang LA. Psychometric outcome measures in beta-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration (BPAN). Mol Genet Metab 2022; 137:26-32. [PMID: 35878504 PMCID: PMC9613602 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2022.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Beta-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration (BPAN) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by iron accumulation in the brain with spectrum of neurodevelopmental and movement phenotypes. In anticipation of future clinical trials and to inform clinical care, there is an unmet need to capture the phenotypic diversity of this rare disorder and better define disease subtypes. METHODS A total of 27 individuals with BPAN were included in our natural history study, from which traditional outcome measures were obtained in 18 subjects. Demographic and diagnostic information, along with acquisition of basic developmental skills and overall neurologic severity were extracted from the medical records. Functional outcome measures were administered at the time of the evaluation or applied retrospectively at the last clinical encounter for patients who were not able to travel for in person. Based on age and functional level, the following assessments were administered: Leiter-3, Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM)-66 Item Sets, Vineland-3, and Peabody-2. RESULTS Overall, cognitive function was more impaired compared to gross motor function. Onset of symptoms of BPAN within the first 6 months of life was associated with decreased gain of ambulation and gain of spoken language (ambulation: log-rank test p = 0.0015; gain of first word: p = 0.0015). There was no difference in age at seizure onset by age at initial symptom onset (p = 0.8823). Collection of prospective outcome measures was limited by attention and behavior in our patient population, reinforcing the complexity of phenotype assessment and inadequacy of available standardized tests. Overall, gross motor and adaptive behavior assessments were better able to capture the dynamic range of function across the BPAN population than the fine motor and non-verbal cognitive tests. Floor effects were noted across outcome measures in a subset of individuals for cognitive and adaptive behavior tests. CONCLUSION Our data suggest the distinct phenotypes of BPAN: a severe, early onset form and an attenuated form with higher cognitive capabilities. Early age at onset was a key factor in predicting future neurologic impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Gavazzi
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Italy
| | - Samuel R Pierce
- Departmen of Physical Therapy, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joseph Vithayathil
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kristin Cunningham
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kim Anderson
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jacob McCann
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ashley Moll
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kayla Muirhead
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Omar Sherbini
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Erin Prange
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Holly Dubbs
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Laura Tochen
- Children's National Medical Center, Department of Neurology, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Jamie Fraser
- Rare Disease Institute, Division of Genetics and Metabolism, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ingo Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Naomi Lewin
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nivedita Thakur
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Laura A Adang
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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10
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Zhang Q, Li Q, Yang T, Chen L, Dai Y, Wei H, Wang K, Jia F, Wu L, Hao Y, Li L, Zhang J, Ke X, Yi M, Hong Q, Chen J, Fang S, Wang Y, Wang Q, Jin C, Chen J, Li T. Neurodevelopmental domain characteristics and their association with core symptoms in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder in China: a nationwide multicenter study. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:393. [PMID: 35698058 PMCID: PMC9195470 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04028-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of clinically heterogenic neurodevelopmental disorders, with intellectual disability being one of its common comorbidities. No large-sample, multicenter study has focused on the neurodevelopmental aspect of preschoolers with ASD. This study investigated the neurodevelopmental characteristics of preschoolers with ASD in China and explored the association between them and the core symptoms. METHODS We enrolled 1019 ASD preschoolers aged 2-7 years old from 13 cities around China between May 2018 and December 2019, and used the revised Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale (CNBS-R2016) to assess their neurodevelopment. Their autistic core behaviors were evaluated based on their Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Child Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and communication warning behavior (CWB) scores in the CNBS-R2016. RESULTS Based on general developmental quotient (GQ) < 70, 68.4% of the preschoolers with ASD had a developmental delay (DD), rated mild in 32.7% of them. The highest DD rate (> 70%) was found in language and personal-social skills, followed by fine motor skills (68.9%). Gross motor skills had the lowest DD rate (34.0%). We found that fine motor, language, and personal-social developmental quotients (DQs) were significantly lower than gross motor skills in no DD (GQ > 70), mild DD (GQ 55-69), and moderate and below DD groups (GQ ≤ 54). Furthermore, the DQs for language and personal-social skills were significantly lower than for gross and fine motor skills in both DD groups. The ABC, SRS, CARS, and CWB scores in the no DD group were the lowest, moderate in the mild DD group, and highest in the moderate and below DD group. Besides, negative correlations were found between the DQs of the four domains and the ABC, SRS, CARS, and CWB scores, of which the language and personal-social skills DQs had the strongest correlations. CONCLUSIONS Preschoolers with ASD had unbalanced neurodevelopment domain patterns and their neurodevelopmental levels were negatively correlated with the autism core symptoms. Hence, pediatricians should actively evaluate the neurodevelopment of children with ASD and conduct long-term follow-up during their early childhood to promote early diagnosis and develop personalized intervention plans. TRIAL REGISTRATION ChiCTR2000031194 , registered on 03/23/2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhang
