Functional Gastrointestinal Disease in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Retrospective Descriptive Study in a Clinical Sample

Conclusions: Almost one-third of ASD patients in our sample had at least one fGID. The presence of fGID was associated with ID, sleep problems and with behavioral problems (as measured by the prescription of psychotropic drugs). This subsample of ASD patients with fGID deserves particular attention in future research projects, focusing on specific phenotypic characteristics and overlapping biological markers that may underlie both pathologies. Introduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (1). The neurobiological basis of ASD seems incontrovertible (2) even though the neurobiological mechanisms that result in the clinical phenotype remain to be fully elucidated. These include genetic factors, neuropathology, neurostructure, and brain networks (2). According to previous studies, more than 70% of individuals with ASD have other concurrent medical, developmental, or psychiatric conditions, which are frequently multiple (3–6). It is widely reported that children with ASD are more likely to experience unmet medical needs compared with typically developing children (7). According to data from a US national survey, among children and adolescents with special health care needs, those with ASD are more likely to require specific health care services. This also holds true when compared with children who ha...
Source: Frontiers in Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research