«Chez tous les mammifères, le système de la récompense est un circuit cérébral fondamental qui permet de renforcer certains comportements en apportant la motivation nécessaire à leur accomplissement. La recherche de nourriture, les apprentissages ou encore les comportements affectifs lui sont ainsi fortement liés. Récemment, plusieurs études ont montré qu'un dysfonctionnement de ce système pourrait être à la base de l'altération du comportement social typique des troubles autistiques. Les neurones dopaminergiques, essentiels à son bon fonctionnement, seraient déficients chez les personnes atteintes de ces troubles, qui perdraient ainsi toute motivation à interagir avec les autres. Mais quels sont les mécanismes neurobiologiques sous-jacents?»
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« Une mauvaise construction des synapses «En partant de cette hypothèse de la motivation, nous voulions décrypter le rôle des neurones dopaminergiques dans les interactions sociales afin de vérifier si des altérations les concernant pouvaient expliquer certains déficits sociaux propres aux personnes souffrant de troubles du spectre autistique», explique Camilla Bellone, professeure au Département des neurosciences fondamentales de la Faculté de médecine de l’UNIGE, qui a dirigé ces travaux. Pour ce faire, les scientifiques ont étudié des souris dont un gène, appelé «Neuroligin 3», avait été supprimé, ou dont l’activité avait été fortement diminuée dans les neurones dopaminergiques, afin d’imiter une mutation identifiée chez les personnes autistes. Et contrairement à leurs congénères, ces souris présentaient un déficit d’intérêt pour la nouveauté et une motivation moindre à interagir socialement, des traits comportementaux que l’on retrouve fréquemment chez certains autistes. Les scientifiques ont également étudié la plasticité synaptique des souris (les synapses étant la partie des neurones leur permettant de communiquer entre eux). Normalement, l’exposition à une nouveauté sociale engendre une modification synaptique qui permet de maintenir l’intérêt et de poursuivre le contact social. Chez les souris au gène Neuroligin 3 déficient, cette plasticité était bien moindre : le renforcement synaptique ne se faisait pas, ce qui engendrait une moins bonne réponse à un nouveau stimulus. «Nous avons observé le même déficit synaptique chez des animaux porteurs d’une autre mutation génétique – sur le gène Shank 3 – également courante dans les cas d’autisme. Il s’agit donc bien d’une mauvaise maturation de la synapse qui, au final, empêche un bon développement social», ajoute Camilla Bellone. Plus d’une centaine de gènes ont déjà été identifiés comme étant liés à un symptôme autistique, et une bonne partie d’entre eux sont impliqués dans le fonctionnement synaptique, expliquant pourquoi les troubles sociaux sont si courant chez les autistes. »...

«Comment les personnes autistes ressentent-elles la solitude ? Pour le savoir, une étude publiée dans la revue Autism in Adulthood le 2 novembre 2023 a donné la parole une centaine de personnes autistes, d'âges et d'identité différentes. Lisa Quadt, neurologue cognitive britannique, Gemma Williams,linguiste britannique, et leur  équipe se sont penchées sur la problématique de la solitude chez les autistes.»
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«"La solitude impacte quatre fois plus les personnes autistes que les neurotypiques" L'équipe a donc décidé d'interroger, pour la première partie de l'étude, une cohorte de 109 autistes (sans retard mental, ni biais cognitif lié à des troubles psychiatriques ou psychologiques importants, n'ayant aucune lésion cérébrale ou dommage crânien) et 100 personnes dites neurotypiques (qui ne présentent aucun trouble comportemental). Des tests avérés ont été utilisés, comme celui de la mesure de l'hypersensibilié sensorielle (Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire) ou encore celui mesurant l'impact de la solitude sur la santé mentale (UCLA LS) mais avec des questions plus adaptées pour les autistes. "Le problème des anciennes études, c'est le manque d'outils en adéquation avec la perception des autistes", rapportent les autrices dans l'étude. Les statistiques démontrent que les autistes ressentaient avec plus d'intensité les effets physiques comme mentaux de la solitude. "La solitude impacte quatre fois plus les personnes autistes que les neurotypiques", affirment les autrices. En revanche, quel que soit le groupe étudié, les différences sensorielles sont associées à la dépression ou l'anxiété. »...

