ORCID Profile
0000-0002-3321-182X
Current Organisation
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Department of Psychology
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 29-03-2022
Abstract: Previous studies have shown that immunological factors are involved in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The present study examined whether immunological abnormalities are associated with cognitive and behavioral deficits in children with ASD and whether children with ASD show different immunological biomarkers and brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF levels than typically developing (TD) children. Sixteen children with TD and 18 children with ASD, aged 6–18 years, voluntarily participated in the study. Participants’ executive functions were measured using neuropsychological tests, and behavioral measures were measured using parent ratings. Immunological measures were assessed by measuring the participants’ blood serum levels of chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5). Children with ASD showed greater deficits in cognitive functions as well as altered levels of immunological measures when compared to TD children, and their cognitive functions and behavioral deficits were significantly associated with increased CCL5 levels and decreased BDNF levels. These results provide evidence to support the notion that altered immune functions and neurotrophin deficiency are involved in the pathogenesis of ASD.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 08-05-2023
DOI: 10.1177/13623613231169547
Abstract: This triple-arm, double-blind, randomized clinical trial investigated the effect of multisession prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on social functioning in in iduals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 105 in iduals (age 14–21 years) diagnosed with ASD were randomized into the active-tDCS, sham-tDCS, and waitlist control groups. The experimental group received 20 min of 1.5 mA tDCS stimulation (cathode: F3 anode: Fp2) for 10 days with concurrent computerized cognitive remediation training. Changes in overall social functioning, social communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRB) were measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale-2nd edition (SRS-2). Two-level hierarchical linear mixed-model analysis showed significant group*time interactions for SRS-2 total [ F(2, 107.09) = 7.82 p = 0.001] and RRB [ F(2, 90.26) = 5.62 p = 0.005] T-scores. When compared with the waitlist control group, the changes in scores were only significant in active-tDCS (SRS-2 total T-score p 0.001, d = 0.61 SRS-2 RRB T-score p = 0.002, d = 0.88), but not sham-tDCS (SRS-2 total T-score p 0.12, d = 0.30 SRS-2 RRB T-score p = 0.54, d = 0.17) group. Multiple sessions of prefrontal tDCS coupled with cognitive training is a safe and effective treatment for improving social functioning in people with ASD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT03814083 URL: t2/show/NCT03814083 ). Currently available pharmacological and behavioral interventions for adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) yield only modest effect in alleviating their core behavioral and cognitive symptoms, and some of these treatment options are associated with undesirable side effects. Hence, developing effective treatment protocols is urgently needed. Given emerging evidence shows that the abnormal connections of the frontal brain regions contribute to the manifestations of ASD behavioral and cognitive impairments, noninvasive treatment modalities that are capable in modulating brain connections, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have been postulated to be potentially promising for alleviating core symptoms in ASD. However, whether tDCS can reduce behavioral symptoms and enhance cognitive performance in ASD remains unclear. This randomized controlled trial involving 105 adolescents and young adults with ASD showed that multiple sessions of a tDCS protocol, which was paired up with computerized cognitive training, was effective in improving social functioning in adolescents and young adults with ASD. No prolonged and serious side effects were observed. With more future studies conducted in different clinical settings that recruit participants from a wider age range, this tDCS protocol may be potentially beneficial to a broad spectrum of in iduals with autism.
Location: Hong Kong
Location: United States of America
No related grants have been discovered for Agnes Chan.