title: "Autism-plus" spectrum disorders: intersection with psychosis and the schizophrenia spectrum.
abstract: Patients are often encountered clinically who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and also have symptoms suggestive of a comorbid psychotic disorder. A careful assessment for the presence of comorbid disorders is important. However, the core deficits seen in ASD, in social reciprocity, communication, and restricted behaviors and interests, can be mistaken for psychosis. Also, there is a subset of patients who present with a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with impairments that cross diagnostic categories. This article reviews the connections between ASD and psychosis, and highlights the key points to consider in patients who present with these "autism-plus" disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Biotech One, Suite 100, 365 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA. Electronic address: david.cochran@umassmemorial.org.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dvir
authors.forename: Jean A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Frazier
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006801:Humans; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
keywords: Autism; Multidimensionally impaired; Multiple complex developmental disorder; Psychosis; Schizophrenia