Emily Simonoff1, Rachel Kent2, Dominic Stringer2, Catherine Lord3, Jackie Briskman4, Steve Lukito2, Andrew Pickles2, Tony Charman2, Gillian Baird5. 1. Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, and the Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: emily.simonoff@kcl.ac.uk. 2. Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, and the Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, London, United Kingdom. 3. UCLA Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, California. 4. South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. 5. UCLA Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, California; Newcomen Centre, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guys & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: For the first time, we use a longitudinal population-based autism cohort to chart the trajectories of cognition and autism symptoms from childhood to early adulthood and identify features that predict the level of function and change with development. METHOD: Latent growth curve models were fitted to data from the Special Needs and Autism Project cohort at three time points: 12, 16, and 23 years. Outcome measures were IQ and parent-reported Social Responsiveness Scale autism symptoms. Of the 158 participants with an autism spectrum disorder at 12 years, 126 (80%) were reassessed at 23 years. Child, family, and contextual characteristics obtained at 12 years predicted intercept and slope of the trajectories. RESULTS: Both trajectories showed considerable variability. IQ increased significantly by a mean of 7.48 points from 12 to 23 years, whereas autism symptoms remained unchanged. In multivariate analysis, full-scale IQ was predicted by initial language level and school type (mainstream/specialist). Participants with a history of early language regression showed significantly greater IQ gains. Autism symptoms were predicted by Social Communication Questionnaire scores (lifetime version) and emotional and behavioral problems. Participants attending mainstream schools showed significantly fewer autism disorder symptoms at 23 years than those in specialist settings; this finding was robust to propensity score analysis for confounding. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest continued cognitive increments for many people with autism across the adolescent period, but a lack of improvement in autism symptoms. Our finding of school influences on autism symptoms requires replication in other cohorts and settings before drawing any implications for mechanisms or policy.
OBJECTIVE: For the first time, we use a longitudinal population-based autism cohort to chart the trajectories of cognition and autism symptoms from childhood to early adulthood and identify features that predict the level of function and change with development. METHOD: Latent growth curve models were fitted to data from the Special Needs and Autism Project cohort at three time points: 12, 16, and 23 years. Outcome measures were IQ and parent-reported Social Responsiveness Scale autism symptoms. Of the 158 participants with an autism spectrum disorder at 12 years, 126 (80%) were reassessed at 23 years. Child, family, and contextual characteristics obtained at 12 years predicted intercept and slope of the trajectories. RESULTS: Both trajectories showed considerable variability. IQ increased significantly by a mean of 7.48 points from 12 to 23 years, whereas autism symptoms remained unchanged. In multivariate analysis, full-scale IQ was predicted by initial language level and school type (mainstream/specialist). Participants with a history of early language regression showed significantly greater IQ gains. Autism symptoms were predicted by Social Communication Questionnaire scores (lifetime version) and emotional and behavioral problems. Participants attending mainstream schools showed significantly fewer autism disorder symptoms at 23 years than those in specialist settings; this finding was robust to propensity score analysis for confounding. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest continued cognitive increments for many people with autism across the adolescent period, but a lack of improvement in autism symptoms. Our finding of school influences on autism symptoms requires replication in other cohorts and settings before drawing any implications for mechanisms or policy.
Authors: Lindsay Lawer Shea; Kaitlin H Koffer Miller; Kate Verstreate; Sha Tao; David Mandell Journal: Health Serv Res Date: 2021-07-12 Impact factor: 3.402
Authors: Lucy Riglin; Robyn E Wootton; Ajay K Thapar; Lucy A Livingston; Kate Langley; Stephan Collishaw; Jack Tagg; George Davey Smith; Evie Stergiakouli; Kate Tilling; Anita Thapar Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2021-04-26 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Laura Gisbert-Gustemps; Jorge Lugo-Marín; Imanol Setien Ramos; Gemma Español Martín; Eduard Vieta; C Mar Bonnín; Josep Antoni Ramos Quiroga Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2021-06-29 Impact factor: 3.630