scholarly journals Characteristics of autism spectrum disorder in anorexia nervosa: A naturalistic study in an inpatient treatment programme

Autism ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Tchanturia ◽  
James Adamson ◽  
Jenni Leppanen ◽  
Heather Westwood
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Inpatient Treatment ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Eating Disorder Psychopathology

Previous research has demonstrated links between anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorder however, few studies have examined the possible impact of symptoms of autism spectrum disorder on clinical outcomes in anorexia nervosa. The aim of this study was to examine the association between symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and eating disorders, and other psychopathology during the course of inpatient treatment in individuals with anorexia nervosa. Participants with anorexia nervosa (n = 171) completed questionnaires exploring eating disorder psychopathology, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and everyday functioning at both admission and discharge. Characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder were assessed using the Autism Spectrum Quotient, short version. Autism spectrum disorder symptoms were significantly positively correlated with eating disorder psychopathology, work and social functioning, and symptoms of depression and anxiety, but not with body mass index. Autism Spectrum Quotient, short version scores remained relatively stable from admission to discharge but there was a small, significant reduction in scores. There was no interaction between time and Autism Spectrum Quotient, short version scores on clinical symptom change. In anorexia nervosa, autism spectrum disorder symptoms appear to be associated with a more severe clinical presentation on admission to inpatient care. Autism spectrum disorder symptoms as assessed by self-report measures may be exacerbated by other mental health psychopathology, which warrants further investigation.

scholarly journals Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder and autistic traits in children with anorexia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeshi Inoue ◽  
Ryoko Otani ◽  
Toshiyuki Iguchi ◽  
Ryuta Ishii ◽  
Soh Uchida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Eating Attitudes ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Multicenter Cohort Study ◽  
Feeding And Eating Disorders

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and feeding and eating disorders (FEDs) such as anorexia nervosa (AN) are strongly linked as evidenced by frequent comorbidity and overlapping traits. However, eating and social behaviors are shaped by culture, so it is critical to examine these associations in different populations. Moreover, FEDs are heterogeneous, and there has been no examination of autistic traits in avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Methods Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of ASD and autistic traits among Japanese children with AN (n = 92) or ARFID (n = 32) from a prospective multicenter cohort study using the Autism Spectrum Quotient Children’s version (AQC) and Children’s Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT26). Results ASD prevalence was high in both AN and ARFID (16.3 and 12.5%, respectively). The AN group exhibited significantly higher scores on all AQC subscales than an age-matched healthy control (HC) group, but there were no significant correlations between AQC scores and ChEAT26 scores. In the AFRID group, AQC scores did not differ from HCs, but significant correlations were found between total AQC and ChEAT26 scores and between several AQC and ChEAT26 subscales. Conclusions Both the AN and ARFID groups had high prevalence rates of ASD. The AN group showed a significantly higher degree of autistic traits than the HC group; however, no difference was found between the ARFID and HC groups. Clinicians need to be aware of these rates when working with children with ED.

scholarly journals Association Between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Eating Disorders without Self-Induced Vomiting: An Empirical Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Numata ◽  
Akiko Nakagawa ◽  
Kazuko Yoshioka ◽  
Kayoko Isomura ◽  
Daisuke Matsuzawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Binge Eating Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Multiple Time

Abstract PURPOSE: Previous studies have shown links between autism spectrum disorder and anorexia nervosa restricting type. However, few have examined the association between autism spectrum disorder and other eating disorder subtypes, such as bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa binge-purging type and binge eating disorder. In this study, we aimed to assess the presence of autism spectrum disorder tendencies in each eating disorder and to explore whether an association exists between traits of autism spectrum disorder and eating disorders with or without self-induced vomiting.METHODS: We retrospectively sampled outpatients who attended Chiba University Hospital between 2012 and 2016 (43 females aged 15–45 years). All were assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and Autism Spectrum Quotient to quantify the severity of the eating disorder and to identify whether autism spectrum disorder traits were present. Additionally, the subtype at onset, the change in subtype from onset to presentation and the difference based on the presence or absence of self-induced vomiting were investigated.RESULTS: We found that the Autism Spectrum Quotient tended to be higher in the group without, than in the group with, self-induced vomiting. Patients with binge eating disorder had the highest Autism Spectrum Quotient at presentation, and most of them had transitioned from prior anorexia nervosa restricting type.CONCLUSION: Of note, although their subtype had changed over time, the trait of not vomiting had remained consistent. There was a difference in the Autism Spectrum Quotient score by the presence or absence of self-induced vomiting.Level of Evidence: LEVEL IV (Evidence obtained from multiple time series without the intervention).Plain English SummaryIt is known that 18%–23% of patients with anorexia nervosa have comorbid autism spectrum disorder. However, no study has examined the association with autism spectrum disorder by subtypes of anorexia nervosa (restring type and binge with self-induced vomiting type). In addition, no studies have examined the association of autism spectrum disorder with other subtypes of eating disorders.As a result of examining the autism spectrum disorder tendency for each eating disorders subtype, it was found that the type of eating disorders that did not self-induced vomiting had a higher autism spectrum disorder tendency than with self-induced vomiting. Overall, 80% of people diagnosed with binge eating disorder had been diagnosed with restricting type of anorexia nervosa at the time of onset. For some restricting type of anorexia nervosa patients, fear or aversion to vomiting can be stronger than the desire not to gain weight, it may be the influence of the autism spectrum disorder tendency.

