1
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McFayden TC, Rutsohn J, Cetin G, Forsen E, Swanson MR, Meera SS, Wolff JJ, Elison JT, Shen MD, Botteron K, Dager SR, Estes A, Gerig G, McKinstry RC, Pandey J, Schultz R, St John T, Styner M, Truong Y, Zwaigenbaum L, Hazlett HC, Piven J, Girault JB. White matter development and language abilities during infancy in autism spectrum disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02470-3. [PMID: 38383768 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02470-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
White matter (WM) fiber tract differences are present in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and could be important markers of behavior. One of the earliest phenotypic differences in ASD are language atypicalities. Although language has been linked to WM in typical development, no work has evaluated this association in early ASD. Participants came from the Infant Brain Imaging Study and included 321 infant siblings of children with ASD at high likelihood (HL) for developing ASD; 70 HL infants were later diagnosed with ASD (HL-ASD), and 251 HL infants were not diagnosed with ASD (HL-Neg). A control sample of 140 low likelihood infants not diagnosed with ASD (LL-Neg) were also included. Infants contributed expressive language, receptive language, and diffusion tensor imaging data at 6-, 12-, and 24 months. Mixed effects regression models were conducted to evaluate associations between WM and language trajectories. Trajectories of microstructural changes in the right arcuate fasciculus were associated with expressive language development. HL-ASD infants demonstrated a different developmental pattern compared to the HL-Neg and LL-Neg groups, wherein the HL-ASD group exhibited a positive association between WM fractional anisotropy and language whereas HL-Neg and LL-Neg groups showed weak or no association. No other fiber tracts demonstrated significant associations with language. In conclusion, results indicated arcuate fasciculus WM is linked to language in early toddlerhood for autistic toddlers, with the strongest associations emerging around 24 months. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate associations between language and WM development during the pre-symptomatic period in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler C McFayden
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carrboro, NC, USA.
| | - Joshua Rutsohn
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Gizem Cetin
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carrboro, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth Forsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Meghan R Swanson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Shoba S Meera
- Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India
| | - Jason J Wolff
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jed T Elison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mark D Shen
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carrboro, NC, USA
| | - Kelly Botteron
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Stephen R Dager
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Annette Estes
- Institute on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Guido Gerig
- Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert C McKinstry
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tanya St John
- Institute on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Martin Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Young Truong
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Heather C Hazlett
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carrboro, NC, USA
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carrboro, NC, USA
| | - Jessica B Girault
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carrboro, NC, USA
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2
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Girimaji AS, Meera SS, Keshavaprasad YB, Jacob P, Philip M, Rajgopal H. Use of Children's Communication Checklist-2 to identify Communication Problems in Kannada Speaking Preschool Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Preliminary Study. Indian J Psychol Med 2023; 45:539-541. [PMID: 37772151 PMCID: PMC10523508 DOI: 10.1177/02537176231165180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Akhila S. Girimaji
- Dept. of Speech Pathology and
Audiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS),
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Shoba S. Meera
- Dept. of Speech Pathology and
Audiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS),
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Yamini Belur Keshavaprasad
- Dept. of Speech Pathology and
Audiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS),
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Preeti Jacob
- Dept. of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS),
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Mariamma Philip
- Dept. of Biostatistics, National
Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka,
India
| | - Hemalatha Rajgopal
- Dept. of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS),
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
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3
