The latest autism research news stories with ASF Chief Science Officer Alycia Halladay
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Not all people with autism spectrum disorder are the same, obviously. Are there things that can predict positive outcome? Are they different based on something like cognitive ability? And what determines cognitive ability and how early is it seen? Have other studies lumped all the autisms into one pile which has represented what people along the spectrum at different points actually need? This podcast tackles it all this week.
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The racial and ethnic disparities in the diagnosis of ASD has always been unacceptable, but it’s been hard to figure out. This week, researchers published their findings from a close look at 500 African American families with ASD to understand what the barriers were to a timely diagnosis. The results are not surprising, but they are also alarming. Some of these families may benefit from telehealth in the future. Telehealth is not perfect, but it turning out to be helpful. For example, it may be beneficial in treating insomnia in people with ASD. Delivering cognitive behavioral therapy online resulted in improvements in sleep in adolescents with ASD. It isn’t a panacea, but it seems to be more helpful than people gave it credit for before the pandemic.
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You may have heard of SPARK, it is the largest genetics research project in autism spectrum disorders. But have they found anything? Yes! Pam Feliciano of SPARK discusses what the project is, what a pilot study has found, and how the results might help families with ASD. In addition, a different but complementary study identified new genes associated with autism. Given that one of them is a target of environmental factors, it’s time to spark up studies looking at gene x environment interactions as well.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6707204/
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/36f811zq
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15592294.2019.1656158
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This holiday weekend always triggers a reincarnation, a resurrection of the vaccine – autism hypothesis. Many of you have read about the measles epidemics that are hitting many areas of the country. But besides vaccines, there are other aspects of the immune system that may be linked to autism in some people. The include family history of autoimmune disorders as well as specific genetic mutations that confer protection against subtypes of ASD. This week’s ASF podcast will explore these theories and present different ideas on how the immune response is involved in autism, and if it is at all.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30976114
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30975444
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This week is focused on what happens in schools, including classification, service receipt and new interventions. How an educational classification translates to a clinical diagnosis, how and what factors are important in receiving services, what teachers think about repetitive behaviors and finally, a new intervention that can be delivered by therapists in school or mental health settings. They all have real-life consequences for kids who are receiving services in school.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30892948
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30848681
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30889547
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2727134
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This week’s podcast begins with a comment on the debate over ABA, helpful or harmful? But the big news this week is an analysis of very early, but very published data, on the use of MDMA, or “ecstasy” or “Molly” in people with autism. Called an “empathogen”, MDMA can elicit feelings of warmth, love and need to cuddle. However, it has a dark side. MDMA is a neurotoxin. It kills serotonergic brain cells. There is no known safe dose. Researchers studied and found weak evidence that it reduces social anxiety in people with autism. Social anxiety isn’t a core symptom of autism and thank you to Larry Scahill at Emory University to provided an expert description of each. While we will not comment on every negative study out there, this one is worth noting. When someone offers you MDMA, JUST SAY NO.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30196397
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Due to popular demand, this podcast is dedicated to the International Classification of Functioning, or ICF. This is a tool used to measure functioning in people with not just autism, but across individuals. As the expert guest, Soheil Mahdi, describes in this podcast, it isn’t about replacing a diagnosis of autism, but complementing the diagnosis with a description of ways the person is functioning in society, what strengths they have and how it that may identify opportunities for autistic individuals. Soheil is a fellow at the Karolinska Institute and ASF is collaborating with him on the employment policy brief. Thank you for suggesting this topic for a podcast!
Here are some other resources of interest: https://ki.se/en/kind/startpage
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In case you didn’t have time to jump on a plane and fly to the Netherlands last week for the International Society of Autism Research meeting, this week’s podcast is a short summary of just a few of the presentations. There was more of an emphasis on what has been called “real life” research questions like employment, quality of life, and relationships. As a result, some of the more basic science questions around autism are now being presented at other meetings. This is a shame. This podcast follows some of those basic science questions to the now translational opportunities that were presented at the meeting. It also highlights some newer findings that will provide help to people at all ages who need supports and services.
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This week, a disturbing report from Molecular Autism published by an Austrian historian with no affiliation with autism, linked Hans Asperger to a eugenics facility in Germany and labeled him a Nazi sympathizer. This was the first investigative report of the link using primary documents. He had previously been considered a hero from trying to save his patients from the gestapo, and plead for them to be rehabilitated. So which is true? Hero or potential war criminal? Maybe both. This podcast goes through the 43 page article with the message that: if you have Aspergers, you are not necessarily a Nazi. Don’t let anyone tell you that, and if they do, email me at ahalladay@autismsciencefoundation.org
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Sleep disturbances affect up to 80% of people with autism, and as it turns out, these sleep problems translate to daytime problems like probability of hospitalization, severity of symptoms and even employment. This week’s podcast focuses on three new studies that examine the relationship between sleep problems and function in people with autism across the spectrum, and provides new insights on how to study sleep. Dr. Ashura Buckley from the NIH will be speaking about sleep in autism at the Day of Learning on April 11th – if you have’t registered yet, there is still time: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-autism-science-foundation-ted-style-autism-science-conference-registration-39878706284
Articles used in this podcast:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29500758
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5660229/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29455555