- grid.488412.3Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Health and Nutrition, Chongqing, 400014 China
| | - Qiu Li
- grid.488412.3Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Health and Nutrition, Chongqing, 400014 China
| | - Ting Yang
- grid.488412.3Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Health and Nutrition, Chongqing, 400014 China
| | - Li Chen
- grid.488412.3Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Health and Nutrition, Chongqing, 400014 China
| | - Ying Dai
- grid.488412.3Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Health and Nutrition, Chongqing, 400014 China
| | - Hua Wei
- grid.488412.3Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Health and Nutrition, Chongqing, 400014 China
| | - Ke Wang
- grid.488412.3Children’s Medical Big Data Intelligent Application Chongqing University Engineering Research Center, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014 China
| | - Feiyong Jia
- grid.430605.40000 0004 1758 4110Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 China
| | - Lijie Wu
- grid.410736.70000 0001 2204 9268Department of Children’s and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081 China
| | - Yan Hao
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030 China
| | - Ling Li
- grid.502812.cDepartment of Children Rehabilitation, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, 570100 China
| | - Jie Zhang
- grid.452902.8Xi’an Children’s Hospital, Xi’an, 710003 China
| | - Xiaoyan Ke
- grid.452645.40000 0004 1798 8369Child Mental Health Research Center of Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing, 210013 China
| | - Mingji Yi
- grid.412521.10000 0004 1769 1119Department of Child Health Care, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Qi Hong
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Baoan, Shenzhen, 518133 China
| | - Jinjin Chen
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Department of Child Healthcare, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200040 China
| | - Shuanfeng Fang
- grid.207374.50000 0001 2189 3846Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450053 China
| | - Yichao Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defect for Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, 410008 China
| | - Qi Wang
- Deyang Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Deyang, 618000 Sichuan China
| | - Chunhua Jin
- grid.418633.b0000 0004 1771 7032Department of Children Health Care, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020 China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Health and Nutrition, Chongqing, 400014, China.
| | - Tingyu Li
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Health and Nutrition, Chongqing, 400014, China.
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11
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Peristeri E, Silleresi S, Tsimpli IM. Bilingualism effects on cognition in autistic children are not all-or-nothing: The role of socioeconomic status in intellectual skills in bilingual autistic children. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022; 26:2084-2097. [PMID: 35102760 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221075097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Previous research has suggested that bilingualism may improve cognition in children with autism, and that this boost may stem from improvement in executive functions. The Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children are considered to be reliable and valid measures of intelligence when administered to autistic children. These measures have so far revealed unusual psychometric properties in monolingual autistic children, notably distinctive patterns of strengths and weaknesses and low inter-correlation among verbal and nonverbal IQ subtests. The way bilingualism affects the intellectual functioning of autistic children has not been explored yet. Nor has there been a satisfactory factor structure that explains monolingual and bilingual autistic children's IQ performance in terms of individual factors, such as age and socioeconomic status. The current study examined the intelligence profiles of 316 bilingual and age- and gender-matched monolingual children with autism using the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children-Third Edition. The study applied clustering models to extract intelligence subtypes of autism, and mediation analyses to examine potential mediation effects of age and socioeconomic status on the children's verbal and nonverbal IQ performance. The results support the mediational role of the children's socioeconomic status in the association between bilingualism and intelligence. Low-socioeconomic status bilingual autistic children outperformed their monolingual peers on both verbal and nonverbal subtests, while the differences faded in medium-socioeconomic status and high-socioeconomic status children. The findings emphasize the positive effects of bilingualism on low-socioeconomic status autistic children's intelligence and also highlight high-socioeconomic status as a factor that may mitigate discrepant patterns of strengths and weaknesses in monolingual children's IQ performance.
