scholarly journals Absence of sex differences in mental rotation performance in autism spectrum disorder

Autism ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 855-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie S Rohde ◽  
Alexandra L Georgescu ◽  
Kai Vogeley ◽  
Rolf Fimmers ◽  
Christine M Falter-Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Mental Rotation ◽  
Psychometric Function ◽  
Sex Difference ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Profile ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Extreme Male Brain

Mental rotation is one of the most investigated cognitive functions showing consistent sex differences. The ‘Extreme Male Brain’ hypothesis attributes the cognitive profile of individuals with autism spectrum disorder to an extreme version of the male cognitive profile. Previous investigations focused almost exclusively on males with autism spectrum disorder with only limited implications for affected females. This study is the first testing a sample of 12 female adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder compared to 14 males with autism spectrum disorder, 12 typically developing females and 14 typically developing males employing a computerised version of the mental rotation test. Reaction time and accuracy served as dependent variables. Their linear relationship with degree of rotation allows separation of rotational aspects of the task, indicated by slopes of the psychometric function, and non-rotational aspects, indicated by intercepts of the psychometric function. While the typical and expected sex difference for rotational task aspects was corroborated in typically developing individuals, no comparable sex difference was found in autism spectrum disorder individuals. Autism spectrum disorder and typically developing individuals did not differ in mental rotation performance. This finding does not support the extreme male brain hypothesis of autism.

Increased emotional eating behaviors in children with autism: Sex differences and links with dietary variety

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136236132094208
Author(s):  
Gregory L Wallace ◽  
Emily Richard ◽  
Alexandra Wolff ◽  
Monica Nadeau ◽  
Nancy Zucker
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Emotional Eating ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children

Although food selectivity and so-called “picky” eating are well documented in autism spectrum disorder, emotion-linked eating has rarely been investigated. This study examined emotion-linked over- and under-eating based on parent ratings of these behaviors in 4- to 17-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder ( n = 190) as compared to same-age typically developing children ( n = 119). Children with autism spectrum disorder were rated as exhibiting both more emotional over-eating and more emotional under-eating behaviors than their typically developing peers. Furthermore, while sex differences in these emotional eating behaviors were not observed in the typically developing children, girls with autism spectrum disorder were rated as experiencing more emotional over-eating behaviors than boys with autism spectrum disorder. Finally, among all children with autism spectrum disorder, emotional over-eating was linked with increased consumption of sweet foods and decreased consumption of vegetables. These findings have implications for better understanding eating habits in children with autism spectrum disorder and suggest that emotional eating behaviors might have both immediate and downstream health impacts. Lay abstract Although “picky” eating is well documented in autism spectrum disorder, emotional eating has rarely been investigated. This study examined emotional over- and under-eating based on parent ratings of these behaviors in 4- to 17-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder ( n = 190) as compared to same-age typically developing children ( n = 119). Children with autism spectrum disorder were rated as exhibiting both more emotional over-eating and more emotional under-eating behaviors than their typically developing peers. Furthermore, while sex differences in these emotional eating behaviors were not observed in the typically developing children, girls with autism spectrum disorder were rated as experiencing more emotional over-eating behaviors than boys with autism spectrum disorder. Finally, among all children with autism spectrum disorder, emotional over-eating was linked with increased consumption of sweet foods and decreased consumption of vegetables. These findings have implications for better understanding eating habits in children with autism spectrum disorder and suggest that emotional eating behaviors might have both immediate and downstream health impacts.

Sex differences in the reciprocal behaviour of children with autism

Autism ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 795-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tineke Backer van Ommeren ◽  
Hans M Koot ◽  
Anke M Scheeren ◽  
Sander Begeer
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Typically Developing Children

Differences in the social limitations of girls compared to boys on the autism spectrum are still poorly understood. Impaired social-emotional reciprocity is a core diagnostic criterion for an autism spectrum disorder. This study compares sex differences in reciprocal behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder (32 girls, 114 boys) and in typically developing children (24 girls, 55 boys). While children with autism spectrum disorder showed clear limitations in reciprocal behaviour compared to typically developing children, sex differences were found only in the autism spectrum disorder group: girls with autism spectrum disorder had higher reciprocity scores than boys with autism spectrum disorder. However, compared to typically developing girls, girls with autism spectrum disorder showed subtle differences in reciprocal behaviour. The sex-specific response patterns in autism spectrum disorder can inform and improve the diagnostic assessment of autism in females.

