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Contribution title ASD and ADHD are independent traits in Children with Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Network Analysis Approach
Contribution code D1.021
Authors
  1. Henna Oksanen-Hennah Helsinki University Hospital Presenter
  2. Alfredo Ortega-Alonso University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
  3. Hanna Raaska Helsinki University Hospital
  4. Arja Voutilainen University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
  5. Raija Vanhala Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
  6. Laura Timonen-Soivio Helsinki University Hospital, Finland
  7. Fatma Doagu University of Helsinki. Finland
  8. William Hennah University of Helsinki, Finland
  9. Marja Laasonen University of Eastern Finland, Finland
Form of presentation Poster
Topic
  • T04 - ASD
Abstract Aims

Comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders typically present a variety of symptoms making diagnostics and treatment difficult. However, the interplay of neurodevelopmental disorder symptoms and traits in these complex clinical phenotypes is yet to be fully understood. In this study, we investigated the connections of traits linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), along psychiatric internalizing and externalizing symptoms in overlapping neurodevelopmental disorders.

Method

The interplay of neurodevelopmental disorder traits was explored in a clinical cohort of 30 children with complex phenotypic presentations (24 boys, and six girls; mean age: 6.8 years). Correlation network techniques were used to analyze data from detailed clinical assessments, containing standardized neuropsychological and clinical tests, parental questionnaires, self-reported family history, birth-related data, and medical diagnoses.

Results and Conclusions

Distinct symptom groups aligning with separate ASD and ADHD diagnoses were identified amongst the overlapping traits, even in the complex neurodevelopmental phenotypes investigated in this study. Furthermore, the internalizing and externalizing psychiatric symptoms formed a consistent pattern with the ADHD traits and separated from the ASD traits. The finding of separate ASD and ADHD symptom groups supports the utility of independent diagnostic constructs even in the context of complex neurodevelopmental manifestations. Moreover, our result suggests a central role of attention deficits in the symptomatology and treatment of these complicated phenotypes.