«Summary: Researchers examined the connection between screen time and genetic predispositions to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD.Analyzing over 6.5 million genetic polymorphisms, they determined that children genetically predisposed to ASD showed increased screen usage. Meanwhile, children with ADHD tendencies increased their screen time as they aged.The findings challenge the belief that screen time might cause ASD, suggesting instead it's an early indicator.Key Facts:The study used a "polygenic risk score" to evaluate genetic susceptibility to ASD and ADHD based on 6.5 million polymorphisms in children's DNA.Children with a higher genetic risk for ASD were up to 2.1 times more likely to use screens for over four hours a day from an early age.Instead of being a causative factor, prolonged screen time might be an early sign of ASD, as such children often find objects more engaging than human interaction.» [...]
« “Screen time may be an early sign of ASD, rather than a cause, as children with ASD are often more attracted to objects than people. Physicians should know that it is not fair to conclude that prolonged screen time is a risk factor for the development of ASD.” v. »...
Source: http://neurosciencenews.com | Source Status

«A l'âge de 12 ans, Bibou* ne vit pas bien son entrée au secondaire, et après quelques mois, il souffre de douleurs et arrête d'aller à l'école. Il s'agit d'un refus scolaire, une dénomination qui recouvre des réalités différentes, comme l'explique le pédopsychiatre Laurent Holzer.»...

«Key PointsQuestion   What is the frequency with which children diagnosed clinically with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at 12 to 36 months of age continue to meet criteria for ASD based on functioning at 5 to 7 years of age, and what factors are associated with ASD persistence?Findings  Of the 213 children in this cohort study, 79 (37%) had nonpersistent ASD. Higher baseline adaptive functioning and female sex were associated with nonpersistent ASD.Meaning  These findings suggest that an ASD diagnosis in a child younger than 3 years may not persist, and child-specific factors may be associated with persistence.»
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« Results Of the 213 participants diagnosed with ASD at initial clinical assessment (mean [SD] age, 24.6 [...]
months; 177 boys [83.1%]), 79 (37.1%) did not continue to meet diagnostic criteria for ASD (nonpersistent ASD) at research assessment (mean [SD] age, 74.3 [...]
months). »...

«Children are more likely to experience verbal abuse than any other form of maltreatment, and this abuse can have lasting effects.Photo by: ShutterstockBy: Justin BoggsPosted at 9:35 AM, Oct 04, 2023 and last updated 6:35 PM, Oct 04, 2023A study by researchers from the University College London says that child verbal abuse can be as damaging as physical and sexual abuse. The study, which was published this week in Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal said that children subjected to verbal abuse face increased risks of anger, depression, substance abuse, self-harm and obesity.»
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« Behaviors such as belittling, shouting and threatening language can lead to these outcomes, researchers said. Of children who faced verbal abuse, parents were the main perpetrators 76.5% of the time, the study said. Teachers were the main perpetrators 12.7% of the time, while other adult caregivers were responsible in 2.4% of instances. The study suggested that verbal abuse should be classified in the same way other forms of child maltreatment are classified, such as physical and sexual abuse. The study noted that the World Health Organization has said that emotional abuse is the most prevalent form of child maltreatment. Researchers cautioned, however, that the term "emotional abuse" was ambiguous and focused on the victim. University College London researchers used 166 studies in making their determination. "Preventing the maltreatment of children is the most effective way we can reduce the prevalence of child mental health problems," Peter Fonagy, a professor at the University College London, said in a statement. "A sharp focus on childhood verbal abuse by adults around them by the new charity Words Matter, and this review will help make significant change, and support and direct our efforts to identify and respond to this risk in an effective and timely manner." The researchers said that focusing on child verbal abuse and not just emotional abuse more broadly will make prevention strategies easier. “We’ve seen tremendous strides in increased awareness and interventions targeting physical and sexual abuse perpetrators leading to the reduction in these forms of maltreatment," said Shanta Dube, a professor at Wingate University, who led the study. "If we focus on verbal abuse by perpetrators rather than just emotional abuse among victims, we may develop similar actions to prevent childhood verbal abuse and its consequences." »...

«Auréa a fait plusieurs crises non-épileptiques psychogènes (CNEP), des événements qui ressemblent à des crises épileptiques mais qui n'en sont pas. Pour Auréa, comme pour 80% des personnes qui vivent avec des CNEP, ces dernières sont associées à des antécédents de traumatisme psychologique. Lamyae Benzakour, responsable de la consultation de psychotraumatologie des Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG), explique comment ces crises peuvent être diagnostiquées et prises en charge.»...

