Probing the Neurodynamic Mechanisms of Cognitive Flexibility in Depressed Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social behavior and executive function (EF), particularly in cognitive flexibility. Whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can improve cognitive outcomes in patients with ASD remains an open question. We examined the acute effects of prefrontal TMS on cortical excitability and fluid cognition in individuals with ASD who underwent TMS for refractory major depression.

Paving the way for Alzheimer's disease blood-based biomarkers in primary care.

Blood-based biomarkers (BBBMs) for Alzheimer's disease (AD) have the potential to revolutionize the detection and management of cognitive impairment. AD BBBMs are not currently recommended for use in primary care but may soon be as research demonstrates their clinical utility for differential diagnosis and patient management. To prepare for the incorporation of AD BBBMs into primary care, several practical challenges must be addressed.

Specialization of the brain for language in children with Fragile X Syndrome: a functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy study.

Specialization of the brain for language is early emerging and essential for language learning in young children. Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a neurogenetic disorder marked by high rates of delays in both expressive and receptive language, but neural activation patterns during speech and language processing are unknown. We report results of a functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) study of responses to speech and nonspeech sounds in the auditory cortex in a sample of 2- to 10-year-old children with FXS and typically developing controls (FXS n = 23, TDC n = 15, mean age = 6.