Review
Behavioral Sciences
Sara Carucci, Carla Balia, Antonella Gagliano, Angelico Lampis, Jan K. Buitelaar, Marina Danckaerts, Ralf W. Dittmann, Peter Garas, Chris Hollis, Sarah Inglis, Kerstin Konrad, Hanna Kovshoff, Elizabeth B. Liddle, Suzanne McCarthy, Peter Nagy, Pietro Panei, Roberta Romaniello, Tatiana Usala, Ian C. K. Wong, Tobias Banaschewski, Edmund Sonuga-Barke, David Coghill, Alessandro Zuddas
Summary: The study reviewed the association of long-term MPH exposure with height, weight, and timing of puberty in ADHD individuals. MPH was found to have consistent significant effects on reducing height and weight, with more prominent impacts observed in the initial months of treatment. Limited data were available on the timing of puberty. Prospective studies are needed to further explore the underlying biological mechanisms and potential clinical implications.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shuyun Chen, Margareta Persson, Rui Wang, Christina Dalman, Brian K. Lee, Hakan Karlsson, Renee M. Gardner
Summary: This population-based cohort study identified different trajectories of blood glucose levels during pregnancy and found that these trajectories were associated with obstetric/neonatal outcomes and the risk of neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) in children. Persistent high glucose levels or moderately elevated levels, as well as transient hyperglycemia in early or mid-pregnancy, were associated with increased risks of specific complications and potentially offspring NDCs. The severity, timing, duration, and management of hyperglycemia influenced these risks, highlighting the need for continuous surveillance and individualized management for women with different glucose trajectories during pregnancy.
Editorial Material
Psychiatry
Regi T. Alexander, Peter E. Langdon, Jean O'Hara, Andreana Howell, Tadhgh Lane, Reena Tharian, Rohit Shankar
Summary: People with neurodevelopmental disorders often require close collaboration between patients, families, and healthcare professionals for diagnosis and treatment, with an emphasis on robust research evidence to achieve good treatment outcomes. Key research priorities are emphasized in this process.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shuyun Chen, Mengyu Fan, Brian K. Lee, Christina Dalman, Hakan Karlsson, Renee M. Gardner
Summary: This study investigated the associations between gestational weight gain (GWG) and risks of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in offspring, specifically autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The findings suggest that the timing and rate of weight gain during pregnancy have different effects on the risk of NDDs in children.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Renee M. Gardner, Ida Samuelsson, Emily G. Severance, Hugo Sjoqvist, Robert H. Yolken, Christina Dalman, Hakan Karlsson
Summary: This study found little association between maternal antibodies against components of gluten and the risk of ASD in general. Exposure to high levels of AGA in the pre- and perinatal periods may be protective in terms of risk for ASD with ID.
Article
Immunology
Nikhitha Sreenivas, Michael Maes, Hansashree Padmanabha, Apoorva Dharmendra, Priyanka Chakkera, Saptamita Paul Choudhury, Fazal Abdul, Thrinath Mullapudi, Vykuntaraju K. Gowda, Michael Berk, John Vijay Sagar Kommu, Monojit Debnath
Summary: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a spectrum of conditions with both common and differing characteristics in terms of phenome, symptomatome, neuropathology, risk factors and underlying mechanisms. This study investigates the possibility of a shared immune etiology among three early-onset NDDs, namely Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Intellectual Disability Disorder (IDD).
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2024)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yoshinori Sasaki, Noa Tsujii, Shouko Sasaki, Hikaru Sunakawa, Yusuke Toguchi, Syuuichi Tanase, Kiyoshi Saito, Rena Shinohara, Toshinari Kurokouchi, Kaori Sugimoto, Kotoe Itagaki, Yukino Yoshida, Saori Namekata, Momoka Takahashi, Ikuhiro Harada, Yuuki Hakosima, Kumi Inazaki, Yuta Yoshimura, Yuki Mizumoto, Takayuki Okada, Masahide Usami
Summary: This study investigated the current use of ADHD medications and characteristics of patients who received multiple ADHD medications in a clinical setting in Japan. The findings suggest that children with severe ADHD symptoms, autistic characteristics, or a tendency of child-to-parent violence were more likely to have been prescribed three medications during their treatment. Further prospective studies are warranted to investigate the causality between prescribing status and clinical characteristics.
Article
Psychiatry
Pei-Yun Lin, Yi-Lung Chen, Ray C. Hsiao, Hsiu-Lin Chen, Cheng-Fang Yen
Summary: This study found that children delivered by Cesarean section had a higher risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disabilities compared to those delivered by vaginal delivery.
ASIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Education, Special
Sezen Kose, Helin Yilmaz Kafali, Zeynep Gokce Erkan Idris, Birsen Senturk Pilan, Burcu Ozbaran, Serpil Erermis
Summary: The study compared the prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity between ASD, ID, and ADHD, finding that food rewards put a higher risk for OW/OB in ASD than administering psychotropics, while drug administration and an increase in birth weight were associated with an increased risk for OW/OB in ADHD patients.
RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
(2021)
Review
Psychiatry
Arianna Belli, Maria Breda, Chiara Di Maggio, Dario Esposito, Lavinia Marcucci, Oliviero Bruni
Summary: This review summarizes the available evidence on sleep disorders in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), highlighting the higher prevalence and chronic nature of these disorders and their impact on the well-being and developmental skills of the children and their families.
CURRENT OPINION IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Yuen Gao, Mohammad B. Aljazi, Jin He
Summary: This study reveals a potential causal link between disruptive KDM6B mutations and ASD/ADHD-like behavioral deficits using an animal model. It also provides a new mouse model for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying Kdm6b-mutation-related neurodevelopmental disorders.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Margherita Barbuti, Marco Maiello, Vincenza Spera, Alessandro Pallucchini, Giulio E. Brancati, Angelo G. I. Maremmani, Giulio Perugi, Icro Maremmani
Summary: Adults with ADHD often have comorbid substance use disorder (SUD), leading to greater severity of both disorders and additional challenges for treatment. Current research on pharmacological management of ADHD with comorbid SUD is limited, particularly in regards to the long-term effects of stimulant medications on dopamine signaling. Evidence suggests that high doses of stimulant medications have moderate efficacy on ADHD symptoms in ADHD-SUD subjects, but there is a risk for misuse. Atomoxetine is recommended for ADHD with comorbid cocaine or amphetamine use disorder, but its effectiveness in reducing addictive behavior is not well-demonstrated. For other subtypes of SUD, both atomoxetine and stimulant drugs have limited impact on addictive behavior, and a combination of ADHD treatment and SUD-specific strategies is recommended.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shuyun Chen, Xi Wang, Brian K. Lee, Renee M. Gardner
Summary: Obstetric and neonatal complications can partially explain the association between maternal metabolic conditions and offspring neurodevelopmental conditions. The mediating effects are stronger for complications during the neonatal period and for specific complications such as pregnancy hypertensive diseases, preterm birth, neonatal asphyxia, and hematological comorbidities.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amy M. Ni, Brittany S. Bowes, Douglas A. Ruff, Marlene R. Cohen
Summary: Most systems neuroscience studies can be categorized into basic science work and translational work. This study combines these two approaches and reveals that orally administered methylphenidate enhances spatially selective visual attention and improves visual performance. Furthermore, it suggests that decreased correlated variability of neurons may be a general mechanism for treating neuropsychiatric disorders.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Shengxin Liu, Ralf Kuja-Halkola, Henrik Larsson, Paul Lichtenstein, Jonas F. Ludvigsson, Ann-Marie Svensson, Soffia Gudbjornsdottir, Magnus Tideman, Eva Serlachius, Agnieszka Butwicka
Summary: This Swedish population-based cohort study found that individuals with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes have an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders compared to the general population, especially those with poor glycaemic control. Routine neurodevelopmental follow-up visits should be considered in type 1 diabetes, especially in patients with poor glycaemic control.
Article
Psychiatry
Christine Ecker, Charlotte M. Pretzsch, Anke Bletsch, Caroline Mann, Tim Schaefer, Sara Ambrosino, Julian Tillmann, Afsheen Yousaf, Andreas Chiocchetti, Michael Lombardo, Varun Warrier, Nico Bast, Carolin Moessnang, Sarah Baumeister, Flavio Dell'Acqua, Dorothea L. Floris, Mariam Zabihi, Andre Marquand, Freddy Cliquet, Claire Leblond, Clara Moreau, Nick Puts, Tobias Banaschewski, Emily J. H. Jones, Luke Mason, Sven Bolte, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Antonio M. Persico, Sarah Durston, Simon Baron-Cohen, Will Spooren, Eva Loth, Christine M. Freitag, Tony Charman, Guillaume Dumas, Thomas Bourgeron, Christian F. Beckmann, Jan K. Buitelaar, Declan G. M. Murphy
Summary: This study investigates the neuroanatomical differences in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their genomic underpinnings. The findings suggest a link between macroscopic differences in brain anatomy and molecular mechanisms underlying heterogeneity in ASD. The study also identifies potential targets for stratification and subtyping of ASD.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Review
