Transgender Youth Executive Functioning: Relationships with Anxiety Symptoms, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Gender-Affirming Medical Treatment Status

BackgroundChildren with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have increased susceptibility to anxiety disorders. Variation in a common ASD symptom, insistence on sameness behaviour, may predict future anxiety symptoms.AimsTo describe the joint heterogeneous longitudinal trajectories of insistence on sameness and anxiety in children with ASD and to characterise subgroups at higher risk for anxiety.MethodIn a longitudinal ASD cohort (n = 421), insistence on sameness behaviour was measured using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised at approximately ages 3, 6 and 11 years. Anxiety was quantified at 8 time points between ages 3 and 11 years using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (parent report). Clusters of participants following similar trajectories were identified using group-based and joint trajectory modelling.ResultsThree insistence on sameness trajectories were identified: (a) ‘low-stable’ (41.7% of participants), (b) ‘moderate-increasing’ (52.0%) and (c) ‘high-peaking’ (i.e. increasing then stabilising/decreasing behaviour) (6.3%). Four anxiety trajectories were identified: (a) ‘low-increasing’ (51.0%), (b) ‘moderate-decreasing’ (16.2%), (c) ‘moderate-increasing’ (19.6%) and (d) ‘high-stable’ (13.1%). Of those assigned to the ‘high-peaking’ insistence on sameness trajectory, 95% jointly followed an anxiety trajectory that surpassed the threshold for clinical concern (T-score >65) by middle childhood (anxiety trajectories 3 or 4). Insistence on sameness and anxiety trajectories were similar in severity and direction for 64% of the sample; for 36%, incongruous patterns were seen (e.g. decreasing anxiety and increasing insistence on sameness).ConclusionsThe concurrent assessment of insistence on sameness behaviour and anxiety in ASD may help in understanding current symptom profiles and anticipating future trajectories. High preschool insistence on sameness in particular may be associated with elevated current or future anxiety symptoms.

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Cellular Bioenergetic and Metabolic Changes in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1568026621666210521142131 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

Author(s):

Maria Gevezova ◽

Danail Minchev ◽

Iliana Pacheva ◽

Yordan Sbirkov ◽

Ralitsa Yordanova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Mononuclear Cells ◽

Cell Metabolism ◽

Strong Dependence ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Metabolic Changes ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Control Group ◽

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽

And Gender

Background: Although Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is considered a heterogeneous neurological disease in childhood, a growing body of evidence associates it with mitochondrial dysfunction explaining the observed comorbidities. Introduction: The aim of this study is to identify variations in cellular bioenergetics and metabolism dependent on mitochondrial function in ASD patients and healthy controls using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We hypothesized that PBMCs may reveal the cellular pathology and provide evidence of bioenergetic and metabolic changes accompanying the disease. Method: PBMC from children with ASD and a control group of the same age and gender were isolated. All patients underwent an in-depth clinical evaluation. A well-characterized cohort of Bulgarian children was selected. Bioenergetic and metabolic studies of isolated PBMCs were performed with a Seahorse XFp analyzer. Result: Our data show that PBMCs from patients with ASD have increased respiratory reserve capacity (by 27.5%), increased maximal respiration (by 67%) and altered adaptive response to oxidative stress induced by DMNQ. In addition, we demonstrate а strong dependence on fatty acids and impaired ability to reprogram cell metabolism. The listed characteristics are not observed in the control group. These results can contribute to a better understanding of the underlying causes of ASD, which is crucial for selecting a successful treatment. Conclusion: The current study, for the first time, provides a functional analysis of cell bioenergetics and metabolic changes in a group of Bulgarian patients with ASD. It reveals physiological abnormalities that do not allow mitochondria to adapt and meet the increased energetic requirements of the cell. The link between mitochondria and ASD is not yet fully understood, but this may lead to the discovery of new approaches for nutrition and therapy.

