Elsevier

Epilepsy & Behavior

Volume 16, Issue 4, December 2009, Pages 569-589
Epilepsy & Behavior

Review
Update on autism: A review of 1300 reports published in 2008

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2009.09.023Get rights and content

Abstract

This publication, by reviewing 1300 studies published on autism in 2008, represents an update on this topic. Results include possible parental influences, maternal conditions, and studies on genes and chromosomes. Possible etiological factors involve the “extreme male brain,” defects in the mirror neuron system, vaccines, underconnectivity, disorders of central coherence, and many other more specific etiologies. Assessments or tests for autism are also reviewed. Characteristics of autistic individuals include repetitive behavior, language disorders, sleep disturbances, social problems, joint attention disorders, seizures, allergic reactions, and various behavioral changes. Cognitive changes involve IQ, reasoning, and verbal and language disorders. The savant syndrome is a fascinating phenomenon, at times seen in autistic individuals. Neurophysiological and neuroanatomical changes are also reviewed, as are comorbid conditions. Finally, treatment involves various medications including risperidone, ziprasidone, and antipsychotic drugs, as well as different procedures such as magnetic stimulation, acupuncture, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. As mentioned in the 2007 survey, nearly every conceivable problem that a child can have may be found in these unfortunate children and nearly every conceivable etiology has been mentioned to account for this serious disorder.

Introduction

In a previous publication [1], the present author reviewed studies published on autism during the year 2007. The goal of this report is to similarly review studies on autism published during the year 2008.

Section snippets

Method

Nearly 1300 reports were listed on Medline under the title “autism.” The reviewer chose to discuss in this report those studies that came to some clear conclusion or included specific data. Disregarded were studies that were published in 2008 but were not listed on Medline until 2009, and also those that were not exclusively on the topic of autism or came to no specific conclusion. Genetic studies are deemphasized here, especially because the previous report by this reviewer on 2007 studies [1]

Psychological changes

One of the major differences between the 2007 review and the present one of 2008 is the number of studies implicating the parents of children with autism. Wallace et al. [2] indicated that parents’ depression is associated with the child’s repetitive behavior and parents’ anxiety is related to the child’s social communication problems. Family history of depression and shyness were the subject of another study [3], and these family factors had the greatest influence on socialization scores of

Summary

The goal of this report was to survey 1300 publications on autism published in 2008 and to summarize the findings of those studies that came to specific conclusions or included relevant data.

One of the major differences between the present review of 2008 publications and the previous review of the 2007 studies [1] is the present emphasis on the observation of similar characteristics in children with autism and their parents. The psychological changes include parents’ depression, shyness,

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