Risk Factor For Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Articles

Maternal choline supplementation modulates cognition and induces anti-inflammatory signaling in the prefrontal cortices of adolescent rats exposed to maternal immune activation

Maternal infection has long been described as a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, especially autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia. Although many pathogens do not cross the placenta and infect the developing fetus directly, the maternal immune response to them is sufficient to alter fetal neurodevelopment, a phenomenon termed maternal immune activation (MIA). Low maternal choline is also a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, and most pregnant people do not receive enough of it. In addition to its role in neurodevelopment, choline is capable of inducing anti-inflammatory signaling through a nicotinic pathway. Therefore, it was hypothesized that maternal choline supplementation would blunt the neurodevelopmental impact of MIA in offspring through long-term instigation of cholinergic anti-inflammatory signaling.To model MIA in rats, the viral mimetic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) was used to elicit a maternal antiviral innate immune response in dams both with and without choline supplementation. Offspring were reared to both early and late adolescent stages (postnatal days 28 and 50, respectively), where anxiety-related behaviors and cognition were examined. After behavioral testing, animals were euthanized, and their prefrontal cortices (PFCs) were collected for analysis. MIA offspring demonstrated sex-specific patterns of altered cognition and repetitive behaviors, which were modulated by maternal choline supplementation. Choline supplementation also bolstered anti-inflammatory signaling in the PFCs of MIA animals at both early and late adolescent stages. These findings suggest that maternal choline supplementation may be sufficient to blunt some of the behavioral and neurobiological impacts of inflammatory exposures in utero, indicating that it may be a cheap, safe, and effective intervention for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Prenatal immune activation in mice induces long-term alterations in brain mitochondrial function

Prenatal exposure to infections is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, and alterations in mitochondrial function are discussed as a potential underlying factor. Here, using a mouse model of viral-like maternal immune activation (MIA) based on poly(I:C) (POL) treatment at gestational day (GD) 12, we show that adult offspring exhibit behavioral deficits, such as reduced levels of social interaction. In addition, we found increased nicotinamidadenindinucleotid (NADH)- and succinate-linked mitochondrial respiration and maximal electron transfer capacity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and in the amygdala (AMY) of males and females. The increase in respiratory capacity resulted from an increase in mitochondrial mass in neurons (as measured by complex IV activity and transcript expression), presumably to compensate for a reduction in mitochondrion-specific respiration. Moreover, in the PFC of control (CON) male offspring a higher excess capacity compared to females was observed, which was significantly reduced in the POL-exposed male offspring, and, along with a higher leak respiration, resulted in a lower mitochondrial coupling efficiency. Transcript expression of the uncoupling proteins (UCP4 and UCP5) showed a reduction in the PFC of POL male mice, suggesting mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, in the PFC of CON females, a higher expression of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD1) was observed, suggesting a higher antioxidant capacity as compared to males. Finally, transcripts analysis of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics showed reduced expression of fission/fusion transcripts in PFC of POL offspring of both sexes. In conclusion, we show that MIA causes alterations in neuronal mitochondrial function and mass in the PFC and AMY of adult offspring with some effects differing between males and females.

Inhibitory neurons defined by a synaptogenic molecule impair memory discrimination.

The CA3 region is central to hippocampal function during learning and memory because of its unique connectivity. CA3 pyramidal neurons are the targets of huge, excitatory mossy fiber synapses from DG axons and have an unusually high degree of excitatory recurrent connectivity. Thus, inhibition likely plays an outsized importance in constraining runaway excitation and shaping CA3 ensembles during learning and memory. Here, we investigate the function of a group of dendrite-targeting, hippocampal GABAergic neurons defined by expression of the synaptogenic adhesion molecule, Kirrel3. We discovered that activating Kirrel3-expressing GABAergic neurons impairs memory discrimination by inhibiting CA3 pyramidal neurons in novel contexts. Kirrel3 is required for DG-to-GABA synapse formation and variants in Kirrel3 are strong risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders. Thus, our work suggests that Kirrel3-GABA neurons are a critical source of feed-forward inhibition from DG to CA3 during contextual memory whose activity may be specifically disrupted in some brain disorders.

