Poor Eye Contact Research Articles

Fragile X syndrome: genetic predisposition to psychopathology.

Fragile X syndrome is a newly recognized X-linked disorder which has been associated with a high prevalence of psychiatric disturbance, particularly attention deficit disorder and autism. The present study involved the neuropsychiatric evaluation of 14 males with the disorder who were between the ages of 3 to 27 years. Pervasive hyperactivity, impulsivity, and attentional deficits were found among all of the subjects, while a significant degree of anxiety was manifested by more than half. Although the majority of subjects exhibited poor eye contact, atypical speech and language functioning, and stereotyped behavior, only one met DSM-III diagnostic criteria for a persistent pervasive developmental disorder. Gaze aversion, noted among half of the subjects, was attributed to underlying anxiety rather than to autistic social dysfunction because of the otherwise socially engaged and affectionate behavior exhibited by the subjects. Failure to make this distinction in the context of cognitive and linguistic impairments associated with fragile X syndrome may account for the high rates of autism reported by other investigators.

Rett syndrome: qualitative and quantitative differentiation from autism.

Patients with Rett syndrome appear to fulfill the Rendle-Short criteria for the diagnosis of autism, but the pattern of their behavior is qualitatively different from children with autism. Until a biologic marker is identified, diagnosis is based on clinical assessment. In order to standardize this clinical assessment and to provide objective criteria for the evaluation of potential therapeutic modalities, motor and behavioral characteristics of 15 Rett patients were analyzed. The patients with Rett syndrome differed from autistic children in having ataxia, breath-holding, hyperventilation, bruxism, simplicity of stereotypies, and hand apposition. The children with autism demonstrated complex stereotypies and verbal but not motor regression. The more typical features of autism, namely, poor eye contact, lack of sustained interest, speech disturbance, and repetitive truncal rocking motions were poor discriminators between the two groups.

Possible Similarities Between the Fragile X and Asperger's Syndromes-Reply

In Reply .—Drs Bartolucci and Szatmari present an interesting speculation that I have considered many times in the past. Although approximately 16% of male children with fra(X) chromosome will fulfill Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, ed 3 , criteria for infantile autism, the majority of boys with fra(X) syndrome demonstrate only some autistic features, such as hand flapping, hand biting, and poor eye contact without a pervasive lack of relatedness. 1 These problems, combined with perseverations in language and behavior, such as fascination with spinning objects, makes one consider the terms autisticlike or a high-functioning autistic child, and yet many children with fra(X) syndrome can relate quite well to their family and peers. The juxtaposition of an ability to relate with some autistic features is perhaps the source of controversy concerning the incidence of autism in fra(X) syndrome and the incidence of fra(X) chromosome in autism. Asperger's syndrome can be simplistically viewed

A study of negative symptoms in schizophrenia and depression

The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) was administered to 59 patients satisfying Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) for the diagnosis of definite schizophrenia and an equal number of patients satisfying Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) for the diagnosis of major depressive disorder. As compared to schizophrenic patients, depressives obtained significantly higher scores on ratings of subjective complaints, total score, global ratings, and various items of all subscales. Schizophrenic patients were noted to have significantly higher scores on global rating of alogia, poor eye contact, inappropriate affect, and blocking. When the same scale was applied to a group of 12 “negative schiozphrenics” also satisfying RDC for the diagnosis of schizophrenia and the ratings compared with depressed patients group, these differences disappeared to a great extent. The results of the study suggest that the SANS can also be used for the assessment of behavioral changes in depression.

Autism in a child with congenital cytomegalovirus infection

A case is reported of early infantile autism associated with a congenital cytomegalovirus infection. The diagnosis of autism is based on the child's failure to develop good interpersonal relationships, poor eye contact, delayed and deviant use of language, and her rote and nonthematic use of objects and playthings. Resistance to change and self-stimulatory behavior were also present. Onset was before 2 years of age. Congenital cytomegalovirus infection was suggested by the presence of an antibody response to the virus, culture of the virus from the urine, sensorineural hearing loss, and inflammatory damage to the retina of the eye. Although over time improvement was noted, at last examination at the age of 5 years her behavior is still markedly deviant. This and other reported cases suggest that congenital viral infection may be an important cause of infantile autism. It is hypothesized that an ability of the agent to establish chronic infection may predispose to behavioral aberration.

Behavior in nonorganic failure to thrive.

Twenty-one infants with failure to thrive were examined, shortly after hospital admission, for a set of eight noninterpersonal and six interpersonal behaviors identified as possibly being associated with nonorganic failure to thrive. The infants selected for study exhibited some of the target behaviors early in the course of hospitalization, and all were subsequently diagnosed as having nonorganic failure to thrive. The target behaviors include inactivity; irritability; posturing; lack of affect; rumination; excessive thumbsucking; disproportionate use of hands and fingers rather than arms, legs, and trunk; crying when approached; lack of or decreased vocalization; lack of cuddling; poor eye contact; lack of response to a human stimulus; and indifference to separation. Abnormal interpersonal behaviors were more common than abnormal noninterpersonal behaviors. Identification of these target behaviors may be valuable in diagnosing nonorganic failure to thrive, avoiding the necessity for expensive organic evaluations and providing for earlier social assessment and intervention.

Effective oral presentation of scientific and technical information

Prepared for engineering and science students, this article stresses the preparation for the talk, the judicious use of notes, and the effective use of visual aids. To deliver a talk effectively, students must know the elements of delivery: ample projection of the voice, natural movements, relevant gestures, and eye contact. Furthermore, students should be aware of such errors as the following: poor board work, lack of movement and enthusiasm, overuse of notes, monotonous voice, poor eye contact, repetition, and the use of slang and colloquialisms. To make effective oral presentations, one should develop an extensive vocabulary and should evaluate his delivery.

Effective Oral Presentation of Scientific and Technical Information

Prepared for engineering and science students, this article stresses the preparation for the talk, the judicious use of notes, and the effective use of visual aids. To deliver a talk effectively, students must know the elements of delivery: ample projection of the voice, natural movements, relevant gestures, and eye contact. Furthermore, students should be aware of such errors as the following: poor board work, lack of movement and enthusiasm, overuse of notes, monotonous voice, poor eye contact, repetition, and the use of slang and colloquialisms. To make effective oral presentations, one should develop an extensive vocabulary and should evaluate his delivery.