Disentangling the Associations Between Autistic-Like and Internalizing Traits: A Community Based Twin Study

Hallett, Victoria; Ronald, Angelica; Rijsdijk, Frühling; Happé, Francesca

doi:10.1007/s10802-011-9596-1

Cited by 65 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Thus, similar EPM performance between DKOs and WTs also supports a non-anxiogenic interpretation of the DKO shift to self-directed behavior. This is consistent with evidence in humans indicating that anxiety may be secondary and indirectly related to ASD-like sensory integration or communication problems [46, 47, 51, 52]. …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

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Repetitive grooming and sensorimotor abnormalities in an ephrin-A knockout model for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Wurzman

Forcelli

Griffey

et al. 2015

Behavioural Brain Research

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EphA receptors and ephrin-A ligands play important roles in neural development and synaptic plasticity in brain regions where expression persists into adulthood. Recently, EPHA3 and EPHA7 gene mutations were linked with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and developmental neurological delays, respectively. Furthermore, deletions of ephrin-A2 or ephrin-A3, which exhibit high binding affinity for EphA3 and EphA7 receptors, are associated with subtle deficits in learning and memory behavior and abnormalities in dendritic spine morphology in the cortex and hippocampus in mice. To better characterize a potential role for these ligands in ASDs, we performed a comprehensive behavioral characterization of anxiety-like, sensorimotor, learning, and social behaviors in ephrin-A2/-A3 double knockout (DKO) mice. The predominant phenotype in DKO mice was repetitive and self-injurious grooming behaviors such as have been associated with corticostriatal circuit abnormalities in other rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders. Consistent with ASDs specifically, DKO mice exhibited decreased preference for social interaction in the social approach assay, decreased locomotor activity in the open field, increased prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle, and a shift towards self-directed activity (e.g., grooming) in novel environments, such as marble burying. Although there were no gross deficits in cognitive assays, subtle differences in performance on fear conditioning and in the Morris water maze resembled traits observed in other rodent models of ASD. We therefore conclude that ephrin-A2/-A3 DKO mice have utility as a novel ASD model with an emphasis on sensory abnormalities and restricted, repetitive behavioral symptoms.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…For example, RRBs are performed to alleviate anxiety in OCD, however in ASD this is not necessarily so [46, 47]. While DKOs manifest an obvious RRB phenotype, the role of anxiety in these behaviors is difficult to interpret since behavioral assays with measures thought to reflect anxiety in mice present inconsistent and conflicting results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Repetitive grooming and sensorimotor abnormalities in an ephrin-A knockout model for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Wurzman

Forcelli

Griffey

et al. 2015

Behavioural Brain Research

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“…In accordance with research reporting more SC difficulties and greater SA symptoms in individuals with ASD,11, 13 we found similar associations in a population-based sample of children. The magnitude of these associations, although only modest compared to results in clinical samples, 11 mimic the findings from previous traitwise research examining parent-reported SC difficulties and SA symptoms 34 . Our results may be indicative of the low levels of SA and SC difficulty scores in the present sample.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Are Social and Communication Difficulties a Risk Factor for the Development of Social Anxiety?

Pickard

Rijsdijk

Happé

et al. 2017

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psych

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ObjectiveSocial anxiety (SA) is a common condition associated with social and communication (SC) difficulties in typically developing young people, as well as those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Whether SC difficulties place children at risk for developing SA is unclear. Using a longitudinal design, the present study aimed to disentangle the relationship between SA symptoms and SC difficulties using a population-based sample of 9,491 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).MethodParent-reported data on SC difficulties and SA symptoms were collected at ages 7, 10, and 13 years. A cross-lagged panel model was used to investigate the longitudinal stability and directional relationship between latent SC difficulties and SA constructs over time.ResultsMore SC difficulties were associated with greater SA symptoms at all ages. Earlier SC difficulties predicted a small but significant amount of variance in later SA symptoms. The reverse relationship from SA to SC difficulties was not observed. The relationship from SC difficulties to SA was strongest from age 7 to 10 years. No sex differences were observed.ConclusionThe evidence suggests that SC difficulties may be an important risk factor for the development of SA. These findings suggest the potential usefulness of incorporating social skills training alongside effective interventions to prevent or alleviate symptoms of SA in childhood.

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“…This conclusion is supported by work showing a bidirectional relationship between internalizing symptoms and ASD features across childhood in a longitudinal community twin sample (Hallett, Ronald, Rijsdijk, & Happé, 2010). Specifically, ASD-related social affective impairments and restricted and repetitive behaviors were associated with social anxiety with genetic contributions implied (Hallett, Ronald, Rijsdijk, & Happé, 2012). Also, social anxiety on the ADAMS has been shown to be more strongly related to the general anxiety scale on the ADAMS for those with FXS than it was for those with nonsyndromic ASD (Thurman et al, 2014) indicating that the expression of dimensions of anxiety may differ across clinical groups.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biobehavioral composite of social aspects of anxiety in young adults with fragile X syndrome contrasted to autism spectrum disorder

Roberts

Ezell

Fairchild

et al. 2018

American J of Med Genetics Pt B

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Social anxiety is a common disorder that has negative impacts across multiple domains of function. Several clinical groups are at elevated risk for social anxiety, including those with fragile X syndrome and those with autism spectrum disorder. Measuring social anxiety in these clinical subgroups is fraught with challenge, however, given the complexity of social anxiety and measurement limitations that are particularly acute in persons with neurodevelopmental disorders. The over-arching aim of this study was to contribute to our understanding of the nature of social anxiety in fragile X syndrome and its association with autism spectrum disorder. To address this aim, we created a multi-faceted composite representing behavioral and biological aspects of social anxiety and examined differences in two adolescent and young adult-aged groups: 59 males with fragile X syndrome and 18 males with autism spectrum disorder. Results indicated a lower score on the multivariate composite for the males with fragile X syndrome relative to autism spectrum disorder but with evidence that traits of autism and social anxiety overlap. We conclude that measuring anxiety and autism traits in fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorder is complex with features that overlap and interact in a dynamic manner.

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Disentangling the Associations Between Autistic-Like and Internalizing Traits: A Community Based Twin Study

Cited by 65 publications

References 49 publications

Repetitive grooming and sensorimotor abnormalities in an ephrin-A knockout model for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Repetitive grooming and sensorimotor abnormalities in an ephrin-A knockout model for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Are Social and Communication Difficulties a Risk Factor for the Development of Social Anxiety?

Biobehavioral composite of social aspects of anxiety in young adults with fragile X syndrome contrasted to autism spectrum disorder

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