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Author(s): Sai Sun [sup.1] [sup.2] , Paula J. Webster [sup.3] , Yu Wang [sup.4] , Hongbo Yu [sup.5] , Rongjun Yu [sup.6] , Shuo Wang [sup.3] [sup.7] Author Affiliations: (1) [...], People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show abnormal face perception and emotion recognition. However, it remains largely unknown whether these differences are associated with abnormal physiological responses when viewing faces. In this study, we employed a sensitive emotion judgment task and conducted a detailed investigation of pupil dilation/constriction and oscillation in high-functioning adult participants with ASD and matched controls. We found that participants with ASD showed normal pupil constriction to faces; however, they demonstrated reduced pupil oscillation, which was independent of stimulus properties and participants' perception of the emotion. Together, our results have revealed an abnormal physiological response to faces in people with ASD, which may in turn be associated with impaired face perception previously found in many studies.

Author(s): Rennan Yanlin Du [sup.1] , Weipeng Yang [sup.2] , Phoebe Pui Ying Lam [sup.1] , Cynthia Kar Yung Yiu [sup.1] , Colman Patrick McGrath [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.194645.b, [...], Visual pedagogy and social stories have been widely used to assist children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in learning various skills. A toothbrushing visual pedagogy (TBVP) was developed adapting existing toothbrushing social stories for children with ASD. This TBVP consists of 13 toothbrushing steps with scripts describing the toothbrushing technique. To evaluate its feasibility, a review panel was formed to provide feedback on the TBVP and three other published toothbrushing social stories. Effectiveness of the TBVP was further evaluated among 119 preschool children with ASD with significant improvements in toothbrushing skills observed at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. It is concluded that TBVP is a feasible and an effective educational means that assists children with ASD in learning toothbrushing skills.

Author(s): Çagla Çelikkol Sadiç [sup.1] [sup.4] , Ayhan Bilgiç [sup.1] , Ibrahim Kilinç [sup.2] , Mehmet Burhan Oflaz [sup.3] , Tamer Baysal [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.17242.32, 0000 0001 2308 [...], This study aimed to investigate the role of leptin, ghrelin, neuropeptide Y, and nesfatin-1 in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 44 children with ASD and 44 healthy controls aged 18-60 months were included. Plasma levels of hormones were measured using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Plasma leptin and ghrelin levels were significantly higher in the ASD group than in the control group. However, no significant difference for plasma neuropeptide Y and nesfatin-1 levels was detected between the groups. No relation was found between the severity of ASD symptoms, severity of eating problems, and plasma levels of hormones. Leptin and ghrelin may play a potential role in the pathogenesis of ASD.

Author(s): Olivia J. Surgent [sup.1] [sup.2] , Matthew Walczak [sup.1] [sup.3] , Oskar Zarzycki [sup.1] , Karla Ausderau [sup.1] [sup.3] , Brittany G. Travers [sup.1] [sup.3] [sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) [...], Motor challenges are commonly reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, there is substantial heterogeneity in motor ability within ASD, and it is unknown what behavioral characteristics best explain individual differences in motor ability in ASD and related conditions. This observational study examined motor ability as a function of sensory features, attention deficit/hyperactivity symptoms, ASD symptoms, and IQ in 110 children with ASD, typical development, or an intermediate behavioral profile. While motor challenges were more prevalent in the ASD group compared to other groups, sensory symptom severity and IQ across all individuals best predicted motor performance above-and-beyond group status. Therefore, motor challenges may be best characterized by individual variation in sensory features and cognitive abilities rather than diagnostic group.

Author(s): Zheng Zhang [sup.1] , Peng Peng [sup.1] , Delong Zhang [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.89336.37, 0000 0004 1936 9924, Department of Special Education, College of Education, The University of [...], Abnormalities in executive function (EF) are clinical markers for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the neural mechanisms underlying abnormal EF in ASD remain unclear. This meta-analysis investigated the construct, abnormalities, and age-related changes of EF in ASD. Thirty-three fMRI studies of inhibition, updating, and switching in individuals with high-functioning ASD were included (n = 1114; age range 7-57 years). The results revealed that the EF construct in ASD could be unitary (i.e., common EF) in children/adolescents, but unitary and diverse (i.e., common EF and inhibition) in adults. Abnormalities in this EF construct were found across development in individuals with ASD in comparison with typically developing individuals. Implications and recommendations are discussed for EF theory and for practice in ASD.