The circadian system: A neglected player in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Patients with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, often display abnormal circadian rhythms. The role of the circadian system in these disorders has gained considerable attention over the last decades. Yet, it remains largely unknown how these disruptions occur and to what extent they contribute to the disorders' development. In this review, we examine circadian system dysregulation as observed in patients and animal models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Second, we explore whether circadian rhythm disruptions constitute a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders from studies in humans and model organisms. Lastly, we focus on the impact of psychiatric medications on circadian rhythms and the potential benefits of chronotherapy. The literature reveals that patients with neurodevelopmental disorders display altered sleep-wake cycles and melatonin rhythms/levels in a heterogeneous manner, and model organisms used to study these disorders appear to support that circadian dysfunction may be an inherent characteristic of neurodevelopmental disorders. Furthermore, the pre-clinical and clinical evidence indicates that circadian disruption at the environmental and genetic levels may contribute to the behavioural changes observed in these disorders. Finally, studies suggest that psychiatric medications, particularly those prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia, can have direct effects on the circadian system and that chronotherapy may be leveraged to offset some of these side effects. This review highlights that circadian system dysfunction is likely a core pathological feature of neurodevelopmental disorders and that further research is required to elucidate this relationship.

Cranio-Facial Characteristics in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) consist of a complex group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by qualitative impairments of social interactions, communication abilities, and a limited, stereotyped, and repetitive selection of interests and activities. In light of the imperative to identify a possible biomarker for ASD, it has been determined that craniofacial anomalies serve as significant risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders. The aim of this scoping review is to deepen the knowledge of the scientific literature related to cranio-facial characteristics in individuals with ASD, with a particular focus on recent research advancements. The review was performed by employing the search strings ((“Autism Spectrum Disorder” OR autism OR ASD OR “Autism Spectrum”) AND (“facial morphology” OR “facial phenotype”)) on the databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and ERIC as of March 9, 2023. The review comprised seven studies whose findings were obtained through quantitative analysis of Euclidean distances between anatomical landmarks. The examination of facial abnormalities represents a possible reliable diagnostic biomarker that could aid in the timely identification of ASD. Phenotypic characteristics that may serve as predictive indicators of the severity of autistic symptoms can be observed in certain individuals with ASD by applying anthropometric and instrumental measurements. The presence of a phenotype characterised by an increased intercanthal distance and a reduced facial midline height appears to be associated with a higher degree of severity in autistic symptoms. In addition, it is worth noting that facial asymmetry and facial masculinity can be considered reliable indicators for predicting a more severe manifestation of symptoms.

Toward a CRISPR understanding of gene function in human brain development

Genome-wide association studies pinpoint genetic risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), but the next challenge is to understand the mechanisms through which these genes affect brain development. Two recent CRISPR screens in human brain organoids1,2 interrogate the function of risk genes for autism spectrum disorder and other NDDs.

Assortative mating and parental genetic relatedness contribute to the pathogenicity of variably expressive variants

