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If you want to know about people with autism, ask them

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There are relatively few studies using self-report findings on standardized measures from people with autism.  Part of the reason for this is because there aren’t that many of these instruments to begin with.   Scientists are working on that.  But this week, a group from the UK took the existing data from smaller studies using the the Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale (which can be found here:  https://www.aspietests.org/raads/) to look at sex differences.  They found subtle differences between males and females on their language and sensorimotor features.  This indicates males and females experience autism slightly differently.   In addition, a different study interviewed people with autism at different ages to ask how symptoms changed over time and found that features of autism peaked in middle adulthood.  However, close family members, friends or caregivers didn’t always see it that way themselves.  This reiterates the need to collect information from multiple people – including people with autism – to provide better services and supports.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29796237

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29971654

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The ASF Day of Learning mini-recap

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Did you miss the ASF Day of Learning in NYC but want to hear some teasers before they are available online?  Listen to this week’s podcast, and you’ll hear the 12 minute talks distilled to 2 minutes, leaving out a lot of details and eliminating the video part but giving you a quick recap of each.  Topics this year included:  1) What have we learned this last year?  2) Are Boys and Girls with Autism Different? 3) Does diet make a difference in autism?  4) Is medical marijuana a treatment option? 5) Why won’t my child sleep and 6) How can we improve adult outcomes in people with autism?  ASF also announced 8 new pre and post-doctoral fellowships on Wednesday, filling out an already amazingly active autism awareness month.   Stay tuned for the complete presentations to appear on the ASF homepage.

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What is true for males is not true for females

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This week’s podcast focuses on the Extreme Male Brain Theory of autism, originating from the idea that autism, in part, is a reflection of increased fetal testosterone levels.  Amazingly, fetal testosterone levels are reflected in the length of the 2nd and 4th fingers and can be measured as a reflection of testosterone levels during pregnancy. Research, including those from a recent CDC study, have reinforced that elevated fetal testosterone levels play a role in autism in males, but not females.  Differences in fetal testosterone across gender and diagnosis has also been observed in a study from Drexel University.  What was observed in males is not observed in females.  It doesn’t mean the theory is wrong, it means that what is true for one sex is not always true for the other.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29450837

 

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Resources and Services for Adolescents and Young Adults

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Thank you to Sonia Agarwal, smart, efficient and eloquent ASF summer intern for putting together a summary of resources and services and rights for adolescents and young adults with autism, focusing on those who are not intellectually disabled.  They include resources for transitioning into college and support programs at college, with tips and hints along the way.  Sonia has a younger brother with autism and is committed to helping families access the help they need.

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The Benefits of Being and Older Father

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Advanced paternal age is one of the more replicated risk factors for autism – but maybe not autism as it as seen as a disorder.  Recent studies by Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Kings College of London show in both animal models and in epidemiological studies that advanced age in fathers is associated with the “active but odd” phenotype and PDD NOS.  In people, older (but not “old”) age in fathers led to increased IQ and social aloofness that led to higher academic achievement.  Is this autism?  Or just a subtype of autism where the outcomes are adaptive rather than maladaptive?  There are lots of questions about the nature of autism in these findings.

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From Early Detection to Early Intervention

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This month, two new important research findings were published from scientists that study the very earliest signs and symptoms of autism.  First, Dr. Suzanne Macari at Yale showed that a type of temperament in toddlers was associated with autism at about 3 years of age.  This may be used in the future to develop specialized interventions very very early on.  Meanwhile, Dr. Jessica Brian’s group in Canada used the very early signs of autism – social orienting – to develop a new intervention called the Social ABC’s which they piloted last year.  Last week, a randomized clinical trial of this intervention showed improvements in social smiling, reactions to parents, and social orienting, suggesting it is a feasible and valid intervention option.  There is now a list of these interventions that have been rigorously tested.  This demonstrates that the early detection of features of autism, like temperament, can be turned into interventions to improve the outcome of toddlers with ASD.

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Hip hip hooray for toddler interventions for autism

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As always, good news and bad news in autism this week.  First the good news:  an intervention given between 9-14 months of age in children with a high probability of having an autism diagnosis improved autism symptoms at 3 years of age.  Now the bad:  mothers who experience severe childhood abuse are more likely to have a child with an autism diagnosis.  Why?  A new study explains it might have a lot to do with autism traits in the parents.  We would love to hear your thoughts on the results, please provide them in the comment section.

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A new clue to autism found in fluid in the brain

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Last week, another Baby Siblings Research Consortium Project (BSRC) published an intriguing finding which also has the bonus of being a replication.  Mark Shen, PhD, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found higher levels of extra axial fluid in the brains of infants who went on to later be diagnosed with autism, and even higher levels in those with severe autism symptoms.  Extra-axial fluid is also called cerebrospinal fluid, the fluid that holds the brain steady in your head.  Other functions of extra-axial fluid and what this means on how it may contribute to autism risk are described in the podcast.  He not only explains the findings, but conveys what families should know about them and how they can help with early identification of ASD.

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When can you see autism in the brain?

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This week the Infant Brain Imaging Study, or IBIS, published it’s 2nd study on the emergence of changes in the brains of individuals with autism.  While red flags for autism can be seen early, a diagnosis of autism is not typically made until after 24 months of age. Using a baby sibling research design, scientists showed increases in the size of certain areas of the brain between 6-12 months.  This opens up opportunities for even earlier diagnosis of ASD in the future.   Also, a group at Stanford shows the emergence and disappearance of co-morbid symptoms in autism, such as epilepsy, schizophrenia and ADHD, which are dependent on sex and age.  Together, these studies show that autism begins very very early and symptoms and behavioral and biological features change over time.