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Development of executive functioning from childhood to young adulthood in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A 10-year longitudinal study.

Neuropsychology ◽

10.1037/neu0000768 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ingrid Nesdal Fossum ◽

Per Normann Andersen ◽

Merete Glenne Øie ◽

Erik Winther Skogli

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Executive Functioning ◽

Young Adulthood ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder

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Profiles and Correlates of Parent–Child Agreement on Social Anxiety Symptoms in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders ◽

10.1007/s10803-018-3461-9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 48 (6) ◽

pp. 2023-2037 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Catherine A. Burrows ◽

Lauren V. Usher ◽

Emily M. Becker-Haimes ◽

Camilla M. McMahon ◽

Peter C. Mundy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Social Anxiety ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Parent Child

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A-069 Comparing Driving Errors in Young Adults with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acaa068.069 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (6) ◽

pp. 860-860

Author(s):

Showell M ◽

Schultheis M ◽

Patrick K

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Executive Functioning ◽

Predictive Value ◽

Red Light ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Outcome Variable ◽

Neurocognitive Performance ◽

Driving Behaviors ◽

Stop Sign

Abstract Objective Research has found differences in driving behaviors of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though it is unclear whether differences translate to poorer driving. This study assessed whether ASD diagnosis, executive functioning, and regulation of driving speed and lane positioning predict errors during a simulated drive. Method Participants included 88 16–26 year-olds (45 ASD; 73 Male) who completed assessments of executive functioning and a simulated drive. The drive included a rural route without distractions, the same route with secondary tasks, a highway drive, and a residential drive. For the residential drive, coders documented drivers’ errors including driving onto a curb, crossing the center lane, turning from the wrong lane, running a red light or stop sign, illegally changing lanes, and hitting a person or car. A hierarchical regression included stepwise insertion of ASD diagnosis, neurocognitive performance, and speed and lane deviation as predictor variables and the square root of driving errors as the outcome variable. Results Drivers with ASD committed significantly more errors than non-ASD drivers, p = .03, R2 = .06. Neurocognitive performance added significant predictive value, p = .001, R2Adj = .15. Speed and lane regulation also added significant predictive value, p < .001, R2Adj = .39. The full model accounted for 46% of the variance in driving errors. Conclusions Novice drivers with ASD may be more likely than their peers to make overt, potentially dangerous, errors while driving. Assessment of executive function and less dangerous driving behaviors such as regulation of speed and lane positioning may help to identify individuals at highest risk for committing driving errors and inform driving interventions.

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An executive functioning perspective in neurofibromatosis type 1: from ADHD and autism spectrum disorder to research domains

Child s Nervous System ◽

10.1007/s00381-020-04745-w ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (10) ◽

pp. 2321-2332

Author(s):

Taylor F. Smith ◽

Jessica A. Kaczorowski ◽

Maria T. Acosta

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Executive Functioning ◽

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 ◽

Neurofibromatosis Type ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Research Domains

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Development of Lying and Cognitive Abilities

The Oxford Handbook of Lying ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198736578.013.30 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 398-407

Author(s):

Victoria Talwar

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Cognitive Development ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Executive Functioning ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder

The emergence and development of children’s lie-telling is closely associated with their developing cognitive abilities. Telling a lie involves complicated cognitive functions including theory-of-mind understanding and executive functioning abilities. Recent research has found that lie-telling emerges in the preschool years and children’s abilities to maintain their lies improves with age. The current chapter reviews existing literature on the development of children’s lie-telling behavior and its relation to various aspects of children’s cognitive development. It covers the work of Lewis, Stanger, and Sullivan (1989), including the well-known guessing-game experiment, where the child is left alone with temptation and the instruction not to peek. Much of Talwar, Lee, et al.’s research into three-to-seven-year-old children’s lie-telling behavior is covered; and the interaction between these studies and Theory of Mind is emphasized; this is illuminated in the account of research using child subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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