We examined more than 97,000 families from four neurodevelopmental disease cohorts and the UK Biobank to identify phenotypic and genetic patterns in parents contributing to neurodevelopmental disease risk in children. We identified within- and cross-disorder correlations between six phenotypes in parents and children, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (R= 0.32-0.38, p<10-126). We also found that measures of sub-clinical autism features in parents are associated with several autism severity measures in children, including biparental mean Social Responsiveness Scale scores and proband Repetitive Behaviors Scale scores (regression coefficient= 0.14, p=3.38×10-4). We further describe patterns of phenotypic similarity between spouses, where spouses show correlations for six neurological and psychiatric phenotypes, including a within-disorder correlation for depression (R= 0.24-0.68, p<0.001) and a cross-disorder correlation between anxiety and bipolar disorder (R= 0.09-0.22, p<10-92). Using a simulated population, we also found that assortative mating can lead to increases in disease liability over generations and the appearance of "genetic anticipation" in families carrying rare variants. We identified several families in a neurodevelopmental disease cohort where the proband inherited multiple rare variants in disease-associated genes from each of their affected parents. We further identified parental relatedness as a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders through its inverse relationship with variant pathogenicity and propose that parental relatedness modulates disease risk by increasing genome-wide homozygosity in children (R= 0.05-0.26, p<0.05). Our results highlight the utility of assessing parent phenotypes and genotypes toward predicting features in children who carry rare variably expressive variants and implicate assortative mating as a risk factor for increased disease severity in these families.

Uncovering the common factors of chemical exposure and behavior: Evaluating behavioral effects across a testing battery using factor analysis

Although specific environmental chemical exposures, including flame retardants, are known risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), direct experimental evidence linking specific chemicals to NDDs is limited. Studies focusing on the mechanisms by which the social processing systems are vulnerable to chemical exposure are underrepresented in the literature, even though social impairments are defining characteristics of many NDDs. We have repeatedly demonstrated that exposure to Firemaster 550 (FM 550), a prevalent flame retardant mixture used in foam-based furniture and infant products, can adversely impact a variety of behavioral endpoints. Our recent work in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), a prosocial animal model, demonstrated that perinatal exposure to FM 550 sex specifically impacts socioemotional behavior. Here, we utilized a factor analysis approach on a battery of behavioral data from our prior study to extract underlying factors that potentially explain patterns within the FM 550 behavior data. This approach identified which aspects of the behavioral battery are most robust and informative, an outcome critical for future study designs. Pearson’s correlation identified behavioral endpoints associated with distance and stranger interactions that were highly correlated across 5 behavioral tests. Using these behavioral endpoints, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) extracted 2 factors that could explain the data: Activity (distance traveled endpoints) and Sociability (time spent with a novel conspecific). Exposure to FM 550 significantly decreased Activity and decreased Sociability. This factor analysis approach to behavioral data offers the advantages of modeling numerous measured variables and simplifying the data set by presenting the data in terms of common, overarching factors in terms of behavioral function.

Extracellular free water elevations are associated with brain volume and maternal cytokine response in a longitudinal nonhuman primate maternal immune activation model.

Maternal infection has emerged as an important environmental risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Animal model systems of maternal immune activation (MIA) suggest that the maternal immune response plays a significant role in the offspring's neurodevelopment and behavioral outcomes. Extracellular free water is a measure of freely diffusing water in the brain that may be associated with neuroinflammation and impacted by MIA. The present study evaluates the brain diffusion characteristics of male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) born to MIA-exposed dams (n = 14) treated with a modified form of the viral mimic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid at the end of the first trimester. Control dams received saline injections at the end of the first trimester (n = 10) or were untreated (n = 4). Offspring underwent diffusion MRI scans at 6, 12, 24, 36, and 45 months. Offspring born to MIA-exposed dams showed significantly increased extracellular free water in cingulate cortex gray matter starting as early as 6 months of age and persisting through 45 months. In addition, offspring gray matter free water in this region was significantly correlated with the magnitude of the maternal IL-6 response in the MIA-exposed dams. Significant correlations between brain volume and extracellular free water in the MIA-exposed offspring also indicate converging, multimodal evidence of the impact of MIA on brain development. These findings provide strong evidence for the construct validity of the nonhuman primate MIA model as a system of relevance for investigating the pathophysiology of human neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders. Elevated free water in individuals exposed to immune activation in utero could represent an early marker of a perturbed or vulnerable neurodevelopmental trajectory.

