A longitudinal follow-up study of autistic symptoms in children and adults with duplications of 15q11-13.
We completed a longitudinal follow-up of autistic symptoms in a cohort of children and young adults with duplications of chromosome 15q11-13. In our initial investigation of 29 individuals, tentative conclusions were drawn based on cross-sectional data suggesting that autistic symptoms increased with age, most specifically in the area of social interaction. We were able to re-assess 22 individuals from the original study an average of 7 years later using the same standardized autism screening measure. As predicted, autistic symptoms were found to increase for the younger children in the cohort but remained constant for the older participants. This global change in autistic symptoms among the younger children could not be ascribed to any particular autism subscale and reflects small but cumulatively significant increases across several domains.
Simon
Elliott W
EW
Genetic Services, Elwyn, Inc., Elwyn, Pennsylvania.
Haas-Givler
Barbara
B
Genetic Services, Elwyn, Inc., Elwyn, Pennsylvania.
Finucane
Brenda
B
Genetic Services, Elwyn, Inc., Elwyn, Pennsylvania.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002884:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020440:Gene Duplication; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male