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Autism spectrum disorders and autisticlike traits: similar etiology in the extreme end and the normal variation.

Lundström, Sebastian LU ; Chang, Zheng ; Råstam, Maria LU orcid ; Gillberg, Christopher ; Larsson, Henrik ; Anckarsäter, Henrik LU and Lichtenstein, Paul (2012) In Archives of General Psychiatry 69(1). p.46-52
Abstract
CONTEXT:

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been suggested to represent the extreme end of a normal distribution of autisticlike traits (ALTs). However, the evidence of this notion is inconclusive.

OBJECTIVE:

To study whether there are similar genetic and/or environmental etiologies behind ASDs and ALTs.

DESIGN:

A nationwide twin study.

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.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Two validated cutoffs for ASDs, 2 cutoffs encompassing the normal... (More)
CONTEXT:

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been suggested to represent the extreme end of a normal distribution of autisticlike traits (ALTs). However, the evidence of this notion is inconclusive.

OBJECTIVE:

To study whether there are similar genetic and/or environmental etiologies behind ASDs and ALTs.

DESIGN:

A nationwide twin study.

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.

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.

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.

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. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Archives of General Psychiatry
volume
69
issue
1
pages
46 - 52
publisher
American Medical Association
external identifiers
  • wos:000298675700006
  • pmid:22213788
  • scopus:84855331271
  • pmid:22213788
ISSN
0003-990X
DOI
10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.144
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bf0e4d9d-56c3-43e0-9520-bd537afba274 (old id 2336761)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22213788?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:14:13
date last changed
2022-04-20 00:03:24
@article{bf0e4d9d-56c3-43e0-9520-bd537afba274,
  abstract     = {{CONTEXT:<br/><br>
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been suggested to represent the extreme end of a normal distribution of autisticlike traits (ALTs). However, the evidence of this notion is inconclusive.<br/><br>
OBJECTIVE:<br/><br>
To study whether there are similar genetic and/or environmental etiologies behind ASDs and ALTs.<br/><br>
DESIGN:<br/><br>
A nationwide twin study.<br/><br>
PARTICIPANTS:<br/><br>
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/><br>
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:<br/><br>
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/><br>
RESULTS:<br/><br>
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/><br>
CONCLUSION:<br/><br>
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.}},
  author       = {{Lundström, Sebastian and Chang, Zheng and Råstam, Maria and Gillberg, Christopher and Larsson, Henrik and Anckarsäter, Henrik and Lichtenstein, Paul}},
  issn         = {{0003-990X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{46--52}},
  publisher    = {{American Medical Association}},
  series       = {{Archives of General Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{Autism spectrum disorders and autisticlike traits: similar etiology in the extreme end and the normal variation.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.144}},
  doi          = {{10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.144}},
  volume       = {{69}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}