AUTHORS: Čelárová, D., Celušáková, H., Szapuová, Ž. and Ostatníková, D. ABSTRACT: Autism spectrum disorders are more common in males than females. Cause of this ratio is unknown and has been ascribed to hormonal (extreme male brain theory) or genetic (female protective model) etiology. One of the plausible explanations is the ability of girls to better
AUTORI: Kyselicová, K., Čelárová, D., Celušáková, H., Janšáková, K., Greguš, M., Neščáková, E., Ostatníková, D.
ABSTRACT: Objectives: Autistic traits may display a continuous distribution throughout the population. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of autistic traits in university students and look for possible cognitive or behavioral differences between students of humanities and sciences in the context of the extreme male brain theory.
Participants and setting: The AQ-10 was used as a quick screening tool in a sample of 369 individuals enrolled in four programs: Medicine (N = 107), Psychology (N = 136), Biology (N = 89) and Management (N = 37).
Hypotheses: In accordance with the extreme male brain theory, we expected students of sciences to report more autistic traits than students of humanities, as well as males in general, when compared to females.
Statistical analysis: For the statistical analysis, GraphPad PRISM was used. To assess intersexual differences and differences between the study groups in the reached AQ-10 scores, a two way ANOVA was used.
Results: Sex differences in autistic traits and a relationship between autistic traits and area of study were found. Male students reached higher scores than females (p = 0.0016). Male psychology students reported less autistic traits than medicine students (p = 0.0413) or management students (p = 0.0292), while female psychology students reported less autistic traits than biology students (p = 0.0425). The AQ-10 tool was sensitive enough to capture differences in the occurrence of autistic traits between neurotypical students of humanities and scientific programs. Our findings raise the question whether ones admission to different programs and future career pathing is determined by traits that are associated with autism spectrum disorders.
Study limitations: There are certain limitations due to the high female: male ratio (267 : 102), caused by the current decrease of interest of males to study psychology and biology, where this ratio was notably uneven.
Česká antropologie, 2020, 70(1-2):4-10
http://anthropology.cz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CeskaAnthropo_2020_1-2-clanek1.pdf
AUTHORS: Sashova Tomova, A., Soltys, K., Repiska, G., Palkova, L., Celarova, D., Minarik, G., Turna, J., Prochotska, K., Babinska, K., Ostatnikova, D
ABSTRACT: Recent research suggests the involvement of bidirectional gut-brain axis in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this study was to establish the role of changed gut microbiota in behavioural and gastrointestinal manifestations, but also in astrocyte activation in children with ASD. Distinct faecal microbiota in children with ASD was found to be more heterogeneous compared to that in neurotypical children. Different bacterial abundance and correlation with behavioural and GI manifestations revealed several bacterial genera possibly important for ASD. Microbial-neuronal cross talk could be accomplished through S100B, released by glial cells, activated by low grade inflammation. More complex studies are required to understand ASD pathogenesis.
Physiology & Behavior,. 214: p. 1-6. 2020
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938419308662
AUTHORS: Babinska, K., Celusakova, H., Belica, I., Szapuova, Z., Waczulikova, I., Nemcsicsova, D., Tomova, A., Ostatnikova, D.
ABSTRACT: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by impairments in social interaction, communication, and restricted, stereotyped behavior. Gastrointestinal (GI), nutritional, and feeding problems are often reported in ASD. We investigated the prevalence of GI symptoms, food selectivity, and mealtime difficulties, and their associations with dietary interventions, food supplement use, and behavioral characteristics in a sample involving 247 participants with ASD and 267 controls aged 2–18 years. Data were collected by a questionnaire. GI symptoms were observed in 88.9% of children and adolescents with ASD, more often in girls than in boys. High rates of food selectivity (69.1%) and mealtime problems (64.3%) were found. Food supplements were used by 66.7% of individuals, mainly vitamins/minerals, probiotics, and omega-3 fatty acids. In the ASD sample, 21.2% of subjects followed a diet, mostly based on gluten and milk restriction, including individuals exhibiting food selectivity. Frequency of GI symptoms, food selectivity, and mealtime problems correlated weakly, but significantly with behavioral characteristics in the ASD group, but not with food supplement use. The study demonstrated that higher frequency of GI symptoms, food selectivity, and mealtime problems are a common problem in pre-schoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents with ASD, and together with dietary modification, they are significantly associated with ASD.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, , 2020, 17(17), 6372