Psychology, Developmental
David Coghill, Tobias Banaschewski, Samuele Cortese, Philip Asherson, Daniel Brandeis, Jan Buitelaar, David Daley, Marina Danckaerts, Ralf W. Dittmann, Manfred Doepfner, Maite Ferrin, Chris Hollis, Martin Holtmann, Santosh Paramala, Edmund Sonuga-Barke, Cesar Soutullo, Hans-Christoph Steinhausen, Saskia van der Oord, Ian C. K. Wong, Alessandro Zuddas, Emily Simonoff
Summary: ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adolescents, and timely interventions are a priority. However, current research reports and reviews on interventions for ADHD often lack consistency and are difficult to interpret. Clinicians need to consider methodological issues and gaps in the evidence when evaluating treatments for ADHD.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Melanie Palmer, Joanne Tarver, Virginia Carter Leno, Juan Paris Perez, Margot Frayne, Vicky Slonims, Andrew Pickles, Stephen Scott, Tony Charman, Emily Simonoff
Summary: Emotional and behavioral problems are common in young autistic children. There are discrepancies between parents and teachers in reporting these problems. Parenting stress and verbal ability are associated with more parent-reported problems. Autistic children with minimal verbal ability display more challenging behaviors.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Developmental
Gonzalo Salazar de Pablo, Carolina Pastor Jorda, Julio Vaquerizo-Serrano, Carmen Moreno, Anna Cabras, Celso Arango, Patricia Hernandez, Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, Emily Simonoff, Paolo Fusar-Poli, Paramala Santosh, Samuele Cortese, Mara Parellada
Summary: This meta-analysis found that antipsychotics and medications used to treat ADHD were significantly better than placebo in improving emotional dysregulation and irritability in individuals with ASD. Specifically, risperidone and aripiprazole showed efficacy in short-term treatment. However, other drug classes did not show evidence of efficacy. Lower efficacy was associated with comorbid epilepsy.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Anna C. Morris, Zina Ibrahim, Margaret Heslin, Omer S. Moghraby, Argyris Stringaris, Ian M. Grant, Lukasz Zalewski, Megan Pritchard, Robert Stewart, Matthew Hotopf, Andrew Pickles, Richard J. B. Dobson, Emily Simonoff, Johnny Downs
Summary: This study assesses the potential of the MHE system in improving the completion of PROMs. The results indicate that the use of MHE significantly increases the completion rates of questionnaires compared to paper-based methods. Caregivers express satisfaction with the MHE system and highlight its numerous benefits.
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Developmental
Edmund J. S. Sonuga-Barke, Stephen P. Becker, Sven Bolte, Francisco Xavier Castellanos, Barbara Franke, Jeffrey H. Newcorn, Joel T. Nigg, Luis Augusto Rohde, Emily Simonoff
Summary: The article provides a comprehensive overview of the scientific field of ADHD, covering clinical characteristics, risk factors, causal processes, and neurobiological pathways. The authors also discuss the future of the ADHD construct in light of recent conceptual reformulations.
JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Gordon Forbes, Rachel Kent, Tony Charman, Gillian Baird, Andrew Pickles, Emily Simonoff
Summary: This study examines the outcomes of social, mental health, and quality of life in early adulthood for autistic individuals and identifies childhood predictors for these outcomes. The findings suggest that young autistic adults face challenges in various areas of life, but may fare relatively well in terms of mental health or quality of life.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Melanie Palmer, Virginia Carter Leno, Victoria Hallett, Joanne M. Mueller, Lauren Breese, Andrew Pickles, Vicky Slonims, Stephen Scott, Tony Charman, Emily Simonoff
Summary: This study aimed to test the long-term effects of behavioral parenting interventions on emotional and behavioral problems in young autistic children. The study found that conducting these interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns can reduce child irritability and parenting stress. However, the overall intervention effect was not significant, suggesting the need for careful consideration when measuring the effects of interventions in autistic child populations.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Lucy Adams, Nicoletta Adamo, Matthew J. Hollocks, Jennifer Watson, Aylana Brewster, Lucia Valmaggia, Emma Jewitt, Jodie Edwards, Maisie Krisson, Emily Simonoff
Summary: Remote psychological interventions have both challenges and benefits for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. A study interviewed autistic individuals and clinicians, finding that there are barriers and challenges to remote delivery, but also potential benefits for some individuals. Most participants supported the provision of hybrid delivery post-pandemic.
