Abstract
One of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders worldwide is autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is characterized by language delay, impaired communication interactions, and repetitive patterns of behavior caused by environmental and genetic factors. This review aims to provide a comprehensive survey of recently published literature on ASD and especially novel insights into excitatory synaptic transmission. Even though numerous genes have been discovered that play roles in ASD, a good understanding of the pathophysiologic process of ASD is still lacking. The protein–protein interactions between the products of NLGN, SHANK, and NRXN synaptic genes indicate that the dysfunction in synaptic plasticity could be one reason for the development of ASD. Designing more accurate diagnostic tests for the early diagnosis of ASD would improve treatment strategies and could enhance the appropriate monitoring of prognosis. This comprehensive review describes the psychotropic and antiepileptic drugs that are currently available as effective pharmacological treatments and provides in-depth knowledge on the concepts related to clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and genetic perspectives of ASD. An increase in the prevalence of ASD in Gulf Cooperation Council countries is also addressed in the review. Further, the review emphasizes the need for international networking and multidimensional studies to design novel and effective treatment strategies.
Highlights
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition that has three main characteristics: Language delay, social interaction and communication impairment, and repetitive actions or interests [1]
The DSM-5 changed the diagnostic criteria by eliminating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) subtypes and generating a new category known as ASD [5]
A meta-analysis study performed by Wu et al including 27 studies on the association between increased maternal and paternal age revealed that a 10-year increase in either maternal or paternal age increases the risk of having offspring with ASD by 18 and 21%, respectively [5]
Summary
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition that has three main characteristics: Language delay, social interaction and communication impairment, and repetitive actions or interests [1]. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 658 described, based on the severity of clinical conditions: Autism spectrum disorder encompasses autism, Asperger’s disorder, autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, childhood autism, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified [2]. This review provides a comprehensive literature survey on ASD, with a particular focus on data obtained by investigators in the Gulf region. This might help to improve the assessment and treatment of ASD on the Arabian Peninsula
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