Author(s): Jessica M. Keith [sup.1] , Jeremy P. Jamieson [sup.1] , Loisa Bennetto [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0004 1936 9174, grid.16416.34, Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology, [...], This study examined the impact of noise on cognitive performance in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while concurrently measuring sympathetic responses. Adolescents with and without ASD completed visually presented span tasks in a 2 x 2 experimental manipulation of noise (quiet vs. 75 dB gated broadband noise) and task difficulty (easier vs. harder). Analyses revealed a significant noise x difficulty interaction on performance, and a significant group x noise x difficulty interaction on sympathetic arousal. Correlational analyses indicated an adaptive effect of noise and increased arousal on performance in the easier condition for the control group and a detrimental effect of noise and increased arousal in the harder condition for the ASD group. Implications for sensory processing research and intervention development are discussed.

Author(s): Kelly M. Boland [sup.1] , Janine P. Stichter [sup.2] [sup.3] , David Q. Beversdorf [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.4] , Shawn E. Christ [sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0001 2162 [...], Recent research has documented impaired ability to resist interference from visual distractors in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and suggests that this phenomenon may be more pronounced in young versus older children (Christ et al., Neuropsychology 25(6):690-701, 2011). The present study extends previous findings by examining visual filtering inhibitory ability within an older adolescent population. A flanker visual filtering task was administered to 36 adolescents with ASD and 44 adolescents without ASD (age: 11-20 years). Analysis revealed no evidence of group differences in visual filtering performance. Taken together with previous research, these results suggest that during early adolescence the previously observed impairment may resolve or compensatory strategies develop, allowing individuals with ASD to perform as well as their neurotypical peers.

Author(s): Thayne L. Sweeten [sup.1] , Lisa A. Croen [sup.2] , Gayle C. Windham [sup.3] , J. Dennis Odell [sup.4] , E. Gene Stubbs [sup.5] , Anthony R. Torres [sup.4] [...], Previous research indicates that infection, especially from viruses in the family Herpesviridae, may play a role in the etiology of some cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Using a case-control design and the polymerase chain reaction with site-specific primers, we screened newborn and childhood blood samples for the presence of eight human herpesviruses. Herpesvirus DNA was detected in 4 of 225 ASD individuals and 2 of 235 controls, with the most frequently detected virus being HHV-6B. Although this study does not detect a significant ASD-Herpesviridae association, it is limited by the use of site-specific primers. We suggest that new techniques using bioinformatics to search next-generation sequencing databases will be more revealing of possible ASD-virus associations.

Author(s): Meghan M. Davidson [sup.1] [sup.2] , Margarita Kaushanskaya [sup.1] , Susan Ellis Weismer [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0001 2167 3675, grid.14003.36, Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Waisman [...], Word reading and oral language predict reading comprehension, which is generally poor, in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, working memory (WM), despite documented weaknesses, has not been thoroughly investigated as a predictor of reading comprehension in ASD. This study examined the role of three parallel WM N-back tasks using abstract shapes, familiar objects, and written words in children (8-14 years) with ASD (n = 19) and their typically developing peers (n = 24). All three types of WM were significant predictors of reading comprehension when considered alone. However, these relationships were rendered non-significant with the addition of age, word reading, vocabulary, and group entered into the models. Oral vocabulary emerged as the strongest predictor of reading comprehension.

Author(s): John P. II Hegarty [sup.1] [sup.7] [sup.8] , Dylan J. Weber [sup.2] [sup.9] , Carmen M. Cirstea [sup.3] , David Q. Beversdorf [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.4] [sup.5] [sup.6] Author Affiliations: [...], Atypical functional connectivity (FC) and an imbalance of excitation-to-inhibition (E/I) have been previously reported in cerebro-cerebellar circuits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current investigation used resting state fMRI and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (.sup.1H-MRS) to examine the relationships between E/I (glutamate + glutamine/GABA) and FC of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterolateral cerebellar hemisphere from 14 adolescents/adults with ASD and 12 age/sex/IQ-matched controls. In this pilot sample, cerebro-cerebellar FC was positively associated with cerebellar E/I and listening comprehension abilities in individuals with ASD but not controls. Additionally, a subgroup of individuals with ASD and low FC (n = 5) exhibited reduced E/I and impaired listening comprehension. Thus, altered functional coherence of cerebro-cerebellar circuits in ASD may be related with a cerebellar E/I imbalance.

