Asperger Research Articles

Assessment of Cognitive Abilities and Impact of Parental Intellectual Level in ASD Children

Autism, now called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), includes children with autism, but also those with Asperger's Syndrome and those with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.
 In order to learn more about the subject, we were interested in a population of 30 children with ASD aged 10±5 years from the region of Annaba, Algeria, accommodated as half-boarders at the Centre Médico-Pédagogique pour Enfants Handicapés Mentaux. These children are divided by the psychologist of the center into 4 groups according to their degree of impairment (from mild to severe). To classify them, several criteria had to be considered such as the child's comprehension, independence and responsiveness.
 The study consists of assessing their cognitive abilities on a daily basis and over a period of 20 days. On the other hand, to collect testimonies from parents and the role they can play to help with these neurodevelopmental anomalies.
 The results reveal impairments in the ability to establish social interactions and to communicate, as well as cognitive abnormalities, in particular reluctance to change and tendencies to repeat behaviour or speech. Some of them, often isolated in their inner world, show particular sensory reactions (auditory, visual, skin...). We also note that the parents' level of education has a strong impact on their position regarding this disorder. That is, the higher it is, the more likely they are to accept their different children.
 These advances suggest that, for the coming years, ASD in Algeria should occupy a special place in public health policy. It is therefore time to sound the alarm and invest in multidisciplinary research to understand more about its mechanisms but above all to improve its management.

Maternal Epigenetic Dysregulation as a Possible Risk Factor for Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDs) are a heterogeneous group of disorders and are considered multifactorial diseases with both genetic and environmental components. Epigenetic dysregulation driven by adverse environmental factors has recently been documented in neurodevelopmental disorders as the possible etiological agent for their onset. However, most studies have focused on the epigenomes of the probands rather than on a possible epigenetic dysregulation arising in their mothers and influencing neurodevelopment during pregnancy. The aim of this research was to analyze the methylation profile of four well-known genes involved in neurodevelopment (BDNF, RELN, MTHFR and HTR1A) in the mothers of forty-five age-matched AS (Asperger Syndrome), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and typically developing children. We found a significant increase of methylation at the promoter of the RELN and HTR1A genes in AS mothers compared to ADHD and healthy control mothers. For the MTHFR gene, promoter methylation was significantly higher in AS mothers compared to healthy control mothers only. The observed dysregulation in AS mothers could potentially contribute to the affected condition in their children deserving further investigation.

Peran Fasilitator dalam Upaya Meningkatkan Keterampilan Sosial Peserta Didik Sindrom Asperger di Sekolah Alam Saka Kediri

Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disorder of social interaction, communication and behavior. Asperger's syndrome is also known as the little professor syndrome because it has a unique behavior, way of thinking and communicating. The existence of obstacles regarding social skills experienced by students with social skills requires that schools have the sensitivity to participate in supporting students' social skills. Social and communication skills are very important for students to be able to show their emotions and feelings appropriately. The research method used in this study is a qualitative research method with data collection techniques of interviews, observation and documentation. This study uses behavioristic theory to find out how the role of the facilitator is in improving students' social abilities by assessing the four main activities, namely: making friends, studying, worshiping and doing activities. The role of the facilitator and the natural school concept promoted by the Sekolah Alam SAKA Kediri contribute to changes in students with Asperger's syndrome..

Movies, stigma and choice: Evidence from the pharmaceutical industry.

Do movies reduce stigma, increasing healthcare product choices offered by firms? We provide causal evidence on this question in the context of Indian pharmaceutical markets. For unpacking these effects, we use an exogenous shock to the market due to the release of a Bollywood blockbuster movie - My Name is Khan (MNIK) where the protagonist, superstar Shahrukh Khan, suffers from Asperger's Syndrome (AS). Using a difference-in-differences design, we find a positive and statistically significant effect of MNIK (between 14% and 22% increase in variety sold and prescribed) on product differentiation and choices in the market for antipsychotic medicines used to clinically treat AS. Results are consistent using alternative controls, a placebo treatment-based test and with a variety of other robustness checks. Our findings document likely for the first-time, supply side responses to edutainment and suggests potential associated welfare effects in healthcare markets characterized by sticky demand. Implications for global health and public policy given worldwide concerns around a mental wellness epidemic with Covid-19 are discussed.

