The quantity and quality of research into autism and related conditions have increased dramatically in recent years. Consequently we selectively review key accomplishments and highlight directions for future research. More consistent approaches to diagnosis and more rigorous assessment methods have significantly advanced research, although the boundaries of the 'broader phenotype' remain to be ...

Pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) are characterized by slow, limited and atypical developmental processes with onset in the early years of life. The condition leads on to disabilities in virtually all the psychological and behavioral sectors with prominent disturbances in social, communicative and cognitive spheres. PDDs include the prototypic Childhood autism, Rett’s syndrome, Childhood...

Sleep problems associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been well documented, but less is known about the effects of sleep problems on day-time cognitive and adaptive performance in this population. Children diagnosed with autism or pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) (N = 335) from 1 to 10 years of age (M = 5.5 years) were evaluated for the relationsh...

OBJECTIVE To review the current knowledge on neurobiological aspects of autism and pervasive developmental disorders, as well as to provide pediatricians with up to date information on diagnosis and treatment of autism. SOURCES OF DATA Review of MEDLINE and Internet. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS Autism is the 3rd developmental disorder, with an incidence of 40 to 130/100,000 individuals. Diagnos...

UNLABELLED Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) or Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) include Autistic Disorder (commonest), Asperger's syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorders, Rett's syndrome and PDD-NOS (not otherwise specified). OBJECTIVE Autism is an important cause of social disability and reported more often from the developed world than from the developing countries. The present...

Although originally developed for the treatment of hypertension, a2agonists have been used to treat Tourette’s syndrome, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental disorders and substance abuse for nearly three decades. Based on studies of clonidine, a2-agonists were presumed to reduce arousal by decreasing the firing of noradrenaline neurons in locus ceruleus. Accumulated p...

This report examined the effect of methylphenidate on social communication and self-regulation in children with pervasive developmental disorders and hyperactivity in a secondary analysis of RUPP Autism Network data. Participants were 33 children (29 boys) between the ages of 5 and 13 years who participated in a four-week crossover trial of placebo and increasing doses of methylphenidate given ...

The objective of this study was to describe how the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) behaves in relation to the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and to clinical diagnosis based on the criteria defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4 th Edition (DSM-IV) for children of immigrant parents. Forty-nine children of parents who had immigrated to Canada ...

Objective: There are few previously published studies of feeding problems and/or gastrointestinal dysfunction among children with Asperger syndrome (AS) or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD-NOS), compared to sibling controls. Study Design: On-line parent autism groups 90% from North America. Statistical analysis: Chi square and binomial logistic regression statistical analysis Results: Comp...

The authors tested susceptibility to contagious yawning in 120 children, 1-6 years, to identify the time course of its emergence during development. Results indicated a substantial increase in the frequency of contagious yawning at 4 years. In a second study, the authors examined contagious yawning in 28 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), 6-15 years. Children with ASD showed diminis...