Summer 2017 Update. Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C Tucson, AZ. All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 1

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Summer 2017 Update Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.

3 Dementia and AD/HD Researchers from Taiwan found that adults with AD/HD have a 3.4 fold higher risk of developing dementia when compared to non- AD/HD adults after conducting a national population study. Tzeng, N.-S., et al. (June, 19, 2017). Risk of Dementia in Adults With ADHD: A Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan. Journal of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 3

4 AD/HD Youth and Substance Use American researchers conducted a study of subjects who were in the original MTA study of AD/HD and compared them to non-ad/hd youth who were not in the MTA study regarding their substance abuse. Coded interviews indicated those with AD/HD we less likely to use substances if they knew others whose lives were ruined by substance abuse than were their non-ad/hd peers. Weisner, T.S., et al. (June 15, 2017). Follow-Up of Young Adults With ADHD in the MTA: Design and Methods for Qualitative Interviews. Journal of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 4

5 AD/HD and Autism Comorbidity National Center for Health Statistics scientists in the U.S. conducted a study where they found one in eight children with AD/HD also meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder. Such children were found to be more impaired, have more comorbidities and both types of AD/HD. Zabotsky, B., et al. (June, 14, 2017). The Co-Occurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children With ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 5

6 AD/HD, Math, & Medication Researchers in Amsterdam found that Methylphenidate did not improve cognitive and/or math abilities in children with AD/HD. Non- AD/HD control students for the most part out performed the treated AD/HD students. However the parent rating of the AD/HD student s behavior related to math indicated improvement with medication. Fleur Kortekaas-Rijlaarsdam, A., et al. (June 13, 2017). Methylphenidate-Related Improvements in Math Performance Cannot Be Explained by Better Cognitive Functioning or Higher Academic Motivation: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 6

7 Neurofibromatosis type 1 Vs. AD/HD French investigators found the attention deficits commonly found in children with Neurofibromatosis type 1 and AD/HD are significantly different. Lion-Francois, L., et al. (June 6, 2017). Attention and Executive Disorders in Neurofibromatosis 1: Comparison Between NF1 With ADHD Symptomatology (NF1 + ADHD) and ADHD Per Se. Journal of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 7

8 AD/HD and Migraines A multinational team of scientists (Brazil, U.S.A., & Italy) found that migraine headaches are commonly comorbid with AD/HD. Antonio Arruda, M. (June 6, 2017). ADHD Is Comorbid to Migraine in Childhood: A Population-Based Study. Journal of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 8

9 AD/HD and Empathy Israeli scientists discovered that children with AD/HD have significantly less reported empathy, and are worse at identifying social faux-pas than their non-impaired peers. However, when properly medicated the AD/HD improved in recognizing social fauxpas to the level of the non-ad/hd children. Maoz, H. et al. (May 30, 2017). Theory of Mind and Empathy in Children With ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 9

10 AD/HD & Romantic Relationships Researchers in America investigated relationship difficulties in AD/HD young adults and found their attentional difficulties tended to cause less constructive responded to their partners negative behavior. Additionally, they found the AD/HD young adults hyperactive symptoms caused them relationship difficulty, too. VanderDrift, L.E. et al. (Mya 10, 2017). Inattention and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity: Their Detrimental Effect on Romantic Relationship Maintenance. Journal Of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 10

11 AD/HD and PTSD A Syracuse medical school study found that 10% of adults with AD/HD meet criteria for PTSD also. This is compared to 1.6% of the general population who has PTSD. The scientists concluded this was not due to random diagnostic errors and it seemed to follow families. Antshel, KM, et al. (March, 2013). Posttraumatic stress disorder in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: clinical features and familial transmission. Journal of Clinical Psychology. DOI: /JCP.12m All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 11

12 AD/HD Medication Use in Childhood and Substance Abuse A group of US scientists found that being treated with medication for AD/HD in childhood does not increase the risk of substance abuse in adolescence and/or adulthood. In fact in boys the risk was significantly less. Quinn, P.D. et al. (June 29, 2017). ADHD Medication and Substance-Related Problems. American Journal of Psychiatry. DOI: /appi.ajp All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 12

13 Migraine Headaches and AD/HD A study done by Brazilian and Italian scholars indicated the risk of having migraine headaches is significantly higher than it is with non- AD/HD children. Arruda, M.A., et al. (June 6, 2017). ADHD Is Comorbid to Migraine in Childhood: A Population-Based Study. Journal of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 13

14 AD/HD and Oxytocin Turkish researchers found that children with AD/HD have an alteration in their oxytocin receptor gene that may account for some of their social interaction deficits. Kalyoncu, T. et al. (May 6, 2017). Variation in the Oxytocin Receptor Gene Is Associated With Social Cognition and ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders. Journal of Attention Disorders. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 14