scholarly journals Associations between autism spectrum disorder and eating disorders with and without self-induced vomiting: an empirical study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Numata ◽  
Akiko Nakagawa ◽  
Kazuko Yoshioka ◽  
Kayoko Isomura ◽  
Daisuke Matsuzawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Essential Difference ◽  
Illness Duration ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background Although approximately 23% of anorexia nervosa (AN) patients have concomitant autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is clinically difficult to determine ASD coexistence in patients with eating disorders. Restrictive AN is more common in younger patients and self-induced vomiting usually appears during adolescence/young adulthood, in order to prevent gaining weight caused by overeating. However, some patients are tolerant of weight gain even if they start overeating. It is important to understand the essential difference between those who vomit and those who do not vomit. In this study, we hypothesised that the absence of self-induced vomiting may be associated with the presence of ASD and aimed to assess the presence of ASD traits in each eating disorder (EDs). Clarifying this association helps to consider the coexistence of ASD in the clinical setting and can lead to the next detailed ASD evaluation, and as a result, helps to determine the appropriate treatment and support individually. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 43 females aged 15–45 years who attended Chiba University Hospital between 2012 and 2016 using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) to quantify the severity of the EDs and to identify whether ASD traits were present. Results There was no difference in the AQ score between bingeing-purging type AN and restricting type AN. However, there was significant difference in the AQ score between bulimia nervosa and binge EDs (BED). Of the 4 ED subtypes, BED had the highest ASD traits. The non-vomiting group with illness duration < 4 years had a significantly higher AQ communication score than the vomiting group with illness duration ≥4 years. Conclusions There was a difference in the AQ score by the presence or absence of self-induced vomiting. The results of this study suggest an association between high scores on AQ and non-vomiting. Thus, evaluation of patients for the absence of self-induced vomiting while assessing them for EDs may help us to understand the association with ASD traits.

scholarly journals The Dutch Sensory Perception Quotient-Short in adults with and without autism

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 2071-2080
Author(s):  
Ricarda F Weiland ◽  
Tinca JC Polderman ◽  
Rosa A Hoekstra ◽  
Dirk JA Smit ◽  
Sander Begeer
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sensory Perception ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Short Version ◽  
English Version ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Original English Version ◽  
Sensory Sensitivities ◽  
Dutch Translation

Sensory symptoms were recently added to the diagnostic criteria of autism spectrum disorder and may be a mechanism underlying the broad phenotype of autism spectrum disorder. To measure sensory symptoms based on perceptual rather than affective, regulative, or attention components, the Sensory Perception Quotient (SPQ) measuring five modalities of sensory sensitivity has been developed. In this study, the Dutch translation of the abridged SPQ-Short was investigated in a large sample of adults with ( n = 657) and without autism spectrum disorder ( n = 585). Its hypothesized factor structure, combining modality specific and one modality-independent factor, was assessed in a hierarchical model. Results show that modality-specific subscales are indeed present in the short version. Furthermore, its reliability is high and comparable to the original English version. The autism spectrum disorder group reported higher sensory sensitivities than the comparison group, and women with autism spectrum disorder reported higher sensitivities compared with men with autism spectrum disorder. The SPQ-Short correlates with all Autism Quotient (AQ)-Short subscales, except for the “imagination” subscale. The SPQ-Short seems suitable to further explore the relationship between basic sensory sensitivities in autism spectrum disorder and their related symptoms such as over- and under-responsivity to sensory stimulation. Lay Abstract Individuals on the autism spectrum often experience heightened or reduced sensory sensitivities. This feature was recently added to the diagnostic manual for autism ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. (DSM-5)). To measure sensory sensitivities, the Sensory Perception Quotient (SPQ) has been developed. In this study, we tested whether a Dutch translation of the abridged SPQ-Short yields similar results as the original English version. We also tested whether this questionnaire can measure modality specific sensitivities. To this end, 657 adults with autism spectrum disorder and 585 adults without an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis filled out the Dutch SPQ-Short. The Dutch questionnaire data were very similar to the original English version: adults with autism spectrum disorder were more sensitive compared with adults without autism spectrum disorder. Women with autism spectrum disorder are more sensitive compared with men with autism spectrum disorder. Gender did not have an effect in the group without autism spectrum disorder. Individuals reporting higher sensory sensitivities also reported more autistic traits (such as lower social interests, or increased fascination for patterns). Finally, we found that the Dutch SPQ-Short is suited to measure modality-specific sensitivities. We conclude that the Dutch translation is a viable tool to measure sensory sensitivities in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder and can be used to further our understanding of differences in perception in people with or without autism spectrum disorder.