Article
Psychiatry
Steve Lukito, Owen G. O'Daly, David J. Lythgoe, John Hodsoll, Stefanos Maltezos, Mark Pitts, Emily Simonoff, Katya Rubia
Summary: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often co-occurs with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and people with these conditions have frontostriatal functional atypicality during motor inhibition. We compared the neural and neurocognitive correlates of motor inhibition and performance monitoring in young adult males with pure and combined presentations with age-and sex-matched typically developing controls, to explore shared or disorder-specific atypicality. Only young adult males with ASD + ADHD had neurofunctional atypicality in brain regions associated with performance monitoring, while inhibition difficulties on go/no-go task performance was shared with ADHD.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Melanie Palmer, Susie Chandler, Virginia Carter Leno, Farah Mgaieth, Isabel Yorke, Matthew Hollocks, Andrew Pickles, Vicky Slonims, Stephen Scott, Tony Charman, Emily Simonoff
Summary: This study investigates the role of pre-existing and pandemic-related factors in the mental health symptoms of autistic youth and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest that more engagement and enjoyment in education and outdoor activities are associated with better mental health for both children and parents during the pandemic. Pre-existing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children are linked to more behavioral and ADHD symptoms during the pandemic, while pre-existing parental mental health problems are associated with more mental health symptoms in parents during the pandemic.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bethany Oakley, Charlotte Boatman, Sophie Doswell, Antonia Dittner, Andrew Clarke, Ann Ozsivadjian, Rachel Kent, Adrian Judd, Saffron Baldoza, Amy Hearn, Declan Murphy, Emily Simonoff, Molehill Mountain Advisory Group
Summary: Up to 50% of autistic individuals experience anxiety, and developing interventions to improve anxiety has been identified as a priority. However, there are limited evidence-based therapies targeted towards anxiety in autistic individuals. This study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an app-based therapeutic approach called "Molehill Mountain", which is adapted for autistic individuals and utilizes recommended CBT approaches. The trial will enroll approximately 100 participants and assess various outcomes, including app acceptability, anxiety symptoms, and medication and service use. The findings will inform future optimization and implementation of "Molehill Mountain" to improve mental health outcomes for autistic adults.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Lisa M. Berg, Caroline Gurr, Johanna Leyhausen, Hanna Seelemeyer, Anke Bletsch, Tim Schaefer, Charlotte M. Pretzsch, Bethany Oakley, Eva Loth, Dorothea L. Floris, Jan K. Buitelaar, Christian F. Beckmann, Tobias Banaschewski, Tony Charman, Emily J. H. Jones, Julian Tillmann, Chris H. Chatham, Thomas Bourgeron, Jumana Ahmad, Sara Ambrosino, Bonnie Auyeung, Simon Baron-Cohen, Sarah Baumeister, Sven Boelte, Carsten Bours, Michael Brammer, Daniel Brandeis, Claudia Brogna, Yvette de Bruijn, Bhismadev Chakrabarti, Ineke Cornelissen, Daisy Crawley, Flavio Dell'Acqua, Guillaume Dumas, Sarah Durston, Jessica Faulkner, Vincent Frouin, Pilar Garces, David Goyard, Lindsay Ham, Hannah Hayward, Joerg Hipp, Rosemary Holt, Mark H. Johnson, Prantik Kundu, Meng-Chuan Lai, Xavier Liogier D'Ardhuy, Michael V. Lombardo, David J. Lythgoe, Rene Mandl, Andre Marquand, Luke Mason, Maarten Mennes, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Carolin Moessnang, Nico Bast, Laurence O'Dwyer, Marianne Oldehinkel, Bob Oranje, Gahan Pandina, Antonio M. Persico, Barbara Ruggeri, Amber Ruigrok, Jessica Sabet, Roberto Sacco, Antonia San Jose Caceres, Emily Simonoff, Will Spooren, Roberto Toro, Heike Tost, Jack Waldman, Steve C. R. Williams, Caroline Wooldridge, Marcel P. Zwiers, Declan G. Murphy, Christine Ecker
Summary: This study investigates the neurobiology of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their co-occurring condition, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The findings suggest that the neuroanatomy of ASD is significantly modulated by ADHD, indicating that individuals with co-occurring ADHD may have specific neuroanatomical underpinnings potentially mediated by atypical gene expression.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Melanie Palmer, Zhaonan Fang, Matthew J. Hollocks, Tony Charman, Andrew Pickles, Gillian Baird, Emily Simonoff
Summary: ADHD questionnaires may not be accurate in screening symptoms in young adults with autism, leading to under-diagnosis.
JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Katarzyna Kostyrka-Allchorne, Petrina Chu, Claire Ballard, Nancy Lean, Blandine French, Ellen Hedstrom, Sarah Byford, Samuele Cortese, David Daley, Johnny Downs, Cristine Glazebrook, Kimberley Goldsmith, Charlotte L. Hall, Hanna Kovshoff, Jana Kreppner, Kapil Sayal, James Shearer, Emily Simonoff, Margaret Thompson, Edmund J. S. Sonuga-Barke
Summary: This study aimed to adapt a digital routine clinical monitoring system, myHealthE, for research purposes, test remote methods for participant screening and identification, and explore the usability of the STEPS app. The results show that remote recruitment and study procedures are feasible and acceptable for parents, and that STEPS is considered a useful and easy-to-use digital parenting support tool.
JMIR PEDIATRICS AND PARENTING
(2023)