16 Specific Learning Disorder & Suicide Researchers from Canada found that adults with Specific Learning Disorder are 46% more likely to attempt suicide than their nonimpaired peers, and those who had witnessed chronic domestic violence and/or had major depression were even higher attempt risks. Fuller-Thomson, E. et al. (June 21, 2017). Suicide Attempts Among Individuals With Specific Learning Disorders: An Underrecognized Issue. Journal of Learning Disabilities. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 16

17 Math Disabilities U. S. Investigators reviewed the longitudinal literature regarding specific learning disorder dyscalculia and found it to be stable. Children who were identified a s disabled in math in early grades were found to be highly likely to be so in upper grades. Nelson, G. et al. (June 14, 2017). A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies of Mathematics Difficulty. Journal of Learning Disabilities. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 17

18 Dyslexia and Lexical Tone Perception Chinese scientists found that dyslexic Chinese children have phonological processing difficulties in addition to difficulties with lexical tone perception. This may account for some of the deficits in dyslexia. Tong, X. et al. (June 13, 2017). Beyond Auditory Sensory Processing Deficits: Lexical Tone Perception Deficits in Chinese Children With Developmental Dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 18

19 Working Memory Training, Reading and Math Researchers from china conducted a study where children with specific learning disability were give 20 days of working memory training to see if it could improve their reading and math. They claimed the results held for 6 months. Chen, X. et al. (June 9, 2017). Effect of Working Memory Updating Training on Retrieving Symptoms of Children With Learning Disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 19

20 Evoked Potential P300 Waves and Dyslexia Scientists recently found that dyslexic children have lower capacity to process their workload and slower processing than non-impaired children. Papagiannopoulou, E.A. et al. (April, 2017). P300 event-related potentials in children with dyslexia. Annals of Dyslexia, 63(1), All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 20

21 FlashWord and Dyslexia Fifteen students from 8 to 19 with dyslexia were exposed to the FlashWord computer program which uses a uses a tachistoscope to flash words to different hemispheres of the brain. The scientists found that 67% of the students increased their word reading to the automatized level and increased their word reading rate by 20 a minute. These results were confirmed by fmri scans. Koen, B.J. et al. (May 24, 2017). The Location and Effects of Visual Hemisphere-Specific Stimulation on Reading Fluency in Children With the Characteristics of Dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 21

22 Number-Line Mistakes and Dyscalculia American investigators found that children with mathematics disorder are significantly more often to use faulty number line execution mistakes than non-impaired students. Zang, D., et al. (May 6, 2017). Strategies Students With and Without Mathematics Disabilities Use When Estimating Fractions on Number Lines. Learning Disabilities Quarterly. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 22

24 Autistic Adults Quality of Life and Social Support Researchers from the USA found that adults with autism reported significantly lower quality of life and social support as well as experienced significantly perceived stress when compared to nonimpaired matched controls. Providing more social support did not appear to mitigate this. Bishop-Fitzpatrick, L. et al. (June 30, 2017). The combined impact of social support and perceived stress on quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorder and without intellectual disability. Autism. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 24

25 Bullying and Autism British and Dutch scientists found that in those with autism bullying behaviors are associated with behavior problems and victimization was associated with peer problems; like in typically developing children. Of note, the severity of autistic symptoms did not predict bullying behaviors. Fink, E. et al. (May 17, 2017). Bullying-related behaviour in adolescents with autism: Links with autism severity and emotional and behavioural problems. Autism. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 25

26 Long-Term Memory & Autism Researchers form Pennsylvania found that adults had difficulty remembering stories over time because they failed to understand the thematic aspect of them. Hence, they have trouble with episodic memory. Williams, D.L., et al. (April 27, 2017). Long-term memory in older children/adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Research. DOI: /aur All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 26

27 Pain Perception and Autism American scientists investigated how a group of adults perceive pain compared to a match group of non-impaired adults. Surprisingly the two groups had equal levels of perceived pain when exposed to a acute painful stimuli. However, the autistic group had a significant reduction of perceived pain with chronic pain when compared to the controls. fmris of their brains also indicated they processed chronic pain differently that the typical developed. Failla, M.D. et al. (May 17, 2017). Initially intact neural responses to pain in autism are diminished during sustained pain. Autism. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 27

28 Multisensory Processing and Autism Canadian investigators found that children with autism experience temporal processing difficulties that contribute to their social speech perception. This was worsened by difficulties they have integrating visual and auditory social information. It is the multitasking of these cognitive abilities that causes much of their social difficulties. Stevenson, R.A. et al. (May 15, 2017). The cascading influence of multisensory processing on speech perception in autism. Autism. DOI: / All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 28

