A Risk Factor for Depression in People with Autism

Depression rates were higher in those with normal intellectual functioning than in their siblings or in cases with intellectual disability.

Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) sustain higher rates of mood disorders and suicidal attempts than their neurotypical peers (NEJM JW Psychiatry Nov 2017 and J Clin Psychiatry 2017; 78:e1174). Understanding how IQ might affect this elevated risk is important: >70% of people with ASD have normal IQs, the recent increase in ASD prevalence has largely occurred via an increase in higher-functioning individuals, and genetic factors can differ by IQ. To learn more, researchers analyzed 11 years of Swedish national registry data on 223,842 individuals (age range at end of follow-up, 18–27).

Of 4073 identified individuals with ASD, 1146 (28%) had intellectual disability. Within the ASD population, depression rates were significantly highe…

Reviewing Author

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

A Risk Factor for Depression in People with Autism

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Reviewing Author