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Visual behavior is known to be atypical in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Monitor-based eye-tracking studies have measured several of these atypicalities in individuals with Autism. While atypical behaviors are known to be accentuated during natural interactions, few studies have been made on gaze behavior in natural interactions. In this study we focused on i) whether the findings done in laboratory settings are also visible in a naturalistic interaction; ii) whether new atypical elements appear when studying visual behavior across the whole field of view. Ten children with ASD and ten typically developing children participated in a dyadic interaction with an experimenter administering items from the Early Social Communication Scale (ESCS). The children wore a novel head-mounted eye-tracker, measuring gaze direction and presence of faces across the child's field of view. The analysis of gaze episodes to faces revealed that children with ASD looked significantly less and for shorter lapses of time at the experimenter. The analysis of gaze patterns across the child's field of view revealed that children with ASD looked downwards and made more extensive use of their lateral field of view when exploring the environment. The data gathered in naturalistic settings confirm findings previously obtained only in monitor-based studies. Moreover, the study allowed to observe a generalized strategy of lateral gaze in children with ASD when they were looking at the objects in their environment.

A stomach plastic pollution mimicking pink quartz, garnet, turquoise, jade, sapphire, topaz, rose quartz, pink tourmaline, ruby,\" writes British photographer Mandy Barker in her research notebooks for her series STILL (FFS). Alongside these words is a black pane framing what looks like a gemstone, green hues with mottled edges. The thing could be nestled against black fabric or suspended in deep space, a mineral fragment hurtling through time. As Barker's words suggest, though, the object's provenance is more complicated. It is one of dozens of plastic fragments extracted by scientists from the stomach of a Flesh-footed Shearwater chick from Lord Howe Island, a nub of volcanic rock in the Tasman Sea. The shearwaters appeared around dusk, emerging from across the low-lit sea, here one, there another, muted-brown plumage and loping wingbeats, each carving a route back to its burrow dug into the sandy forest floor, amid banyan trees with vast buttressed trunks and dangling aerial roots.

Background The recurrent ∼600 kb 16p11.2 BP4-BP5 deletion is among the most frequent known genetic aetiologies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disorders. Objective To define the medical, neuropsychological, and behavioural phenotypes in carriers of this deletion. Methods We collected clinical data on 285 deletion carriers and performed detailed evaluations on 72 carriers and 68 intrafamilial non-carrier controls. Results When compared to intrafamilial controls, full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) is two standard deviations lower in carriers, and there is no difference between carriers referred for neurodevelopmental disorders and carriers identified through cascade family testing. Verbal IQ (mean 74) is lower than non-verbal IQ (mean 83) and a majority of carriers require speech therapy. Over 80% of individuals exhibit psychiatric disorders including ASD, which is present in 15% of the paediatric carriers. Increase in head circumference (HC) during infancy is similar to the HC and brain growth patterns observed in idiopathic ASD. Obesity, a major comorbidity present in 50% of the carriers by the age of 7 years, does not correlate with FSIQ or any behavioural trait. Seizures are present in 24% of carriers and occur independently of other symptoms. Malformations are infrequently found, confirming only a few of the previously reported associations. Conclusions The 16p11.2 deletion impacts in a quantitative and independent manner FSIQ, behaviour and body mass index, possibly through direct influences on neural circuitry. Although non-specific, these features are clinically significant and reproducible. Lastly, this study demonstrates the necessity of studying large patient cohorts ascertained through multiple methods to characterise the clinical consequences of rare variants involved in common diseases.

A National Deaf Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) was launched in England in October 2009. This new service commissioned by the National Commissioning Group was centrally funded after a successful pilot between 2004 and 2009 that was evaluated positively by the Social Policy Research Unit at York University in England using both qualitative and quantitative research. The new service has four main centres in London, York, Dudley and Taunton. Staff from these centres work into six additional local CAMHS centres to give good geographical coverage. These are based in: Newcastle; Manchester; Cambridge; Maidstone; Oxford; and Nottingham. The service provides assessment and interventions for severe to profoundly deaf children and young people with serious child mental health problems. The service uses innovative communication technologies such as teleconferencing, texting and webcam as well as traditional provision of clinical services in clinics, home and school visits. Users and carers will have an ongoing say in service development.

BackgroundThe recurrent similar to 600kb 16p11.2 BP4-BP5 deletion is among the most frequent known genetic aetiologies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disorders.ObjectiveTo define the medical, neuropsychological, and behavioural phenotypes in carriers of this deletion.MethodsWe collected clinical data on 285 deletion carriers and performed detailed evaluations on 72 carriers and 68 intrafamilial non-carrier controls.ResultsWhen compared to intrafamilial controls, full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) is two standard deviations lower in carriers, and there is no difference between carriers referred for neurodevelopmental disorders and carriers identified through cascade family testing. Verbal IQ (mean 74) is lower than non-verbal IQ (mean 83) and a majority of carriers require speech therapy. Over 80% of individuals exhibit psychiatric disorders including ASD, which is present in 15% of the paediatric carriers. Increase in head circumference (HC) during infancy is similar to the HC and brain growth patterns observed in idiopathic ASD. Obesity, a major comorbidity present in 50% of the carriers by the age of 7 years, does not correlate with FSIQ or any behavioural trait. Seizures are present in 24% of carriers and occur independently of other symptoms. Malformations are infrequently found, confirming only a few of the previously reported associations.ConclusionsThe 16p11.2 deletion impacts in a quantitative and independent manner FSIQ, behaviour and body mass index, possibly through direct influences on neural circuitry. Although non-specific, these features are clinically significant and reproducible. Lastly, this study demonstrates the necessity of studying large patient cohorts ascertained through multiple methods to characterise the clinical consequences of rare variants involved in common diseases.

A National Deaf Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) was launched in England in October 2009. This new service commissioned by the National Commissioning Group was centrally funded after a successful pilot between 2004 and 2009 that was evaluated positively by the Social Policy Research Unit at York University in England using both qualitative and quantitative research. The new service has four main centres in London, York, Dudley and Taunton. Staff from these centres work into six additional local CAMHS centres to give good geographical coverage. These are based in: Newcastle, Manchester, Cambridge, Maidstone, Oxford and Nottingham. The service provides assessment and interventions for severe to profoundly deaf children and young people with serious child mental health problems. The service uses innovative communication technologies such as teleconferencing, texting and webcam as well as traditional provision of clinical services in clinics, home and school visits. Users and carers will have an ongoing say in service development.