Investigation of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Autistic Traits in an Adolescent Sample with Anorexia Nervosa

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 1051-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Postorino ◽  
Lawrence Scahill ◽  
Lavinia De Peppo ◽  
Laura Maria Fatta ◽  
Valeria Zanna ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Adolescent Sample

Correlations Between the Parents’ ADHD Score and the Child's ADOS Score in Parents of Children with Comorbid ADHD–Autism Spectrum Disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S221-S221
Author(s):  
F. Rad ◽  
L. Kobylinska ◽  
I. Mihailescu ◽  
A. Buica ◽  
I. Dobrescu
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Adult Adhd ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

From assortative mating theory to genetic background, several ethipathogenic hypotheses in ASD deal with the traits of parents.Backgroundseveral ethipathogenic hypotheses in ASD deal with the traits of parents. The objectives of our study were to measure the ADHD and autism spectrum disorder quotients in parents of children diagnosed with ASD comorbid with ADHD and to correlate the measurements for the tests in parents with those in their children. The specific aim was to identify whether any significant correlations exist.MethodFifty-two pairs of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders and ADHD were included in this study, based on informed consent and the ethical committee's approval. The child's diagnosis was established by a specialist in child and adolescent psychiatry, based on the child's clinical symptoms and on specific diagnostic scales, such as the ADOS and ADHD-rating scale. The parents completed an Autism Spectrum Quotient Scale (ASQS) and an adult ADHD scale. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and Excel. The correlations were verified using Spearman's non-parametric correlation test.ResultsThere was a strong correlation between the parents’ ADHD scores (r = 0.5, P < 0.001), and a reverse medium correlation between the mother's ADHD score and the child's ADOS score (r = –0.32, P = 0.02). The father's ASQS and ADHD scores correlated between each other (r = 0.31, P = 0.02). There were no correlations between the parents’ and the child's ADHD score, nor between the child's ADOS score and the parents’ ASQS scores.ConclusionOur results suggest that ADHD symptoms in parents of children with autism spectrum disorders comorbid with ADHD might be predictors for the child's prognosis.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Do autism spectrum disorder and anorexia nervosa have some eating disturbances in common?

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Karjalainen ◽  
Maria Råstam ◽  
Gunilla Paulson-Karlsson ◽  
Elisabet Wentz
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Eating Disturbances

scholarly journals Associations  between autism spectrum disorder and eating disorders with and without self-induced vomiting: an empirical study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Numata ◽  
Akiko Nakagawa ◽  
Kazuko Yoshioka ◽  
Kayoko Isomura ◽  
Daisuke Matsuzawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Essential Difference ◽  
Illness Duration ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background: Although approximately 23% of anorexia nervosa (AN) patients have concomitant autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is clinically difficult to determine ASD coexistence in patients with eating disorders. Restrictive AN is more common in younger patients and self-induced vomiting usually appears during adolescence/young adulthood, in order to prevent gaining weight caused by overeating. However, some patients are tolerant of weight gain even if they start overeating. It is important to understand the essential difference between those who vomit and those who do not vomit. In this study, we hypothesised that the absence of self-induced vomiting may be associated with the presence of ASD and aimed to assess the presence of ASD traits in each eating disorder (EDs). Clarifying this association helps to consider the coexistence of ASD in the clinical setting and can lead to the next detailed ASD evaluation, and as a result, helps to determine the appropriate treatment and support individually.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 43 females aged 15–45 years who attended Chiba University Hospital between 2012 and 2016 using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) to quantify the severity of the EDs and to identify whether ASD traits were present.Results: There was no difference in the AQ score between bingeing-purging type AN and restricting type AN. However, there was significant difference in the AQ score between bulimia nervosa and binge EDs (BED). Of the 4 ED subtypes, BED had the highest ASD traits. The non-vomiting group with illness duration <4 years had a significantly higher AQ communication score than the vomiting group with illness duration ≥ 4 years.Conclusions: There was a difference in the AQ score by the presence or absence of self-induced vomiting. The results of this study suggest an association between high scores on AQ and non-vomiting. Thus, evaluation of patients for the absence of self-induced vomiting while assessing them for EDs may help us to understand the association with ASD traits.

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