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Autism spectrum disorders and autistic like traits: similar etiology in the extreme end and the normal variation.
- Source :
-
Archives of general psychiatry [Arch Gen Psychiatry] 2012 Jan; Vol. 69 (1), pp. 46-52. - Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Context: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been suggested to represent the extreme end of a normal distribution of autistic like traits (ALTs). However, the evidence of this notion is inconclusive.<br />Objective: To study whether there are similar genetic and/or environmental etiologies behind ASDs and ALTs.<br />Design: A nationwide twin study.<br />Participants: Consenting parents of all Swedish twins aged 9 and 12 years, born between July 1, 1992, and December 31, 2001 (n = 19 208), were interviewed by telephone to screen for child psychiatric conditions, including ASDs.<br />Main Outcome Measures: Two validated cutoffs for ASDs, 2 cutoffs encompassing the normal variation, and 1 continuous measure of ALTs were used with DeFries-Fulker extreme-end analyses and standard twin study methods.<br />Results: We discerned a strong correlation between the 4 cutoffs and the full variation of ALTs. The correlation was primarily affected by genes. We also found that the heritability for the 4 cutoffs was similar.<br />Conclusion: We demonstrate an etiological similarity between ASDs and ALTs in the normal variation and, with results from previous studies, our data suggest that ASDs and ALTs are etiologically linked.
- Subjects :
- Child
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive epidemiology
Cohort Studies
Diseases in Twins genetics
Diseases in Twins psychology
Female
Health Surveys
Humans
Interview, Psychological
Male
Sweden epidemiology
Twins genetics
Twins psychology
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive genetics
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive psychology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1538-3636
- Volume :
- 69
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Archives of general psychiatry
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 22213788
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.144