Investigating electroencephalography signals of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using Higuchi Fractal Dimension

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Menaka Radhakrishnan ◽  
Daehan Won ◽  
Thanga Aarthy Manoharan ◽  
Varsha Venkatachalam ◽  
Renuka Mahadev Chavan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Fractal Dimension ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Brain Dynamics ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Brain Response ◽  
Higuchi Fractal Dimension

AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a deficit of social relationships, interaction, sense of imagination, and constrained interests. Early diagnosis of ASD will aid in devising appropriate training procedures and placing those children in the normal stream. The objective of this research is to analyze the brain response for auditory/visual stimuli in Typically Developing (TD) and children with autism through electroencephalography (EEG). Brain dynamics in the EEG signal can be analyzed well with the help of nonlinear feature primitives. Recent research reveals that, application of fractal-based techniques proves to be effective to estimate of degree of nonlinearity in a signal. This research attempts to analyze the effect of brain dynamics with Higuchi Fractal Dimension (HFD). Also, the performance of the fractal based techniques depends on the selection of proper hyper-parameters involved in it. One of the key parameters involved in computation of HFD is the time interval parameter ‘k’. Most of the researches arbitrarily fixes the value of ‘k’ in the range of all channels. This research proposes an algorithm to estimate the optimal value of the time parameter for each channel. Sub-band analysis was also carried out for the responding channels. Statistical analysis on the experimental reveals that a difference of 30% was observed between autistic and Typically Developing children.

scholarly journals Association Between Ultrasonography Fetal Anomalies and Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ohad Regev ◽  
Amnon Hadar ◽  
Gal Meiri ◽  
Hagit Flusser ◽  
Analy Michaelovski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Congenital Anomalies ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Prenatal Ultrasound ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Fetal Anomalies ◽  
Fetal Ultrasonography ◽  
Wide Range

Background: Prenatal ultrasound is frequently used to monitor fetal growth and identify fetal anomalies that may suggest genetic or developmental abnormalities which may develop into congenital anomalies and diseases. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, associated with a wide range of congenital anomalies. Nevertheless, very little has been done to investigate organ development using prenatal ultrasound as a means to identify fetuses with ASD susceptibility. Methods: A retrospective matched case-sibling-control study. ASD cases were matched to two control groups: typically developing sibling (TDS) closest in age to ASD child; and typically developing population (TDP), matched for age, sex, and ethnicity. The study comprised 659 children: 229 ASD, 201 TDS, and 229 TDP; 471 (71.5%) males. Results: Ultrasonography fetal anomalies (UFAs) were found in 29.3% of ASD cases vs. only 15.9% and 9.6% in the TDS and TDP groups (aOR=2.23, 95%CI=1.32-3.78, and OR=3.50, 95%CI=2.07- 5.91, respectively). Also, multiple co-occurring UFAs were significantly more prevalent among ASD cases. UFAs in the urinary system, heart, and head&brain were the most significantly associated with ASD diagnosis (aORUrinary =2.08, 95%CI=0.96-4.50 and ORUrinary=2.90, 95%CI=1.41-5.95; aORHeart=3.72, 95%CI=1.50-9.24 and ORHeart=8.67, 95%CI=2.62-28.63; and aORHead&Brain=1.77, 95%CI=0.68-4.64 and ORHead&Brain=6.50, 95%CI=1.47-28.80; vs. TDS and TDP, respectively). ASD fetuses were characterized by a narrower head and a relatively wider ocular-distance vs. TDP fetuses (ORBPD=0.81, 95%CI=0.70-0.94, and aOROcular-Distance=1.29, 95%CI=1.06-1.57). Finally, UFAs were associated with more severe ASD symptoms. Conclusions: Our findings shed important light on the abnormal multiorgan embryonic development of ASD and suggest fetal ultrasonography biomarkers for ASD.

scholarly journals STUDY OF ABNORMAL PALMER CREASES IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY IN NORTH INDIA

2021 ◽  
pp. 102-105
Author(s):  
Avni Gupta ◽  
Aakanksha Kharb ◽  
Sujata Sethi
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Case Group ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Early Management

INTRODUCTION: Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized mainly by deficits in social and communication patterns. Aberrant gene environment interactions during fetal development leads to formation of minor physical anomalies such as abnormal palmar creases commonly seen in autism spectrum disorder. AIM: To compare the prevalence of abnormal palmar creases in children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children. METHODOLOGY:It was a case controlled cross sectional study conducted in departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics of Pt. B.D. Sharma, PGIMS Rohtak. Fifty children of age 4-16 years with diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (case group) and fifty typically developing children (control group) were recruited. A digital camera of 13 megapixels was used to click photographs of the palms of children. Palmar crease patterns of fifty children with diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder were compared with the control group. RESULTS:The prevalence of abnormal palmar creases in case group was higher (47%) than in control group (14%).The prevalence of Simian crease in case group was double (22%) as compared to one in control group i.e. 11%. The prevalence of Sydney crease in case group was 21%, while in control group it was only 3%. The prevalence of Suwon crease in case group was 4%,while it was not seen in control group. CONCLUSION:Children with abnormal palmar creases help in early screening of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder helping in early management of these children leading to better outcomes and alleviation of parental stress and burden

scholarly journals Awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) among Parents of Typically Developing Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 214
Author(s):  
Alyaa Hemdi
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Early Detection ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Treatment Implementation