Genome-wide identification and phenotypic characterization of seizure-associated copy number variations in 741,075 individuals

Copy number variants (CNV) are established risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders with seizures or epilepsy. With the hypothesis that seizure disorders share genetic risk factors, we pooled CNV data from 10,590 individuals with seizure disorders, 16,109 individuals with clinically validated epilepsy, and 492,324 population controls and identified 25 genome-wide significant loci, 22 of which are novel for seizure disorders, such as deletions at 1p36.33, 1q44, 2p21-p16.3, 3q29, 8p23.3-p23.2, 9p24.3, 10q26.3, 15q11.2, 15q12-q13.1, 16p12.2, 17q21.31, duplications at 2q13, 9q34.3, 16p13.3, 17q12, 19p13.3, 20q13.33, and reciprocal CNVs at 16p11.2, and 22q11.21. Using genetic data from additional 248,751 individuals with 23 neuropsychiatric phenotypes, we explored the pleiotropy of these 25 loci. Finally, in a subset of individuals with epilepsy and detailed clinical data available, we performed phenome-wide association analyses between individual CNVs and clinical annotations categorized through the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO). For six CNVs, we identified 19 significant associations with specific HPO terms and generated, for all CNVs, phenotype signatures across 17 clinical categories relevant for epileptologists. This is the most comprehensive investigation of CNVs in epilepsy and related seizure disorders, with potential implications for clinical practice.

Child neurodevelopmental disorders in armed conflict country, case of DR Congo: long-term trauma impact on brain development in childhood: review

Child neurodevelopmental disorders in armed conflict country, case of DR Congo: long-term trauma impact on brain development in childhood: review

Immune synaptopathies: how maternal immuneactivation impacts synaptic function during development.

In the last two decades, the term synaptopathy has been largely used to underline the concept that impairments of synaptic structure and function are the major determinant of brain disorders, including neurodevelopmental disorders. This notion emerged from the progress made in understanding the genetic architecture of neurodevelopmental disorders, which highlighted the convergence of genetic risk factors onto molecular pathways specifically localized at the synapse. However, the multifactorial origin of these disorders also indicated the key contribution of environmental factors. It is well recognized that inflammation is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, and several immune molecules critically contribute to synaptic dysfunction. In the present review, we highlight this concept, which we define by the term "immune-synaptopathy," and we discuss recent evidence suggesting a bi-directional link between the genetic architecture of individuals and maternal activation of the immune system in modulating brain developmental trajectories in health and disease.

Dysregulation of immune and metabolism pathways in maternal immune activation induces an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders

AimsMaternal immune activation (MIA) via infection during pregnancy is known to be an environmental risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders and the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the offspring, but it still remains elusive that the molecular relevance between infection-induced abnormal neurodevelopmental events and an increased risk for ASD development. Main methodsFully considering the extremely high genetic heterogeneity of ASD and the universality of risk-gene with minimal effect-sizes, the gene and pathway-based association analysis was performed with the transcriptomic and DNA methylation landscapes of temporal human embryonic brain development and ASD, and the time-course transcriptional profiling of MIA. We conducted the transcriptional profiling of mouse abnormal neurodevelopment two days following induced MIA via LPS injection at E10.5. Key findingsA novel evidence was proved that illustrated altering four immune and metabolism-related risk pathways, including starch and sucrose metabolism, ribosome, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and retrograde endocannabinoid signaling pathway, which were prominent involvement in the process of MIA regulating abnormal fetal brain development to induce an increased risk of ASD. Here, we have observed that almost all key genes within these risk pathways are significantly differentially expressed at embryonic days (E) 10.5–12.5, which is considered to be the optimal coincidence window of mouse embryonic brain development to study the intimate association between MIA and ASD using mouse animal models. SignificanceThere search establishes that MIA causes dysregulation of immune and metabolic pathways, which leads to abnormal embryonic neurodevelopment, thus promoting development of ASD symptoms in offspring.

Maternal immune activation as an epidemiological risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders: Considerations of timing, severity, individual differences, and sex in human and rodent studies.

