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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is currently diagnosed based on a series of behavioral tests. The challenge for researchers is to try to uncover the biological basis for these typical behaviors in order to improve diagnosis and identify potential targets for treatment. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary in order to move forward. This includes analysis of the current animal models for ASD and their suitability, reviewing immunological, immunogenetic and epigenetic research, reassessing clinical diagnostic tools, and surveying radiological, pathological, and serological records for clues. This volume includes research from some of the leading researchers on ASD. We are hopeful that it will stimulate further dialogue and research in this challenging field.

Intelligence --- Sensory Thresholds --- Autoimmune Diseases --- Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) --- HLA Antigens --- Behavior --- Genetic syndromes

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Human behavior and decision making is subject to social and motivational influences such as emotions, norms and self/other regarding preferences. The identification of the neural and psychological mechanisms underlying these factors is a central issue in psychology, behavioral economics and social neuroscience, with important clinical, social, and even political implications. However, despite a continuously growing interest from the scientific community, the processes underlying these factors, as well as their ontogenetic and phylogenetic development, have so far remained elusive. In this Research Topic we collect articles that provide challenging insights and stimulate a fruitful controversy on the question of “what determines social behavior”. Indeed, over the last decades, research has shown that introducing a social context to otherwise abstract tasks has diverse effects on social behavior. On the one hand, it may induce individuals to act irrationally, for instance to refuse money, but on the other hand it improves individuals’ reasoning, in that formerly difficult abstract problems can be easily solved. These lines of research led to distinct (although not necessarily mutually exclusive) models for socially-driven behavioral changes. For instance, a popular theoretical framework interprets human behavior as a result of a conflict between cognition and emotion, with the cognitive system promoting self-interested choices, and the emotional system (triggered by the social context) operating against them. Other theories favor social norms and deontic heuristics in biasing human reasoning and encouraging choices that are sometimes in conflict with one’s interest. Few studies attempted to disentangle between these (as well as other) models. As a consequence, although insightful results arise from specific domains/tasks, a comprehensive theoretical framework is still missing. Furthermore, studies employing neuroimaging techniques have begun to shed some light on the neural substrates involved in social behavior, implicating consistently (although not exclusively) portions of the limbic system, the insular and the prefrontal cortex. In this context, a challenge for present research lies not only in further mapping the brain structures implicated in social behavior, or in describing in detail the functional interaction between these structures, but in showing how the implicated networks relate to different theoretical models. This is Research Topic hosted by members of the Swiss National Center of Competence in Research “Affective Sciences – Emotions in Individual Behaviour and Social Processes”. We collected contributions from the international community which extended the current knowledge about the psychological and neural structures underlying social behavior and decision making. In particular, we encouraged submissions from investigators arising from different domains (psychology, behavioral economics, affective sciences, etc.) implementing different techniques (behavior, electrophysiology, neuroimaging, brain stimulations) on different populations (neurotypical adults, children, brain damaged or psychiatric patients, etc.). Animal studies are also included, as the data reported are of high comparative value. Finally, we also welcomed submissions of meta-analytical articles, mini-reviews and perspective papers which offer provocative and insightful interpretations of the recent literature in the field.

Decision Making --- Medial prefrontal cortex --- autism spectrum disorders(ASD) --- Social Behavior --- Contextual appraisal --- oxytocin receptor gene --- ultimatum game --- Emotions --- Decision Making --- Medial prefrontal cortex --- autism spectrum disorders(ASD) --- Social Behavior --- Contextual appraisal --- oxytocin receptor gene --- ultimatum game --- Emotions

