Understanding Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Articles

The use of data independent acquisition based proteomic analysis and machine learning to reveal potential biomarkers for autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological developmental disorder in children, and is associated with social isolation and restricted interests. The etiology of this disorder is still unknown. There is neither any confirmed laboratory test nor any effective therapeutic strategy to diagnose or cure it. We performed data independent acquisition (DIA) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) analysis of plasma from children with ASD and controls. The result showed that 45 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified between autistic subjects and controls. Among these, only one DEP was down-regulated in ASD; other DEPs were up-regulated in ASD children's plasma. These proteins are found associated with complement and coagulation cascades, vitamin digestion and absorption, cholesterol metabolism, platelet degranulation, selenium micronutrient network, extracellular matrix organization and inflammatory pathway, which have been reported to be related to ASD. After MRM verification, five key proteins in complement pathway (PLG, SERPINC1, and A2M) and inflammatory pathway (CD5L, ATRN, SERPINC1, and A2M) were confirmed to be significantly up-regulated in ASD group. Through the screening of machine learning model and MRM verification, we found that two proteins (biotinidase and carbonic anhydrase 1) can be used as early diagnostic markers of ASD (AUC = 0.8, p = 0.0001). SignificanceASD is the fastest growing neurodevelopmental disorder in the world and has become a major public health problem worldwide. Its prevalence has been steadily increasing, with a global prevalence rate of 1%. Early diagnosis and intervention can achieve better prognosis. In this study, data independent acquisition (DIA) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) analysis was applied to analyze the plasma proteome of ASD patients (31 (±5) months old), and 378 proteins were quantified. 45 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified between the ASD group and the control group. They mainly were associated with platelet degranulation, ECM proteoglycar, complement and coagulation cascades, selenium micronutrient network, regulation of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) transport and uptake by insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs), cholesterol metabolism, vitamin metabolism, and inflammatory pathway. Through the integrated machine learning methods and the MRM verification of independent samples, it is considered that biotinidase and carbon anhydrase 1 have the potential to become biomarkers for the early diagnosis of ASD. These results complement proteomics database of the ASD patients, broaden our understanding of ASD, and provide a panel of biomarkers for the early diagnosis of ASD.

Evaluation of the Lebanese Adults' Knowledge Regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The daily functioning and overall well-being of people with ASD depends largely on understanding how the wider public views ASD. Indeed, an increased level of ASD knowledge in the general population may result in earlier diagnosis, earlier intervention, and better overall outcomes. The present study aimed to examine the current state of ASD knowledge, beliefs, and sources of information in a Lebanese general population sample, to identify the factors that could influence this knowledge. A total of 500 participants were involved in this cross-sectional study, which was conducted in Lebanon between May 2022 and August 2022 using the Autism Spectrum Knowledge scale, General Population version (ASKSG). Overall, the participants' understanding of autism spectrum disorder was low, with a mean score of 13.8 (6.69) out of 32, or 43.1%. The highest knowledge score was found for items related to knowledge of the symptoms and associated behaviors (52%). However, the level of knowledge regarding the etiology and prevalence, assessment and diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, and prognosis of the disease was low (29%, 39.2%, 46%, and 43.4%, respectively). Moreover, age, gender, place of residence, sources of information, and ASD case were all statistically significant predictors of ASD knowledge (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.012, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). The general public in Lebanon perceive a lack of awareness and insufficient knowledge regarding ASD. This results in delayed identification and intervention, leading to unsatisfactory outcomes in patients. Raising awareness about autism among parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals should be a top priority.