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder common among children. Special attention is frequently given to the early detection of ASD for early treatment implementation, which improves these children’s outcomes. Enhanced public awareness is necessary to prevent delays in the provision of such services by aiding the early identification of cases. There is a lack of studies that determine ASD awareness among parents of typically developing children (TDC). Therefore, the aim of this study was to comprehend the extent of ASD awareness and knowledge among Saudi parents of TDC. A cross-sectional descriptive survey using a questionnaire was distributed to survey 232 Saudi parents’ (98 female, 134 male) ASD awareness and knowledge. Overall, this study’s results showed that ASD awareness among Saudi parents is good, as the study participants were knowledgeable about its aetiology, signs and symptoms. However, there are still misconceptions and lacking of knowledge that need to be addressed. Interestingly, the fathers were found to be more knowledgeable about general ASD information and aetiology than the mothers. The findings showed that around 49.1% of Saudi parents do not know if vaccinations cause ASD, which indicates lacking awareness in this regard. Despite the efforts of different sectors to raise ASD awareness in the KSA, more work needs to be done to address misconceptions among parents. This is necessary to aiding the early detection and identification of ASD, which will expedite services’ provision for better outcomes for children with ASD.

scholarly journals Concentrations of Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Manganese, and Aluminum in the Blood of Pakistani Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Associated Factors

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8625
Author(s):  
Mohammad H. Rahbar ◽  
Shahnaz H. Ibrahim ◽  
Syed Iqbal Azam ◽  
Manouchehr Hessabi ◽  
Fatima Karim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Conditional Logistic Regression ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Genotype Frequencies

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with early onset in utero or childhood. Environmental exposure to six metals (Pb, Hg, As, Cd, Mn, Al) is believed to be associated with ASD directly or interactively with genes. Objective: To assess the association of ASD among Pakistani children with the six metals and genotype frequencies of three GST genes (GSTP1, GSTM1, GSTT1). Methods: We enrolled 30 ASD cases, age 2–12 years old, and 30 age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) controls in Karachi, Pakistan. We assessed associations of ASD status with various factors using Conditional Logistic Regression models. We also used General Linear Models to assess possible interaction of blood Mn and Pb concentrations with the three GST genes in relation to ASD status. Results: The unadjusted difference between ASD and TD groups in terms of geometric mean blood Pb concentrations was marginally significant (p = 0.05), but for Al concentrations, the adjusted difference was marginally significant (p = 0.06). Conclusions: This is the first study reporting six blood metal concentrations of Pakistani children with ASD. Estimates provided for possible interactions of GST genes with Mn and Pb in relation to ASD status are valuable for designing future similar studies.

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.

Specialized Diet Therapies: Exploration for Improving Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (40) ◽  
pp. 6771-6786
Author(s):  
Geir Bjørklund ◽  
Nagwa Abdel Meguid ◽  
Maryam Dadar ◽  
Lyudmila Pivina ◽  
Joanna Kałużna-Czaplińska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Nutritional Deficiencies ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Restricted Interests ◽  
Balanced Diet ◽  
The Individual

As a major neurodevelopmental disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) encompasses deficits in communication and repetitive and restricted interests or behaviors in childhood and adolescence. Its etiology may come from either a genetic, epigenetic, neurological, hormonal, or an environmental cause, generating pathways that often altogether play a synergistic role in the development of ASD pathogenesis. Furthermore, the metabolic origin of ASD should be important as well. A balanced diet consisting of the essential and special nutrients, alongside the recommended caloric intake, is highly recommended to promote growth and development that withstand the physiologic and behavioral challenges experienced by ASD children. In this review paper, we evaluated many studies that show a relationship between ASD and diet to develop a better understanding of the specific effects of the overall diet and the individual nutrients required for this population. This review will add a comprehensive update of knowledge in the field and shed light on the possible nutritional deficiencies, metabolic impairments (particularly in the gut microbiome), and malnutrition in individuals with ASD, which should be recognized in order to maintain the improved socio-behavioral habit and physical health.

scholarly journals Intranasal oxytocin administration ameliorates social behavioral deficits in a POGZWT/Q1038R mouse model of autism spectrum disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kohei Kitagawa ◽  
Kensuke Matsumura ◽  
Masayuki Baba ◽  
Momoka Kondo ◽  
Tomoya Takemoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Mouse Models ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
De Novo Mutation ◽  
Behavioral Deficits

AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by core symptoms of impaired social behavior and communication. Recent studies have suggested that the oxytocin system, which regulates social behavior in mammals, is potentially involved in ASD. Mouse models of ASD provide a useful system for understanding the associations between an impaired oxytocin system and social behavior deficits. However, limited studies have shown the involvement of the oxytocin system in the behavioral phenotypes in mouse models of ASD. We have previously demonstrated that a mouse model that carries the ASD patient-derived de novo mutation in the pogo transposable element derived with zinc finger domain (POGZWT/Q1038R mice), showed ASD-like social behavioral deficits. Here, we have explored whether oxytocin (OXT) administration improves impaired social behavior in POGZWT/Q1038R mice and found that intranasal oxytocin administration effectively restored the impaired social behavior in POGZWT/Q1038R mice. We also found that the expression level of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) was low in POGZWT/Q1038R mice. However, we did not detect significant changes in the number of OXT-expressing neurons between the paraventricular nucleus of POGZWT/Q1038R mice and that of WT mice. A chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that POGZ binds to the promoter region of OXTR and is involved in the transcriptional regulation of OXTR. In summary, our study demonstrate that the pathogenic mutation in the POGZ, a high-confidence ASD gene, impairs the oxytocin system and social behavior in mice, providing insights into the development of oxytocin-based therapeutics for ASD.

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.

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