Nonshared environmental factors in the aetiology of autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions: a monozygotic co-twin control study

Molecular Autism

Nikolas Aho¹  Karl Lundin Remnélius¹  Peter B. Marschik²  Sven Bölte³  Johan Isaksson⁴  Vladislav Ruchkin⁵ 

[1]Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm County Council, BUP-FOU Centrum, Gävlegatan 22, 113 30, Stockholm, Sweden

[2]Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm County Council, BUP-FOU Centrum, Gävlegatan 22, 113 30, Stockholm, Sweden

[3]Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany

[4]iDN - Interdisciplinary Developmental Neuroscience, Division of Phoniatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

[5]Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm County Council, BUP-FOU Centrum, Gävlegatan 22, 113 30, Stockholm, Sweden

[6]Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

[7]Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Austria

[8]Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

[9]Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm County Council, BUP-FOU Centrum, Gävlegatan 22, 113 30, Stockholm, Sweden

[10]Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

[11]Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

关键词: ADHD;    Autism;    IQ;    Early adversities;    Non-shared environment;    Twins;    Risk factors;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13229-022-00487-5

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundA significant proportion of variation in likelihood of neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) has been attributed to nonshared environmental (NSE) factors, although it remains unclear which NSE factors pose specific risks for certain NDCs.MethodsA monozygotic co-twin design was applied in a sample of 224 twins (mean age = 17.70 years, SD = 6.28) controlling for confounders such as genes and shared environment. Generalized estimating equation models were fitted, using perinatal and postnatal indications of NSEs as exposure, operationalized both as separate risk factors and as cumulative risk loads. Categorical and dimensional operationalizations of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disability and other NDCs were used as outcomes.ResultsBirth weight discordance was associated with dimensional autism and ADHD for the smaller twin, and medication during infancy was associated with dimensional autism. Among postnatal factors scarlet fever during early childhood was associated with lower IQ. Especially autism was associated with a greater cumulative perinatal or postnatal risk load.LimitationsWhen exploring the associations between each condition and specific NSEs the risk of being statistically underpowered increases. Hence, we limit the reported findings on specific indicators of NSEs to trait levels and present descriptive data for categorical NDCs.ConclusionsThe findings support previous research by indicating an association between exposure to perinatal and postnatal risks and subsequent NDCs within twin pairs and suggest that autism may be especially linked to accumulative early environmental risks. The findings are potentially important for developmental outcomes prognoses and may inform targeted prevention and early interventions.

【 授权许可】

CC BY