Polysubstance and Behavioral Addictions in a Patient with Bipolar Disorder: Role of Lifetime Subthreshold Autism Spectrum

This case report draws attention to the potential relevance of undetected autism spectrum symptoms in a bipolar patient with high work functioning showing a peculiar addictive profile with impulsive and antisocial behaviors. A 23-year-old man with a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder (BD) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) was hospitalized at the Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Pisa for diuretics and β-2 adrenergic agonist abuse in a remission phase of benzodiazepines and substance abuse. He reported a history of behavioral addictions in the framework of a global high work functioning with particular skills in computer science. When assessed for adult autism spectrum symptoms, despite not fulfilling a DSM-5 diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), he reported a score of 93/240 at the Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale (RAADS-r) and of 88/160 at the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum), both indicative of ASD. We argue the possible role of adult subthreshold autism spectrum features, generally disregarded in adult psychiatry, in the peculiar addictive profile developed by this patient with BD that may deserve appropriate treatment.

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The Role of Child Problem Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Symptoms and Parenting Stress: A Primary School-Based Study

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders ◽

10.1007/s10803-018-3791-7 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 857-870 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Queenie K. Y. Siu ◽

Huso Yi ◽

Randolph C. H. Chan ◽

Floria H. N. Chio ◽

Dorothy F. Y. Chan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary School ◽

Parenting Stress ◽

Problem Behaviors ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

School Based ◽

Child Problem Behaviors ◽

Autism Spectrum Symptoms

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Post-transcriptional dysregulation in autism, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

10.1101/2021.02.28.433176 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yuanyuan Wang ◽

Liya Liu ◽

Mingyan Lin

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Gene Regulation ◽

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Rna Stability ◽

Systematic Investigation ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Transcriptional Dysregulation ◽

Gene Differential Expression ◽

Transcriptional Gene Regulation

Post-transcriptional gene regulation (PTGR) contributes to numerous aspects of RNA metabolism. While multiple regulators of PTGR have been associated with the occurrence and development of psychiatric disorders, a systematic investigation of the role of PTGR in the context of neuropsychiatric disorders is still lacking. In this work, we developed a new transcriptome -based algorithm to estimate PTGR and applied it to an RNA-Seq dataset of 2160 brain samples from individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD) and controls. The results showed that the contribution of PTGR abnormality to gene differential expression between three common psychiatric disorders and controls was about 30% of that of transcriptional gene regulation (TGR) abnormality. Besides, aberrant PTGR tended to decrease RNA stability in SCZ/BD, while increase RNA stability in ASD, implicating contrasting pathologies among diseases. The abnormal alteration of PTGR in SCZ/BD converged on the inhibition of neurogenesis and neural differentiation, whereas dysregulation of PTGR in ASD induced enhanced activity of apoptosis. This suggested that heterogeneity in disease mechanism and clinical manifestation across different psychiatric disorders may be partially attributed to the diverse role of PTGR. Intriguingly, we identified a promising RBP (RNA bind protein) ELAVL3 (ELAV-Like Protein 3) that have a profound role in all three psychiatric disorders. Our systematic study expands the understanding of the link between PTGR and psychiatric disorders and also open a new avenue for deciphering the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders.

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Investigating Orthorexia Nervosa With The ORTO-R in a Sample of University Students With Or Without Subthreshold Autism Spectrum: Focus On Dietary Habits and Sex Differences

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1198646/v1 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Liliana Dell’Osso ◽

Ivan Mirko Cremone ◽

Ilaria Chiarantini ◽

Alessandro Arone ◽

Danila Casagrande ◽

...

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Vegan Diet ◽

Tree Model ◽

Sex Type ◽

Increasing Trend ◽

Adult Autism ◽

Positive Correlations

Abstract Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of ON symptoms, measured by means of the ORTO-R, in a sample of University students with or without AT, specifically focusing on evaluating the role of sex and of dietary habits in the association between ON and autism spectrum. Methods: Subjects were requested to anonymously fulfil the ORTO-R and the Adult Autism Subthreshold Autism Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) through an online form. Results: 2140 students participated in the study. Subjects with significant AT reported significantly higher ORTO-R scores than subjects without AT. Females and subjects following a vegetarian/vegan diet reported significantly higher ORTO-R scores than males and than subjects following an omnivorous diet, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between ORTO-R and AdAS Spectrum scores. A decision tree model, with sex, type of diet and presence of AT as independent variables and ORTO-R score as dependent variable, showed in the first step the presence of significantly higher ORTO-R scores among females than among males, and in the second step showed in both sexes the presence of higher ORTO-R scores among subjects with AT than in those without. A significant interaction of sex and presence/absence of AT was reported on ORTO-R score, with a higher increasing trend of ORTO-R score with the increase of AdAS Spectrum score among females than among males. Conclusions: Our results further highlighted the association between AT and ON, in particular among females.

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Is There a Major Role for Undetected Autism Spectrum Disorder with Childhood Trauma in a Patient with a Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, Self-Injuring, and Multiple Comorbidities?

