Autistic-Like Traits in Adult Patients with Mood Disorders and Schizophrenia

anon79999497 · April 4, 2015, 6:58pm

These findings suggest the importance of evaluating autistic-like traits/symptoms underlying adult-onset psychiatric disorders for the best-suited treatment. Further studies with a prospective design and larger samples are needed.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Autistic-like traits in adult patients with mood disorders and schizophrenia.

J Matsuo, Y Kamio, H Takahashi, M Ota, T Teraishi, H Hori, A Nagashima, R Takei, T Higuchi, N Motohashi and H Kunugi, PloS one, 2015

Autism spectrum disorder often co-occurs with other psychiatric disorders. Although a high prevalence of autistic-like traits/symptoms has been identified in the pediatric psychiatric population of normal intelligence, there are no reports from adult psychiatric population. This study examined whether there is a greater prevalence of autistic-like traits/symptoms in patients with adult-onset psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia, and whether such an association is independent of symptom severity. The subjects were 290 adults of normal intelligence between 25 and 59 years of age (MDD, n=125; bipolar disorder, n=56; schizophrenia, n=44; healthy controls, n=65). Autistic-like traits/symptoms were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale for Adults. Symptom severity was measured using the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and/or the Young Mania Rating Scale. Almost half of the clinical subjects, except those with remitted MDD, exhibited autistic-like traits/symptoms at levels typical for sub-threshold or threshold autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, the proportion of psychiatric patients that demonstrated high autistic-like traits/symptoms was significantly greater than that of healthy controls, and not different between that of remitted or unremitted subjects with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. On the other hand, remitted subjects with MDD did not differ from healthy controls with regard to the prevalence or degree of high autistic-like traits/symptoms. A substantial proportion of adults with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia showed high autistic-like traits/symptoms independent of symptom severity, suggesting a shared pathophysiology among autism spectrum disorder and these psychiatric disorders. Conversely, autistic-like traits among subjects with MDD were associated with the depressive symptom severity. These findings suggest the importance of evaluating autistic-like traits/symptoms underlying adult-onset psychiatric disorders for the best-suited treatment. Further studies with a prospective design and larger samples are needed.

anon79999497 · April 4, 2015, 7:30pm

As someone who has gone through 40+ years of psychiatric problems with unrecognised, and therefore undiagnosed, aspergic /nvld traits that have negatively impacted on my functioning I think the call to evaluate such symptoms/traits is vitally important.
It could well mean the difference between bad/inadequate care and treatment and adequate/good care and treatment.
Several people here have reported having autistic symptoms and traits.

Wave · April 4, 2015, 7:55pm

I think that I suffer from some Autistic traits, it’s pretty common with bipolar disorder

anon49185775 · April 4, 2015, 11:33pm

I am sure I have a bit of autistic traits. Good article

Noop_12 · February 25, 2020, 12:18am

I myself don’t have autism, but I do have the thing when I look at something for a short period of time I feel like a sleepy ghoust or something

BrianTex · February 25, 2020, 12:40am

I always score high on autism tests.