Children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have evidence of sensory nerve degeneration

Hoda Gad; Abdulla AlObaidi; Madeeha Kamal; Saba F. Elhag; Marian Aden; Adnan Khan; Areej Baraka; Srividya Bennabhaktula; Sara Joseph; Aisha Yaseen Alhamadi; Mohammed A. Tolefat; Abdulla A. Alhothi; Rayaz A. Malik

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0342439

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Open Access

Peer-reviewed

Research Article

Children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have evidence of sensory nerve degeneration

Hoda Gad,

Roles Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Research Department, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Abdulla AlObaidi,

Roles Data curation, Project administration

Affiliation Research Department, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Madeeha Kamal,

Roles Data curation, Supervision

Affiliation Metabolic and Mendelian Disorders Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Saba F. Elhag,

Roles Data curation

Affiliation Metabolic and Mendelian Disorders Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Marian Aden,

Roles Data curation

Affiliation Pediatric department, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Adnan Khan,

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology

Affiliation Research Department, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Areej Baraka,

Roles Data curation

Affiliation Research Department, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Srividya Bennabhaktula,

Roles Data curation

Affiliation Research Department, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Sara Joseph,

Roles Data curation

Affiliation Research Department, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7517-0065

⨯
Aisha Yaseen Alhamadi,

Roles Data curation

Affiliation Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Mohammed A. Tolefat,

Roles Supervision

Affiliation Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Abdulla A. Alhothi,

Roles Supervision

Affiliation Pediatric department, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
⨯
Rayaz A. Malik

Roles Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing

* E-mail: ram2045@qatar-med.cornell.edu

Affiliations Research Department, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar, Institute of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7188-8903

⨯

Children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have evidence of sensory nerve degeneration

Hoda Gad,
Abdulla AlObaidi,
Madeeha Kamal,
Saba F. Elhag,
Marian Aden,
Adnan Khan,
Areej Baraka,
Srividya Bennabhaktula,
Sara Joseph,
Aisha Yaseen Alhamadi

Published: February 23, 2026
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0342439

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Autism spectrum disorder
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ADHD
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Cornea
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Sensory perception
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Nerve fibers
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Behavior
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Confocal microscopy
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