title: Developmental Markers of Genetic Liability to Autism in Parents: A Longitudinal, Multigenerational Study.
abstract: Genetic liability to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be expressed in unaffected relatives through subclinical, genetically meaningful traits, or endophenotypes. This study aimed to identify developmental endophenotypes in parents of individuals with ASD by examining parents' childhood academic development over the school-age period. A cohort of 139 parents of individuals with ASD were studied, along with their children with ASD and 28 controls. Parents' childhood records in the domains of language, reading, and math were studied from grades K-12. Results indicated that relatively lower performance and slower development of skills (particularly language related skills), and an uneven rate of development across domains predicted ASD endophenotypes in adulthood for parents, and the severity of clinical symptoms in children with ASD. These findings may mark childhood indicators of genetic liability to ASD in parents, that could inform understanding of the subclinical expression of ASD genetic liability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Frances Searle, 2240 N Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA. m-losh@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Molly
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9823-8249
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Losh
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, St. John's University, Staten Island, NY, 10301, USA.
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Frances Searle, 2240 N Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29201, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klusek
authors.affiliation: Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sideris
authors.affiliation: College of Education, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barron
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wassink
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D032882:Comprehension; D005260:Female; D033141:Genetic Determinism; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010375:Pedigree; D010641:Phenotype; D011932:Reading; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Autism; Broad autism phenotype; Endophenotype; Genetics; Language; Longitudinal