Connectome-based prediction of the severity of autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social and behavioural deficits. Current diagnosis relies on behavioural criteria, but machine learning, particularly connectome-based predictive modelling (CPM), offers the potential to uncover neural biomarkers for ASD. This study aims to predict the severity of ASD traits using CPM and explores differences among ASD subtypes, seeking to enhance diagnosis and understanding of ASD. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 151 ASD patients were used in the model. CPM with leave-one-out cross-validation was conducted to identify intrinsic neural networks that predict Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores. After the model was constructed, it was applied to independent samples to test its replicability (172 ASD patients) and specificity (36 healthy control participants). Furthermore, we examined the predictive model across different aspects of ASD and in subtypes of ASD to understand the potential mechanisms underlying the results. The CPM successfully identified negative networks that significantly predicted ADOS total scores [r (df=150) = 0.19, P=0.008 in all patients; r (df=104) = 0.20, P=0.040 in classic autism] and communication scores [r (df=150) = 0.22, P=0.010 in all patients; r (df=104) = 0.21, P=0.020 in classic autism]. These results were reproducible across independent databases. The networks were characterized by enhanced inter- and intranetwork connectivity associated with the occipital network (OCC), and the sensorimotor network (SMN) also played important roles. A CPM based on whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity can predicted the severity of ASD. Large-scale networks, including the OCC and SMN, played important roles in the predictive model. These findings may provide new directions for the diagnosis and intervention of ASD, and maybe could be the targets in novel interventions.

“I've grown”: Parent's reflections and familial support

AbstractObjectiveWe examined the perceived familial support of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to better understand the assistance and gaps they experienced.BackgroundPrevious literature indicated various forms of support, including spousal, extended family members, and siblings. However, limited research considered the support parents experienced from their child with ASD.MethodUsing a qualitative methodology involving semistructured interviews, the team interviewed nine parents who had children with ASD.ResultsAlthough most extended family members were seen as supportive, some held a lack of understanding of ASD, posed questions, or made comments that the children were “spoiled.” Mothers often took on the role of “educator.” The sibling(s) helped with caregiving, but also had their own life experiences to deal with. Regarding the support that the child with ASD provided, parents explained that they had grown into a better person. They were more aware of the challenges other parents faced and held less judgements of others.ConclusionOverall, parents noted differing familial support needs based on their families' understanding of ASD. They valued the support the child with ASD provided and recognized how they had grown as a person.ImplicationsPractitioners must continue to learn how to better understand families' experiences and recognize that each family member has differing support roles.

‘Bodies that never grow’: How psychiatric understanding of autism spectrum disorders affects autistic people's bodily experience of gender, ageing, and sexual desire

This paper investigates the intersections of gender, sexuality, ageing in the way autism spectrum disorder is medically described as a discrete category. On one hand, the construction of autism as a male-centric phenomenon results in a significant gender gap in autism diagnosis, with girls diagnosed with autism significantly less and later than boys. On the other hand, the focus on depicting autism as a pediatric condition exposes adult autistics to discriminatory practices such as infantilization and contributes to the disregard of their sexual desires or to the misconception of their sexual behaviors as dangerous or inappropriate. Both infantilization and the supposed inability of autistic people to “fit” into adulthood have a significant impact on both sexuality's expressions and ageing experiences. My study suggests how fostering knowledge and further learning on the infantilization of autism can bring important insight into understanding disability from a critical angle. By challenging normative notions of gender, ageing, and sexuality, autistic people's different bodily experiences question medical authority and social politics and criticize the public representation of autism in the broader social space.

Structural variants identified using non-Mendelian inheritance patterns advance the mechanistic understanding of autism spectrum disorder.

The heritability of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), based on 680,000 families and five countries, is estimated to be nearly 80%, yet heritability reported from SNP-based studies are consistently lower, and few significant loci have been identified with genome-wide association studies. This gap in genomic information may reside in rare variants, interaction among variants (epistasis), or cryptic structural variation (SV) and may provide mechanisms that underlie ASD. Here we use a method to identify potential SVs based on non-Mendelian inheritance patterns in pedigrees using parent-child genotypes from ASD families and demonstrate that they are enriched in ASD-risk genes. Most are in non-coding genic space and are over-represented in expression quantitative trait loci, suggesting that they affect gene regulation, which we confirm with their overlap of differentially expressed genes in postmortem brain tissue of ASD individuals. We then identify an SV in the GRIK2 gene that alters RNA splicing and a regulatory region of the ACMSD gene in the kynurenine pathway as significantly associated with a non-verbal ASD phenotype, supporting our hypothesis that these currently excluded loci can provide a clearer mechanistic understanding of ASD. Finally, we use an explainable artificial intelligence approach to define subgroups demonstrating their use in the context of precision medicine.

