Synchrony 2022 Roundtable Publication: The Role of Neuroinflammation in Behavioral Exacerbations in ASD

We are glad to share that a summary paper has been published on Synchrony Symposia 2022 Roundtable: THE ROLE OF NEUROINFLAMMATION IN BEHAVIORAL EXACERBATIONS IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

This roundtable was one of the four discussions that took place during the event that focused on some of the most difficult and unsolved problems in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Chaired by Dr. Jennifer Frankovich, MD, MS Director of the Immune Behavioral Health Clinic and Clinical Professor in the Dept of Pediatrics at Stanford Children’s Health/Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, and attended by Dr. Richard E Frye, MD, PhD, President of the Autism Discovery and Treatment Foundation; Elizabeth D. Mellins, MD from Stanford University; Harumi Jyonouchi, MD from St. Peter’s University Hospital; Stephen J. Walker, PhD from the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest; John Gaitanis, Chief of Child Neurology at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Brown University; and James Adams, Director of the Autism Program at Arizona State University, the discussion focused on behavior exacerbation in children with ASD and the possible role of systemic or localized inflammation in such behavioral exacerbations.

While selected experts provided specific input, significant time was also devoted to discussing the important knowledge gaps, input from parents regarding unmet needs, and case presentations from physicians and parents to illustrate some of the most difficult cases.

Parents in attendance remarked about repeated relapses and remissions of neuropsychiatric exacerbation throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, which were associated with infections and onset/relapses of other comorbidities (inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, arthritis, epilepsy, etc.) and possibly dietary and other environmental triggers.

In an effort to move forward, the panelists agreed to work together to develop a comprehensive consensus paper that outlines the current knowledge regarding behavioral exacerbation in ASD. Read more…

This publication to appeared in the Journal of Personalized Medicine MDPI as part of their Special Issue ‘A Personalized Medicine Approach to the Diagnosis and Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Beyond Genetic Syndromes‘.

We thank the authors of this paper, researchers and clinicians for participating in this roundtable: Jennifer Frankovich, Heer Nanda, Elizabeth D Mellins, Harumi Jyonouchi, Richard G Boles, Stephen J Walker, John Gaitanis and Richard E Frye.