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Human behavior and decision making is subject to social and motivational influences such as emotions, norms and self/other regarding preferences. The identification of the neural and psychological mechanisms underlying these factors is a central issue in psychology, behavioral economics and social neuroscience, with important clinical, social, and even political implications. However, despite a continuously growing interest from the scientific community, the processes underlying these factors, as well as their ontogenetic and phylogenetic development, have so far remained elusive. In this Research Topic we collect articles that provide challenging insights and stimulate a fruitful controversy on the question of “what determines social behavior”. Indeed, over the last decades, research has shown that introducing a social context to otherwise abstract tasks has diverse effects on social behavior. On the one hand, it may induce individuals to act irrationally, for instance to refuse money, but on the other hand it improves individuals’ reasoning, in that formerly difficult abstract problems can be easily solved. These lines of research led to distinct (although not necessarily mutually exclusive) models for socially-driven behavioral changes. For instance, a popular theoretical framework interprets human behavior as a result of a conflict between cognition and emotion, with the cognitive system promoting self-interested choices, and the emotional system (triggered by the social context) operating against them. Other theories favor social norms and deontic heuristics in biasing human reasoning and encouraging choices that are sometimes in conflict with one’s interest. Few studies attempted to disentangle between these (as well as other) models. As a consequence, although insightful results arise from specific domains/tasks, a comprehensive theoretical framework is still missing. Furthermore, studies employing neuroimaging techniques have begun to shed some light on the neural substrates involved in social behavior, implicating consistently (although not exclusively) portions of the limbic system, the insular and the prefrontal cortex. In this context, a challenge for present research lies not only in further mapping the brain structures implicated in social behavior, or in describing in detail the functional interaction between these structures, but in showing how the implicated networks relate to different theoretical models. This is Research Topic hosted by members of the Swiss National Center of Competence in Research “Affective Sciences – Emotions in Individual Behaviour and Social Processes”. We collected contributions from the international community which extended the current knowledge about the psychological and neural structures underlying social behavior and decision making. In particular, we encouraged submissions from investigators arising from different domains (psychology, behavioral economics, affective sciences, etc.) implementing different techniques (behavior, electrophysiology, neuroimaging, brain stimulations) on different populations (neurotypical adults, children, brain damaged or psychiatric patients, etc.). Animal studies are also included, as the data reported are of high comparative value. Finally, we also welcomed submissions of meta-analytical articles, mini-reviews and perspective papers which offer provocative and insightful interpretations of the recent literature in the field.

Decision Making --- Medial prefrontal cortex --- autism spectrum disorders(ASD) --- Social Behavior --- Contextual appraisal --- oxytocin receptor gene --- ultimatum game --- Emotions

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Pour les enfants utilisant un moyen de communication alternatif et/ou augmentatif (CAA), la sélection d’un core vocabulary adapté est primordiale afin de donner aux individus des opportunités à s’engager dans la communication et dans l’interaction de manière appropriée, efficace et de façon relativement simple (Deckers, Van Zaalen, et al., 2017). Dans les outils de CAA, les noms sont souvent sur-représentés. Il faut donc porter une attention particulière à l’apprentissage des verbes pour les enfants avec TSA et utilisant une CAA (Crandall et al., 2019). En effet, ces verbes permettent l’élaboration de phrases porteuses de sens et améliorent la compréhension de l’enfant par son entourage.
Notre étude s’inscrit dans le cadre du projet de validation de l’outil de CAA numérique Tiwouh. Nous nous sommes servis de cet outil afin de réaliser un apprentissage spécifique sur un core vocabulary. Notre attention s’est portée sur l’apprentissage des verbes. Nous avons réalisé cet apprentissage via une approche comportementale : les essais distincts. L’intervention s’est déroulée en télé-pratique au domicile du participant avec un parent comme collaborateur. Dans le cadre de ce mémoire, nous avons réalisé une étude de cas. Il s’agissait d’un petit garçon de 5 ans et 6 mois ayant un trouble du spectre de l’autisme. L’intervention visait à ce que le participant puisse désigner correctement des verbes de base sur l’outil Tiwouh. Afin de vérifier l’efficacité de cette intervention, nous avons eu recours à une ligne de base spécifique.
Les résultats obtenus sont encourageants. En effet, notre intervention par essais distincts via l’outil Tiwouh et réalisée sous la modalité de la télé-pratique a été efficace. Les scores de notre participant se sont grandement améliorés à la suite de l’intervention. De plus, notre intervention a été spécifique, c’est-à-dire que l’augmentation des résultats est bel et bien due à notre intervention et non à un facteur extérieur. Enfin, nos résultats se sont maintenus dans le temps. 
Dès lors, nous pouvons conclure qu’une intervention par essais distincts via Tiwouh et via la télé-pratique est efficace afin de promouvoir un apprentissage spécifique chez des enfants ayant un trouble du spectre de l’autisme. Toutefois, la généralisation des résultats à une plus large population est à réaliser avec prudence au vu du profil de notre participant et de la mise en place de l’intervention. For children using alternative and/or augmentative communication (AAC), selecting an appropriate core vocabulary is crucial in order to give them the opportunity to communicate and interact in a quite simple and efficient way. In AAC system, nouns are often overrepresented. There is a need to pay a special attention to the learning of verbs for the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children and those using an AAC. These verbs allows them to build meaningful sentences and to be better understood by their caregivers and peers.
Our study takes place in the validation project of the high-tech AAC Tiwouh. We used this system to make a specific learning of a core vocabulary. We gave a special attention to the verbs learning using a behavioral approach : the discrete trial training (DTT). We made a case study in this master thesis. We worked with a 5,6 years old boy with ASD. This intervention was made using telepractice from the participant home who was assisted by his mother. The aim of the intervention was to teach the child to correctly point at verbs on the Tiwouh system. To assess the intervention efficiency, we used a specific baseline.
The results are promising. Our telepractice intervention with Tiwouh was effective. The results of the child highly improved after the intervention. Moreover, the intervention was specific which means that the improvement of the child results are not due to external factors. In addition, we showed that the results maintained in time.
In conclusion, our telepractice DTT intervention was efficient in order to improve the specific learning for ASD children. However, we should be careful with the results because we only worked with one child.

