(2017). 9th International Congress on Psychopharmacology & 5th International Symposium on Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology: Vol. 27, 9th International Congress on Psychopharmacology & 5th International Symposium on Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Abstracts, pp. 85-180.

There are studies reporting different results on whether there is an increased incidence of cardiovascular problems in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this study was to examine carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), an early marker of atherosclerosis in children and adolescents with ASD. This single-center case-control study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. Eighty-five children (36 children with autism and 49 healthy controls) aged 6–18 were enrolled. After a clinical interview, Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) were filled out and laboratory measures were collected for ASD group. Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist and hip) of each participant were assessed. The cIMT was measured with an ultrasound probe on both sides of the neck. Age, gender, body mass index percentile and waist/hip ratio adjusted right/left common carotid arteries IMT and right/left bulb IMT were statistically significantly higher in the autism group than controls (0.45 ± 0.01 mm and 0.55 ± 0.01 mm, respectively, p < 0.001). We performed multiple linear regression analysis to determine statistically significant related factors of the cIMT in ASD. Early onset of autism symptoms were related with high carotid IMT (β = −0.496, p = 0.01). These findings suggest that atherosclerosis may begin earlier in children with ASD, which is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood. The cIMT measurement, which is an easy and noninvasive method in the cardiovascular assessment and follow-up can be recommended for clinical use for individuals with ASD.

The high prevalence of tic disorders in males may be related to androgenic steroids during the intrauterine period. During the critical period of fetal development, the release of high levels of gonadal androgens and stress hormones may contribute to the etiology of tic disorders. To investigate the possible association between these hormones and tic disorder, the ratio of two to four digits (2D:4D) was used as a measure of fetal hormone exposure. Eighty children aged 7–17 years, including 40 children diagnosed with tic disorder and 40 healthy controls, were included in a cross‐sectional study. All participants had a psychopathology assessment, and their 2D:4D ratio was measured digitally. The 2D:4D ratio in the left hand was significantly higher in the controls than in the cases ( p = 0.003). Multivariate logistic regression analysis also supported that a low left 2D:4D ratio was independently associated with tic disorder ( p = 0.011). Girls showed a positive correlation between right 2D:4D ratio and vocal tic scores ( r = 0.715, p = 0.013). However, the 2D:4D ratio did not appear to be significantly associated with comorbidities, age at diagnosis, or age at onset of motor tic, vocal tic, or sensory phenomena. The results suggest that fetal sex hormone exposure may play a role in the development of tic disorders. This study showed that children and young people with tic disorders had a different 2D:4D ratio compared to healthy controls. A correlation between the ratio and the severity of the symptoms was also found. These novel findings may provide a solid basis for future longitudinal and mechanistic studies examining prenatal androgen exposure as a contributing factor in the etiology and clinical heterogeneity of tic disorders.

The aim of this study was to examine sleep problems in newly diagnosed children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and compared these problems with typically developing (TD) children in early childhood period. We also evaluated the factors that may be related to sleep problems in ASD group. Forty-eight children with ASD and 46 TD children, and their parents were enrolled in the study. The severity of autistic symptoms and mother–child relationship of children with ASD, and developmental level of all children were assessed. The parents completed questionnaires related to their children’s sleep, behavioral problems, and their own psychiatric symptoms. ASD group did not differ from controls in terms of sleep problems. Sleep problems were associated with behavioral problems (p < 0.001), developmental level (p < 0.05), autism severity (p < 0.01), maternal psychopathology (p < 0.01) and mother–child relationship quality (p < 0.05) in ASD group. However, behavioral problems had the strongest association with sleep problems. The similarity in sleep problems between children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children during early childhood highlights the clinical importance of recognizing and addressing these challenges early on. Particularly, given the strong association with behavioral problems in children with ASD, clinicians should prioritize comprehensive assessments and interventions targeting behavioral aspects to improve sleep outcomes. This study calls for further research into the developmental trajectory of sleep problems in ASD children, contributing valuable insights to the broader literature on effective clinical approaches for this population in their management.