Author(s): L. Fiene [sup.1] , M. J. Ireland [sup.1] , C. Brownlow [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0004 0473 0844, grid.1048.d, School of Psychology and Counselling, University of Southern Queensland, [...], Increasing attention is being paid to how adults on the autism spectrum perceive and interpret the interoceptive sense. This 20-item Interoception Sensory Questionnaire represents a single factor scale that can be interpreted as representing confusion about interoceptive bodily states unless these states are extreme (Alexisomia), and has been designed to discriminate across populations (total sample 511 participants). Findings showed that 74% of adults with autism reported interoceptive confusion. Another finding of the study was that as autistic traits increased, interoceptive confusion increased, with adults with diagnosed autism scoring highest on the construct. Implications for physiological self-regulation as well as physical health outcomes are discussed, as well as recommendations for future research.

Author(s): S. Eijk [sup.1] [sup.2] , S. E. Mous [sup.1] [sup.2] , G. C. Dieleman [sup.1] [sup.2] , B. Dierckx [sup.1] [sup.2] , A. B. Rietman [sup.1] [sup.2] , P. [...], In a non-selected sample of children with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) the prevalence rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and predictive value of an observational (ADOS)-and questionnaire-based screening instrument were assessed. Complete data was available for 128 children. The prevalence rate for clinical ASD was 10.9%, which is clearly higher than in the general population. This prevalence rate is presumably more accurate than in previous studies that examined children with NF1 with an ASD presumption or solely based on screening instruments. The combined observational- and screening based classifications demonstrated the highest positive predictive value for DSM-IV diagnosis, highlighting the importance of using both instruments in children with NF1.

Author(s): Ruth Van der Hallen [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Rebecca Chamberlain [sup.1] [sup.4] , Lee de-Wit [sup.1] [sup.5] , Johan Wagemans [sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0001 0668 7884, [...], Since its initial development, the embedded figures test (EFT) has been used extensively to measure local-global perceptual style. However, little is known about the perceptual factors that influence target detection. The current study aimed to investigate disembedding in children with and without ASD, aged 8-15 years, using the newly developed, stimulus-controlled L-EFT, M-EFT and D-EFT. Firstly, results revealed superior disembedding for children with ASD, irrespective of the type of target or embedding context, although the ASD group took more time in both the M-EFT and D-EFT. Secondly, the number of target lines continuing into the context proved more of a hindrance for the controls. Taken together, these findings provide strong evidence to support the notion of superior disembedding in ASD.

Author(s): Yongning Song [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.4] , Yuji Hakoda [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0004 0369 6365, grid.22069.3f, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, , Shanghai, China (Aff2) 0000 [...], Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by early onset qualitative impairments in reciprocal social development. However, whether individuals with ASD exhibit impaired recognition of facial expressions corresponding to basic emotions is debatable. To investigate subtle deficits in facial emotion recognition, we asked 14 children diagnosed with high-functioning autism (HFA)/AS and 17 typically developing peers to complete a new highly sensitive test of facial emotion recognition. The test stimuli comprised faces expressing increasing degrees of emotional intensity that slowly changed from a neutral to a full-intensity happiness, sadness, surprise, anger, disgust, or fear expression. We assessed individual differences in the intensity of stimuli required to make accurate judgments about emotional expressions. We found that, different emotions had different identification thresholds and the two groups were generally similar in terms of the sequence of discrimination threshold of six basic expressions. It was easier for individuals in both groups to identify emotions that were relatively fully expressed (e.g., intensity > 50%). Compared with control participants, children with ASD generally required stimuli with significantly greater intensity for the correct identification of anger, disgust, and fear expressions. These results suggest that individuals with ASD do not have a general but rather a selective impairment in basic emotion recognition.