Case Reports in Psychiatry ◽

10.1155/2019/4703795 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Claudia Carmassi ◽

Carlo Antonio Bertelloni ◽

Gianluca Salarpi ◽

Elisa Diadema ◽

Maria Teresa Avella ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Childhood Trauma ◽

Suicide Ideation ◽

Depressive Symptomatology ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Psychiatric Clinic ◽

Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽

Response Scale

This case report highlights the relevance of the consequences of trauma in a female patient with an undetected autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affected by bipolar disorder (BD) with multiple comorbidities. A 35-year-old woman with BD type II, binge eating disorder and panic disorder was admitted in the Inpatient Unit of the Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Pisa because of a recrudescence of depressive symptomatology, associated with increase of anxiety, noticeable ruminations, significant alteration in neurovegetative pattern, and serious suicide ideation. During the hospitalization, a diagnosis of ASD emerged besides a history of childhood trauma and affective dysregulation, marked impulsivity, feeling of emptiness, and self-harm behavior. The patient was assessed by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale (RAADS-R), the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum), Trauma and Loss Spectrum (TALS-SR), and Ruminative Response Scale (RRS). Total scores of 38/50 in the AQ, 146/240 in the RAADS-R, 99/160 in the AdAS Spectrum emerged, compatible with ASD, 47/116 in the TALS-SR, and 64/88 in the RRS. We discuss the implications of the trauma she underwent during her childhood, in the sense that caused a complex posttraumatic disorder, a lifelong disease favored and boosted by the rumination tendency of high functioning ASD.

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Hooked on a feeling: Repetitive cognition and internalizing symptomatology in relation to autism spectrum symptomatology

Autism ◽

10.1177/1362361317709603 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 22 (7) ◽

pp. 814-824 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Elliot Gavin Keenan ◽

Katherine Gotham ◽

Matthew D Lerner

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Depressive Symptomatology ◽

Rejection Sensitivity ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Self Report ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Autism Spectrum Symptoms

Repetitive cognition, including rumination such as that seen in depression, has been shown to correlate with depression symptoms in both typically developing individuals and individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Repetitive cognition is more common in autism spectrum disorder than in typically developing peers, as is depression; thus, this study evaluated the role of repetitive cognition in relation between autism spectrum symptomatology and depressive symptomatology. In all, 200 typically developing adults completed self-report questionnaires measuring autism spectrum symptomatology, different forms of repetitive cognition (general perseveration and depressive rumination), depression, and rejection sensitivity. Perseveration was found to mediate the relation between autism spectrum symptoms and depression, and to partially mediate the relation between autism spectrum symptoms and rejection sensitivity. We conclude that it is of vital importance to consider cognition when considering depression in autism spectrum disorder.

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Examining the Role of Language in Play Among Children With and Without Developmental Disabilities

Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools ◽

10.1044/2020_lshss-19-00084 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 795-806 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elizabeth J. Short ◽

Rachael Cooper Schindler ◽

Rita Obeid ◽

Maia M. Noeder ◽

Laura E. Hlavaty ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Developmental Disabilities ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Free Play ◽

Group Differences ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Play Skills ◽

Critical Aspect ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Better Than

Purpose Play is a critical aspect of children's development, and researchers have long argued that symbolic deficits in play may be diagnostic of developmental disabilities. This study examined whether deficits in play emerge as a function of developmental disabilities and whether our perceptions of play are colored by differences in language and behavioral presentations. Method Ninety-three children participated in this study (typically developing [TD]; n = 23, developmental language disorders [DLD]; n = 24, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]; n = 26, and autism spectrum disorder [ASD]; n = 20). Children were videotaped engaging in free-play. Children's symbolic play (imagination, organization, elaboration, and comfort) was scored under conditions of both audible language and no audible language to assess diagnostic group differences in play and whether audible language impacted raters' perception of play. Results Significant differences in play were evident across diagnostic groups. The presence of language did not alter play ratings for the TD group, but differences were found among the other diagnostic groups. When language was audible, children with DLD and ASD (but not ADHD) were scored poorly on play compared to their TD peers. When language was not audible, children with DLD were perceived to play better than when language was audible. Conversely, children with ADHD showed organizational deficits when language was not available to support their play. Finally, children with ASD demonstrated poor play performance regardless of whether language was audible or not. Conclusions Language affects our understanding of play skills in some young children. Parents, researchers, and clinicians must be careful not to underestimate or overestimate play based on language presentation. Differential skills in language have the potential to unduly influence our perceptions of play for children with developmental disabilities.

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The Role of the SLP in Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening and Assessment

Perspectives on Language Learning and Education ◽

10.1044/lle15.2.50 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 50-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amy Philofsky

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Critical Role ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Prevalence Estimates ◽

Notable Increase ◽

Screening Assessment ◽

Critical Components

AbstractRecent prevalence estimates for autism have been alarming as a function of the notable increase. Speech-language pathologists play a critical role in screening, assessment and intervention for children with autism. This article reviews signs that may be indicative of autism at different stages of language development, and discusses the importance of several psychometric properties—sensitivity and specificity—in utilizing screening measures for children with autism. Critical components of assessment for children with autism are reviewed. This article concludes with examples of intervention targets for children with ASD at various levels of language development.

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