Lower birth weight indicates higher risk of autistic traits in discordant twin pairs
(2012) In Psychological Medicine 42(5). p.1091-1102- Abstract
- Background. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of complex etiology. Although strong evidence supports the causal role of genetic factors, environmental risk factors have also been implicated. This study used a co-twin-control design to investigate low birth weight as a risk factor for ASD. Method. We studied a population-based sample of 3715 same-sex twin pairs participating in the Child and Adolescent Twin Study of Sweden (CATSS). ASD was assessed using a structured parent interview for screening of ASD and related developmental disorders, based on DSM-IV criteria. Birth weight was obtained from medical birth records maintained by the Swedish Medical Birth Registry. Results. Twins lower in birth weight in... (More)
- Background. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of complex etiology. Although strong evidence supports the causal role of genetic factors, environmental risk factors have also been implicated. This study used a co-twin-control design to investigate low birth weight as a risk factor for ASD. Method. We studied a population-based sample of 3715 same-sex twin pairs participating in the Child and Adolescent Twin Study of Sweden (CATSS). ASD was assessed using a structured parent interview for screening of ASD and related developmental disorders, based on DSM-IV criteria. Birth weight was obtained from medical birth records maintained by the Swedish Medical Birth Registry. Results. Twins lower in birth weight in ASD-discordant twin pairs (n=34) were more than three times more likely to meet criteria for ASD than heavier twins [odds ratio (OR) 3.25]. Analyses of birth weight as a continuous risk factor showed a 13% reduction in risk of ASD for every 100 g increase in birth weight (n=78). Analysis of the effect of birth weight on ASD symptoms in the entire population (most of whom did not have ASD) showed a modest association. That is, for every 100 g increase in birth weight, a 2% decrease in severity of ASD indexed by scores on the Autism - Tics, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), and other Comorbidities (A-TAC) inventory would be expected in the sample as a whole. Conclusions. The data were consistent with the hypothesis that low birth weight confers risk to ASD. Thus, although genetic effects are of major importance, a non-genetic influence associated with birth weight may contribute to the development of ASD. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2587468
- author
- Losh, M. ; Esserman, D. ; Anckarsäter, Henrik LU ; Sullivan, P. F. and Lichtenstein, P.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2012
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Autism, birth weight, twin
- in
- Psychological Medicine
- volume
- 42
- issue
- 5
- pages
- 1091 - 1102
- publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000302379800019
- scopus:84859253942
- pmid:22132806
- ISSN
- 1469-8978
- DOI
- 10.1017/S0033291711002339
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 579ed31f-d330-4432-b687-46749438cca6 (old id 2587468)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 10:01:05
- date last changed
- 2022-03-19 08:32:06
@article{579ed31f-d330-4432-b687-46749438cca6,
abstract = {{Background. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of complex etiology. Although strong evidence supports the causal role of genetic factors, environmental risk factors have also been implicated. This study used a co-twin-control design to investigate low birth weight as a risk factor for ASD. Method. We studied a population-based sample of 3715 same-sex twin pairs participating in the Child and Adolescent Twin Study of Sweden (CATSS). ASD was assessed using a structured parent interview for screening of ASD and related developmental disorders, based on DSM-IV criteria. Birth weight was obtained from medical birth records maintained by the Swedish Medical Birth Registry. Results. Twins lower in birth weight in ASD-discordant twin pairs (n=34) were more than three times more likely to meet criteria for ASD than heavier twins [odds ratio (OR) 3.25]. Analyses of birth weight as a continuous risk factor showed a 13% reduction in risk of ASD for every 100 g increase in birth weight (n=78). Analysis of the effect of birth weight on ASD symptoms in the entire population (most of whom did not have ASD) showed a modest association. That is, for every 100 g increase in birth weight, a 2% decrease in severity of ASD indexed by scores on the Autism - Tics, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), and other Comorbidities (A-TAC) inventory would be expected in the sample as a whole. Conclusions. The data were consistent with the hypothesis that low birth weight confers risk to ASD. Thus, although genetic effects are of major importance, a non-genetic influence associated with birth weight may contribute to the development of ASD.}},
author = {{Losh, M. and Esserman, D. and Anckarsäter, Henrik and Sullivan, P. F. and Lichtenstein, P.}},
issn = {{1469-8978}},
keywords = {{Autism; birth weight; twin}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{5}},
pages = {{1091--1102}},
publisher = {{Cambridge University Press}},
series = {{Psychological Medicine}},
title = {{Lower birth weight indicates higher risk of autistic traits in discordant twin pairs}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/1482140/3127364.pdf}},
doi = {{10.1017/S0033291711002339}},
volume = {{42}},
year = {{2012}},
}