«Asperger's syndrome (also known as Asperger's disorder or simply Asperger's) was retired as an official diagnosis in 2013. Asperger's syndrome today would be diagnosed as level 1 autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Asperger's syndrome, now called level one ASD, is a developmental disorder. A person with ASD has normal language and cognitive development with impairments in social interactions and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. People with level 1 ASD are on the highest-functioning end of the autism spectrum.This article discusses the change in Asperger's diagnosis, symptoms associated with ASD, levels of ASD, as well as where to find support.»
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« What Is the New Name for Asperger’s? The change to the DSM entry for Asperger's is somewhat controversial, as people who are not severely autistic and may have been previously diagnosed as having Asperger's now receive the same diagnosis as those who are non-verbal, intellectually challenged, and in need of significant daily support for basic life skills. For clarity and to alleviate confusion, the DSM-5 describes three distinct levels of ASD based on the amount of support a person needs. The new definition of autism describes people as having a severity level of 1, 2, or 3:6 Level 1 ASD: "Requiring support" Level 2 ASD: "Requiring substantial support" Level 3 ASD: "Requiring very substantial support" Virtually everyone with a prior Asperger's syndrome diagnosis qualifies for a level 1 diagnosis, defined as “in need of a relatively low level of support.” Individuals presenting for the first time with relatively mild symptoms of autism will receive a first-time diagnosis of level 1 autism spectrum disorder as well, though this may be reassessed over time. What Are the Different Types of Autism? Level 1 Those with level 1 ASD can speak in full sentences and engage in communication but they may struggle with back-and-forth conversation. In addition, their attempts to make friends may appear odd and are typically unsuccessful. Social communication is categorized as follows for level 1 ASD:6 Without support in place, deficits in social communication cause noticeable impairments Difficulty initiating social interactions and shows atypical or unsuccessful responses to social cues May appear to have decreased interest in social interactions Restricted, repetitive behaviors for level 1 ASD include:6 Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. The person has difficulty switching between activities. Problems of organization and planning hamper independence. Levels 2 and 3 For level 2 ASD, deficits are apparent even with support in place, and restricted or repetitive behaviors appear frequently enough to be noticeable and interfere with functioning in a variety of contexts. Level 3 ASD is described as severe deficits that cause severe impairments in functioning and behaviors that are severe and interfere in all contexts. People with Asperger's syndrome do not exhibit these deficits or levels of impairment in functioning. Continued Use of the Name Despite being excluded from the DSM-5, Asperger's syndrome is still used sometimes in both the United States and other countries. A common reason for this is that a diagnosis of ASD can carry stigma, and people who were previously diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome may still identify with the term and prefer it. A 2017 study analyzing the effect of removing Asperger's syndrome from the DSM found the change "has the potential to threaten the identity of those affected," citing autism as a stigmatizing diagnostic label.7 Some advocacy groups and organizations continue to use the term as well, at least in part because some people continue to identify as having Asperger's, not autism. Even so, medical consensus continues to move away from the Asperger's syndrome diagnosis. Following the DSM's lead, the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which took effect on January 1, 2022, has moved Asperger's syndrome under the autism spectrum disorder umbrella. The ICD-11 will be used by all World Health Organization member states.8 »...

«Asperger's syndrome (also known as Asperger's disorder or simply Asperger's) was retired as an official diagnosis in 2013. Asperger's syndrome today would be diagnosed as level 1 autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Asperger's syndrome, now called level one ASD, is a developmental disorder. A person with ASD has normal language and cognitive development with impairments in social interactions and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. People with level 1 ASD are on the highest-functioning end of the autism spectrum.This article discusses the change in Asperger's diagnosis, symptoms associated with ASD, levels of ASD, as well as where to find support.»
[...]
« What Is the New Name for Asperger’s? The change to the DSM entry for Asperger's is somewhat controversial, as people who are not severely autistic and may have been previously diagnosed as having Asperger's now receive the same diagnosis as those who are non-verbal, intellectually challenged, and in need of significant daily support for basic life skills. For clarity and to alleviate confusion, the DSM-5 describes three distinct levels of ASD based on the amount of support a person needs. The new definition of autism describes people as having a severity level of 1, 2, or 3:6 Level 1 ASD: "Requiring support" Level 2 ASD: "Requiring substantial support" Level 3 ASD: "Requiring very substantial support" Virtually everyone with a prior Asperger's syndrome diagnosis qualifies for a level 1 diagnosis, defined as “in need of a relatively low level of support.” Individuals presenting for the first time with relatively mild symptoms of autism will receive a first-time diagnosis of level 1 autism spectrum disorder as well, though this may be reassessed over time. What Are the Different Types of Autism? Level 1 Those with level 1 ASD can speak in full sentences and engage in communication but they may struggle with back-and-forth conversation. In addition, their attempts to make friends may appear odd and are typically unsuccessful. Social communication is categorized as follows for level 1 ASD:6 Without support in place, deficits in social communication cause noticeable impairments Difficulty initiating social interactions and shows atypical or unsuccessful responses to social cues May appear to have decreased interest in social interactions Restricted, repetitive behaviors for level 1 ASD include:6 Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. The person has difficulty switching between activities. Problems of organization and planning hamper independence. Levels 2 and 3 For level 2 ASD, deficits are apparent even with support in place, and restricted or repetitive behaviors appear frequently enough to be noticeable and interfere with functioning in a variety of contexts. Level 3 ASD is described as severe deficits that cause severe impairments in functioning and behaviors that are severe and interfere in all contexts. People with Asperger's syndrome do not exhibit these deficits or levels of impairment in functioning. Continued Use of the Name Despite being excluded from the DSM-5, Asperger's syndrome is still used sometimes in both the United States and other countries. A common reason for this is that a diagnosis of ASD can carry stigma, and people who were previously diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome may still identify with the term and prefer it. A 2017 study analyzing the effect of removing Asperger's syndrome from the DSM found the change "has the potential to threaten the identity of those affected," citing autism as a stigmatizing diagnostic label.7 Some advocacy groups and organizations continue to use the term as well, at least in part because some people continue to identify as having Asperger's, not autism. Even so, medical consensus continues to move away from the Asperger's syndrome diagnosis. Following the DSM's lead, the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which took effect on January 1, 2022, has moved Asperger's syndrome under the autism spectrum disorder umbrella. The ICD-11 will be used by all World Health Organization member states.8 »...