Teaching English to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Challenges and Teaching Strategies

The current study aims at shedding light on the challenges that might be confronted while teaching English to students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and providing remedial teaching strategies that can facilitate teaching English to these special learners. Helping students to achieve their highest potential requires both an understanding of ASD and its characteristics, and the elements of successful program planning required addressing them. Students with ASD are individuals who each has unique strengths and needs. Thus, via analysing the previous literature about the topic and administering a structured questionnaire to twelve (12) English teachers at the University of El-Oued, Algeria investigating the challenges and the teaching strategies that can be used to remedy these challenges, this study attempts to provide a broad lines for a special English syllabus that best meet the needs of students with ASD.

Taking Sides: Asymmetries in the Evolution of Human Brain Development in Better Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder

Confirmation from structural, functional, and behavioral studies agree and suggest a configuration of atypical lateralization in individuals with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). It is suggested that patterns of cortical and behavioral atypicality are evident in individuals with ASDs with atypical lateralization being common in individuals with ASDs. The paper endeavors to better understand the relationship between alterations in typical cortical asymmetries and functional lateralization in ASD in evolutionary terms. We have proposed that both early genetic and/or environmental influences can alter the developmental process of cortical lateralization. There invariably is a “chicken or egg” issue that arises whether atypical cortical anatomy associated with abnormal function, or alternatively whether functional atypicality generates abnormal structure.

The autism-associated Meis2 gene is necessary for cardiac baroreflex regulation in mice

Recent understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) showed that peripheral primary mechanosensitive neurons involved in touch sensation and central neurons affected in ASD share transcriptional regulators. Mutant mice for ASD-associated transcription factors exhibit impaired primary tactile perception and restoring those genes specifically in primary sensory neurons rescues some of the anxiety-like behavior and social interaction defects. Interestingly, peripheral mechanosensitive sensory neurons also project to internal organs including the cardiovascular system, and an imbalance of the cardio-vascular sympathovagal regulation is evidenced in ASD and intellectual disability. ASD patients have decreased vagal tone, suggesting dysfunction of sensory neurons involved in cardio-vascular sensing. In light of our previous finding that the ASD-associated Meis2 gene is necessary for normal touch neuron development and function, we investigated here if its inactivation in mouse peripheral sensory neurons also affects cardio-vascular sympathovagal regulation and baroreflex. Combining echocardiography, pharmacological challenge, blood pressure monitoring, and heart rate variability analysis, we found that Meis2 mutant mice exhibited a blunted vagal response independently of any apparent cardiac malformation. These results suggest that defects in primary sensory neurons with mechanosensitive identity could participate in the imbalanced cardio-vascular sympathovagal tone found in ASD patients, reinforcing current hypotheses on the role of primary sensory neurons in the etiology of ASD.

Genomic architecture of autism from comprehensive whole-genome sequence annotation

Fully understanding autism spectrum disorder (ASD) genetics requires whole-genome sequencing (WGS). We present the latest release of the Autism Speaks MSSNG resource, which includes WGS data from 5,100 individuals with ASD and 6,212 non-ASD parents and siblings (total n= 11,312). Examining a wide variety of genetic variants in MSSNG and the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC; n= 9,205), we identified ASD-associated rare variants in 718/5,100 individuals with ASD from MSSNG (14.1%) and 350/2,419 from SSC (14.5%). Considering genomic architecture, 52% were nuclear sequence-level variants, 46% were nuclear structural variants (including copy-number variants, inversions, large insertions, uniparental isodisomies, and tandem repeat expansions), and 2% were mitochondrial variants. Our study provides a guidebook for exploring genotype-phenotype correlations in families who carry ASD-associated rare variants and serves as an entry point to the expanded studies required to dissect the etiology in the ∼85% of the ASD population that remain idiopathic.

Altered synaptic protein expression, aberrant spine morphology, and impaired spatial memory in Dlgap2 mutant mice, a genetic model of autism spectrum disorder.

