Psychiatric disorders in individuals with high-functioning autism and Asperger's disorder: Similarities and differences

Abstract

From a clinical perspective, it could be concluded that both disorders involve a high risk for developing psychiatric disorders, with AS patients at greater risk for depression. From a nosological perspective, the substantial similarities in terms of psychiatric comorbidity may support the idea that both disorders are on the same spectrum and differs in some aspects.

Clinical and therapeutic implications of psychiatric comorbidity in high functioning autism/Asperger syndrome: An Italian study

“…Depression can often arise with an increase of withdrawal and aggressive behaviours: these symptoms may present more clearly in patients with HFA/AS, rather than in low-functioning autism (LFA), which could primarily presenting withdrawal and aggression. From other studies has been reported a very broad range of prevalence of mood disorders, from 6% up to 70% [4,5,[15][16][17][18][19]. This variability could depend to the fact that some authors examined only AS patients, other ones considered depressive symptoms rather then a diagnosis of major depression.…”

“…Furthermore, two patients had oppositional defiant disorder (5.6%), compared to 1% in the study of Simonoff, to 16% according to Mattila et al [5], up to 30% according Mukkades et al [4]. Must be considered that aggression, often found in ODD, is common in ASD patients, most of all in LFA; moreover, could be the epiphenomenon of other types of comorbidity, e.g.…”

“…In literature, the prevalence of schizophrenia in ASD is of 0.6% [11], in HFA/AS up to 3.3% [4]. In adults with schizophrenia, there is often a history of autistic symptoms in childhood; autism and schizophrenia share some neurobiological abnormalities and genetic backgrounds [17,18].…”

“…In 2009, Mukkades et al [4] pointed out a >90% prevalence of comorbidity in AS and HFA samples: the high rate was probably due to referral bias in diagnostic process.…”

“…Psychiatric comorbidity occurs highly in patients with High Functioning Autism (HFA) and Asperger syndrome (AS) [4][5][6], which are milder forms of autism, according to some authors. HFA individuals have a good cognitive level, expressed by an IQ > 70.…”