title: A study of the neuropsychological correlates in adults with high functioning autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the unique neuropsychological presentation in adults with high functioning autism spectrum disorders (HF-ASD) by comparison with adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults with ASD referred to a specialty clinic (n=26) were compared to two non-ASD groups with (n=52) and without (n=52) ADHD of similar age and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences in IQ were found. Subjects with HF-ASD were significantly more impaired than both comparison groups in processing speed, cognitive flexibility and sight words. Subjects with HF-ASD were more impaired than controls in working memory, but not the ADHD group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that there may be specific neuropsychological correlates of HF-ASD differing from ADHD that could have significant implications for identifying individuals at risk for ASD.
authors.affiliation: 1Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD,Massachusetts General Hospital,Boston,MA,USA.
authors.forename: Ronna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.affiliation: 1Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD,Massachusetts General Hospital,Boston,MA,USA.
authors.forename: Gagan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: 3Florida State University College of Medicine,Tallahassee,FL,USA.
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhide
authors.affiliation: 1Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD,Massachusetts General Hospital,Boston,MA,USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.affiliation: 1Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD,Massachusetts General Hospital,Boston,MA,USA.
authors.forename: Maribel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galdo
authors.affiliation: 1Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD,Massachusetts General Hospital,Boston,MA,USA.
authors.forename: Ariana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koster
authors.affiliation: 1Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD,Massachusetts General Hospital,Boston,MA,USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: 4Department of Neuroscience and Physiology,SUNY Upstate Medical University,Syracuse,NY,USA.
authors.forename: Stephen V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Faraone
authors.affiliation: 1Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD,Massachusetts General Hospital,Boston,MA,USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biederman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ADHD; autism spectrum disorder; cognitive flexibility; neuropsychology