scholarly journals Application of Clustering Method to Explore the Correlation Between Dominant Flora and the Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Phenotype in Chinese Children

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biyuan Chen ◽  
Na You ◽  
Bangquan Pan ◽  
Xueyi He ◽  
Xiaobing Zou

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social interactions and repetitive, stereotypic behaviors. Evidence shows that bidirectional communication of the gut-brain axis plays an important role. Here, we recruited 62 patients with ASD in southern China, and performed a cross-sectional study to test the relationship between repeated behavior, gut microbiome composition, and alpha diversity. We divided all participants into two groups based on the clustering results of their microbial compositions and found Veillonella and Ruminococcus as the seed genera in each group. Repetitive behavior differed between clusters, and cluster 2 had milder repetitive symptoms than Cluster 1. Alpha diversity between clusters was significantly different, indicating that cluster 1 had lower alpha diversity and more severe repetitive, stereotypic behaviors. Repetitive behavior had a negative correlation with alpha diversity. We demonstrated that the difference in intestinal microbiome composition and altered alpha diversity can be associated with repetitive, stereotypic behavior in autism. The role of Ruminococcus and Veillonella in ASD is not yet understood.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233339362090758
Author(s):  
David B. Nicholas ◽  
Radha MacCulloch ◽  
Wendy Roberts ◽  
Lonnie Zwaigenbaum ◽  
Patricia McKeever

This study explored the experiences of mothers caring for an individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) ranging from 5 to 25 years of age, and examined pervasive tensions in caregiving. Guided by ethnographic methods, a retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. Interviews with 85 mothers were analyzed inductively. Prevalent tensions in maternal caregiving were identified: (a) difficulties obtaining, yet resistance to, an ASD diagnosis; (b) identified giftedness of the child versus notions of deficit imposed by others; (c) disability-related behaviors erroneously interpreted as ‘poor parenting’; (d) contradictory considerations in diagnosis disclosure; (e) the invisibility yet pervasiveness of ASD; (f) extensive need for, yet the lack of, accessible services; (g) ASD-related care demands versus other pressing responsibilities; (h) arguments for inclusive versus exclusive services; and (i) aims of nurturing independence versus managing safety risk. Tensions were heightened by insufficient supports relative to need. Implications and recommendations for practice and policy are offered.


BMJ Open ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. e004786-e004786 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Burgoyne ◽  
L. Dowling ◽  
A. Fitzgerald ◽  
M. Connolly ◽  
J. P Browne ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Usman Baig ◽  
Syed Muslim Mehdi ◽  
Hafiz Muhammad Imtiaz Afzal ◽  
Admin

Abstract Objective: To assess the frequency of insomnia and other sleep disturbances among children with autism spectrum disorder. Methods: Sleep disturbance scale for children was used in this descriptive cross-sectional study and the parents were asked to fill out the questionnaire along with the consent form. Initial sample size was 97, out of which 93 were included in study. The research was approved by institutional ethics committee of Sharif medical and Dental College. Results: This study showed that 37 (39.8%) children had at least one type of the sleeping disorder. Most common type were insomnia 24 (25.8%) and sleep-awake transition disorders 15 (16.1%), less common were disorders of arousal 10 (10.8%), disorders of excessive somnolence 7 (7.5%), sleep hyperhidrosis 5 (5.4%) and sleep breathing disorders 4 (4.3%). Conclusion: Nearly forty percent of children with autism spectrum disorder suffer from sleep disorders, among which the most frequent was insomnia. Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, insomnia, sleep disorders, children


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