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What’s the latest on minocycline for autism?

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This week’s podcast re-explores a question about a potential therapy for autism – minocycline. Minocycline is an antibiotic used to treat a number of different infections and some anecdotal reports have linked it to an improvement of autism. This has led to some experimental trials on minocycline, with inconclusive results. This week, a multisite study showed NO effects of minocycline for autism features or outcomes, but that doesn’t mean it is NOT a great antibotic. If you need it, use it! Also, do autistic people spend too much time on their screens? Well, they seem to spend more time on devices and screens, but it might all be bad. Listen to the podcast for more information on this.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-023-06132-1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10709772/?report=printable

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Watershed moments in development

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Autism diagnosis at 3 years of age isn’t something that happens suddenly. It evolves, there are deficits seen early on and markers that are evident prior to 3 years. Some of them are cascading events – with problems in one area like motor function, other behaviors like reaching, grasping, and learning about the environment and interactions with other people are stunted. Sometimes, these cascading moments lead to a loss of language. Early intervention can turn these early deficits around so that communication, learning and daily functioning are continually supported and instead of one trajectory, another can be reached. This podcast highlights studies that demonstrate that with data, and with theory. But it is never boiled down to one thing, despite early studies that screen time use is linked with an ASD diagnosis.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35098539/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35099540/

https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cdep.12439

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Let’s Get Some Physical Activity

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Everyone needs some physical activity, but people on the spectrum typically get less activity than those not diagnosed with ASD. Why? There are multiple reasons, but as it turns out it can’t all be blamed on the obvious culprit of increased screen time or video game use. Those can be reasons why teenagers get less activity, but not specifically those with ASD. Does physical activity help with ASD symptoms and features? Maybe a little. Different types of physical activity are discussed on this week’s ASF podcast.

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The good and evil sides of technology use by autistics

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This year’s Day of Learning included two presentations on the use of technology among people with autism.  As it turns out, technology can be great.  In fact, a new study using Google Glass shows promise in improving socialization.  On the other hand, sometimes technology can have a downside.  People with autism spend more time than typical peers on their iPads, iPhones and other devices.  What could be wrong with that?  Well, problematic internet use is linked to autistic traits and to suicidality.  This link is NOT a clear line and obviously causes of suicide are multifactorial.  However, new data demonstrate that obsessive internet use is not making things better for people with ASD.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30934756

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30908423

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30907929