Emotion Comprehension and Socio-cognitive Skills in Children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Background And Objectives: This study aimed to compare socio-cognitive skills and emotion comprehension between children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and children with neurotypical development.

Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional, controlled study involved 19 children in each group, matched by age (6-12 years) and sex. The assessments examined cognitive aspects (Intelligence Quotient was assessed using the Vocabulary and Matrix Reasoning subtests; working memory using the digit span and letter-number sequencing subtests; attention using the Continuous Performance Test - Identical Pairs; and executive functions using the Trail Making Test), social functions (Children's Social Skills, Behavior Problems, and Academic Competence Inventory), and emotion comprehension (language was assessed using the Strange Stories Test; emotional facial expressions using the digital emotion comprehension test; emotional/affective prosody using the Profiling Elements of Prosody in Speech-Communication - Brazilian Portuguese adapted version).

Use of Citicoline in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurobehavioral disorder in school-aged children. Although there are several drug treatment options, some patients do not have adequate therapeutic responses to conventional medications or experience considerable adverse effects. Citicoline is an endogenous molecule that has beneficial effects on attention, impulsivity, and memory and is a potential treatment for ADHD.

Resveratrol Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder-A Pilot Study.

Objectives: Considering autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a neurodevelopmental condition associated with immune system impairments, we aimed to evaluate the potential benefits, efficacy, tolerability, and safety of the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective trans -resveratrol (RSV) in behavioral impairments and in a set of 8 microRNAs (miR) related to the immune system in pediatric subjects with ASD.

Methods: This is an open-label pilot trial over a 3 months (90 days) study follow-up period designed to assess the effect of 200 mg/d RSV on 5 boys aged 10 to 13 (11.8 ± 1.

Challenges on Diagnoses and Assessments Related to Autism Spectrum Disorder in Brazil: A Systematic Review.

Being a continental country, with over 210 million citizens, Brazil is similar to all of those who are part of the LAMIC (Low and middle income countries). It shows a big concentration of wealth, mainly in its south and southeast regions, as well as areas with immense poverty. In that sense, the health system also faces a huge amount of contrast.

Validation of the Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory (BAMBI) Questionnaire.

This study aims to translate the Brief Autism Mealtime Behaviour Inventory (BAMBI) questionnaire to Brazilian Portuguese, in order to provide a tool to be used in clinic routine that encourages the evaluation of the feeding behaviour of patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The final sample contained 410 participants, the mean age was 9.58 ± 1.

Editorial: Autism Spectrum Disorder and Autoimmune Diseases: A Pathway in Common?

The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased significantly in the past decade. A rare condition at the time Kanner (1942) initially described it, ASD has become a public health issue with great social and financial burdens. In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the prevalence of autism at 16.

Immunological Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Potential Target for Therapy.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with an unknown etiology and currently few effective therapies. Immune system alterations have being demonstrated in ASD, both in humans and via animal models; immune imbalance thus arises as a possible pathway for drug intervention. In this review, the studies were classified into 2 major groups: (1) clinical research whose authors classify therapies with primary anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions, making use of: sulforaphane, celecoxib, lenalidomide, pentoxifylline, spironolactone, flavonoid luteolin, corticosteroids, oral immunoglobulin, intravenous immunoglobulin, cell therapy, dialyzable lymphocyte extracts, minocycline, and pioglitazone; and (2) other ASD therapies already used or currently under study whose initial characteristics were neither anti-inflammatory nor immunomodulatory initially, but displayed a capacity for immunomodulation throughout the treatment: risperidone, vitamin D, omega-3, Ginkgo biloba, L-carnosine, N-acetylcysteine, and microbiome restoration.

A Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial of Gastrin-Releasing Peptide in Childhood Autism.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) compared with placebo in autism spectrum disorder symptoms.

Methodology: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial using GRP 160 pmol/kg for 4 consecutive days in 10 children with autism. Outcomes were measured by the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) scale.

Improvement in Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children With the Use of Gastrin-Releasing Peptide: An Open Trial.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and tolerability of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) for core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.

Methods: This is a prospective, open-label study with 160 pmol/kg of GRP tested in 10 children with autism. Outcome measures used were the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale, Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), Childhood Autism Rating Scale, and Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised.