scholarly journals Attentional switching forms a genetic link between attention problems and autistic traits in adults

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 1985-1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. C. Polderman ◽  
R. A. Hoekstra ◽  
A. A. E. Vinkhuyzen ◽  
P. F. Sullivan ◽  
S. van der Sluis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Skills ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Attention Problems ◽  
Autistic Trait ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Attentional Switching ◽  
Inattention And Hyperactivity

BackgroundAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and autistic traits often occur together. The pattern and etiology of co-occurrence are largely unknown, particularly in adults. This study investigated the co-occurrence between both traits in detail, and subsequently examined the etiology of the co-occurrence, using two independent adult population samples.MethodData on ADHD traits (Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity) were collected in a population sample (S1, n = 559) of unrelated individuals. Data on Attention Problems (AP) were collected in a population-based family sample of twins and siblings (S2, n = 560). In both samples five dimensions of autistic traits were assessed (social skills, routine, attentional switching, imagination, patterns).ResultsHyperactive traits (S1) did not correlate substantially with the autistic trait dimensions. For Inattention (S1) and AP (S2), the correlations with the autistic trait dimensions were low, apart from a prominent correlation with the attentional switching scale (0.47 and 0.32 respectively). Analyses in the genetically informative S2 revealed that this association could be explained by a shared genetic factor.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the co-occurrence of ADHD traits and autistic traits in adults is not determined by problems with hyperactivity, social skills, imagination or routine preferences. Instead, the association between those traits is due primarily to shared attention-related problems (inattention and attentional switching capacity). As the etiology of this association is purely genetic, biological pathways involving attentional control could be a promising focus of future studies aimed at unraveling the genetic causes of these disorders.

scholarly journals Examining the association between childhood autistic traits and adolescent hypomania: a longitudinal twin study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Mark J. Taylor ◽  
Angelica Ronald ◽  
Joanna Martin ◽  
Sebastian Lundström ◽  
Georgina M. Hosang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autistic Trait ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Twin Design ◽  
Longitudinal Twin Study

Abstract Background There is evidence that autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) co-occur with bipolar disorder (BD) relatively frequently. Individuals with BD often report symptoms of mania and hypomania during adolescence, prior to the age of onset for BD. It is unknown whether these symptoms are associated with ASDs. We examined whether diagnoses of ASDs and autistic traits were associated with hypomania in a large, population-based Swedish twin sample. Methods Parental structured interviews assessed autistic traits, and were used to assign screening diagnoses of ASDs, when twins were aged 9 or 12 (N = 13 533 pairs). Parents then completed questionnaires assessing hypomania when the twins were aged 15 and 18 (N = 3852 pairs at age 15, and 3013 pairs at age 18). After investigating the phenotypic associations between these measures, we used the classical twin design to test whether genetic and environmental influences on autistic traits influence variation in adolescent hypomania. Results Autistic traits and ASD diagnoses in childhood were associated with elevated scores on the measures of adolescent hypomania. Twin analyses indicated that 6–9% of the variance in hypomania was explained by genetic influences that were shared with autistic traits in childhood. When repeating these analyses for specific autistic trait domains, we found a stronger association between social interaction difficulties and hypomania than for other autistic trait domains. Conclusions These results indicate a genetic link between autistic traits and hypomania in adolescence. This adds to the growing evidence base of genetic factors associated with ASDs showing links with psychiatric outcomes across childhood and into adulthood.

scholarly journals Child Autistic Traits, Food Selectivity and Diet Quality: A Population-Based Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 756-756
Author(s):  
Holly Harris ◽  
Yuchan Mou ◽  
Trudy Voortman ◽  
Pauline Jansen
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Autistic Trait

Abstract Objectives Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) tend to have sensory disturbances and behavioral rigidity which may predispose them to be selective in their food intake, potentially compromising their nutritional status. While ASD captures severe levels of impairment, autistic traits vary on a continuum throughout the general population. Yet, little is known about how subclinical autistic traits relate to dietary intake. Therefore, this study study examines how autistic traits throughout early childhood are associated with diet quality (DQ) in mid-childhood and explores the mediating role of food selectivity. Methods Participants were children (n = 4061) from the population-based birth cohort, Generation R (the Netherlands). Parents completed assessments on their child's autistic traits at 1.5, 3 and 6 years, food selectivity at 4 years and food intake at 8 years (via a Food Frequency Questionnaire), from which a DQ score (comprising of 10 food groups, scale 0 to 10) was derived based on adherence to age-specific dietary guidelines. Multiple linear regression models examined the association between autistic trait SD score at each assessment wave and DQ. A mediation analysis was performed using structural equation modeling to examine the indirect effect of autistic traits at 3 years and DQ at 8 years through food selectivity at 4 years. Models adjusted for child sex, age, energy intake, ethnicity, birth weight, BMIz score, and maternal age and education. Results Autistic trait SD score at each wave was associated with decreased DQ score (e.g., 3 years: β = −0.06; 95% CI: −0.10, −0.03). Post-hoc analyses showed that associations between autistic traits and DQ were consistently driven by lower consumption of fruit, vegetable and whole grain food groups at each wave. The indirect effect of food selectivity (β = −0.03, 95% CI: −0.03, −0.02) explained 60% of the total association between autistic traits and DQ. Conclusions Expression of autistic traits across childhood is associated with poorer DQ in mid-childhood, and food selectivity may be one key behavioral mechanism explaining this association. Dietary interventions intended to optimize nutrition in children with elevated autistic traits may integrate behavioral strategies to support parents’ appropriately responding to and managing food selectivity. Funding Sources European Union's Horizon 2020 programme.

scholarly journals Co-Occurrence of ASD and ADHD Traits in an Adult Population

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 1407-1415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Panagiotidi ◽  
Paul G. Overton ◽  
Tom Stafford
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Adult Adhd ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Common Etiology

Objective: ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be viewed as the extreme end of traits found in the general population. Clinical and genetic studies suggest that ADHD and ASD often co-occur and share genetic susceptibility. The aim of this study was to examine co-occurrence of ADHD and ASD traits in the general population. Method: In total, 334 participants were recruited from a population-based sample. Four questionnaires assessing current and retrospective ADHD and ASD traits were administered online: the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Symptom Checklist, the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS-25), the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ), and the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Results: A significant correlation was found between ADHD and autistic traits. In particular, higher inattention and overall ADHD scores were associated with self-reported deficits in communication and social skills. Conclusion: Our findings are similar to results from studies on clinical populations, suggesting that ADHD and ASD might share common etiology.

scholarly journals Developmental trajectories of autistic social traits in the general population

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Richard Pender ◽  
Pasco Fearon ◽  
Beate St Pourcain ◽  
Jon Heron ◽  
Will Mandy
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Growth Mixture Modelling ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Social Difficulties ◽  
Autism Trait

Abstract Background Autistic people show diverse trajectories of autistic traits over time, a phenomenon labelled ‘chronogeneity’. For example, some show a decrease in symptoms, whilst others experience an intensification of difficulties. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a dimensional condition, representing one end of a trait continuum that extends throughout the population. To date, no studies have investigated chronogeneity across the full range of autistic traits. We investigated the nature and clinical significance of autism trait chronogeneity in a large, general population sample. Methods Autistic social/communication traits (ASTs) were measured in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children using the Social and Communication Disorders Checklist (SCDC) at ages 7, 10, 13 and 16 (N = 9744). We used Growth Mixture Modelling (GMM) to identify groups defined by their AST trajectories. Measures of ASD diagnosis, sex, IQ and mental health (internalising and externalising) were used to investigate external validity of the derived trajectory groups. Results The selected GMM model identified four AST trajectory groups: (i) Persistent High (2.3% of sample), (ii) Persistent Low (83.5%), (iii) Increasing (7.3%) and (iv) Decreasing (6.9%) trajectories. The Increasing group, in which females were a slight majority (53.2%), showed dramatic increases in SCDC scores during adolescence, accompanied by escalating internalising and externalising difficulties. Two-thirds (63.6%) of the Decreasing group were male. Conclusions Clinicians should note that for some young people autism-trait-like social difficulties first emerge during adolescence accompanied by problems with mood, anxiety, conduct and attention. A converse, majority-male group shows decreasing social difficulties during adolescence.

scholarly journals Allergic diseases attributable to atopy in a population sample of Asian children

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao-Yi Wu ◽  
Hsin-Yi Huang ◽  
Wen-Chi Pan ◽  
Sui-Ling Liao ◽  
Man-Chin Hua ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immunoglobulin E ◽  
Population Attributable Risk ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
International Study ◽  
Allergic Diseases ◽  
Population Based ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Specific Immunoglobulin E ◽  
Asian Children ◽  
Specific Immunoglobulin

AbstractThe proportion of allergic diseases attributable to atopy remains a subject of controversy. This study aimed to estimate the population risk of physician-diagnosed asthma, rhinitis and eczema attributed to atopy among a population sample of Asian school-age children. Asian children aged 5–18 years (n = 1321) in the Prediction of Allergies in Taiwanese CHildren (PATCH) study were tested for serum allergen-specific immunoglobulin E. Physician-diagnosed asthma, rhinitis and eczema were assessed by a modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Atopy was defined as the presence of serum allergen-specific immunoglobulin E. In this population-based study, 50.4% of the subjects with asthma, 46.3% with rhinitis, and 46.7% with eczema were attributable to atopy. The population attributable risk (PAR) of atopy for three allergic diseases was higher in adolescents (asthma, 54.4%; rhinitis, 59.6%; eczema, 49.5%) than younger children aged less than 10 years (asthma, 46.9%; rhinitis, 39.5%; eczema, 41.9%). Among the seven allergen categories, sensitization to mites had the highest PARs for all three allergic diseases (51.3 to 64.1%), followed by sensitization to foods (asthma, 7.1%; rhinitis, 10.4%; eczema 27.7%). In conclusion, approximately half (46.3 to 50.4%) of Asian children in Taiwan with allergic diseases are attributable to atopy.