Epidemiological evidence suggests that one's risk of being diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD)-such as autism, ADHD, or schizophrenia-increases significantly if their mother had a viral or bacterial infection during the first or second trimester of pregnancy. Despite this well-known data, little is known about how developing neural systems are perturbed by events such as early-life immune activation. One theory is that the maternal immune response disrupts neural processes important for typical fetal and postnatal development, which can subsequently result in specific and overlapping behavioral phenotypes in offspring, characteristic of NDDs. As such, rodent models of maternal immune activation (MIA) have been useful in elucidating neural mechanisms that may become dysregulated by MIA. This review will start with an up-to-date and in-depth, critical summary of epidemiological data in humans, examining the association between different types of MIA and NDD outcomes in offspring. Thereafter, we will summarize common rodent models of MIA and discuss their relevance to the human epidemiological data. Finally, we will highlight other factors that may interact with or impact MIA and its associated risk for NDDs, and emphasize the importance for researchers to consider these when designing future human and rodent studies. These points to consider include: the sex of the offspring, the developmental timing of the immune challenge, and other factors that may contribute to individual variability in neural and behavioral responses to MIA, such as genetics, parental age, the gut microbiome, prenatal stress, and placental buffering.

Spectrum of neuro-developmental disorders in children with congenital hyperinsulinism due to activating mutations in GLUD1.

Hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome is the second most common type of congenital hyperinsulinism caused by an activating GLUD1 mutation. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical profile and long-term neurological outcomes in children with HI/HA syndrome. This study is a retrospective review of patients with GLUD1 mutation, treated at two centers in the UK and Russia, over a 15-year period. Different risk factors for neuro-developmental disorders were analysed by Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher's exact P test. We identified 25 cases with GLUD1 mutations (12 males). Median age of presentation was 7 months (12 h-18 months). Hypoglycaemic seizures were the presenting feature in 24 (96%) cases. Twenty four cases responded to diazoxide and protein restriction whilst one patient underwent partial pancreatectomy. In total, 13 cases (52%) developed neurodevelopmental manifestations. Epilepsy (n = 9/25, 36%), learning difficulties (n = 8/25, 32%) and speech delay (n = 8/25, 32%) were the most common neurological manifestation. Median age of presentation for epilepsy was 12 months with generalised tonic-clonic seizures being the most common (n = 4/9, 44.4%) followed by absence seizures (n = 3/9, 33.3%). Early age of presentation (P = 0.02), diazoxide dose (P = 0.04) and a mutation in exon 11 or 12 (P = 0.01) were associated with neurological disorder. HI/HA syndrome is associated with wide spectrum of neurological disorders. These neurological manifestations were more frequent in cases with mutations affecting the GTP-binding site of GLUD1 in our cohort.

Cerebellum and neurodevelopmental disorders: RORα is a unifying force.

Errors of cerebellar development are increasingly acknowledged as risk factors for neuro-developmental disorders (NDDs), such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and schizophrenia. Evidence has been assembled from cerebellar abnormalities in autistic patients, as well as a range of genetic mutations identified in human patients that affect the cerebellar circuit, particularly Purkinje cells, and are associated with deficits of motor function, learning and social behavior; traits that are commonly associated with autism and schizophrenia. However, NDDs, such as ASD and schizophrenia, also include systemic abnormalities, e.g., chronic inflammation, abnormal circadian rhythms etc., which cannot be explained by lesions that only affect the cerebellum. Here we bring together phenotypic, circuit and structural evidence supporting the contribution of cerebellar dysfunction in NDDs and propose that the transcription factor Retinoid-related Orphan Receptor alpha (RORα) provides the missing link underlying both cerebellar and systemic abnormalities observed in NDDs. We present the role of RORα in cerebellar development and how the abnormalities that occur due to RORα deficiency could explain NDD symptoms. We then focus on how RORα is linked to NDDs, particularly ASD and schizophrenia, and how its diverse extra-cerebral actions can explain the systemic components of these diseases. Finally, we discuss how RORα-deficiency is likely a driving force for NDDs through its induction of cerebellar developmental defects, which in turn affect downstream targets, and its regulation of extracerebral systems, such as inflammation, circadian rhythms, and sexual dimorphism.

