Immune dysfunction and abnormal immune response may be associated with certain mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The early evidence for this link was based on the increased incidence of ASD in children with a history of maternal infection during pregnancy. Observational studies show increased prevalence of immune-related disorders—ranging from atopy, food allergy, viral infections, asthma, primary immunodeficiency, to autoimmune disorders—in individuals with ASD and their families. Evidence of neuroglial activation and focal brain inflammation in individuals with ASD implies that the central nervous system immunity may also be atypical in some individuals with ASD. Also, both peripheral and central inflammatory responses are suggested to be associated with ASD-related behavioral symptoms. Atypical immune responses may be evident in specific ASD subgroups, such as those with significant gastrointestinal symptoms. The present review aimed to evaluate current literature of potential interventions that target inflammatory pathways for individuals with ASD and to summarize whether these interventions were associated with improvement in autism symptoms and adaptation. We found that the current literature on the efficacy of anti-inflammatory interventions in ASD is still limited and large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to provide robust evidence. We concluded that the role of immune-mediated mechanisms in the emergence of ASD or related challenges may be specific to subsets of individuals (e.g. those with concurrent immunological disorders, developmental regression, or high irritability). These subsets of individuals of ASD might be more likely to benefit from interventions that target immune-mediated mechanisms and with whom next-stage immune-mediated clinical trials could be conducted.

No abstract

Background: There is growing interest in studying the impact of religion/spirituality (R/S) on mental/physical health in Iran; however, little attention has been paid to the role of R/S in addiction. Objectives: This study aim to evaluate the reliability and construct and convergent validity of the Farsi version of the religious commitment inventory-10 (RCI-10) in a sample of substance abusers. Patients and Methods:The original English version of RCI-10 was translated into Farsi, the official language of Iran, using standard forward-backward translation. The reliability of the Farsi version was evaluated by assessing internal consistency; convergent validity was assessed via correlations with other measures of religiosity. Principal component analysis was utilized to assess the construct validity of the measure. Results: The Farsi version of RCI-10 had high internal consistency and satisfactory convergent validity. Factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution for the scale. Conclusions:The results of this study, while preliminary, suggest that the Farsi version of the RCI-10 is a reliable and valid measure of religiosity and can be used in health research with Farsi-speaking populations.

No abstract

No abstract