Autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders in adults - Is there a connection?: A literature review and some suggestions for future clinical research
2008 (English)In: Clinical Neuropsychiatry, ISSN 1724-4935, Vol. 5, no 1, p. 43-54
Article, review/survey (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Since autism was first described, there has been an ongoing discussion concerning the connections, if any, with schizophrenia. Once thought to be the same disorder, autistic disorder and childhood schizophrenia were in the 1970s shown to be distinguishable by symptomatology and age of onset. However, as the concept of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as well as that of schizophrenia spectrum disorders have evolved, the distinction has become less clear. To begin with the increased frequency of ASD diagnosed in adults of normal intelligence has brought up the issue of possible comorbidily of ASD and psychoses. Second, in the schizophrenia research field, it has become clear that schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder, implying that a liability may be manifested by developmental delays or abnormalities appearing in early childhood. Thus, as neurodevelopmental markers for adult schizophrenia have become better known, it seems reasonable to speculate that ASD may be among several such vulnerability factors. Finally, autistic symptoms in adults and some non-psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia are not always easily distinguishable. Cognitive impairments, deficit symptoms and motor symptoms including catatonia may be features of ASD as well as of schizophrenia. Until we have reliable biological markers for psychiatric syndromes, differential diagnosis between ASD, particularly in patients of normal intelligence, and psychoses, particularly some variants within the schizophrenia spectrum, will remain difficult. A further confounding factor is the possibility of comorbidity. More studies are needed, preferably as collaborative efforts between adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Rom: Giovanni Fioriti Editore , 2008. Vol. 5, no 1, p. 43-54
Keywords [en]
Autistic disorder, Asperger Syndrome, Adults, Psychosis, Schizophrenia, Comorbidity, Differential, Diagnosis
National Category
Psychiatry
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-98092Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-50249181694OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-98092DiVA, id: diva2:1645101
2022-03-162022-03-162023-05-22Bibliographically approved