Psychosis in autism: comparison of the features of both conditions in a dually affected cohort

Felicity V. Larson; Adam P. Wagner; Peter B. Jones; Digby Tantam; Meng-Chuan Lai; Simon Baron-Cohen; Antony J. Holland

doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.116.187682

Psychosis in autism: comparison of the features of both conditions in a dually affected cohort

Felicity V. Larson, Adam P. Wagner, Peter B. Jones, Digby Tantam, Meng-Chuan Lai, Simon Baron-Cohen, Antony J. Holland

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Abstract

Background: There is limited information on the presentation and characteristics of psychotic illness experienced by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Aims: To describe autistic and psychotic phenomenology in a group of individuals with comorbid ASD and psychosis (ASD–P) and compare this group with populations affected by either, alone.

Method: We studied 116 individuals with ASD–P. We compared features of their ASD with people with ASD and no comorbid psychosis (ASD–NP), and clinical characteristics of psychosis in ASD–P with people with psychosis only.

Results: Individuals with ASD–P had more diagnoses of atypical psychosis and fewer of schizophrenia compared with individuals with psychosis only. People with ASD–P had fewer stereotyped interests/behaviours compared with those with ASD–NP.

Conclusions: Our data show there may be a specific subtype of ASD linked to comorbid psychosis. The results support findings that psychosis in people with ASD is often atypical, particularly regarding affective disturbance.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	269-275
Number of pages	7
Journal	The British Journal of Psychiatry
Volume	210
Issue number	4
Early online date	15 Dec 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.116.187682
Publication status	Published - Apr 2017

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http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/early/2016/12/01/bjp.bp.116.187682Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Psychosis in autism: comparison of the features of both conditions in a dually affected cohort",

abstract = "Background: There is limited information on the presentation and characteristics of psychotic illness experienced by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Aims: To describe autistic and psychotic phenomenology in a group of individuals with comorbid ASD and psychosis (ASD–P) and compare this group with populations affected by either, alone. Method: We studied 116 individuals with ASD–P. We compared features of their ASD with people with ASD and no comorbid psychosis (ASD–NP), and clinical characteristics of psychosis in ASD–P with people with psychosis only. Results: Individuals with ASD–P had more diagnoses of atypical psychosis and fewer of schizophrenia compared with individuals with psychosis only. People with ASD–P had fewer stereotyped interests/behaviours compared with those with ASD–NP. Conclusions: Our data show there may be a specific subtype of ASD linked to comorbid psychosis. The results support findings that psychosis in people with ASD is often atypical, particularly regarding affective disturbance.",

author = "Larson, {Felicity V.} and Wagner, {Adam P.} and Jones, {Peter B.} and Digby Tantam and Meng-Chuan Lai and Simon Baron-Cohen and Holland, {Antony J.}",

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AU - Larson, Felicity V.

AU - Wagner, Adam P.

AU - Jones, Peter B.

AU - Tantam, Digby

AU - Lai, Meng-Chuan

AU - Baron-Cohen, Simon

AU - Holland, Antony J.

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AB - Background: There is limited information on the presentation and characteristics of psychotic illness experienced by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Aims: To describe autistic and psychotic phenomenology in a group of individuals with comorbid ASD and psychosis (ASD–P) and compare this group with populations affected by either, alone. Method: We studied 116 individuals with ASD–P. We compared features of their ASD with people with ASD and no comorbid psychosis (ASD–NP), and clinical characteristics of psychosis in ASD–P with people with psychosis only. Results: Individuals with ASD–P had more diagnoses of atypical psychosis and fewer of schizophrenia compared with individuals with psychosis only. People with ASD–P had fewer stereotyped interests/behaviours compared with those with ASD–NP. Conclusions: Our data show there may be a specific subtype of ASD linked to comorbid psychosis. The results support findings that psychosis in people with ASD is often atypical, particularly regarding affective disturbance.

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