Impact of Suspected Preterm Labor during Pregnancy on Cardiometabolic Profile and Neurodevelopment during Childhood: A Prospective Cohort Study Protocol.

Suspected preterm labor (SPL), defined as the presence of regular and painful uterine contractions and cervical shortening, represents a prenatal insult with potential long-term consequences. However, despite recent evidence demonstrating suboptimal neurodevelopment at 2 years in this population, it remains underestimated as a significant risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders or other chronic diseases. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of suspected preterm labor during pregnancy on cardiometabolic profile and neurodevelopment during childhood (6-8 years). Prospective cohort study including children whose mothers suffered suspected preterm labour during pregnancy and paired controls. Neurodevelopmental, cardiovascular, and metabolic assessments will be performed at 6-8 years of age. A trained psychologist will carry out the neurodevelopment assessment including intelligence, visual perception, and behavioral assessment. Body composition and physical fitness assessment will be performed by one trained pediatrician and nurse. Finally, cardiovascular evaluation, including echocardiography and blood pressure, will be performed by two pediatric cardiologists. Data regarding perinatal and postnatal characteristics, diet, lifestyle, and weekly screen time of the child will be obtained from medical history and direct interviews with families. Primary outcome measures will include body mass index and adiposity, percentage of fat mass and total and regional lean mass, bone mineral content and density, cardiorespiratory resistance, isometric muscle strength, dynamic lower body strength, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, left ventricle (LV) systolic and diastolic function, general intelligence index, visuospatial working memory span, oculomotor control test, index of emotional, and behavioral problems.

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.

Influence of Immune System Abnormalities Caused by Maternal Immune Activation in the Postnatal Period

The developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) indicate that fetal tissues and organs in critical and sensitive periods of development are susceptible to structural and functional changes due to the adverse environment in utero. Maternal immune activation (MIA) is one of the phenomena in DOHaD. Exposure to maternal immune activation is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, psychosis, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and human immune disorders. It has been associated with increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines transferred from mother to fetus in the prenatal period. Abnormal immunity induced by MIA includes immune overreaction or immune response failure in offspring. Immune overreaction is a hypersensitivity response of the immune system to pathogens or allergic factor. Immune response failure could not properly fight off various pathogens. The clinical features in offspring depend on the gestation period, inflammatory magnitude, inflammatory type of MIA in the prenatal period, and exposure to prenatal inflammatory stimulation, which might induce epigenetic modifications in the immune system. An analysis of epigenetic modifications caused by adverse intrauterine environments might allow clinicians to predict the onset of diseases and disorders before or after birth.

The Use of Optical Coherence Tomography and Electrophysiological Tests in the Early Diagnosis of Inflammatory Changes in the CNS in children with ASD-A Review of Contemporary Literature.

This article is a review of the contemporary literature on the possibility of using modern ophthalmological diagnostics, such as optical coherence tomography and electrophysiological tests, in the assessment of changes in eyesight correlating with inflammatory changes in the central nervous system (CNS) as one of the risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders in children with ASD. A significant role is attributed to the activation of nerve and glial cells, as well as inflammatory changes in the brain, both of which can be of great importance in regard to an autism development predisposition. This fact indicates the possibility of using certain ophthalmic markers to depict an early correlation between the CNS and its outermost layer, i.e., the retina. A comprehensive ophthalmological assessment, and above all, characteristic changes in the functional function of photoreceptors and disorders of the structures of the retina or optic nerve fibers found in the latest OCT or ERG tests may in the future become diagnostic tools, further confirming the early characteristics of autism in children and adolescents. The above information, therefore, emphasizes the importance of cooperation between specialists in improving the diagnosis and treatment of children with autism.