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Author(s): Cary M. Wright [sup.1] , Stephen J. Guter [sup.1] , Edwin H. Cook [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.185648.6, 0000 0001 2175 0319, Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Juvenile Research, [...]

Despite the high rate of anxiety in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), measuring anxiety in ASD is fraught with uncertainty. This is due, in part, to incomplete consensus on the manifestations of anxiety in this population. Autism Speaks assembled a panel of experts to conduct a systematic review of available measures for anxiety in youth with ASD. To complete the review, the panel held monthly conference calls and two face-to-face meetings over a fourteen-month period. Thirty eight published studies were reviewed and ten assessment measures were examined: four were deemed appropriate for use in clinical trials, although with conditions; three were judged to be potentially appropriate, while three were considered not useful for clinical trials assessing anxiety. Despite recent advances, additional relevant, reliable and valid outcome measures are needed to evaluate treatments for anxiety in ASD.

The neurocognitive impairments associated with restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not yet clear. Prior studies indicate that individuals with ASD show reduced cognitive flexibility, which could reflect difficulty shifting from a previously learned response pattern or a failure to maintain a new response set. We examined different error types on a test of set-shifting completed by 60 individuals with ASD and 55 age- and nonverbal IQ-matched controls. Individuals with ASD were able to initially shift sets, but they exhibited difficulty maintaining new response sets. Difficulty with set maintenance was related to increased severity of RRBs. General difficulty maintaining new response sets and a heightened tendency to revert to old preferences may contribute to RRBs.

The neurocognitive impairments associated with restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not yet clear. Prior studies indicate that individuals with ASD show reduced cognitive flexibility, which could reflect difficulty shifting from a previously learned response pattern or a failure to maintain a new response set. We examined different error types on a test of set-shifting completed by 60 individuals with ASD and 55 age- and nonverbal IQ-matched controls. Individuals with ASD were able to initially shift sets, but they exhibited difficulty maintaining new response sets. Difficulty with set maintenance was related to increased severity of RRBs. General difficulty maintaining new response sets and a heightened tendency to revert to old preferences may contribute to RRBs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2244-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users., Author(s): Haylie L. Miller [sup.1] , Michael E. Ragozzino [sup.2] , Edwin H. Cook [sup.3] , John A. Sweeney [sup.4] , Matthew W. Mosconi [sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of [...]

This paper reviews what is known about the role of neurochemicals in controlling the development of the brain and in the pathophysiology of autism. Suggested approaches to further research involve using animal models, examining effects of drugs on neurochemicals, and using such technologies as positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. (DB)

Forty-two parents of children with autistic disorder, 15 children with autistic disorder, 17 siblings of children with autistic disorder, and 12 unrelated normal controls were studied for binding characteristics of their immunoglobulins. Results did not support the hypothesis that two specific autoantibodies are characteristic of autism. (Author/DB)

Byline: Catherine Lord (1), Susan Risi (1), Linda Lambrecht (1), Edwin H. Cook (1), Bennett L. Leventhal (1), Pamela C. DiLavore (2), Andrew Pickles (3), Michael Rutter (4) Keywords: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule; PDDNOS; non-autistic-spectrum diagnoses; expressive language skill Abstract: The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule--Generic (ADOS-G) is a semistructured, standardized assessment of social interaction, communication, play, and imaginative use of materials for individuals suspected of having autism spectrum disorders. The observational schedule consists of four 30-minute modules, each designed to be administered to different individuals according to their level of expressive language. Psychometric data are presented for 223 children and adults with Autistic Disorder (autism), Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS) or nonspectrum diagnoses. Within each module, diagnostic groups were equivalent on expressive language level. Results indicate substantial interrater and test--retest reliability for individual items, excellent interrater reliability within domains and excellent internal consistency. Comparisons of means indicated consistent differentiation of autism and PDDNOS from nonspectrum individuals, with some, but less consistent, differentiation of autism from PDDNOS. A priori operationalization of DSM-IV/ICD-10 criteria, factor analyses, and ROC curves were used to generate diagnostic algorithms with thresholds set for autism and broader autism spectrum/PDD. Algorithm sensitivities and specificities for autism and PDDNOS relative to nonspectrum disorders were excellent, with moderate differentiation of autism from PDDNOS. Author Affiliation: (1) University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (2) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (3) University of Manchester, England (4) Social Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, England Article History: Registration Date: 09/10/2004

Byline: Pauline A. Filipek (1), Pasquale J. Accardo (2), Grace T. Baranek (3), Edwin H. Cook (4), Geraldine Dawson (5), Barry Gordon (6), Judith S. Gravel (7), Chris P. Johnson (8), Ronald J. Kallen (4), Susan E. Levy (9), Nancy J. Minshew (10), Barry M. Prizant (11), Isabelle Rapin (7), Wendy L. Stone (13), Stuart Teplin (3), Roberto F. Tuchman (14), Fred R. Volkmar (15) Keywords: Practice parameters diagnosis and evaluation of autism; dual-level approach Abstract: The Child Neurology Society and American Academy of Neurology recently proposed to formulate Practice Parameters for the Diagnosis and Evaluation of Autism for their memberships. This endeavor was expanded to include representatives from nine professional organizations and four parent organizations, with liaisons from the National Institutes of Health. This document was written by this multidisciplinary Consensus Panel after systematic analysis of over 2,500 relevant scientific articles in the literature. The Panel concluded that appropriate diagnosis of autism requires a dual-level approach: (a) routine developmental surveillance, and (b) diagnosis and evaluation of autism. Specific detailed recommendations for each level have been established in this document, which are intended to improve the rate of early suspicion and diagnosis of, and therefore early intervention for, autism. Author Affiliation: (1) University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, 92717 (2) Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine, UCI Medical Center, Orange, California, 92868-3298 (3) New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, 10595 (4) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599 (5) University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637-1513 (6) Seattle, Washington, 98195 (7) Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218 (8) Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (9) University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, 78284-8200 (10) University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (11) University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (12) Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02912 (13) Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (14) University of Miami School of Medicine, Coral Gables, Florida (15) Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520 Article History: Registration Date: 01/10/2004