Different aberrant mentalizing networks in males and females with autism spectrum disorders: Evidence from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging

Autism ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Yang ◽  
Jonathan Lee
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

Previous studies have found that individuals with autism spectrum disorders show impairments in mentalizing processes and aberrant brain activity compared with typically developing participants. However, the findings are mainly from male participants and the aberrant effects in autism spectrum disorder females and sex differences are still unclear. To address these issues, this study analyzed intrinsic functional connectivity of mentalizing regions using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 48 autism spectrum disorder males and females and 48 typically developing participants in autism brain imaging data exchange. Whole-brain analyses showed that autism spectrum disorder males had hyperconnectivity in functional connectivity of the bilateral temporal-parietal junction, whereas autism spectrum disorder females showed hypoconnectivity in functional connectivity of the medial prefrontal cortex, precuneus, and right temporal-parietal junction. Interaction between sex and autism was found in both short- and long-distance functional connectivity effects, confirming that autism spectrum disorder males showed overconnectivity, while autism spectrum disorder females showed underconnectivity. Furthermore, a regression analysis revealed that in autism spectrum disorder, males and females demonstrated different relations between the functional connectivity effects of the mentalizing regions and the core autism spectrum disorder deficits. These results suggest sex differences in the mentalizing network in autism spectrum disorder individuals. Future work is needed to examine how sex interacts with other factors such as age and the sex differences during mentalizing task performance.

Profiles of Autonomic Activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder with and without Anxiety

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Parma ◽  
Nicola Cellini ◽  
Lisa Guy ◽  
Alana McVey ◽  
Keiran Rump ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Physiological Activity ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Parasympathetic Activity ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Physiological Profile ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Advance Research

Objective: Anxiety disorders are common among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both anxiety and ASD are associated with differences in physiological activity. To date, few studies have investigated the physiological profile of youth with ASD and even fewer have systematically assessed how the co-occurrence of anxiety disorders and ASD modulates resting physiological activity.Method: The aim of the present study was to evaluate sympathetic and parasympathetic activity at rest in 75 school-aged children and adolescents with ASD, with (ASD+Anxiety = 22, 6F) and without co-occurring anxiety (ASD Alone =15, 6F) and to compare their physiological profile with that of matched typically developing controls (TDC) with (Anxiety Alone = 16, 6F) and without co-occurring anxiety disorders (TDC = 22, 8F).Results: Results indicated reduced sympathetic and parasympathetic activity at rest in ASD as compared to TDC youth without anxiety. The ASD+Anxiety and Anxiety Alone groups showed different sympathetic, but similar parasympathetic, activity. Correlational, multivariate, and regression analyses indicated that the four groups differed among several physiological and subjective measures.Conclusion: These findings suggest that ASD and anxiety are associated with distinct profiles of autonomic nervous system activity that cannot be reduced to either the sympathetic or parasympathetic branch alone. An autonomic profile-based approach is more likely to advance research, diagnosis, and treatment of ASD and anxiety than unidimensional, single-modality approaches.

scholarly journals Developmental Language Disorder and Autism: Commonalities and Differences on Language

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 589
Author(s):  
Natasa Georgiou ◽  
George Spanoudis
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Language Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Developmental Language Disorder ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Autism Group ◽  
Developmental Conditions

Language and communication deficits characterize both autism spectrum disorder and developmental language disorder, and the possibility of there being a common profile of these is a matter of tireless debate in the research community. This experimental study addresses the relation of these two developmental conditions in the critical topic of language. Α total of 103 children (79 males, 24 females) participated in the present study. Specifically, the study’s sample consisted of 40 children with autism, 28 children with developmental language disorder, and 35 typically developing children between 6 and 12 years old. All children completed language and cognitive measures. The results showed that there is a subgroup inside the autism group of children who demonstrate language difficulties similar to children with developmental language disorder. Specifically, two different subgroups were derived from the autism group; those with language impairment and those without. Both autism and language-impaired groups scored lower than typically developing children on all language measures indicating a common pathology in language ability. The results of this study shed light on the relation between the two disorders, supporting the assumption of a subgroup with language impairment inside the autism spectrum disorder population. The common picture presented by the two developmental conditions highlights the need for further research in the field.

Mental health correlates and potential childhood predictors for the wish to be of the opposite sex in young autistic adults

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110240
Author(s):  
Jung-Chi Chang ◽  
Meng-Chuan Lai ◽  
Yueh-Ming Tai ◽  
Susan Shur-Fen Gau
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Item Endorsement ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Autistic Adults

Cross-sectional research has demonstrated the overrepresentation of gender dysphoria in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder. However, the predictors and underlying mechanisms of this co-occurrence remain unclear. This follow-up study aimed to explore baseline (childhood/adolescence) predictors for the follow-up (adulthood) self-reported wish to be of the opposite sex and to investigate its mental health correlates in a sample of 88 autistic individuals as compared with 42 typically developing controls. An item on the Adult Self-Report Inventory-4, “I wish I was the opposite sex,” was used. We compared mental health symptoms between adults with and without this item endorsement. We used prediction models to explore family and autism-related predictors in childhood/adolescence to endorse this item in adulthood. There were more adults endorsing the item in the autism spectrum disorder group compared with the typically developing group. Autistic adults who endorsed the item experienced more mental health challenges, more bullying victimization, more suicidal ideations, and worse quality of life. Lower parent-reported family support and more stereotyped/repetitive behaviors during childhood/adolescence predicted the self-reported wish to be of the opposite sex in adulthood in autistic individuals. It is necessary to raise more attention to gender development and related mental health impact in autistic individuals. Lay abstract Autistic people/people with autism spectrum disorder are more likely to experience gender dysphoria. However, the possible longitudinal predictors and underlying mechanisms of this co-occurrence are unclear. To fill this knowledge gap, we assessed 88 people with autism spectrum disorder and 42 typically developing individuals at their average ages of 13.0 (baseline, childhood/adolescence) and 20.2 years old (follow-up, adulthood). At follow-up, their endorsement on the item “I wish I was the opposite sex” was used to evaluate gender dysphoric symptoms. We compared mental health symptoms between adults with and without this item endorsement at the follow-up assessment. We explored parent-reported family and autism characteristics-related predictors in childhood/adolescence to this item endorsement in adulthood. We found that more autistic adults reported the wish to be of the opposite sex than did typically developing individuals. Autistic adults who endorsed this item experienced more mental health challenges, more school bullying and cyberbullying, more suicidal ideation, and worse quality of life. Moreover, parent-reported lower family support and more stereotyped/repetitive behaviors during childhood/adolescence predicted the self-reported wish to be of the opposite sex in adulthood in autistic individuals. More attention and support should be provided to autistic people regarding gender development and related mental health and quality of life impact, especially during the transition period to young adulthood.

scholarly journals Sex Differences in Functional Connectivity Between Resting State Brain Networks in Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vânia Tavares ◽  
Luís Afonso Fernandes ◽  
Marília Antunes ◽  
Hugo Ferreira ◽  
Diana Prata
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Control Networks ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Female Specific ◽  
Main Effects

AbstractFunctional brain connectivity (FBC) has previously been examined in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) between-resting-state networks (RSNs) using a highly sensitive and reproducible hypothesis-free approach. However, results have been inconsistent and sex differences have only recently been taken into consideration using this approach. We estimated main effects of diagnosis and sex and a diagnosis by sex interaction on between-RSNs FBC in 83 ASD (40 females/43 males) and 85 typically developing controls (TC; 43 females/42 males). We found increased connectivity between the default mode (DM) and (a) the executive control networks in ASD (vs. TC); (b) the cerebellum networks in males (vs. females); and (c) female-specific altered connectivity involving visual, language and basal ganglia (BG) networks in ASD—in suggestive compatibility with ASD cognitive and neuroscientific theories.

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