title: A Predictive Coding Account of Psychotic Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: The co-occurrence of psychotic and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms represents an important clinical challenge. Here we consider this problem in the context of a computational psychiatry approach that has been applied to both conditions-predictive coding. Some symptoms of schizophrenia have been explained in terms of a failure of top-down predictions or an enhanced weighting of bottom-up prediction errors. Likewise, autism has been explained in terms of similar perturbations. We suggest that this theoretical overlap may explain overlapping symptomatology. Experimental evidence highlights meaningful distinctions and consistencies between these disorders. We hypothesize individuals with ASD may experience some degree of delusions without the presence of any additional impairment, but that hallucinations are likely indicative of a distinct process.
authors.affiliation: Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. Gerrit.vanschalkwyk@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Gerrit I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: van Schalkwyk
authors.affiliation: Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Fred R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Volkmar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Corlett
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004532:Ego; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior
keywords: ASD and psychosis; ASD and schizophrenia; Predictive coding