Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Open Access
ISSN: 2329-6488
ISSN: 2329-6488
Rutger Jan van der Gaag
England
Research Article
Addiction and Autism: A Remarkable Comorbidity?
Author(s): Patricia JM van Wijngaarden-Cremers, Wim Van den Brink MD and Rutger Jan van der GaagPatricia JM van Wijngaarden-Cremers, Wim Van den Brink MD and Rutger Jan van der Gaag
Objective: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are well known for high prevalence’s of comorbid conditions especially anxiety, obsessions, depression and challenging behaviours. In this article we will consider the evidence for an eventual comorbidity between ASD and Addiction (Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and explore the possible underlying explanations.
Methods: A literature study on similarities between Addiction and ASD (at a phenotypical and neurobiological level) as well as a case note review on a year cohort of 200 consecutive admissions in an adult addiction psychiatry unit was studied here.
Results: In our pilot-survey 8 (men) on 118 patients were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. This is substantially higher than in the general population (1%) but in line with other European studies.
Autism .. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2329-6488.1000170