The DOI matches its Crossref record; 30 of the 30 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Sex differences in neurodevelopmental disorders
Open accessAbstract
Purpose of review: There continues to be more males than females diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders, which may provide clues about their cause. This review will focus on the two most common neurodevelopmental disorders – autism spectrum disorder (autism) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and explore recent research to understand recent developments in the field. Recent findings: Biological mechanisms including genetics, hormones and their interaction with other risk factors, such as stress and lead exposure, point to complex causal pathways for neurodevelopmental disorders. Over recent years, the research focus on sex differences in symptom profiles in autism has continued; however, a meta-analysis of existing studies indicated minimal sex differences in core autism symptoms. In ADHD, changes in the sex ratio from disparity in childhood to parity in adulthood may relate to the onset and trajectory of hyperactivity symptoms in females. Research into medical and psychiatric comorbidities, such as polycystic ovary syndrome and gender dysphoria, is also providing insights into the role of early androgen exposure as a potential causal factor for neurodevelopmental disorders. Summary: The factors, which contribute to an increased number of males with neurodevelopmental disorders in most cases are complex involving interactions between genetics, hormones and environmental factors.
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“Our results are in support of recent findings demonstrating that men are overrepresented in gender ratios and autistic traits are underdiagnosed in women [67–69].”
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1 retracted
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Metadata
- Authors
- May, T., Adesina, I., McGillivray, J., & Rinehart, N. J.
- Affiliations
- Deakin University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- May, Tamara
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Neurology
- Published
- 2019-08
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 622-626
- ISSN
- 1350-7540 (ISSN-L)
- 1473-6551
- OpenAlex
- W2945989667
- Cited by
- 235
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 29 · 2025: 46 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 2.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Neurology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Keywords
- sex differences, neurodevelopmental disorders, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, sex ratio, androgen exposure, polycystic ovary syndrome, gender dysphoria, comorbidities, stress, lead exposure, genetic risk factors, hormonal risk factors
- MeSH terms
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Female, Humans, Male, Sex Characteristics, Neurodevelopmental Disorders
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