«Being fit doesn't just help your body -- it also helps your mind, a new study reports.People in better physical condition appear to have less need for drugs to treat mood disorders, Norwegian researchers have found.ADVERTISEMENT"We find that people who are in better shape fill fewer prescriptions for anxiety and depression medications," said senior author Linda Ernstsen, an associate professor of public health and nursing at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.»...

«Abstract BackgroundWe investigated the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and incident use of antidepressants or anxiolytics in the general adult population.MethodsA non-exercise prediction model was used to estimate CRF in 32,603 participants in the third wave of the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT3; 2006-08). Data on first purchase of antidepressants and anxiolytics were obtained from the Norwegian Prescription Database. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs).»
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« Results Each 1- metabolic equivalent of task (MET) increase in CRF was associated with 4 % reduced risk of purchasing antidepressant or anxiolytic medication during follow-up (HR 0.96, 95 % Confidence interval [CI] 0.94–0.98). Compared to the low CRF tertile, participants in intermediate (HR 0.93, 95 % CI 0.87–0.98) and high (HR 0.92, 95 % CI 0.86–0.98) CRF tertiles had reduced risk of medication purchase. Men in intermediate and high CRF tertile had lower risk of medication purchase (intermediate HR 0.87, 95 % CI 0.79–0.96; high HR 0.87, 95 % CI 0.78–0.96). Intermediate and high CRF tertiles were associated with reduced risk of medication use for younger adults (20 to <30 years old; intermediate HR 0.74, 95 % CI 0.61–0.91, high HR 0.78, 95 % CI 0.64–0.95) and middle-aged adults (30 to <65 years old; intermediate HR 0.90, 95 % CI 0.83–0.97, high HR 0.90, 95 % CI 0.84–0.98), but not in older adults (≥65 years old). »...

«Abstract Vision is critical for the regulation of mating behaviors in many species. Here, we discovered that the Drosophila ortholog of human GABA A -receptor-associated protein (GABARAP) is required to fine-tune male courtship by modulating the activity of visual feedback neurons, lamina tangential cells (Lat). GABARAP is a ubiquitin-like protein that regulates cell-surface levels of GABA A receptors. Knocking down GABARAP or GABA A receptors in Lat neurons or hyperactivating them induces male courtship toward other males. Inhibiting Lat neurons, on the other hand, delays copulation by impairing the ability of males to follow females. Remarkably, the human ortholog of Drosophila GABARAP restores function in Lat neurons. Using in vivo two-photon imaging and optogenetics, we show that Lat neurons are functionally connected to neural circuits that mediate visually-guided courtship pursuits in males. Our work reveals a novel physiological role for GABARAP in fine-tuning the activity of a visual circuit that tracks a mating partner during courtship.»...

«New research from Cornell University biologists suggests the fruit fly's visual system, not just chemical receptors, are deeply involved with their social behaviors. The work sheds light on the possible origin of differences in human social behaviors, such as those seen in people with bipolar disorder and autism.The paper, "Visual Feedback Neurons Fine-tune Drosophila Male Courtship via GABA-mediated Inhibition," published in Current Biology on Sept. 5.»...