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Yankowitz LD, Petrulla V, Plate S, Tunc B, Guthrie W, Meera SS, Tena K, Pandey J, Swanson MR, Pruett JR, Cola M, Russell A, Marrus N, Hazlett HC, Botteron K, Constantino JN, Dager SR, Estes A, Zwaigenbaum L, Piven J, Schultz RT, Parish-Morris J. Infants later diagnosed with autism have lower canonical babbling ratios in the first year of life. Mol Autism 2022; 13:28. [PMID: 35761377 PMCID: PMC9235227 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00503-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Canonical babbling-producing syllables with a mature consonant, full vowel, and smooth transition-is an important developmental milestone that typically occurs in the first year of life. Some studies indicate delayed or reduced canonical babbling in infants at high familial likelihood for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or who later receive an ASD diagnosis, but evidence is mixed. More refined characterization of babbling in the first year of life in infants with high likelihood for ASD is needed. METHODS Vocalizations produced at 6 and 12 months by infants (n = 267) taking part in a longitudinal study were coded for canonical and non-canonical syllables. Infants were categorized as low familial likelihood (LL), high familial likelihood diagnosed with ASD at 24 months (HL-ASD) or not diagnosed (HL-Neg). Language delay was assessed based on 24-month expressive and receptive language scores. Canonical babble ratio (CBR) was calculated by dividing the number of canonical syllables by the number of total syllables. Generalized linear (mixed) models were used to assess the relationship between group membership and CBR, controlling for site, sex, and maternal education. Logistic regression was used to assess whether canonical babbling ratios at 6 and 12 months predict 24-month diagnostic outcome. RESULTS No diagnostic group differences in CBR were detected at 6 months, but HL-ASD infants produced significantly lower CBR than both the HL-Neg and LL groups at 12 months. HL-Neg infants with language delay also showed reduced CBR at 12 months. Neither 6- nor 12-month CBR was significant predictors of 24-month diagnostic outcome (ASD versus no ASD) in logistic regression. LIMITATIONS Small numbers of vocalizations produced by infants at 6 months may limit the reliability of CBR estimates. It is not known if results generalize to infants who are not at high familial likelihood, or infants from more diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. CONCLUSIONS Lower canonical babbling ratios are apparent by the end of the first year of life in ASD regardless of later language delay, but are also observed for infants with later language delay without ASD. Canonical babbling may lack specificity as an early marker when used on its own.
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Affiliation(s)
- L D Yankowitz
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - V Petrulla
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - S Plate
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - B Tunc
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - W Guthrie
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - S S Meera
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - K Tena
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - M R Swanson
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - J R Pruett
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - M Cola
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - A Russell
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - N Marrus
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - H C Hazlett
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - K Botteron
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - J N Constantino
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - S R Dager
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - A Estes
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - L Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - J Piven
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - R T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J Parish-Morris
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Srikar M, Raju R, Dadlani N, Swaminathan D, Vaidhyanathan P, Meera SS. Often Encountered but Rarely Reported: Challenges in Selecting Language(s) for Intervention in Bi/Multilingual Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Child Science 2022. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1743492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIndia is a socioculturally and linguistically diverse country. Most often individuals grow up exposed to more than one language. Apart from exposure to native and community languages, there is a growing preference for English as the language of formal education and employment. Previous studies demonstrated that bilingual children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develop language similar to their monolingual nonverbal IQ-matched ASD peers. However, most of these studies have been conducted in countries in which English is the primary language for majority of the population. Although existing studies support a bilingual environment for children with ASD, professionals still seem to advise families' use of a monolingual approach. This paper reviews and discusses factors that influence the selection of language(s) for intervention in young children with ASD in bi/multilingual environments. These are discussed under three areas namely, (1) language environment of the child, (2) parent/caregivers' perspectives regarding bi/multilingual exposure, and (3) medium of education and availability of intervention services. This paper also highlights the complexities involved in the language selection process for intervention using four case vignettes. Based on the review and findings from the case vignettes, it is evident that there is a need for (1) sensitizing fellow professionals regarding the increasing shift toward a bi/multilingual approach, (2) formulating guidelines for this decision-making process, and (3) continuing to develop an evidence base for adopting multilingual approach for intervention in a socioculturally and linguistically diverse country like India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malavi Srikar
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Reny Raju
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Nikita Dadlani
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Divya Swaminathan
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Shoba S. Meera
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
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5