Introduction Anorexia nervosa is a severe psychiatric disorder that predominantly affects young women. (1) Although the diagnosis is defined by restricted eating and disturbed body perception, (2) converging research links [...], Background: Patients with anorexia nervosa exhibit higher levels of behaviours typically associated with autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), but the neural basis is unclear. We sought to determine whether elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa may be reflected in cortical morphology. Methods: We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine regional grey matter volumes in high-resolution MRI structural brain scans in women with anorexia nervosa and matched healthy controls. The Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) scale was used to assess autistic traits. Results: Women with anorexia nervosa (n = 25) had higher AQ scores and lower bilateral superior temporal sulcus (STS) grey matter volumes than the control group (n = 25). The AQ scores correlated negatively with average left STS grey matter volume in women with anorexia nervosa. Limitations: We did not control for cognitive ability and examined only women with ongoing anorexia nervosa. Conclusion: Elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa are associated with morphometric alterations of brain areas linked to social cognition. This finding provides neurobiological support for the behavioural link between anorexia nervosa and ASD and emphasizes the importance of recognizing autistic traits in preventing and treating anorexia nervosa.

Author(s): Gemma Zantinge [sup.1] [sup.2] , Sophie van Rijn [sup.1] [sup.2] , Lex Stockmann [sup.3] , Hanna Swaab [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent [...], This study aimed to assess physiological arousal and behavioral regulation of emotion in the context of frustration in 29 children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and 45 typically developing children (41-81 months). Heart rate was continuously measured and emotion strategies were coded, during a locked-box task. Results revealed increases in arousal followed by a decline during recovery, significant for both groups indicating that heart rate patterns between groups were identical. The ASD group deployed less constructive and more venting and avoidance strategies, which was related to language impairments. We conclude that rather than abnormal levels of emotional arousal, a key impairment in young children with ASD may be difficulties in behaviorally regulating and expressing experienced emotions to others.

Author(s): Khaled Saad [sup.1] , Asmaa M. Zahran [sup.2] , Khalid I. Elsayh [sup.1] , Ahmed A. Abdel-Rahman [sup.3] , Abdulrahman A. Al-Atram [sup.4] , Almontaser Hussein [sup.1] , Yasmin [...], The aim of our study was to evaluate the frequencies of myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in children with ASD. Subjects were 32 children with ASD and 30 healthy children as controls. The numbers of mDCs and pDCs and the expression of CD86 and CD80 on the entire DCs were detected by flow cytometry. ASD children had significantly higher percentages of mDCs and pDCs when compared to controls. We found significant inverse relationships between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and the frequencies of mDCs and pDCs in autistic children. Our data suggested that DCs could play a role in the clinical course of ASD. The relationship of DCs to immune disorders in ASD remains to be determined.

Author(s): Yi Huey Lim [sup.1] , Katie Partridge [sup.1] , Sonya Girdler [sup.1] , Susan L. Morris [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0004 0375 4078grid.1032.0School of Occupational Therapy and Social [...], Impairments in postural control affect the development of motor and social skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This review compared the effect of different sensory conditions on static standing postural control between ASD and neurotypical individuals. Results from 19 studies indicated a large difference in postural control between groups across all sensory conditions. This review revealed sensorimotor and multiple sensory processing deficits in ASD. The tendency for individuals with ASD to be more susceptible to postural instability with use of visual information compared with somatosensory information suggests perinatal alterations in sensory development. There is further scope for studies on the use of sensory information and postural control to provide additional evidence about sensorimotor processing in ASD.

Author(s): Stacey E. Alexeeff [sup.1] , Vincent Yau [sup.1] [sup.2] , Yinge Qian [sup.1] , Meghan Davignon [sup.3] , Frances Lynch [sup.4] , Phillip Crawford [sup.4] , Robert Davis [sup.5] [...], This study examines medical conditions diagnosed prior to the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Using a matched case control design with 3911 ASD cases and 38,609 controls, we found that 38 out of 79 medical conditions were associated with increased ASD risk. Developmental delay, mental health, and neurology conditions had the strongest associations (ORs 2.0-23.3). Moderately strong associations were observed for nutrition, genetic, ear nose and throat, and sleep conditions (ORs 2.1-3.2). Using machine learning methods, we clustered children based on their medical conditions prior to ASD diagnosis and demonstrated ASD risk stratification. Our findings provide new evidence indicating that children with ASD have a disproportionate burden of certain medical conditions preceding ASD diagnosis.