Lived experience research in learning disabilities: The understanding inequalities project from a service user's perspective

AbstractBackgroundPeople with learning disabilities are often left behind and ostracised in life, education, employment and in research. This article describes the importance and value that people with learning disabilities can bring when participating in co‐production and lived experience research. The article reports on the inequalities and barriers that people living with learning disabilities have in accessing health and social care services and hospitals and makes recommendations for improving services and people's experiences of services. The intertwining of subject (inequalities and barriers of access) and process (lived experience research and co‐production) leads to more comprehensive knowledge and understanding of learning disabilities.MethodsCo‐production events were held with people with learning disabilities, facilitated by the co‐author (Tom Kerridge). Tom and a service user researcher (Ben Gray) with Asperger's syndrome and schizophrenia thematised transcripts and made recommendations, in Ben's case with the insight of lived experience of learning disabilities and mental health problems.FindingsA series of recommendations are made based on the insight of a lived experience perspective. For example: to have a grass roots learning disabilities champion, lived experience peer mentors and supporters, training via a film made by people with learning disabilities, the involvement of Learning Disabilities Research Ambassadors to conduct phase two of the research as well as other recommendations.ConclusionsLived experience research and co‐production are at the heart and centre of contemporary research in health and social care. Participation can change feelings of exclusion and stigma into feelings of being valued, accepted and being able to make a difference.

RADX Gene Variant May Predispose to Familial Asperger Syndrome.

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by general impairment in socialization, stereotypical behavior, defective adaptation to the social context usually without intellectual disability, and some high functioning areas related to memory and mathematics. Clinical criteria are not well defined and the etiology is heterogeneous and mostly unknown. Like in typical autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the genetic background plays a crucial role in AS, and often an almost mendelian segregation can be observed in some families. We performed a whole exome sequencing (WES) in three relatives of a family with vertical transmission of AS-ASD to identify variants in candidate genes segregating with the phenotype. Variant p.(Cys834Ser) in the RADX gene was the only one segregating among all the affected family members. This gene encodes a single-strand DNA binding factor, which mediates the recruitment of genome maintenance proteins to sites of replication stress. Replication stress and genome instability have been reported recently in neural progenitor cells derived from ASD patients, leading to a disruption of long neural genes involved in cell-cell adhesion and migration. We propose RADX as a new gene that when mutated could represent a predisposing factor to AS-ASD.

SOCIOLOGY OF LITERATURE ANALYSIS IN MOVIE SCRIPT ABOUT INTERFAITH TOLERANCE ENTITLED “MY NAME IS KHAN”

Literary works cannot be separated from social phenomena that occur in society. Because literary works are nothing but direct experience from the author or what he gets from the community in his environment. Sociology of literature functions in finding relationships between social conditions in the surrounding environment that affect the behavior of characters in a literary work. This study aims to analyze the sociology of literature in the film My Name is Khan. The method used in this study is a qualitative descriptive of the My Name is Khan film script. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the social aspects that can be found in the film My Name is Khan are divided into four groups, namely social aspects in terms of religious tolerance, motherhood, moral and religious values and understanding of people with Asperger's syndrome.

Analýza kresby v kontexte vývinu dieťaťa s Aspergerovým syndrómom

The paper describes the theoretical-research background oriented to the drawing of a child with autism spectrum disorder with a comparison of characteristics in the drawing of a child with intact development. Through analyses of drawings of a child with Asperger's syndrome, the authors present unique characteristics of drawing expression. They analyze 13 of the authors' drawings of a boy with Asperger's syndrome that were collected over a two-year period. Specifically, this was the developmental period of the boy with Asperger's syndrome when he began to be drawing active (4 years and 6 months) and at a marked progression in drawing representation (6 years and 7 months). The authors consider the qualitative assessment of drawings as a possible evaluative support for further research on the appreciation of drawings of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Auto-ASD Detector: Exploiting Computational Intelligence for autism spectrum disorders Detection in Children via Facial Analysis

Asperger's syndrome, difficulties with disintegration in children, and autism are all included in the category of complex neurodevelopmental diseases known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Individuals who are autistic struggle greatly to keep up with society's speed, have poor communication skills, and struggle to express their emotions in the right ways. Early diagnosis and intervention can greatly improve the long-term outcomes for children with ASD. Several studies have identified key characteristics of autism using a variety of methods, including feature extraction, eye tracking, and speech recognition. As opposed to a person's emotional condition, facial recognition is more crucial in identifying autism. Early diagnosis and intervention can greatly improve the long-term outcomes for children with ASD. Hence, cutting-edge information technology that employs artificial intelligence (AI) techniques has assisted in the early diagnosis of ASD based on face pattern recognition. Among these techniques are deep learning (DL) have been utilized or suggested for detecting autism in youngsters. Herein, we applied a technique for accurate autism detection in children using facial analysis with the aid of computational intelligence. The proposed approach involves analyzing facial features and expressions to identify patterns which are associated with ASD. This is achieved by leveraging application of convolutional neural network (CNNs) to extract meaningful features from facial images. The extracted features are used to accurately classify children as either having or not having ASD. To evaluate the proposed approach, a dataset of facial images of children with and without ASD is used to train and validate the proposed technique. Also, to assess their performance in accurately detecting ASD. The proposed technique has the potential to revolutionize the way ASD is diagnosed by providing an objective and reliable tool for early detection and intervention.