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Tunç B, Pandey J, John TS, Meera SS, Maldarelli JE, Zwaigenbaum L, Hazlett HC, Dager SR, Botteron KN, Girault JB, McKinstry RC, Verma R, Elison JT, Pruett JR, Piven J, Estes AM, Schultz RT. Diagnostic shifts in autism spectrum disorder can be linked to the fuzzy nature of the diagnostic boundary: a data-driven approach. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2021; 62:1236-1245. [PMID: 33826159 PMCID: PMC8601115 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diagnostic shifts at early ages may provide invaluable insights into the nature of separation between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typical development. Recent conceptualizations of ASD suggest the condition is only fuzzily separated from non-ASD, with intermediate cases between the two. These intermediate cases may shift along a transition region over time, leading to apparent instability of diagnosis. METHODS We used a cohort of children with high ASD risk, by virtue of having an older sibling with ASD, assessed at 24 months (N = 212) and 36 months (N = 191). We applied machine learning to empirically characterize the classification boundary between ASD and non-ASD, using variables quantifying developmental and adaptive skills. We computed the distance of children to the classification boundary. RESULTS Children who switched diagnostic labels from 24 to 36 months, in both directions, (dynamic group) had intermediate phenotypic profiles. They were closer to the classification boundary compared to children who had stable diagnoses, both at 24 months (Cohen's d = .52) and at 36 months (d = .75). The magnitude of change in distance between the two time points was similar for the dynamic and stable groups (Cohen's d = .06), and diagnostic shifts were not associated with a large change. At the individual level, a few children in the dynamic group showed substantial change. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggested that a diagnostic shift was largely due to a slight movement within a transition region between ASD and non-ASD. This fact highlights the need for more vigilant surveillance and intervention strategies. Young children with intermediate phenotypes may have an increased susceptibility to gain or lose their diagnosis at later ages, calling attention to the inherently dynamic nature of early ASD diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birkan Tunç
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Correspondence to: Birkan Tunç, PhD,
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tanya St. John
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Shoba S. Meera
- Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India
| | - Jennifer E. Maldarelli
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Heather C. Hazlett
- The Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, , NC 27599, USA
| | - Stephen R. Dager
- Department of Radiology and Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Kelly N. Botteron
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jessica B. Girault
- The Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, , NC 27599, USA
| | - Robert C. McKinstry
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Ragini Verma
- DiCIPHR (Diffusion and Connectomics in Precision Healthcare Research) Lab, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jed T. Elison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - John R. Pruett
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Joseph Piven
- The Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, , NC 27599, USA
| | - Annette M. Estes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Robert T. Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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6
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Meera SS, Donovan K, Wolff JJ, Zwaigenbaum L, Elison JT, Kinh T, Shen MD, Estes AM, Hazlett HC, Watson LR, Baranek GT, Swanson MR, St John T, Burrows CA, Schultz RT, Dager SR, Botteron KN, Pandey J, Piven J. Towards a Data-Driven Approach to Screen for Autism Risk at 12 Months of Age. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 60:968-977. [PMID: 33161063 PMCID: PMC8127075 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop a classifier for infants at 12 months of age based on a parent-report measure (the First Year Inventory 2.0 [FYI]), for the following reasons: (1) to classify infants at elevated risk, above and beyond that attributable to familial risk status for ASD; and (2) to serve as a starting point to refine an approach for risk estimation in population samples. METHOD A total of 54 high-familial risk (HR) infants later diagnosed with ASD (HR-ASD), 183 HR infants not diagnosed with ASD at 24 months of age (HR-Neg), and 72 low-risk controls participated in the study. All infants contributed FYI data at 12 months of age and had a diagnostic assessment for ASD at age 24 months. A data-driven, cross-validated analytic approach was used to develop a classifier to determine screening accuracy (eg, sensitivity) of the FYI to classify HR-ASD and HR-Neg. RESULTS The newly developed FYI classifier had an estimated sensitivity of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.50, 0.91) and specificity of 0.72 (95% CI: 0.49, 0.91). CONCLUSION This classifier demonstrates the potential to improve current screening for ASD risk at 12 months of age in infants already at elevated familial risk for ASD, increasing opportunities for detection of autism risk in infancy. Findings from this study highlight the utility of combining parent-report measures with machine learning approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoba S Meera
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.
| | - Kevin Donovan
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | | | - Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; and the Autism Research Centre, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | - Truong Kinh
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Mark D Shen
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | | | - Heather C Hazlett
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Linda R Watson
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Juhi Pandey
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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7
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Swaminathan
- Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India
| | - Shoba S Meera
- Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India.
