Frontiers in Autism Spectrum Disorder among Children and Adolescents

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Child Neurology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 February 2023) | Viewed by 5746

Special Issue Editors

Children's Hospital Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
Interests: microbiota; cancer; metabolic disorders; gut microbiota; diet
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
1. Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
2. Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Viña del Mar 2531015, Chile
Interests: autism spectrum disorder; gut microbiota; nutrition;physical exercise; children and adolescents; brain

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The autism spectrum or autistic spectrum encompasses a range of neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism and Asperger syndrome, generally known as autism spectrum disorders or autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs). Individuals on the autistic spectrum typically experience difficulties with social communication and interaction and may also exhibit restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Symptoms are typically recognized between one and two years of age in boys. Support efforts are individualized and typically include learning social, behavioral, and/or other coping skills. New microbiome sequencing technologies provide novel information about the potential interactions among intestinal microorganisms and the host in neuropathologies such as ASDs. The microbiota–gut–brain axis is an emerging aspect in the generation of autistic behaviors; evidence from animal models suggests that intestinal microbial shifts may produce changes fitting the clinical picture of autism. Additionally, some evidence supports the assertion that physical activity interventions have a moderate or large effect on a variety of outcomes, including for the development of manipulative skills, locomotor skills, skill-related fitness, social functioning, and muscular strength and endurance in youth with ASDs. Another important aspect is nutrition and the relationship between nutrition factors and the development of ASDs. In the present Special Issue, all these aspects might be represented, with a focus on ASDs; physical activity and ASDs; physical activity, nutrition and ASDs; nutrition and ASDs; microbiota findings in ASD patients; and brain advances in ASD patients, with a special emphasis on children and adolescents.

Dr. Julio Plaza-Díaz
Dr. Patricio Solis-Urra
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • autism spectrum disorder
  • gut microbiota
  • nutrition
  • nutritional disorders
  • physical exercise
  • brain
  • children and adolescents

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3446 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of a “Picture Assisted Illustration Reinforcement” (PAIR) System for Oral Hygiene in Children with Autism: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial
by Atrey J. Pai Khot, Abhra Roy Choudhury, Anil V. Ankola, Roopali M. Sankeshwari, Vinuta Hampiholi, Mamata Hebbal, Sagar Jalihal, Ram Surath Kumar, Laxmi Kabra and Sree Lalita Kotha
Children 2023, 10(2), 369; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/children10020369 - 13 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1800
Abstract
This study evaluated the potential of a novel pre-validated “Picture Assisted Illustration Reinforcement” (PAIR) communication system and conventional verbal techniques for Oral Health Education (OHE) in terms of dentition status, gingival health, oral hygiene status, and practices in 7- to 18-year-old children with [...] Read more.
This study evaluated the potential of a novel pre-validated “Picture Assisted Illustration Reinforcement” (PAIR) communication system and conventional verbal techniques for Oral Health Education (OHE) in terms of dentition status, gingival health, oral hygiene status, and practices in 7- to 18-year-old children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A double-blind randomized controlled trial was undertaken in a school for children with autism from July to September 2022. A total of 60 children were randomly assigned into two groups: a PAIR group (n = 30) and a Conventional group (n = 30). Cognition and pre-evaluation of all the children were assessed by standardized scaling measures. A pre-validated closed-ended questionnaire was administered to caregivers of both groups. At a 12-week post-intervention, a clinical examination was performed using the World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Assessment form 2013, gingival and Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHI-S). The gingival scores in the PAIR group (0.35 ± 0.12) exhibited a statistically significant decline in scores as compared to Conventional group (0.83 ± 0.37), p = 0.043. Meanwhile, the oral hygiene scores in the PAIR group and Conventional group were 1.22 ± 0.14 and 1.94 ± 0.15, respectively (p < 0.05). A significant improvement in oral hygiene practices was observed in the PAIR group. Incorporating the PAIR technique resulted in significant progress in child cognitive ability and adaptive behavior, which reduced gingival scores and improved oral hygiene scores, consequently improving oral hygiene practices among children with ASD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Autism Spectrum Disorder among Children and Adolescents)
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12 pages, 1137 KiB  
Article
Epigenome-Wide Analysis Reveals DNA Methylation Alteration in ZFP57 and Its Target RASGFR2 in a Mexican Population Cohort with Autism
by Queletzu Aspra, Brenda Cabrera-Mendoza, Mirna Edith Morales-Marín, Carla Márquez, Carlos Chicalote, Ana Ballesteros, Miriam Aguilar, Xochitl Castro, Amalia Gómez-Cotero, Ana María Balboa-Verduzco, Lilia Albores-Gallo, Omar Nafate-López, Carlos Alfonso Marcín-Salazar, Patricia Sánchez, Nuria Lanzagorta-Piñol, Fernando Omar López-Armenta and Humberto Nicolini
Children 2022, 9(4), 462; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/children9040462 - 25 Mar 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2652
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) comprise a group of heterogeneous and complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to ASD etiology. DNA methylation is particularly relevant for ASD due to its mediating role in the complex interaction between genotype and environment and has [...] Read more.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) comprise a group of heterogeneous and complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to ASD etiology. DNA methylation is particularly relevant for ASD due to its mediating role in the complex interaction between genotype and environment and has been implicated in ASD pathophysiology. The lack of diversity in DNA methylation studies in ASD individuals is remarkable. Since genetic and environmental factors are likely to vary across populations, the study of underrepresented populations is necessary to understand the molecular alterations involved in ASD and the risk factors underlying these changes. This study explored genome-wide differences in DNA methylation patterns in buccal epithelium cells between Mexican ASD patients (n = 27) and age-matched typically developing (TD: n = 15) children. DNA methylation profiles were evaluated with the Illumina 450k array. We evaluated the interaction between sex and ASD and found a differentially methylated region (DMR) over the 5′UTR region of ZFP57 and one of its targets, RASGRF2. These results match previous findings in brain tissue, which may indicate that ZFP57 could be used as a proxy for DNA methylation in different tissues. This is the first study performed in a Mexican, and subsequently, Latin American, population that evaluates DNA methylation in ASD patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Autism Spectrum Disorder among Children and Adolescents)
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