A microdeletion of approximately 2.4Mb at the 8p23 terminal region has been identified in a Taiwanese autistic boy. Among the products transcribed/translated from genes mapped in this region, the reduction of DLGAP2, a postsynaptic scaffold protein, might be involved in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DLGAP2 protein was detected in the hippocampus yet abolished in homozygous Dlgap2 knockout (Dlgap2 KO) mice. In this study, we characterized the hippocampal phenotypes in Dlgap2 mutant mice. Dlgap2 KO mice exhibited impaired spatial memory, indicating poor hippocampal function in the absence of DLGAP2. Aberrant expressions of postsynaptic proteins, including PSD95, SHANK3, HOMER1, GluN2A, GluR2, mGluR1, mGluR5, βCAMKII, ERK1/2, ARC, BDNF, were noticed in Dlgap2 mutant mice. Further, the spine density was increased in Dlgap2 KO mice, while the ratio of mushroom-type spines was decreased. We also observed a thinner postsynaptic density thickness in Dlgap2 KO mice at the ultrastructural level. These structural changes found in the hippocampus of Dlgap2 KO mice might be linked to impaired hippocampus-related cognitive functions such as spatial memory. Mice with Dlgap2 deficiency, showing signs of intellectual disability, a common co-occurring condition in patients with ASD, could be a promising animal model which may advance our understanding of ASD.

The interface of paediatric ENT and autism spectrum disorder: a complex conundrum for otolaryngologists.

Autism spectrum disorder is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition encompassing complex physical and neurological symptoms, including complex sensory symptoms. This review explores the interface between autism spectrum disorder and paediatric ENT. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses ('PRISMA') guideline, a robust literature search and review was conducted by two researchers. Thirty-four papers were filtered into the final review. Published literature clearly demonstrates potential for autism spectrum disorder to present in the form of auditory and other sensory symptoms to ENT surgeons and audiologists who may not fully appreciate this complex condition. Despite this well-documented link, auditory symptoms, auditory processing disorders and hearing loss within autism spectrum disorder remain poorly understood. Improved recognition and understanding of autism spectrum disorder by otolaryngologists could enable more effective diagnostic and management strategies for autistic children who present with auditory and other sensory symptoms. In light of the current 'autism epidemic,' there is an urgent need for further research on this theme.

Medical social workers’ and clinical psychologists’ understanding of autism spectrum disorders: A Nigerian Study

Introduction: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by difficulties in social communication and interaction, repetitive patterns of behaviour and focused interests and activities. Medical social workers and Clinical psychologists play vital roles in identifying and supporting autistic children with their families. They may help with therapy, rehabilitation, crisis interventions and outreach services. Adequate knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) among Medical social workers and Clinical psychologists may enhance early recognition, diagnosis, appropriate referral and interventions that are known to improve prognosis in autistic children. This study determined Medical social workers’ and Clinical psychologists’ understanding of ASD. Materials and methods: Socio-demographic and Knowledge About Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) questionnaires were administered to consenting 63 Medical social workers and 35 Clinical psychologists. Results: Sixty-three Medical Social workers and 35 Clinical psychologists participated in the study. The mean age of Medical social workers was 42.1 ± 8.6 years and 41.0 ± 8.9 years for Clinical psychologists (P = 0.525). Clinical psychologists who were males were 42.9% and 41.3% were male Medical social workers (P = 0.879). Medical social workers who have ever managed a child with autism in the course of their career were 42.9% while Clinical psychologists were 40.0% (P = 0.784). The mean knowledge score for variables in domain 1 for Clinical psychologists was 6.34 ± 1.78 while Medical social workers scored 5.40 ± 2.30 (P = 0.038). The score in domain 2 for Clinical psychologists was 0.91 ± 0.28 while Medical social workers scored 0.71 ± 0.46 (P = 0.009). The mean total score for Clinical psychologists was13.00 ± 2.86 whereas Medical social workers scored 11.51 ± 3.43 (P = 0.031). Conclusion: Clinical psychologists significantly scored higher than Medical social workers in knowledge mean scores in domains 1 and 2 and total mean scores. The scores of Clinical Psychologists though higher than scores by Medical social workers are still considered inadequate. It is recommended that the training curriculum of Medical social workers and Clinical psychologists should involve more tutorials, teachings and clinical rotations that would expose them to different aspects of ASD.