29 Internet Addiction, AD/HD and/or Autism Japanese researchers found that 10.8% of children with AD/HD have comorbid internet addiction (IA), 12.5% of those with Autism have IA, and 20% with AD/HD and autism have AI. They suggested that all children with AD/HD and/or autism be evaluated for comorbid IA. So, R. et al. (July, 2017). The Prevalence of Internet Addiction Among a Japanese Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic Sample With Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Cross- Sectional Study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(7), All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 29

30 Sleep, AD/HD and Comorbid Autism Scientists from Texas found that children with autism and comorbid autism have significant sleep difficulties due to internalizing concerns. These sleep problems cause the significant difficulty in the daily lives. Reynolds, K.C., et al. (May 3, 2017). Parent-reported problematic sleep behaviors in children with comorbid autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders. DOI: /j.rasd All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 30

31 Internal Neural Noise and Autism British investigators found that internal noise in the neurological system of those with autism appears to be associated with their disorder. Vilidaite, G., et al (April 17, 2017). Internal noise estimates correlate with autistic traits. Autism Research. DOI: /aur All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 31

32 Autism and White Matter University of San Diego scientists found that motion while in the sensor of a diffusion tensor imager by those with autism may account for some of the indication from previous research that they have significantly less white matter in their brains than typically developing children; However; when the motion is controlled for there is still significantly less white matter in those with autism. Solders, S.K. et al. (May 17, 2017). White matter compromise in autism? Differentiating motion confounds from true differences in diffusion tensor imaging. Autism Research. DOI: /aur All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 32

33 Robots and Autism Researchers from South Korea discovered that children with autism respond similarly to robots and humans modeling appropriate emotional facial recognition and eye contact. Hence, they believed robots could be useful in teaching social skills to autistic children. Yun, S.S. et al. (April, 2017). Social skills training for children with autism spectrum disorder using a robotic behavioral intervention system. Autism Research. DOI: /aur All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 33

34 CAM Therapies and Autism Researchers from Australia found after having a large group of parents with autistic children that a significant number of them used complementary and alternative medicine approaches with them. Most of the CAM therapies were determined no to be connected to symptom relief. They suggested these approached be scientifically investigated. Granich, J. et al. (2014). High use of complementary and alternative medication among children with autism is not associated with the severity of core symptoms. Journal of Autism. DOI: / X All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 34

35 Williams Syndrome Vs. ASD Recently it has been discovered that those with Williams Syndrome have an over abundance of the hormone oxytocin which makes those with the disorder over friendly. Hence, this underscores how they are the opposite of those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), because those with ASD have, too little oxytocin and as a result are aloof. Worrall, S. (July 16, 2017). This Rare Medical Condition Makes You Love Everyone. All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 35

36 Oxytocin & Autism Korean researchers reviewed the literature concerning the use of oxytocin with those with autism. They concluded it was a promising treatment considering its connection to human social behavior, and it is a maker of autism. Lee, S.Y., et al. ((September 16, 2015). Is Oxytocin Application for Autism Spectrum Disorder Evidence-Based? Experimental Neurobiology. DOI: /en All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 36

37 Autism, Genetics, & Eye Gaze A recent study funded by the NICHD indicated the autism is primarily a genetic disorder. They also found that human social visual behavior is controlled by genes. These genes are altered in those with autism and that is why they have altered attention to the mouths and eyes of others. This may indicate a method to diagnose autism in infancy in the future. Constantino, J., et al. (July 12, 2017). Infant viewing of social scenes is under genetic control and is atypical in autism. Nature. DOI: /nature All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 37

38 Mitochondrial DNA & Autism Scientists form the University of Washington discovered that Mitochondrial DNA has a significant part in the development of Autism. Patowary, A., et al. (April 17, 2017). Next Generation Sequencing Mitochondrial DNA Analysis in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Research. DOI: /aur All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 38

40 Genes and Williams Syndrome People with Williams Syndrome are missing the same 26 to 28 genes on the seventh chromosome and this is true of 99.9% of those with the disorder. A girl with Williams Syndrome was found to have 25 of them and did not suffer from the overwhelming friendliness often seen in those with the disorder. Worrall, S. (July 16, 2017). This Rare Medical Condition Makes You Love Everyone. All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 40

41 Williams Syndrome and Culture Japanese children with Williams Syndrome suffer more socially than children with the disorder in the US, because in Japan it is taboo do such things like hug a stranger. Japanese children with Williams Syndrome are far more likely to be institutionalized than they are in the US. Worrall, S. (July 16, 2017). This Rare Medical Condition Makes You Love Everyone. All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 41

42 Racial Bias and Williams Syndrome People with Williams Syndrome have no racial bias. Worrall, S. (July 16, 2017). This Rare Medical Condition Makes You Love Everyone. All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 42

September, 2015 Website Updates Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. All Rights Reserved

September, 2015 Website Updates Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. All Rights Reserved All Rights Reserved Kevin T. Blake, Ph.D., P.L.C. 1 Motor Functioning in Those with High Functioning Autism British and