Author(s): Nancy S. McIntyre [sup.1] , Emily J. Solari [sup.1] , Ryan P. Grimm [sup.1] , Lindsay E. Lerro [sup.1] , Joseph E. Gonzales [sup.2] , Peter C. Mundy [sup.1] [...], The goal of this study was to identify unique profiles of readers in a sample of 8-16 year olds with higher functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) and examine the profiles in relation to ASD symptom severity. Eighty-one students were assessed utilizing a comprehensive reading battery that included basic word reading, language, and comprehension. Using Latent Profile Analysis, four empirically distinct profiles of readers emerged. Next, using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (Lord et al., Autism diagnostic observation schedule, 2nd edn, Western Psychological Services, Torrance, CA, 2012), analyses were conducted to determine if significant differences existed between profiles as a result of ASD symptomatology. Findings demonstrate the heterogeneous nature of reading profiles in students with HFASD and significant differences between the reading profiles and ASD symptom severity.

Author(s): Nicci Grace [sup.1] , Peter Gregory Enticott [sup.2] , Beth Patricia Johnson [sup.1] , Nicole Joan Rinehart [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0004 1936 7857grid.1002.3Monash Institute of Cognitive and [...], Handwriting is commonly identified as an area of weakness in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but precise deficits have not been fully characterised. Boys with ASD (n = 23) and matched controls (n = 20) aged 8-12 years completed a simple, digitised task to objectively assess handwriting performance using advanced descriptive measures. Moderate to large associations were identified between handwriting performance and attention, ASD symptoms and motor proficiency. The ASD group demonstrated significantly less smooth movements and significantly greater sizing variability and peak velocity relative to controls. These findings provide a clearer indication of the specific nature of handwriting impairments in children with ASD, and suggest a relationship with core clinical symptom severity, attention and motor behaviours.

Author(s): Eliane Deschrijver [sup.1] , Jan R. Wiersema [sup.2] , Marcel Brass [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) 0000 0001 2069 7798grid.5342.0Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, [...], The role of imitation in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is controversial. Researchers have argued that deficient control of self- and other-related motor representations (self-other distinction) might explain imitation difficulties. In a recent EEG study, we showed that control of imitation relies on high-level as well as on low-level cognitive processes. Here, we aimed to further our insights into control of imitation deficits in ASD. We focused on congruency effects in the P3 (high-level), the N190 and the readiness potential (RP; low-level). We predicted smaller congruency effects within the P3 in the ASD group. However, we found differences in the RP and not in the P3-component. Thus, high-level self-other distinction centred on motor actions may be preserved in ASD, while impairments are reflected during motor preparation.

Author(s): Hirokazu Kumazaki [sup.1] , Mitsuru Kikuchi [sup.1] , Yuko Yoshimura [sup.1] , Masutomo Miyao [sup.2] , Ken-ichi Okada [sup.3] , Masaru Mimura [sup.4] , Yoshio Minabe [sup.1] Author Affiliations: [...], Understanding the nature of olfactory abnormalities is crucial for optimal interventions in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, previous studies that have investigated odor identification in children with ASD have produced inconsistent results. The ability to correctly identify an odor relies heavily on visual inputs in the general population. We tested odor identification in eight children with ASD and eight age-matched children with typical development (TD). After confirming that all children were able to identify each odor without visual input, we measured odor identification under the visual-distractor condition. Odor identification was hindered by visual distractors for all children with ASD but was not affected in all children with TD. Our results improve understanding of odor identification in ASD.

Author(s): Natalie I. Berger[sup.1] , Lauren Manston[sup.1] , Brooke Ingersoll[sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, Psychology Bldg., 316 Physics Rd Room 69F, 48824, East Lansing, MIUSA [...], This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Scale of Treatment Perceptions (STP), a measure of treatment acceptability targeting skill-building interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This scale utilizes a strength-based approach to intervention assessment, and was established by modifying the Behavior Intervention Rating Scale (Elliott and Von Brock Treuting in J School Psychol 29(1):43-51, 1991 (See CR14). doi:10.1016/0022-4405(91)90014-I) and the Treatment Evaluation Inventory (Kazdin in J Appl Behav Anal 13(2):259-273, 1980 (See CR25). doi:10.1901/jaba.1980.13-259) to be appropriate for assessing multiple dimensions of acceptability across skill-building ASD treatments. Overall, the STP demonstrated good psychometric properties: the scale had appropriate internal consistency, demonstrated a stable three-factor structure that was invariant across samples, and discriminated among different skill-building treatments for ASD. This has important implications for dissemination, as perceived acceptability of a treatment relates to treatment utilization and adherence.

