Authors: S E Mouridsen B Rich T Isager
Publish Date: 2007/09/05
Volume: 115, Issue: 1, Pages: 135-138
Abstract
The prevalence and types of psychiatric disorders were studied in a clinical sample of 89 individuals with atypical autism AA first seen as children and 258 matched controls from the general population using data from the nationwide Danish Psychiatric Central Register The average observation time was 369 years and mean age at followup 453 years A total of 61 persons with AA 685 had been in contact with psychiatric hospitals during the followup period compared with 109 in the comparison group A whole range of significantly elevated psychiatric disorders was found so AA is not seen to be associated with any specific mental disorderSchizophrenia spectrum disorders were the most commonly associated psychiatric disorders diagnosed at least one time in 348 of the AA cases Our findings underscore that it is important for clinicians working in adult psychiatric services to be aware that AA and a wide range of psychiatric disorders often coexist
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