title: Exploring the cognitive features in children with autism spectrum disorder, their co-twins, and typically developing children within a population-based sample.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The behavioural symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are thought to reflect underlying cognitive deficits/differences. The findings in the literature are somewhat mixed regarding the cognitive features of ASD. This study attempted to address this issue by investigating a range of cognitive deficits and the prevalence of multiple cognitive atypicalities in a large population-based sample comprising children with ASD, their unaffected co-twins, and typically developing comparison children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included families from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) where one or both children met diagnostic criteria for ASD. Overall, 181 adolescents with a diagnosis of ASD and 73 unaffected co-twins were included, plus an additional 160 comparison control participants. An extensive cognitive battery was administered to measure IQ, central coherence, executive function, and theory of mind ability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Differences between groups (ASD, co-twin, control) are reported on tasks assessing theory of mind, executive function, and central coherence. The ASD group performed atypically in significantly more cognitive tasks than the unaffected co-twin and control groups. Nearly a third of the ASD group presented with multiple cognitive atypicalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple cognitive atypicalities appear to be a characteristic, but not universal feature, of ASD. Further work is needed to investigate whether specific cognitive atypicalities, either alone or together, are related to specific behaviours characteristic of ASD.
authors.affiliation: Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Victoria E A
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Brunsdon
authors.affiliation: Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colvert
authors.affiliation: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ames
authors.affiliation: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Garnett
authors.affiliation: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gillan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hallett
authors.affiliation: Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lietz
authors.affiliation: Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Woodhouse
authors.affiliation: Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bolton
authors.affiliation: Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Happé
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology; D014427:Twins / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; cognition; executive function; theory of mind; weak central coherence