Author(s): Ariel Karten[sup.1] [sup.3] , Joy Hirsch[sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) Brain Function Laboratory, Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 902, 06511, [...], Neural mechanisms that underlie language disability in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been associated with reduced excitatory processes observed as positive blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses. However, negative BOLD responses (NBR) associated with language and inhibitory processes have been less studied in ASD. In this study, functional magnetic resonance imaging showed that the NBR in ASD participants was reduced during passive listening to spoken narratives compared to control participants. Further, functional connectivity between the superior temporal gyrus and regions that exhibited a NBR during receptive language in control participants was increased in ASD participants. These findings extend models for receptive language disability in ASD to include anomalous neural deactivations and connectivity consistent with reduced or poorly modulated inhibitory processes.

Author(s): Sarah M. Haigh[sup.1] [sup.6] , David J. Heeger[sup.2] , Ilan Dinstein[sup.3] , Nancy Minshew[sup.4] [sup.5] , Marlene Behrmann[sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes [...], Previous findings have shown that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) evince greater intra-individual variability (IIV) in their sensory-evoked fMRI responses compared to typical control participants. We explore the robustness of this finding with a new sample of high-functioning adults with autism. Participants were presented with visual, somatosensory and auditory stimuli in the scanner whilst they completed a one-back task. While ASD and control participants were statistically indistinguishable with respect to behavioral responses, the new ASD group exhibited greater IIV relative to controls. We also show that the IIV was equivalent across hemispheres and remained stable over the duration of the experiment. This suggests that greater cortical IIV may be a replicable characteristic of sensory systems in autism. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2276-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A core feature, and one of the primary diagnostic symptoms, of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a qualitative impairment in communication (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Current estimates suggest that a [...], Purpose: This study compared pragmatic language in youths (9-17 years) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those with typical development (TD) on the Yale in vivo Pragmatic Protocol (YiPP), a semistructured, dynamic conversational assessment. Method: Participants (n = 118) were divided into groups based on age and diagnosis. Each completed the YiPP, which included 4 pragmatic domains (discourse management, communicative functions, conversational repair, presupposition). The participant's response to each probe was scored correct or incorrect; incorrect scores elicited cues from the examiner, and level of cue required for a correction was also scored. Results: The YiPP showed high reliability and internal consistency, with moderate concurrent validity, sensitivity, and specificity. The group with ASD performed worse overall on YiPP probes compared to their TD counterparts on both error (d = 0.96) and cue (d = 0.91) scores. Item analyses revealed greater gaps between older students with ASD and their TD peers than between the 2 younger groups. Conclusions: These data suggest that a probe measure designed to assess pragmatic abilities in children with ASD within a conversational context has some validity for contributing to diagnostic classification and can identify specific areas of pragmatic vulnerabilities as part of a clinical assessment.

Introduction Language and communication difficulties are a defining feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) (American Psychiatric Association 2000). Many children with ASD show delayed and atypical language development (Boucher 2012; [...], Some individuals who lose their autism spectrum disorder diagnosis may continue to display subtle weaknesses in language. We examined language and verbal memory in 44 individuals with high-functioning autism (HFA), 34 individuals with 'optimal outcomes' (OO) and 34 individuals with typical development (TD). The OO group scored in the average range or above on all measures and showed few differences from the TD group. The HFA group performed within the average range but showed significantly lower mean performance than the other groups on multiple language measures, even when controlling for verbal IQ. Results also indicate that OO individuals show strong language abilities in all areas tested, but that their language may show greater reliance on verbal memory. Keywords Optimal outcome * Language * Recovery * Autism