scholarly journals Dysfunctions in Infants’ Statistical Learning are Related to Parental Autistic Traits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bettoni Roberta ◽  
Valentina Riva ◽  
Chiara Cantiani ◽  
Elena Maria Riboldi ◽  
Massimo Molteni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Statistical Structure ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Visual Habituation

AbstractStatistical learning refers to the ability to extract the statistical relations embedded in a sequence, and it plays a crucial role in the development of communicative and social skills that are impacted in the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Here, we investigated the relationship between infants’ SL ability and autistic traits in their parents. Using a visual habituation task, we tested infant offspring of adults (non-diagnosed) who show high (HAT infants) versus low (LAT infants) autistic traits. Results demonstrated that LAT infants learned the statistical structure embedded in a visual sequence, while HAT infants failed. Moreover, infants’ SL ability was related to autistic traits in their parents, further suggesting that early dysfunctions in SL might contribute to variabilities in ASD symptoms.

scholarly journals Systemic Antibiotics and Obesity: Analyses from a Population-Based Cohort

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2601
Author(s):  
So Young Park ◽  
Morena Ustulin ◽  
SangHyun Park ◽  
Kyung-Do Han ◽  
Joo Young Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Obesity Risk ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Korean Adult ◽  
Korean National Health Insurance ◽  
Gram Negative Organisms ◽  
Systemic Antibiotics

Background: In this study, we analyzed the association between antibiotic use and obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) in a Korean adult population. Methods: Subjects using the Korean National Health Insurance Service sample cohort were retrospectively analyzed in 2015. The differences in obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) status were compared and analyzed according to duration of systemic antibiotic treatment in the previous 10 years (non-users, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tertile). Results: Subjects who used systemic antibiotics for longer periods were older, satisfied more criteria for MS, and had more comorbidities than non-users (non-users vs. 3rd tertile, p < 0.0001 for all). After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of obesity was higher in subjects who used systemic antibiotics for longer periods than in non-users (non-users vs. 3rd tertile, OR (odds ratio) (95% CI (confidence interval)); 1.20 (1.12–1.38)). The criteria for MS were more satisfied in the 3rd tertile than in non-users. A higher obesity risk was also found in subjects treated with antibiotics targeting Gram-negative organisms than in those targeting Gram-positive organisms. Conclusion: The risk of obesity was higher in subjects who took systemic antibiotics more frequently. The risk was more prominent when they took antibiotics targeting Gram-negative bacteria.

scholarly journals Long-term mortality due to infection associated with elevated liver enzymes: a population-based cohort study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tak Kyu Oh ◽  
Eun Sun Jang ◽  
In-Ae Song
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Liver Enzymes ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Point Increase ◽  
Elevated Liver Enzymes ◽  
Glutamyl Transpeptidase ◽  
Long Term Mortality

AbstractWe aimed to investigate whether elevated liver enzymes in the adult population were associated with mortality due to infection. As a population-based cohort study, data from the National Health Insurance Service Health Screening Cohort were used. Adult individuals (aged ≥ 40 years) who underwent standardized medical examination between 2002 and 2003 were included, and infectious mortality was defined as mortality due to infection between 2004 and 2015. Aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP), AST/ALT ratio, and dynamic AST/ALT ratio (dAAR) were included in multivariable Cox modeling. A total of 512,746 individuals were included in this study. Infectious mortality occurred in 2444 individuals (0.5%). In the multivariable model, moderate and severe elevation in AST was associated with 1.94-fold [hazard ratio (HR):1.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.71–2.19; P < 0.001] and 3.93-fold (HR: 3.93, 95% CI 3.05–5.07; P < 0.001) higher infectious mortality respectively, compared with the normal AST group. Similar results were observed for moderate and severe elevation in ALT and mild, moderate, and severe elevation in γ-GTP. Additionally, a 1-point increase in the AST/ALT ratio and dAAR was associated with higher infection mortality. Elevated liver enzymes (AST, ALT, AST/ALT ratio, γ-GTP, and dAAR) were associated with increased infectious mortality.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy in a Population-Based Sample in Italy

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 633
Author(s):  
Marco Del Riccio ◽  
Sara Boccalini ◽  
Lisa Rigon ◽  
Massimiliano Alberto Biamonte ◽  
Giuseppe Albora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Trust In Institutions ◽  
General Adult Population ◽  
High Level

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 represents an effective and safe tool to protect the population against the disease; however, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy could be a major barrier to achieving herd immunity. Despite the severity of the current pandemic, the population’s intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is still not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 among a convenience sample of the general population resident in Italy and the factors associated with hesitancy and acceptance of the vaccine in the context of the current pandemic before the rolling out of COVID-19 vaccines. An anonymous online survey was diffused among a general adult population living in Italy. Participants aged 18 or older and living in Italy were considered eligible. Incomplete questionnaires were excluded. Overall, 7605 valid questionnaires were collected. Most of the participants (81.9%) were inclined to get vaccinated; male sex (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12–1.71), a high level of trust in institutions (OR 3.93, 95% CI 2.04–7.83), and personal beliefs about high safety of COVID-19 vaccines (OR 56.33, 95% CI 31.57–105.87) were found to be among the significant predictors of COVID-19 acceptance. These data could help design larger studies to address the problem of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the current pandemic.

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