Decipher Symptoms of Asperger Syndrome: Role of Early Intervention in Colin Fischer

Historically, few important writers have focused on the developmental disorders of their characters. In recent years, however, there has been a growing interest in representing the life of people diagnosed with neuro developmental conditions such as autistic spectrum disorders. In the novel Colin Fischer, Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz give voice to an Aspergian named Colin Fischer. While identifying how the symptoms of the syndrome are expressed in Colin, this paper examines this complex and unique protagonist and the way in which home-based intervention plays a significant role in his personal development. Colin demonstrates how individuals diagnosed with Asperger’s face multiple challenges, but there is often something in which they excel. His extraordinary memory and his skill in accomplishing diverse tasks that most people would find boring are astonishing; they focus on Colin’s quiet dignity in the face of constant victimisation. The social message is that it is crucial to develop these skills in order to make the individual self-confident and successful.

Diagnoza dymensjonalna zespołu Aspergera

Asperger syndrome has been included in the common category of autistic disorders in current medical classifications. In spite of that, there are still some researches allowing us to see the differences in the structure and functioning of the brains of people with autism and Asperger syndrome. Differentiation at the level of diagnosis is important because of the different educational and therapeutic needs of children with autism and AS. This paper presents the concept of dimensional case assessment of children with Asperger syndrome. The dimensional approach allows for viewing the disorder multidimensionally, taking into account the severity of the phenomenon and in connection with other factors, not only other disorders, which significantly reduces the omission of non-prototypical cases in diagnoses and accelerates the use of therapeutic measures. It is necessary because of the low effectiveness of the diagnostic categorical approach.

Conceptual Analysis of Twice Exceptionality

The concept of twice-exceptional is used to define individuals who are gifted or talented in one or more domains while having disability, disorder or difficulty in certain areas. This situation has made the definition and acceptance of the concept difficult since giftedness and disability are mentioned together. In order to clarify current understanding of the concept, a conceptual analysis of the term "twice-exceptional" was conducted in this study using Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis method. Firstly, the epistemological and ontological structure of the concept was discussed. It was seen that the concept was used in different terms in literature such as "twice exceptional", "dual exceptionality", "gifted with learning difficulties", "gifted handicapped". Instead of looking for an alternative term for the concept, existing studies were reviewed and the characteristics of the concept were tried to be revealed. Although the concept has been used for almost four decades, its implications date back to gifted studies addressing learning difficulties a century ago. It was later associated with Asperger's Syndrome, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder and other deficits. It was concluded that definition and characteristics of relevant concepts of twice exceptionality such as giftedness and disability have changed over time, which has also affected the evolution of twice exceptionality. Therefore, a clear definition or sharp boundary of the concept cannot be claimed, but its importance has been revealed by the field studies which also contributes to the further development of the concept.

Do labels matter? Analysis of teachers' self‐efficacy towards the autism spectrum disorder depending on the diagnostic label used (ASD or Asperger's)

Changes in the classification of autism and Asperger's syndrome led to changes in social perception of ASD. Since last criteria, studies indicate higher levels of stigma towards ASD than towards Asperger's. These prejudices are barriers to inclusive education. Thus, it is relevant (1) to evaluate pre‐service teachers' self‐efficacy towards the label of ASD; (2) to evaluate pre‐service teachers' self‐efficacy towards the label of Asperger's and (3) to compare those results to analyse whether the use of different diagnostic labels brings about different levels of self‐efficacy. One hundred and eighty‐six primary education pre‐service teachers participated in the current study. Two adaptations of the Autism Self‐Efficacy Scale for Teachers (ASSET) were used: a version with the label of ‘ASD’ (n = 96) and another for ‘Asperger's’ (n = 90). The scores obtained by the group asked about ASD were high according to the ASSET score range, while the scores obtained by the group asked about Asperger's were medium. After comparing the results, participants asked about the label ASD showed higher levels of self‐efficacy than participants asked about Asperger's. These results could be a consequence of the consolidation of the ASD diagnosis among society and the higher presence of children with ASD in schools and cultural products, among other factors.

