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Cited by 235Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchEpilepsy research and treatmentChild Nutrition and Feeding Issues

Clinical characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring epilepsy.

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Viscidi, Emma W., Triche, Elizabeth W., Pescosolido, Matthew F., McLean, Rebecca L., Joseph, Robert M., Spence, Sarah J., Morrow, Eric M.·2013·PLoS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0067797PMC PMC3701630
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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of epilepsy in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of children with ASD and epilepsy in a large patient population. METHODS: Cross-sectional study using four samples of children with ASD for a total of 5,815 participants with ASD. The prevalence of epilepsy was estimated from a population-based sample. Children with and without epilepsy were compared on demographic and clinical characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between demographic and clinical characteristics and epilepsy. RESULTS: The average prevalence of epilepsy in children with ASD 2-17 years was 12.5%; among children aged 13 years and older, 26% had epilepsy. Epilepsy was associated with older age, lower cognitive ability, poorer adaptive and language functioning, a history of developmental regression and more severe ASD symptoms. The association between epilepsy and the majority of these characteristics appears to be driven by the lower IQ of participants with epilepsy. In a multivariate regression model, only age and cognitive ability were independently associated with epilepsy. Children age 10 or older had 2.35 times the odds of being diagnosed with epilepsy (p<.001) and for a one standard deviation increase in IQ, the odds of having epilepsy decreased by 47% (p<.001). CONCLUSION: This is among the largest studies to date of patients with ASD and co-occurring epilepsy. Based on a representative sample of children with ASD, the average prevalence of epilepsy is approximately 12% and reaches 26% by adolescence. Independent associations were found between epilepsy and older age and lower cognitive ability. Other risk factors, such as poor language and developmental regression, are not associated with epilepsy after controlling for IQ. These findings can help guide prognosis and alert clinicians to patients with ASD who are at increased risk for epilepsy.

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  • Several studies reveal a strong relationship between epilepsy in individuals with autism and autism in those with epilepsy.

    “Several studies reveal a strong relationship between epilepsy in individuals with autism and autism in those with epilepsy (Viscidi et al., 2013; Reilly et al., 2015; Sundelin et al., 2016), with the prevalence of epilepsy in ASD doubling in adolescence (26%) compared to childhood (12%) (Hara, 2007; Woolfenden et al., 2012; Sharma et al., 2021).”

    From Tauopathy and Epilepsy Comorbidities and Underlying Mechanisms (2022) · cites this paper as Viscidi et al., 2013

    The Introduction describes ASD–epilepsy co-occurrence as well established and reports that epilepsy is more common in people with ASD than in the general population. The Discussion mentions autistic traits in people with epilepsy, but our copy does not establish a similarly strong relationship for diagnosed autism among people with epilepsy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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Authors
Viscidi, E. W., Triche, E. W., Pescosolido, M. F., McLean, R. L., Joseph, R. M., Spence, S. J., & Morrow, E. M.
Affiliations
  • Brown University (US)
  • Boston University (US)
  • Boston Children's Hospital (US)
Corresponding author
Morrow, Eric M.
ORCID
Venue
PLoS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2013-07-04
Volume
8
Issue
7
Pages
e67797
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0067797
PMC
PMC3701630
OpenAlex
W2149810560
Cited by
235
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 4
FWCI
10.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Autism Speaks
  • Burroughs Wellcome Fund
  • Brown University
  • National Institute of Mental Health (U24MH081810, K23MH080954, T32MH019927)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (T32NS062443)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Epilepsy research and treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, comorbidities, prevalence, children, adolescents, cognitive ability, intelligence quotient, developmental regression, language functioning, adaptive behavior, risk factors, prognosis
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Child, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Child, Preschool, Cognition, Cross-Sectional Studies, Epilepsy, Female, Humans, Language Development, Male, Population Surveillance, Prognosis, Risk Factors, United States, Prevalence

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