Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Investigation on Core Symptoms and Psychiatric Comorbidity in Preschoolers.

Findings regarding sex differences in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as far as core symptoms and psychiatric comorbidities (PC) are concerned, are inconsistent, inconclusive, or conflicting among studies. The lower prevalence of ASD in females than in males and the age and intelligence quotient (IQ) heterogeneity among samples made it difficult to investigate these differences. This case-control study tries to deepen the impact of sex differences on core symptoms of autism and PC in 214 preschoolers with ASD (mean age, 45.26) without impairment in non-verbal IQ (nvIQ ≥70). A total of 107 ASD females (mean age, 44.51 ± 13.79 months) were matched one by one with 107 males (mean age, 46.01 ± 13.42 months) for chronological age (±6 months) and nvIQ (±6 points). We used the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-2) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) 1.5-5 to explore autism severity and PC. The results highlight that ASD females did not significantly differ from ASD males regarding the severity of autism. Statistically significant lower levels of emotionally reactive (p = 0.005, η2 = 0.04), anxious-depressed (p = 0.001, η 2 = 0.05), internalizing problems (p = 0.04, η 2 = 0.02), and DSM-Oriented Scales anxiety problems (p = 0.02, η 2 = 0.04) in ASD females than in ASD males were also detected. Our findings of no difference in the autism severity and lower internalizing problems in females than males with ASD extend the knowledge of autism in females during preschool years. Compared to other similar studies on this topic, we can state that these results are not supported by differences in nvIQ between sexes nor by the presence of cognitive impairment. It confirms the need for clinicians to consider sex differences when describing autism psychopathology.

How Attention to Faces and Objects Changes Over Time in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Preliminary Evidence from An Eye Tracking Study.

Further understanding of the longitudinal changes in visual pattern of toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is needed. We examined twelve 19 to 33-month-old toddlers at their first diagnosis (mean age: 25.1 months) and after six months (mean age: 31.7 months) during two initiating joint attention (IJA) tasks using eye tracking. Results were compared with the performance of age-matched typically developing (TD) toddlers evaluated at a single time-point. Autistic toddlers showed longitudinal changes in the visual sensory processing of the IJA tasks, approaching TD performance with an improvement in the ability to disengage and to explore the global space. Findings suggest the use of eye tracking technology as an objective, non-intrusive, adjunctive tool to measure outcomes in toddlers with ASD.

Parental Perspectives on Psychiatric Comorbidity in Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorders Receiving Publicly Funded Mental Health Services.

An increased prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity (PC) in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is consistently reported. While several studies have examined PC in school-aged children, adolescents and adults with ASD, investigations on PC in preschoolers are less common. In this study, we explore the prevalence and the type of PC in a sample of 989 preschoolers with ASD through the DSM-Oriented Scales (DOS) of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1½-5) and their possible links with the core features of ASD and cognitive functioning. Results indicated that 37.8% of the sample had at least one PC in addition to ASD; these subjects displayed significantly higher Total score (p = 0.02) and Social Affect score (p = 0.003) on the ADOS-based calibrated severity scores (CSS), as well as lower (p ≤ 0.0001) performance IQ (pIQ) compared to ASD individuals without PC. As far as the specific DOS, Affective Problems (AP) were detected in 23.4% of the whole sample, ADHD Problems (ADHD) in 17.3%, Anxiety Problems (AXP) in 16.7%, and Oppositional Problems (OP) in 7.9%. These different comorbidities were isolated in 195 subjects (Mono-comorbid group: 19.7% of the whole sample), while 179 subjects (18.1% of the whole sample) had two or more types of PC (Multi-comorbid group). One-way ANOVA revealed that subjects with multi-comorbidity have statistically significant lower pIQ and higher Total score and Social Affect score on CSS-ADOS. Specific differences for each type of comorbidity and gender differences were also discussed. Taken together, results indicate a considerable presence of PC in preschoolers with ASD that should be accurately considered during the assessment and diagnosis process in order to plan a tailored intervention based not only on core symptoms of ASD, but also on comorbid psychiatric condition since preschool age.

Heart Rate Variability During a Joint Attention Task in Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders featuring early impairments in social domain, with autonomic nervous system (ANS) unbalance possibly representing a useful marker for such disturbances. Impairments in joint attention (JA) are one of the earliest markers of social deficits in ASD. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of using wearable technologies for characterizing the ANS response in ASD toddlers during the presentation of JA stimuli. Methods: Twenty ASD toddlers and 20 age- and gender-matched typically developed (TD) children were recorded at baseline and during a JA task through an unobtrusive chest strap for electrocardiography (ECG). Specific algorithms for feature extraction, including Heart Rate (HR), Standard Deviation of the Normal-to-Normal Intervals (SDNN), Coefficient of Variation (CV), pNN10 as well as low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF), were applied to the ECG signal and a statistical comparison between the two groups was performed. Results: As regards the single phases, SDNN (p = 0.04) and CV (p = 0.021) were increased in ASD at baseline together with increased LF absolute power (p = 0.034). Moreover, CV remained higher in ASD during the task (p = 0.03). Considering the phase and group interaction, LF increased from baseline to task in TD group (p = 0.04) while it decreased in the ASD group (p = 0.04). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate the feasibility of characterizing the ANS response in ASD toddlers through a minimally obtrusive tool. Our analysis showed an increased SDNN and CV in toddlers with ASD particularly at baseline compared to TD and lower LF during the task. These findings could suggest the possibility of using the proposed approach for evaluating physiological correlates of JA response in young children with ASD.

Megalocornea and mental retardation syndrome: clinical and instrumental follow-up of a case.

Megalocornea-mental retardation syndrome, otherwise known as Neuhauser syndrome, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. Only 36 cases have been reported in the literature. We describe the clinical and instrumental follow-up, lasting 5 years, of a case showing the typical features of the syndrome, associated with transient hypothyroidism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy with choreoathetotic movements, and brain malformation. Our report might help better delineate the phenotype and natural history of the syndrome.