Trouble du spectre de l’autisme (TSA), essais distincts, vocabulaire de base, télé-pratique --- autism spectrum disorder (ASD), discrete trial training (DTT), core vocabulary, telepractice --- Sciences sociales & comportementales, psychologie > Education & enseignement

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The Identification of the Genetic Components of Autism Spectrum Disorders 2020 will be a useful resource for laboratory and clinical scientists, translational-based researchers, primary healthcare providers and physicians, psychologists/psychiatrists, neurologists, developmental pediatricians, clinical geneticists, teachers, special educators, and caregivers involved with individuals who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD), with the goal to translate information directly to the clinical, education and home settings. Other professionals, students at all levels, and families who are interested in this important neurodevelopmental disorder will find this textbook of value by obtaining a better awareness of the causes, testing, and understanding of genetic components leading to autism, and research that may open avenues for treatment with new approaches. This textbook includes nine chapters divided into three sections (clinical, genetics, other) written by experts in the field dedicated to genetics research and clinical care, description, and treatment by generating reviews for ASD and related disorders. These chapters include information on discoveries, risk factors, causation, diagnosis, treatment, and phenotyping with characterization of genomic or genetic factors and the environment, as genetics play an important role in up to 90% of individuals with autism via over 800 currently recognized genes.

Research & information: general --- Biology, life sciences --- Genetics (non-medical) --- autism --- ASD --- genetics --- heterogeneity --- syndromes --- assessment --- medications --- treatment --- causes --- autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) --- proteomics --- metabolomics --- interactomics --- disease biomarkers --- clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) --- phenotypic subgroups stratified by ASD severity --- simplex families --- DNA methylation --- subgroup-associated genes and biological functions --- Broader Autism Phenotype --- genetic --- autism spectrum disorder --- multiplex family --- genetic factors --- epigenetic factors --- environmental factors --- pervasive developmental disorder --- post-synaptic density --- CNV --- SNP --- gene fusion --- CACNA1C --- CaV1.2 --- short QT syndrome --- dental enamel defect --- bioinformatics --- human genetics --- pharmacogenomics --- 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 deletion --- Burnside-Butler syndrome --- clinical findings --- cognition --- neuropsychiatric behavior development --- genomic characterization --- exome sequencing --- protein–protein interaction --- 22q13.3 duplication --- auditory steady-state response --- ASSR --- SHANK3 --- biomarker --- auditory event-related potential --- ERP --- autism spectrum disorders --- intellectual disabilities --- autism --- ASD --- genetics --- heterogeneity --- syndromes --- assessment --- medications --- treatment --- causes --- autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) --- proteomics --- metabolomics --- interactomics --- disease biomarkers --- clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) --- phenotypic subgroups stratified by ASD severity --- simplex families --- DNA methylation --- subgroup-associated genes and biological functions --- Broader Autism Phenotype --- genetic --- autism spectrum disorder --- multiplex family --- genetic factors --- epigenetic factors --- environmental factors --- pervasive developmental disorder --- post-synaptic density --- CNV --- SNP --- gene fusion --- CACNA1C --- CaV1.2 --- short QT syndrome --- dental enamel defect --- bioinformatics --- human genetics --- pharmacogenomics --- 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 deletion --- Burnside-Butler syndrome --- clinical findings --- cognition --- neuropsychiatric behavior development --- genomic characterization --- exome sequencing --- protein–protein interaction --- 22q13.3 duplication --- auditory steady-state response --- ASSR --- SHANK3 --- biomarker --- auditory event-related potential --- ERP --- autism spectrum disorders --- intellectual disabilities