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8
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Girault JB, Swanson MR, Meera SS, Grzadzinski RL, Shen MD, Burrows CA, Wolff JJ, Pandey J, John TS, Estes A, Zwaigenbaum L, Botteron KN, Hazlett HC, Dager SR, Schultz RT, Constantino JN, Piven J. Quantitative trait variation in ASD probands and toddler sibling outcomes at 24 months. J Neurodev Disord 2020; 12:5. [PMID: 32024459 PMCID: PMC7003330 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-020-9308-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased likelihood of receiving an ASD diagnosis and exhibiting other developmental concerns. It is unknown how quantitative variation in ASD traits and broader developmental domains in older siblings with ASD (probands) may inform outcomes in their younger siblings. Methods Participants included 385 pairs of toddler siblings and probands from the Infant Brain Imaging Study. ASD probands (mean age 5.5 years, range 1.7 to 15.5 years) were phenotyped using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (VABS-II). Siblings were assessed using the ADI-R, VABS-II, Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and received a clinical best estimate diagnosis at 24 months using DSM-IV-TR criteria (n = 89 concordant for ASD; n = 296 discordant). We addressed two aims: (1) to determine whether proband characteristics are predictive of recurrence in siblings and (2) to assess associations between proband traits and sibling dimensional outcomes at 24 months. Results Regarding recurrence risk, proband SCQ scores were found to significantly predict sibling 24-month diagnostic outcome (OR for a 1-point increase in SCQ = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.01, 1.12). Regarding quantitative trait associations, we found no significant correlations in ASD traits among proband-sibling pairs. However, quantitative variation in proband adaptive behavior, communication, and expressive and receptive language was significantly associated with sibling outcomes in the same domains; proband scores explained 9–18% of the variation in cognition and behavior in siblings with ASD. Receptive language was particularly strongly associated in concordant pairs (ICC = 0.50, p < 0.001). Conclusions Proband ASD symptomology, indexed by the SCQ, is a predictor of familial ASD recurrence risk. While quantitative variation in social communication and restricted and repetitive behavior were not associated among sibling pairs, standardized ratings of proband language and communication explained significant variation in the same domains in the sibling at 24 months, especially among toddlers with an ASD diagnosis. These data suggest that proband characteristics can alert clinicians to areas of developmental concern for young children with familial risk for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica B Girault
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3376, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Meghan R Swanson
- Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Shoba S Meera
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3376, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Rebecca L Grzadzinski
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3376, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Mark D Shen
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3376, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Jason J Wolff
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tanya St John
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Annette Estes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Kelly N Botteron
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Heather C Hazlett
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3376, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Stephen R Dager
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John N Constantino
- Division of Child Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3376, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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9
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Swanson MR, Donovan K, Paterson S, Wolff JJ, Parish-Morris J, Meera SS, Watson LR, Estes AM, Marrus N, Elison JT, Shen MD, McNeilly HB, MacIntyre L, Zwaigenbaum L, St John T, Botteron K, Dager S, Piven J. Early language exposure supports later language skills in infants with and without autism. Autism Res 2019; 12:1784-1795. [PMID: 31254329 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The way that parents communicate with their typically developing infants is associated with later infant language development. Here we aim to show that these associations are observed in infants subsequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study had three groups: high-familial-risk infants who did not have ASD (n = 46); high-familial-risk infants who had ASD (n = 14); and low-familial-risk infants who exhibited typical development (n = 36). All-day home language recordings were collected at 9 and 15 months, and language skills were assessed at 24 months. Across all infants in the study, including those with ASD, a richer home language environment (e.g., hearing more adult words and experiencing more conversational turns) at 9 and 15 months was associated with better language skills. Higher parental educational attainment was associated with a richer home language environment. Mediation analyses showed that the effect of education on child language skills was explained by the richness of the home language environment. Exploratory analyses revealed that typically developing infants experience an increase in caregiver-child conversational turns across 9-15 months, a pattern not seen in children with ASD. The current study shows that parent behavior during the earliest stages of life can have a significant impact on later development, highlighting the home language environment as means to support development in infants with ASD. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1784-1795. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: It has long been understood that caregiver speech supports language skills in typically developing infants. In this study, parents of infants who were later diagnosed with ASD and parents of infants in the control groups completed all-day home language recordings. We found that for all infants in our study, those who heard more caregiver speech had better language skills later in life. Parental education level was also related to how much caregiver speech an infant experienced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan R Swanson
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kevin Donovan
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Sarah Paterson
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jason J Wolff
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Julia Parish-Morris
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Shoba S Meera
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Linda R Watson
- Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Annette M Estes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Natasha Marrus
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Jed T Elison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Mark D Shen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Heidi B McNeilly
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Leigh MacIntyre
- McGill Center for Integrative Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Autism Research Centre (E209), Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Tanya St John
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Kelly Botteron
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.,Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Stephen Dager
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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