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What is the problem getting to the bottom of biomarkers and gene x environment interactions

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Outcome measures for clinical trials and understanding and determining gene x environment interactions have been two (of many) challenging questions for scientists. In the first study, we explain a new study that looks at the feasibility of three potential biomarkers that have the potential to look at presence of a diagnosis as well as effectiveness of an intervention. In the second half, we describe some new research that shows novel approaches to better understand the presence of an environmental factor with genetic influences, or a new method to describe them in different communities. You can read the studies by clicking below:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36000217/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35974006/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35992618/

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Pasta, music pieces and pills

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This week, the #ASFpodcast explores different types of interventions for which the core autism features are not necessarily the target, but those that enhance quality of life and provide help for irritability and emotional dysregulation. They include cooking, music therapies and antipsychotic medications. While they may not be effective in core autism features, they may help in other ways.

https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(22)00198-8/fulltext

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004381.pub4/full

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891422222000890?via%3Dihub

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Autism means different things to different people

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At this year’s International Society of Autism Research meeting in Austin, TX, there was a variety of themes explored. From early development and milestones, to intervention and supports, to different features like sensory issues, treatment, and how to solve the problem of heterogeneity. It comes down to this: Autism means different things to different people. This is just a small subset of everything that was presented at #INSAR2022 and I hope that if you want to see more, you advocate to have the presentations posted online or even have the program book made available publicly. In the meantime, enjoy the 30 minute summary.

www.autism-insar.org

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Don’t say “….all autistic adults”

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While there are commonalities across autistic adults on many things, they differ. It might be time to stop saying “…..all autistic adults” when describing those on the spectrum. For example, for the most part, most autistic adults prefer email or text over other methods except when talking to friends and family. It was not universal, but the most preferred methods. This is important for scientists to want to gather the input from autistic adults – use email and online surveys NOT the telephone. But even these online surveys have problems. Large online research studies have the advantage of gathering large sets of data from geographically diverse people in a short period of time, but they may be biased if they don’t report who answered them. Recommendations for how to at least deal with diversity in scientific literature is included.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34169750/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34169230/

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Four problems and a solution: Is there a way to solve the heterogeneity problem in research?

While a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder may encompass many strengths, challenges, features and conditions, it is becoming increasingly difficult for researchers to figure out what is autism, and how to help those on the full spectrum. This week’s ASF podcast summarizes the challenges and a possible solution to grouping people according to their behavioral features. However, not everyone agrees with this approach. What do you think? How can researchers best help people across the spectrum recognizing the unique needs of those with different symptoms? Share your thoughts in the comments.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.2494

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.2529

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aur.2547

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A genetic first approach to subtypes?

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What causes some of the differences across people with autism? Can you predict who will have what features of autism by looking first at genetics? This week’s ASFpodcast is the first 20 minutes of a webinar with Samuel Chawner from Cardiff University that explains his findings about behavioral features across people with autism with difference in genetic makeup. The full webinar with video can be found here but you can listen to the presentation this week. There will also be more research on this topic.