Dataset Information

Behavioral and cognitive characteristics of females and males with autism in the Simons Simplex Collection.

ABSTRACT: To examine differences in behavioral symptoms and cognitive functioning between males and females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).We analyzed data from 2,418 probands with autism (304 females and 2,114 males) included in the Simons Simplex Collection. Sex differences were evaluated across measures of autism symptoms, cognitive and motor functioning, adaptive behavior, and associated behavior problems. Measurement bias was examined using latent variable models of symptoms. Unadjusted and propensity-adjusted analyses were computed to ensure that sex differences were not due to unbalanced sampling. Moderator and mediator analyses evaluated whether sex differences were modified by clinical characteristics or were driven by cognitive ability.Females with ASD had greater social communication impairment, lower levels of restricted interests, lower cognitive ability, weaker adaptive skills, and greater externalizing problems relative to males. Symptom differences could not be accounted for by measurement differences, indicating that diagnostic instruments captured autism similarly in males and females. IQ reductions mediated greater social impairment and reduced adaptive behavior in females with ASD, but did not mediate reductions in restricted interests or increases in irritability.A specific female ASD phenotype is emerging that cannot be accounted for by differential symptom measurement. The present data suggest that the relatively low proportion of high-functioning females may reflect the effect of protective biological factors or may be due to under-identification. Additional carefully accrued samples are needed to confirm the present pattern and to evaluate whether observed sex ratios in high-functioning cases are reduced if female-specific indicators of restricted interests are included.

SUBMITTER: Frazier TW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3935179 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Behavioral and cognitive characteristics of females and males with autism in the Simons Simplex Collection.

Frazier Thomas W TW Georgiades Stelios S Bishop Somer L SL Hardan Antonio Y AY

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 20131224 3

<h4>Objective</h4>To examine differences in behavioral symptoms and cognitive functioning between males and females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).<h4>Method</h4>We analyzed data from 2,418 probands with autism (304 females and 2,114 males) included in the Simons Simplex Collection. Sex differences were evaluated across measures of autism symptoms, cognitive and motor functioning, adaptive behavior, and associated behavior problems. Measurement bias was examined using latent variable models ...[more]

PMID: 24565360

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Project description:BackgroundThe identification of biomarkers for early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is critical to the development of therapies and interventions targeted at symptom management and tracking the pathophysiology of disease. The endorsement of subjective cognitive decline (SCD) has emerged as a potential indicator of early change in cognitive status that may be predictive of future impairment at a time when measurable declines in neuropsychological performance cannot be detected. While there are numerous findings revealing sex differences in the prevalence of AD, there is a paucity of research examining sex differences in SCD. Therefore, the goal of this project was to determine if the relationship between the endorsement of SCD and future cognitive changes differ as a function of biological sex.MethodsA sample of 3019 male and female healthy older adults (2188 without SCD, 831 with SCD), with a mean follow-up time of 5.7 years, were included from the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center Research Sharing Hub. Linear regressions were performed to determine group differences in baseline cognitive scores, while linear mixed-effects models were completed to determine group differences in the rate of cognitive change over time.ResultsIndividuals endorsing SCD had significantly lower baseline cognitive scores and increased rates of decline in all cognitive domains compared to those without SCD. Males exhibited significantly lower scores in baseline performance in global cognition, episodic memory, and perceptual speed regardless of SCD classification. Females with SCD were found to decline at significantly faster rates than both males with SCD and males and females without SCD in all cognitive domains over a maximum 15-year follow-up period.ConclusionsSCD is related to lower baseline cognitive performance and faster cognitive decline compared to those who do not endorse SCD. Females with SCD have the fastest rate of decline suggesting that SCD may be more predictive of future decline in females than in males. Targeted assessments of SCD may allow for the identification of individuals for inclusion in intervention trials, and other research studies, aiming to attenuate casual disease processes, which may ultimately aid in the mitigation of sex disparities in AD.

Project description:BackgroundExisting research shows that adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more vulnerable to develop overt psychosis. However, studies investigating (subclinical) psychotic experiences (PE) in ASD are scarce, and it is unknown if PE are accompanied with more distress in adults with ASD compared to the general population. This study examined lifetime PE and accompanying distress, momentary PE levels, and the impact of daily life stress and negative affect (NA) on momentary PE in males and females with ASD compared to controls.MethodsIn 50 adults with ASD (males N= 26, females N= 24) and 51 adults without ASD (males N= 26, females N= 25), the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) was used to analyze group differences in frequency and distress of lifetime subclinical positive, negative, and depressive symptoms. The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) was used to measure momentary PE, NA, and stress (activity-related, event-related, and social stress) for 10 days. Multilevel analyses were conducted to test whether stress and NA were associated with momentary PE and whether these associations were modified by group or sex.ResultsAdults with ASD reported more lifetime CAPE negative and depressive symptoms, but similar levels of PE, than controls. Higher levels of accompanying distress were found in participants with ASD for each subscale. With respect to ESM momentary PE, higher levels were reported by adults with ASD and a stronger association between event-related stress and momentary PE was found compared to controls. This was not the case for NA, activity-related, and social stress. Overall, no significant differences between male and female outcomes were found.ConclusionAdults with ASD are more prone to encounter lifetime subclinical negative and depressive symptoms and accompanying distress compared to adults without ASD. Similar levels of lifetime PE in both groups were still accompanied with more distress in the ASD group. Furthermore, higher levels of ESM momentary PE were found in participants with ASD. Additionally, event-related stress may act as a risk factor for PE in both females and males with ASD, with a stronger risk-increasing effect than in their control counterparts.

Dataset Information

Behavioral and cognitive characteristics of females and males with autism in the Simons Simplex Collection.

Publications

Behavioral and cognitive characteristics of females and males with autism in the Simons Simplex Collection.

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