July 11, 2022
Community Shares:
- New research published in JAMA Psychiatry found that balovaptan, an oral selective vasopressin 1a receptor antagonist, did not improve socialization or communication in children with autism. This randomized clinical trial included 167 children and adolescents with ASD that were divided into two groups: a balovaptan exposed group and a placebo group. Unfortunately, at the end of the 24-week trial, the two groups exhibited no significant difference in socialization and communication skills. The lead author and colleagues do not believe this is the end of the road for balovaptan due to the heterogeneity of individuals with autism. A genetic variation may make some individuals better candidates for the drug than others.
- A research team from Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences has discovered that brain electrical waves in the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala areas of mice go through pronounced variations when interacting socially with other mice. When using the same methods to test mice exhibiting poor social skills or symptoms of depression and autism, those same brain waves were not present. These findings provide more understanding of brain activity related to social behavior and its deficits in certain disorders.
- Dentoalveolar trauma includes injuries involving the teeth, the alveolar portion of the maxilla and mandible, and the adjacent soft tissues. This type of trauma is among the most serious dental conditions. Unfortunately, a new systematic review and meta-analysis shows that individuals with autism are at increased risk for dentoalveolar trauma than those without the disorder.
- A new study of over 1,000 European mother-child pairs discovered that the risk of liver injury was 44-121% higher among children with prenatal exposure to organochlorine pesticides, perfluoroalkyl substances, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and metals. Also found in the same research was an association between increased levels of blood caspase-generated cytokeratin 18 (CK-18), a novel marker of hepatocyte apoptosis, and non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD) in children who were exposed to polychlorinated byphenyls and PBDEs.
