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Query: UMLS:C0004352 (autism)
 32,579 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The study aims to determine the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) for children receiving services in Maracaibo County, Venezuela. Children aged 3-9 with diagnosis of any ASD were recruited. We ascertained area, referral process, and definitions of ASD for each patient. A total of 430 children were identified, and 76.5 percent were boys. Prevalences were 1.7 per 1000 for all ASD, 1.1 per 1000 for autism, and 0.6 per 1000 for PDD-NOS and Asperger syndrome combined. These prevalences are lower than current reports in the literature. Differences in case-finding methods, diagnostic criteria, and lack of awareness in the general population may have influenced the number of cases identified. An ASD prevalence of 1.7 per 1000 should alert the health and education authorities to the need to reassess the services available for children with these disorders and their families.
Autism 2008 Mar
PMID:Epidemiological findings of pervasive developmental disorders in a Venezuelan study. 1830 67

Although research on Theory-of-Mind (ToM) is often based on single task measurements, more comprehensive instruments result in a better understanding of ToM development. The ToM Storybooks is a new instrument measuring basic ToM-functioning and associated aspects. There are 34 tasks, tapping various emotions, beliefs, desires and mental-physical distinctions. Four studies on the validity and reliability of the test are presented, in typically developing children (n = 324, 3-12 years) and children with PDD-NOS (n = 30). The ToM Storybooks have good psychometric qualities. A component analysis reveals five components corresponding with the underlying theoretical constructs. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, inter-rater reliability, construct validity and convergent validity are good. The ToM Storybooks can be used in research as well as in clinical settings.
J Autism Dev Disord 2008 Nov
PMID:Measuring theory of mind in children. Psychometric properties of the ToM Storybooks. 1853 95

Twenty-nine youth with autism spectrum disorders and 26 with typical development between 12 and 18 years of age were engaged in structured interviews (ADOS). The interviews were videotaped and rated for atypical conversational behaviors by trained raters, using the Pragmatic Rating Scale (Landa et al. Psychol Med 22:245-254, 1992). The ASD group was divided into AS and HFA/PDD-NOS subgroups. Significant differences were found among groups on approximately one-third of the PRS items. These items involved primarily the management of topics and information, reciprocity, intonation, and gaze management. The only differences to reach significance between the AS and HFA/PDD-NOS group were a greater tendency for overly formal speech on the part of the AS group, and more difficulty with gaze management on the part of the group with HFA/PDD-NOS. The implications of these findings for understanding and treating conversational deficits in ASD are discussed.
J Autism Dev Disord 2009 Jan
PMID:Conversational behaviors in youth with high-functioning ASD and Asperger syndrome. 1860 8

The purpose of this study was to systematically examine the social-skills profiles among adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID). Using one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), three groups (autism, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS], and ID only) were compared on seven global measures of social behavior. There were 72 individuals in each group matched on level of ID, verbal ability, age, and gender. Distinctions were noted in the areas of positive social behaviors and negative nonverbal social behaviors. Those with autism displayed the greatest deficits in these areas, followed by those with PDD-NOS. The results support the notions that social impairment remains a distinct feature of ASD in adults with ID, that autism and PDD-NOS are two conditions on the same spectrum, and that this spectrum is relevant for adults with ID. Implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.
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PMID:A comparison of social skills profiles in intellectually disabled adults with and without ASD. 1862 63

This report examined the effect of methylphenidate on social communication and self-regulation in children with pervasive developmental disorders and hyperactivity in a secondary analysis of RUPP Autism Network data. Participants were 33 children (29 boys) between the ages of 5 and 13 years who participated in a four-week crossover trial of placebo and increasing doses of methylphenidate given in random order each for one week. Observational measures of certain aspects of children's social communication, self-regulation, and affective behavior were obtained each week. A significant positive effect of methylphenidate was seen on children's use of joint attention initiations, response to bids for joint attention, self-regulation, and regulated affective state. The results go beyond the recent literature and suggest that methylphenidate may have positive effects on social behaviors in children with PDD and hyperactivity.
J Autism Dev Disord 2009 Mar
PMID:Positive effects of methylphenidate on social communication and self-regulation in children with pervasive developmental disorders and hyperactivity. 1875 63

Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have partly overlapping symptoms. It can also be debated whether a third diagnostic category exists: children with a combined diagnosis. In this study an attempt was made to distinguish among the three groups on the basis of intelligence (WISC-III) profiles. It was found that the PDD-NOS group had higher verbal and performance IQ's, as well as higher WISC-III index scores than the ADHD group. Subtests Block Design and Mazes discriminated best. It was concluded that based on intelligence scores, only PDD-NOS and ADHD emerged as distinct categories, whereas the combined diagnosis did not. Future research on the distinctiveness of these diagnostic groups, however, should include variables other than IQ.
J Autism Dev Disord 2009 Apr
PMID:Differentiating among children with PDD-NOS, ADHD, and those with a combined diagnosis on the basis of WISC-III profiles. 1894 79

Autism, which is common in individuals with fragile X syndrome, is often difficult to diagnose. We compared the diagnostic classifications of two measures for autism diagnosis, the ADOS and the ADI-R, in addition to the DSM-IV-TR in 63 males with this syndrome. Overall, 30% of the subjects met criteria for autistic disorder and 30% met criteria for PDD-NOS. The classifications on the ADOS and DSM-IV-TR were most similar, whereas the ADI-R classified subjects as autistic much more frequently. We further investigated the relationship of both FMRP and FMRI mRNA to symptoms of autism in this cohort and found no significant relationship between the measures of autism and molecular features, including FMRP, FMRI mRNA, and CGG repeat number.
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PMID:Autism profiles of males with fragile X syndrome. 1912 54

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) data were examined in a large sample of young children with ASD (n = 290) of varying cognitive levels. IQ was higher than VABS composite score among high functioning children only; the opposite pattern was found in lower IQ subgroups. Profile analysis of VABS domains across cognitive levels demonstrated different profiles in different subgroups. A characteristic "autism profile" was found for most subgroups for Age Equivalents but not Standard Scores. In a small set of matched pairs (n = 28) of children with autism versus MR, significantly different profiles were found, with Socialization and Communication lower in autism, but no differences were found between matched pairs of children with autism and PDD-NOS (n = 48). Correlations between age, cognitive level, and adaptive level were also reported, and regression analyses indicated that autism severity accounts for a modest amount of unique variance in Socialization and Daily Living Skills.
J Autism Dev Disord 2009 Jul
PMID:Brief report: the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales in young children with autism spectrum disorders at different cognitive levels. 1923 77

Data from the Psychoeducational Profile-Revised (PEP-R) were analysed in a sample of 46 children, aged from 1.7 to 5.11 years, of whom 21 had autistic disorder (AD) and 25 had pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Analysis with a t-test for independent samples revealed a significant difference (p < 0.05) between children with AD and those with PDD-NOS on both developmental and behavioural PEP-R scales, supporting the utility of the PEP-R in discriminating between two diagnostic groups. This study emphasizes the effectiveness of the PEP-R as a tool for the early assessment of children with pervasive developmental disorders.
Autism 2009 Mar
PMID:The usefulness of the Revised Psychoeducational Profile for the assessment of preschool children with pervasive developmental disorders. 1926 87

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), which include the prototypic autistic disorder (AD), Asperger's syndrome (AS) and pervasive developmental disorders not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), are complex neurodevelopmental conditions of unknown aetiology. The current study investigated the metabolites in the methionine cycle, the transsulphuration pathway, folate, vitamin B(12) and the C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene in three groups of children diagnosed with AD (n= 15), AS (n= 5) and PDD-NOS (n= 19) and their age- and sex-matched controls (n= 25). No metabolic disturbances were seen in the AS patients, while in the AD and PDD-NOS groups, lower plasma levels of methionine (P= 0.01 and P= 0.03, respectively) and alpha-aminobutyrate were observed (P= 0.01 and P= 0.001, respectively). Only in the AD group, plasma cysteine (P= 0.02) and total blood glutathione (P= 0.02) were found to be reduced. Although there was a trend towards lower levels of serine, glycine, N, N-dimethylglycine in AD patients, the plasma levels of these metabolites as well as the levels of homocysteine and cystathionine were not statistically different in any of the ASDs groups. The serum levels of vitamin B(12) and folate were in the normal range. The results of the MTHFR gene analysis showed a normal distribution of the C677T polymorphism in children with ASDs, but the frequency of the 677T allele was slightly more prevalent in AD patients. Our study indicates a possible role for the alterations in one carbon metabolism in the pathophysiology of ASDs and provides, for the first time, preliminary evidence for metabolic and genetic differences between clinical subtypes of ASDs.
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PMID:One carbon metabolism disturbances and the C677T MTHFR gene polymorphism in children with autism spectrum disorders. 1926 85


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