Kim jest uczeń ze spektrum autyzmu – implikacje (glotto)dydaktyczne

The article is devoted to special educational needs and difficulties of Asperger syndrome (AS) students. Asperger syndrome is more and more often diagnosed in Poland. As a consequence, the number of such students in Polish schools is growing. However, the problem is that teachers are not taught how to work and deal with Asperger syndrome and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) students. The aim of the article is to shortly characterise ASD and AS, show the areas of ASD and AS students’ difficulties and give some simple hints of how to behave, what to do and what to avoid in the classroom where these students are present.

E-learning i komunikacja nauczyciela z uczniami z zespołem Aspergera w dobie pandemii COVID-19 w Polsce. Raport z badań

Introduction : This study deals with the importance of e-learning for working with a student with special educational needs. As such, it shows the importance of the media for the important element of social life, which is education. Research Aim : The subject of the research were teachers' opinions on remote education of children with Asperger syndrome. Research Method: The research method was an interview in the form of a partially planned interview, for which a list of instructions was prepared. Results: The use of e-learning in the COVID-19 pandemic took the form of an extensive didactic and social experiment, not previously implemented in a crisis situation. It took place in a special way – quickly, without prior recognition – which brings to mind the strategy used in the military operations and the fight against its benefits and unavoidable losses, called “recognition”. A lot has changed in the work of teachers and their communication with students and their parents. E-learning of students with Asperger syndrome has brought a number of benefits – developing skills that were overlooked in the regular course of teaching with its emphasis on the rapid pace of the curriculum implementation. Conclusion: Education has offered opportunities to minimize the educational effects of school closures during the epidemic. It was a kind of success in the implementation of a wide-ranging didactic experiment, the introduction of which bore the hallmarks of combat recognition; in the language of the army.

Bibliometric analysis study on cognitive function in developmental coordination disorder from 2010 to 2022.

To identify the research hotspots on cognitive function in developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in recent years, predict the research frontier and development trend, and provide more perspectives for the study of the DCD population. Using CiteSpace and VOSviewer software to draw charts, 1,082 pieces of literature about DCD and cognitive function in the Web of Science core collection database from 2010 to 2022 were visually analyzed. Interest in the cognitive function of DCD has been on the rise in the past 10 years. Over 40 countries and regions, 117 institutions and 200 researchers have participated in the corresponding research, mainly in the United States, and their institutions have published more highly influential results. The hot keywords are DCD, children, attention, working memory, performance, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and the main research hot topics include functional performance, population, cognitive psychology. The research directions include "DCD," "Asperger syndrome," "memory," "infant," "clumsiness," "neurodevelopmental disorder," "occupational therapy," "preschool children," "motor competence," "model," and "online control." Future research should focus on motor imagery and intrinsic models and use more neurophysiological techniques to reveal the cognitive characteristics of children with DCD and develop intervention programs.

Disrupted network integration and segregation involving the default mode network in autism spectrum disorder

Changes in the brain's default mode network (DMN) in the resting state are closely related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Module segmentation can effectively elucidate the neural mechanism of ASD and explore intra- and inter-network connections by means of the participation coefficient (PC). We used that resting-state fMRI data from 269 ASD patients and 340 healthy controls (HCs) in the current study. From the results, ASD subjects showed a significantly higher PC of the DMN than HC subjects. This difference was related to lower intra-module connections within the DMN and higher inter-network connections between the DMN and other networks. When the subjects were split into age groups, the results were verified in the 7–12- and 12–18-year-old age groups but not in the young adult group (18–25 years). When the subjects were divided according to different subtypes of ASD, the results were also observed in the classic autism and pervasive developmental disorder groups, but not in the Asperger disorder group. In conclusions, less developed network segregation in the DMN could be a valid biomarker for ASD. This provides network scientists with new insights into the intermodular connectivity configurations of complex networks from different dimensions in a systematic and comprehensive manner.

Asperger Syndrome (AS): A Review Article.

A variant of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) known as Aspergersyndrome (AS) is characterizedby severe issues with interpersonal, verbal,and nonverbal communicationas well as restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviorand activities. Although there is no known cause for ASD, various genetic as well as non-genetic risk factors that may act either alone or in combination to induce ASDhave been identified. The occurrence of ASD has been increasing worldwide. Co-occurring neuropsychological diseases are frequently present as well. The premise for diagnosis is theobservation of abnormal conduct, with diagnostic criteria emphasizinglimitations in social interaction and communication as well as constrained, repetitivebehavioral patterns,activities,or hobbies. The degree of the illness and the presence of intellectual impairment have a significant impact on the prognosis. Like autism, Asperger's can neither be prevented nor treated. There is no specific medical therapy that can effectively cure all of the symptoms of autism. However,medications may be used as adjuvant therapy for maladaptive behaviors and co-occurring mental problems. The treatment aims to reduce core impairments, increase functional ability, and reduce harmful behaviorsthat could limit functional skills. It is crucial to provide proper care, establish supportive networks for individuals who are affected and their families, and use effective therapies to enhance functioning and results.

