Sex- and age-related differences in autistic behaviours in children with neurofibromatosis type 1

Anita K Chisholm; Francesca Lami; Kristina M Haebich; Alex Ure; Amanda Brignell; Tiba Maloof; Natalie A Pride; Karin S Walsh; Alice Maier; Melissa Rouel; Yael Granader; Belinda Barton; Hayley Darke; Ian Fuelscher; Gabriel Dabscheck; Vicki A Anderson; Katrina Williams; Kathryn N North; Jonathan M Payne

doi:10.1007/s10803-022-05571-6

Sex- and age-related differences in autistic behaviours in children with neurofibromatosis type 1

J Autism Dev Disord. 2023 Jul;53(7):2835-2850. doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05571-6. Epub 2022 Apr 20.

Authors

Anita K Chisholm^{1

2

3}, Francesca Lami^{1

2}, Kristina M Haebich^{1

2}, Alex Ure^{1

4

5}, Amanda Brignell^{1

4}, Tiba Maloof^{2

3}, Natalie A Pride⁶, Karin S Walsh⁷, Alice Maier^{1

3}, Melissa Rouel⁶, Yael Granader⁷, Belinda Barton^{6

8

9}, Hayley Darke¹, Ian Fuelscher¹⁰, Gabriel Dabscheck^{1

2

3}, Vicki A Anderson^{1

2

3}, Katrina Williams^{1

2

4

5}, Kathryn N North^{1

2}, Jonathan M Payne^{11

12

13

14}

Affiliations

¹ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, 3052, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
² Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, 3010, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
³ The Royal Children's Hospital, 50 Flemington Road, 3052, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁴ Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, 246 Clayton Road, 3168, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
⁵ Developmental Paediatrics, Monash Children's Hospital, 246 Clayton Road, 3168, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
⁶ Kids Neuroscience Centre, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, 178A Hawkesbury Road, 2145, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
⁷ Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine, Children's National Hospital, Michigan Avenue NW, 20310, Washington, DC, United States.
⁸ Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, 2050, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
⁹ Children's Hospital Education Research Institute, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, 178A Hawkesbury Road, 2145, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
¹⁰ School of Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, 3125, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
¹¹ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, 3052, Parkville, VIC, Australia. Jonathan.payne@mcri.edu.au.
¹² Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, 3010, Parkville, VIC, Australia. Jonathan.payne@mcri.edu.au.
¹³ The Royal Children's Hospital, 50 Flemington Road, 3052, Parkville, VIC, Australia. Jonathan.payne@mcri.edu.au.
¹⁴ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, 3052, Parkville, VIC, Australia. Jonathan.payne@mcri.edu.au.

PMID: 35445370
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05571-6

Abstract

This study investigated sex and age differences in autistic behaviours in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) who scored within the clinical range on the Social Responsiveness Scale - Second Edition (T score ≥ 60). Thirty-four males and 28 females (3-16 years) were assessed with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - Second Edition and Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised. Across both measures, males exhibited greater social communication deficits relative to females. Age-related abatement of social communication difficulties was observed for males but not females. Conversely, no sex differences were found for restricted/repetitive behaviours, which were stable over time for both males and females. The findings are discussed within the context of broader neurodevelopmental considerations that are common in NF1.

Keywords: Age-related differences; Autism; Autistic; Children; Neurofibromatosis type 1; Sex differences.

MeSH terms

Autism Spectrum Disorder*
Autistic Disorder* / diagnosis
Child
Communication
Humans
Language
Male
Neurofibromatosis 1* / complications
Neurofibromatosis 1* / diagnosis

Abstract

MeSH terms

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