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12
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Decoding gender differences: Intellectual profiles of children with specific learning disabilities. INTELLIGENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2021.101615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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13
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Rossow T, MacLennan K, Tavassoli T. The relationship between sensory reactivity differences and mental health symptoms in preschool-age autistic children. Autism Res 2021; 14:1645-1657. [PMID: 33942995 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
There is growing evidence for an association between sensory reactivity and mental health in autism. This study set out to explore the relationship between sensory reactivity and mental health in preschool-aged autistic children. In total 54 preschool-aged children with an Autism Spectrum Condition took part. Sensory and mental health symptoms were obtained from the Sensory Processing Scale Inventory, Sensory Assessment of Neurodevelopmental Differences and the Behavioral Assessment System for Children-3. Correlational analyses showed a relationship between sensory reactivity and mental health symptoms in autistic preschool-aged children. Results also indicate divergence in sensory-mental health profiles between autistic preschool-aged children who are verbal and those who use few to no words. For the first time this study has revealed a relationship between sensory hyper-reactivity, as well as sensory seeking, and mental health symptoms outside of anxiety in autism. Of note, this relationship between sensory hyper-reactivity and internalizing symptoms appears to be driven by those with few to no words. This has implications for both research and clinical interventions, in particular for our understanding of the factors underlying mental health symptoms in different autistic phenotypes, as well as the possible role of functional communication in mitigating the development of mental health symptoms. LAY SUMMARY: The present study found that in autistic preschoolers, externalizing mental health symptoms, such as hyperactivity, are related to sensory seeking (seeking out or being fascinated with sensory stimuli), and internalizing mental health symptoms, such as depression, are related to sensory hyper-reactivity (sensitivity to sensory stimuli). Our results also show that whilst the relationships between externalizing symptoms and sensory seeking is seen across participants, the relationship between internalizing symptoms and sensory hyper-reactivity was only seen in autistic preschoolers who used few to no words. This has important implications for the assessment of sensory differences as part of more rigorous mental health assessments, especially in autistic people who use few to no words.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Rossow
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Keren MacLennan
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Teresa Tavassoli
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
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14
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Clements CC, Sparding T, Schultz RT, Yerys BE, Watkins MW. DAS-II Cognitive Profiles Are Not Diagnostically Meaningful For Autism: A ROC Analysis. Autism Res 2020; 13:2143-2154. [PMID: 32696622 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Intelligence assessment is an integral part of a comprehensive autism evaluation. Many past studies have described a cognitive profile of autistic individuals characterized by higher nonverbal than verbal IQ scores. The diagnostic utility of this profile, however, remains unknown. We leveraged receiver operating characteristic methods to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of three different IQ profiles in a large sample of children who have an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (N = 1,228, Simons Simplex Collection) who completed the Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition (DAS-II), School Age compared to the normative sample provided by the DAS-II publisher (N = 2,200). The frequently discussed nonverbal > verbal IQ profile performed near chance at distinguishing ASD from normative individuals (AUC: 0.54, 95% CI [0.52-0.56]), and performed significantly worse for females than males (AUC: females: 0.46 [0.41-0.52]; males: 0.55 [0.53-0.58]). All cognitive profiles showed AUC < 0.56. We conclude that while significant differences between verbal and nonverbal IQ scores exist at the group level, these differences are small in an absolute sense and not meaningful at an individual level. We do not recommend using cognitive profiles to aid in autism diagnostic decision-making. LAY SUMMARY: Some researchers and clinicians have reported an "autistic cognitive profile" of higher nonverbal intelligence than verbal intelligence. In an analysis of over 1,000 autistic children, we found that the group's average nonverbal intelligence is usually higher than their verbal intelligence. However, this pattern should not be used by clinicians to make an individual diagnosis of autism because our results show it is not helpful nor accurate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin C Clements
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Psychology Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Timea Sparding
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Benjamin E Yerys
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Marley W Watkins
- Department of Educational Psychology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
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