The changing faces of autism: The fluctuating international diagnostic criteria and the resulting inclusion and exclusion-A Norwegian perspective.

The common understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has gone through a number of permutations since the first description in 1943. Throughout these shifting understandings, there have been a number of behaviors and diagnostic criteria associated with the condition, many of which are missing in the most recent classifications. The rates of diagnoses of autism have increased greatly. However, there is no reason to think there has been any change in occurrence over the last 70 years, suggesting rather an increase in our knowledge and awareness. Autism has been the subject of several misapprehensions and misrepresentations throughout history. This might be due to heterogeneity of the cases. In addition, the diagnosing of autism spectrum disorders is mainly based on observation and behavioral interpretation, and thus dependent on subjective perceptions of the clinicians themselves. This current scoping review article intends to provide a view on the evolution of the concept of autism and the current stance within Norwegian scholarship, and how it is shaped by international discourses and cultural diversities Such changing concepts especially impacts people with the diagnosis, as it can affect their access to social services, as well as their self-identification as people with ASD.

Are Executive Dysfunctions Relevant for the Autism-Specific Cognitive Profile?

Executive functions (EF) have been shown to be important for the understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but dysfunctions of EF are not autism-specific. The specific role of EF in ASD, its relationship to core autism characteristics, such as mentalizing, needs to be explored. Medline- and PsychINFO databases were searched for studies published between 1990 and 2020 that included measures of EF in ASD and typically developing control persons (TD) in combination with either Theory of Mind (ToM) or Weak Central Coherence (WCC) tasks. A pre-registered meta-analysis and cross-study regression was performed including a total of 42 studies (ASD n = 1,546, TD n = 1,206). Results were reported according to PRISMA guidelines. In all cognitive domains, the ASD group showed significantly reduced performance. Importantly, EF subdomains and ToM were not significantly correlated. This finding rules out a significant association between EF subdomains and ToM and questions the relevance of EF dysfunctions for the autism-specific feature of reduced mentalizing.

Group coaching intervention with parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Brazil – a pilot study

Introduction: Caring for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) entails changes in family dynamics. In Brazil, the journey from diagnosis to treatment is characterized by several barriers. Families and their children can be empowered to achieve occupational performance goals through parental coaching interventions. There is, however, limited national evidence on coaching interventions designed to support this population. Aim: This pilot study examines the effects of a coaching intervention program on the occupational performance of Brazilian children with ASD and their families. Methods: A single-subject experimental design was used to conduct group coaching sessions with 16 caregivers over ten weekly sessions. The intervention was designed following the principles of Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) and was conducted in a group setting to address the economic constraints of the Brazilian health system. The assessment tools adopted were the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and the Developmental History Questionnaire, developed by the authors. During group coaching intervention sessions, occupational performance in the home environment and the efficacy of strategies developed in collaboration with caregivers were observed and discussed. Ultimately, the COPM goals were reassessed by the participants. Results: The average difference for COPM performance and satisfaction scores indicated significant changes, demonstrating that the group coaching intervention improved the participants' occupational performance. Caregivers reported a broader understanding of ASD and its implications for their children's daily lives. In addition, they have enhanced problem-solving skills and reported increased sense of self-efficacy and competence. Application and Conclusion: This pilot study has contributed to the literature on using group coaching interventions to increase the occupational performance of participating children and their families. Our findings indicate that the use of OPC principles is promising in Brazil. These initial findings can encourage further research in this emerging intervention approach and support family-centred interventions in paediatric occupational therapy in Brazil.

Modern Biomarkers for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Future Directions.

