Leiden University, Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, PO Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, The Netherlands.
Schizophr Res. 2011 Mar;126(1-3):231-6. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2010.09.004. Epub 2010 Oct 8.
This study addresses the unraveling of the relationship between autism spectrum and schizophrenia spectrum traits in a population of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Recent studies comparing isolated symptoms of both spectrum disorders as well as diagnostic criteria for each (DSM-IV-TR) suggest resemblances in the clinical phenotype. A group of 27 adolescents with ASD (11 to 18 years) and 30 typically developing adolescents, matched for age and gender, participated in this study. Within the ASD group 11 adolescents satisfied DSM-IV-TR criteria for schizotypal personality disorders. Autistic and schizotypal traits were identified by means of well validated questionnaires (Autism Questionnaire, AQ and Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Revised, SPQ). Significantly more schizotypal traits in adolescents with ASD were found than in typically developing controls. Besides high levels of negative symptoms, adolescents with ASD also displayed high levels of positive and disorganized symptoms. There appeared to be a relationship between the mean level of autistic symptoms and schizotypal traits, as well as specific associations between autistic symptoms and negative, disorganized and positive schizotypal symptoms within individuals. Schizotypal symptomatology in all sub dimensions that are reflected by the SPQ scores, was most prominently associated with attention switching problems of the autism symptoms from the AQ. These findings indicate that patients diagnosed with an ASD show schizophrenia spectrum traits in adolescence. Although other studies have provided empirical support for this overlap in diagnostic criteria between both spectrum disorders, the present findings add to the literature that behavioral overlap is not limited to negative schizotypal symptoms, but extends to disorganized and positive symptoms as well.
本研究旨在探讨在自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）青少年人群中，自闭症谱系和精神分裂症谱系特征之间的关系。最近的研究比较了两种谱系障碍的孤立症状以及各自的诊断标准（DSM-IV-TR），表明临床表型存在相似之处。一组 27 名 ASD 青少年（11 至 18 岁）和 30 名发育正常的青少年，按年龄和性别匹配，参与了这项研究。在 ASD 组中，有 11 名青少年符合 DSM-IV-TR 精神分裂型人格障碍的标准。通过经过充分验证的问卷（自闭症问卷，AQ 和修订的精神分裂症人格问卷，SPQ）确定了自闭症和精神分裂型特征。与发育正常的对照组相比，患有 ASD 的青少年具有更多的精神分裂型特征。除了高水平的阴性症状外，患有 ASD 的青少年还表现出高水平的阳性和紊乱症状。在 ASD 青少年中，自闭症症状的平均水平与精神分裂型特征之间似乎存在关系，以及个体中自闭症症状与阴性、紊乱和阳性精神分裂型症状之间的特定关联。SPQ 得分反映的所有子维度的精神分裂症症状，与 AQ 中自闭症症状的注意力转换问题最为密切相关。这些发现表明，被诊断为 ASD 的患者在青少年时期表现出精神分裂症谱系特征。尽管其他研究为这两种谱系障碍的诊断标准之间的重叠提供了实证支持，但本研究结果表明，行为重叠不仅限于阴性精神分裂症症状，还扩展到紊乱和阳性症状。