Introduction One of the intriguing features of ASD is the profile of memory abilities often observed in this population. In general, HFA individuals show comparable immediate memory, cued recall (Boucher [...], Recognition memory in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tends to be undiminished compared to that of typically developing (TD) individuals (Bowler et al. 2007), but it is still unknown whether memory in ASD relies on qualitatively similar or different neurophysiology. We sought to explore the neural activity underlying recognition by employing the old/new word repetition event-related potential effect. Behavioural recognition performance was comparable across both groups, and demonstrated superior recognition for low frequency over high frequency words. However, the ASD group showed a parietal rather than anterior onset (300-500 ms), and diminished right frontal old/new effects (800-1500 ms) relative to TD individuals. This study shows that undiminished recognition performance results from a pattern of differing functional neurophysiology in ASD. Keywords Memory * Autism spectrum disorder * Event-related potential * Recognition * Old/new effect

Introduction Twin studies suggest that a combination of genetic and environmental factors lead to the development of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) (Bailey et al. 1995; Folstein and Rutter 1977; [...], To determine the genetic relationship between head circumference (HC) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Twin pairs with at least one twin with an ASD were assessed. HCs in affected and unaffected individuals were compared, as were HC correlations in monozygotic and dizygotic pairs. 404 subjects, ages 4-18, were included. 20 % of males and 27 % of females with an ASD had macrocephaly. Unaffected co-twins showed similar rates (16 % of males and 22 % of females). Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in HCs between affected and unaffected twins. Twins with ASDs and unaffected co-twins have similar HCs and increased rates of macrocephaly. Correlations demonstrated partial inheritance of HCs. Thus, macrocephaly may represent an endophenotype in ASDs. Keywords Macrocephaly * Head circumference * Twins * Endophenotype * Genetics

Byline: Saskia J. M. C. Palmen (1), Hilleke E. Hulshoff Pol (2), Chantal Kemner (1), Hugo G. Schnack (2), Joost Janssen (2), Rene S. Kahn (2), Herman van Engeland (1) Keywords: Brain MRI; autism; gray matter; white matter; cortical lobes Abstract: Background: Are brain volumes of individuals with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) still enlarged in adolescence and adulthood, and if so, is this enlargement confined to the gray and/or the white matter and is it global or more prominent in specific brain regions. Methods: Brain MRI scans were made of 21 adolescents with PDD and 21 closely matched controls. Results: All brain volumes, except the white matter, were significantly larger in patients. After correction for brain volume, ventricular volumes remained significantly larger in patients. Conclusions: Patients showed a proportional, global increase in gray matter and cerebellum volume, and a disproportional increase in ventricular volumes. Thus, at least in high-functioning patients with PDD, brain enlargement may still be present in adult life. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, HP A01.468, 3584 CX , Utrecht, The Netherlands (2) Department of Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute Of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands Article History: Registration Date: 20/08/2004

Rett syndrome is a distinct diagnostic entity in which more than 80% of affected persons have mutations in the transcription regulating gene MECP2 on the X chromosome (1). It appears [...], Rett syndrome arises from a mutation on the X chromosome and occurs with prevalence in the general population in 1:10,000 women. Its major nutritional consequences require that health providers recognize early signs of eating difficulties and slowing of growth parameters. Retrospective record review of 44 girls, in two equal-sized groups matched by age, showed that the Rett syndrome group was significantly different, with lower body weights, more respiratory difficulties, more gastrointestinal symptoms interfering with eating, more swallowing problems, less self-feeding, and lower texture tolerance for chewy and crunchy foods compared with the developmental disability group. Microcephaly was noted for half of the Rett syndrome group compared with seven in the developmental disability group. Parents expressed concern about their child's difficulties in eating; eight of the Rett syndrome girls and 13 of the girls in the developmental disability group were reported to have a poor appetite. Distinctive features o f Rett syndrome consistent with those in the literature were documented reasonably well in the nutrition assessment records. Detailed food intake information was analyzed for food texture characteristics to recognize early eating and texture tolerance problems. Recommendations were offered for conducting a thorough nutrition assessment of Rett syndrome patients, including analysis of the texture of consumed foods. Additional recommendations for improving nutrition services to those with Rett syndrome and other developmental disabilities include ruling out microcephaly, early identification of eating difficulties, with modifications in food texture as appropriate, and self-feeding goals.