Autism spectrum disorder is an increasingly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in the world today, with an estimated 2% of the population being affected in the USA. A major complicating factor in diagnosing, treating, and understanding autism spectrum disorder is that defining the disorder is solely based on the observation of behavior. Thus, recent research has focused on identifying specific biological abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder that can provide clues to diagnosis and treatment. Biomarkers are an objective way to identify and measure biological abnormalities for diagnostic purposes as well as to measure changes resulting from treatment. This current opinion paper discusses the state of research of various biomarkers currently in development for autism spectrum disorder. The types of biomarkers identified include prenatal history, genetics, neurological including neuroimaging, neurophysiologic, and visual attention, metabolic including abnormalities in mitochondrial, folate, trans-methylation, and trans-sulfuration pathways, immune including autoantibodies and cytokine dysregulation, autonomic nervous system, and nutritional. Many of these biomarkers have promising preliminary evidence for prenatal and post-natal pre-symptomatic risk assessment, confirmation of diagnosis, subtyping, and treatment response. However, most biomarkers have not undergone validation studies and most studies do not investigate biomarkers with clinically relevant comparison groups. Although the field of biomarker research in autism spectrum disorder is promising, it appears that it is currently in the early stages of development.

The Relationship Between the Biopsychosocial Model and Autism Spectrum Disorder

As more disorders and diseases are studied, researchers use different models and methods to enhance their knowledge on the subject. One type of model that researchers use is the Biopsychosocial Model. This model gives researchers a better understanding about the topic they are studying. Thus, allowing researchers to identify the characteristics of the disorder or disease. Motivated by that, we are going to show how the biopsychosocial model helps characterize and enhance the understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We will look at the relationship between the model and the disorder, compare the differences between childhood autism and adulthood autism and the characteristics that emerged from using this model. Although ASD is a complex disorder using the biopsychosocial model will help give us a better understanding of ASD.

Genomics, convergent neuroscience and progress in understanding autism spectrum disorder.

More than a hundred genes have been identified that, when disrupted, impart large risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current knowledge about the encoded proteins - although incomplete - points to a very wide range of developmentally dynamic and diverse biological processes. Moreover, the core symptoms of ASD involve distinctly human characteristics, presenting challenges to interpreting evolutionarily distant model systems. Indeed, despite a decade of striking progress in gene discovery, an actionable understanding of pathobiology remains elusive. Increasingly, convergent neuroscience approaches have been recognized as an important complement to traditional uses of genetics to illuminate the biology of human disorders. These methods seek to identify intersection among molecular-level, cellular-level and circuit-level functions across multiple risk genes and have highlighted developing excitatory neurons in the human mid-gestational prefrontal cortex as an important pathobiological nexus in ASD. In addition, neurogenesis, chromatin modification and synaptic function have emerged as key potential mediators of genetic vulnerability. The continued expansion of foundational 'omics' data sets, the application of higher-throughput model systems and incorporating developmental trajectories and sex differences into future analyses will refine and extend these results. Ultimately, a systems-level understanding of ASD genetic risk holds promise for clarifying pathobiology and advancing therapeutics.

Leveraging a translational research approach to drive diagnostic and treatment advances for autism.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent and poorly understood neurodevelopmental disorder. There are currently no laboratory-based diagnostic tests to detect ASD, nor are there any disease-modifying medications that effectively treat ASD’s core behavioral symptoms. Scientific progress has been impeded, in part, by overreliance on model organisms that fundamentally lack the sophisticated social and cognitive abilities essential for modeling ASD. We therefore saw significant value in studying naturally low-social rhesus monkeys to model human social impairment, taking advantage of a large outdoor-housed colony for behavioral screening and biomarker identification. Careful development and validation of our animal model, combined with a strong commitment to evaluating the translational utility of our preclinical findings directly in patients with ASD, yielded a robust neurochemical marker (cerebrospinal fluid vasopressin concentration) of trans-primate social impairment and a first-in-class medication (intranasal vasopressin) shown in a small phase 2a pilot trial to improve social abilities in children with ASD. This translational research approach stands to advance our understanding of ASD in a manner not readily achievable with existing animal models, and can be adapted to investigate a variety of other human brain disorders which currently lack valid preclinical options, thereby streamlining translation and amplifying clinical impact more broadly.