ODP150 Hypertriglyceridemic Induced Acute Pancreatitis with Diabetic Ketoacidosis Treated with Insulin: A Case Report

Abstract Introduction Acute pancreatitis due to hypertriglyceridemia with DKA is a unique entity. The diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in DKA is challenging as most patients present with abdominal pain, and elevated amylase, and lipase are quite common in DKA. Hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis (HTGP) accounts for 1 to 35 percent of all cases of acute pancreatitis. Pancreatitis may occur in DKA with high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Lack of insulin results in lipolysis with release of free fatty acids. Increased free fatty acids presented to the liver, causes increased VLDL, which inhibits lipoprotein lipase in peripheral tissues and results in elevated triglycerides. Case presentation A 29-year-old morbidly obese male with Asperger's syndrome, prediabetes, and hyperlipidemia presented with a 3-day history of sharp, non-radiating, and progressively worsening right upper abdominal pain, associated with nausea, non-bilious vomiting, and shortness of breath. His past medical history was notable for a prior bout of gallstone pancreatitis, for which he underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. On his arrival in the emergency department, he was afebrile, but tachycardic (HR 139), mildly hypertensive (BP 149/98) with a Kussmaul breathing saturating 98% on room air. His lung sounds were clear but diminished and his abdomen was soft but diffusely tender, without peritoneal signs. Initial laboratory tests showed a neutrophilic leukocytosis of 12K, glucose of 867 mg/dL, hyponatremia (corrected 131), ketonuria, with elevated lipase 1,164 U/L. Venous blood gas showed a pH of 7.18 and PCO2 24 mmHg. He also had severe hypertriglyceridemia with a total triglyceride level of > 9,000 mg/dL. His CT abdomen showed peripancreatic inflammation consistent with acute pancreatitis. He was admitted to the ICU, and initially managed with aggressive intravenous fluids and pain control, then was started on an insulin drip for diabetic ketoacidosis and hypertriglyceridemia. His hospital course was notable for the development of acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis. His triglyceride level gradually decreased and was 396 U/L on hospital day #9. He was discharged on fenofibrate, Lantus 20 units daily and insulin lispro 10 units with meals. Conclusion Hypertriglyceridemia is an uncommon but a well-established cause of acute pancreatitis leading to significant morbidity and mortality. In this case, a prediabetic patient presented with DKA and further investigation revealed HTGP. There is currently a paucity of data to support an optimal treatment for this condition; however, both insulin and plasmapheresis have been successfully employed. Plasmapheresis helps remove plasma lipoproteins and reduces triglyceride more rapidly than insulin and has been recommended for severe cases. In our case, insulin infusion alone significantly reduced the triglyceride level. Presentation: No date and time listed

Badania morfometryczne oparte o pomiar voksela (Voxel Based Morphometry) u nastolatków z zaburzeniami ze spektrum autyzmu

Goal: to evaluate changes in the grey matter volume using the VBM method in a group of adolescents with ASD, who met the criteria for Asperger's Syndrome. Material and methods: Morphometric evaluations based on Voxel Based Morphometry (VBM) were performed on 37 male adolescents aged 12 to 19 (M = 14.3 ± 2.0), with autism spectrum disorders, who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for Asperger's Syndrome and 15 neurotypical adolescents matched by age. Significance was set at p<0.007 without FWE correction and p<0.05 with FWE correction. Results: the decrease in the volume of the grey matter was observed in ASD group including the pre- and postcentral gyrus, the superior and middle frontal gyrus, the inferior and superior parietal lobule, the praecuneus, the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, the fusiform gyrus, the parahippocampal gyrus, the lingual gyrus, the middle occipital region, the cuneus and the angular gyrus, the regions of calcarine sulcus and the cerebellum. The majority of changes was localized bilaterally. Conclusions: the decrease in the volume of grey matter observed in ASD group can be related functionally with the characteristics of deficits observed in autism spectrum disorders which highlights the role of abnormal organization of numerous CNS structures in the genesis of symptoms observed in cognitive and behavioural domains.