Depression common among men with autism, study finds

[King_Oni]

Most men with autism have psychiatric disorders such as depression, finds a study of 50 men diagnosed with the disorder roughly 20 years ago. The findings highlight the range of challenges for adults with autism, many of whom lack the help they need.

Among the men who have another disorder, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in particular went unrecognized and untreated. The study was published 26 July in theJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders1.

“The focus on autism alone has led to undertreatment of both depression and ADHD,” says lead researcher Christopher Gillberg, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. “Everyone who works with people with Asperger’s or autism needs to be aware that they should be looking out for these problems.”

The study is remarkable because it follows the same individuals over an extended period of time, says Matthew Siegel, assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Tufts University in Massachusetts. The findings also highlight the need for better diagnostic tools for adults with autism, Siegel says.

The study is a follow-up to an analysis of 100 Swedish boys and teens diagnosed with Asperger syndrome between 1985 and 1991. (The syndrome, characterized by high language ability, has since been folded into an autism diagnosis.)

Gillberg and his colleagues succeeded in contacting 76 of the men when they averaged 20 years of age2. For the new study, the researchers met 50 men, now with an average age of 30, from the original 100.

They found that all but three of the men have had at least one psychiatric disorder, such as depression, ADHD, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder, at some point in their lives. Of the 50, currently 27 have symptoms of at least one psychiatric disorder. Depression and ADHD are predominant: 14 men had ADHD and 14 had depression at the time of the study, and 29 had been depressed at some point in their lives.

The researchers also assessed how well these individual cope with their particular sets of challenges. Having both autism and ADHD seems to pose the most difficulty, according to the measure the researchers used. Overall, men with more than one disorder fare worse than those who have only autism.

The new study is small, but the findings are consistent with those of larger studies, including one published in Autism earlier this year. In that study, researchers surveyed adults with autism via the Interactive Autism Network, an Internet-based registry. Of the 225 men and women who responded, 86 percent reported that they had at least one other psychiatric disorder. Anxiety, depression and ADHD were the most prevalent. More than 120 caregivers filled out the same survey, reporting similar results3.

Together, the studies highlight the blurred boundaries between different disorders, which in some cases may stem from the same biological glitch, saysTinca Polderman, assistant professor of complex trait genetics at VU University Amsterdam in the Netherlands. “We made these categories, and they’re really useful, but underlying biological factors might not be so strictly limited to each disorder,” she says.

Gillberg and his colleagues uncovered some other interesting information about their participants. For example, they noticed that as adolescents, many of the men were clumsy and uncoordinated. Of those included in the latest study, 34 had met the criteria for developmental coordination disorder — a neurological condition that affects that brain’s ability to control the body. Many of the men never learned to ride a bike, for instance. In one extreme case, a participant had difficulty avoiding obvious obstacles, such as a pole on the street.

These motor deficits might make social interactions even more challenging, Gillberg says, noting that some of the men avoided sports and other group activities as teens. “We need to be looking much more carefully in all individuals given a diagnosis of autism or Asperger’s given all these problems.”

Source

 

[King_Oni]

While it's a relatively small samplegroup it's still fairly interesting to read this. Makes me wonder that, if even treatment for depression in the way we've been treating it now (medication and such) for individuals on the spectrum is even a viable option; but of course, it that isn't it, what would? (I might have some ideas, but I doubt any would be backed by governments and communities as they cost a lot more money than to "drug up" someone)

 

[AsheSkyler]

Sounds like some of those guys might have had dyspraxia if they had trouble dodging a street pole. Maybe some of that depression could be better handled if they had somebody who actually knows what's going on in their bodies and nervous system?

 

[MEDL86]

Source

I'd wager that would be the case for anyone who has to deal with the issues, as well as the societal crap that comes with it, as well as the lack of any real help that also goes with it. I don't think it's strictly an autistic spectrum thing, it's a life thing. Take support away from anyone who has to deal with anything, and they'd get depressed too.

 

[gonz]

I sometimes find myself wondering if I really have depression, or if I am simply having an appropriate emotional response to negative circumstances. If the effects are indistinguishable, does the cause matter?

Clinical depression is always distinguished from sadness due to external causes. But what if those external causes (social isolation in my case, I believe it is similar for many on the spectrum), and thus the sadness associated with them, simply never go away?

Same with anxiety. Is it still clinically diagnosable anxiety when it is based on an accurate assessment of one's situation?

And, even if recognized as such, are this type of "depression" or "anxiety" treatable without first remedying the root cause? If not then that does not bode well, given the utter lack of effective treatment options for autism.

 

[King_Oni]

I sometimes find myself wondering if I really have depression, or if I am simply having an appropriate emotional response to negative circumstances. If the effects are indistinguishable, does the cause matter?

Clinical depression is always distinguished from sadness due to external causes. But what if those external causes (social isolation in my case, I believe it is similar for many on the spectrum), and thus the sadness associated with them, simply never go away?

Same with anxiety. Is it still clinical diagnosable anxiety when it is based on an accurate assessment of one's situation?

And, even if recognized as such, are this type of "depression" or "anxiety" treatable without first remedying the root cause? If not then that does not bode well, given the utter lack of effective treatment options for autism.

That's kinda what I've been wondering. I read a quote relating to what you're saying as a response to this article over on Facebook

"Depression is the rational response to my reality"

What probably helps in terms of "fixing" this for some of us on the spectrum is to at least look at what exactly is the cause, since I don't think it's clinical per se, but much more the "I don't suffer from depression, I suffer from people". Once any cause has been established, perhaps there's something in terms of support to be done there (be it proper therapy, proper adjustments at at job; I mean proper ones, not the ones they do because a law dictates it in some areas)... but I guess that in general, we all know that's a pipe dream to expect proper support geared towards individuals because... money and why we can't have nice things.

But perhaps I"m fortunate enough in that I can identify my own issues when it comes to a brooding depression at times... quite sure not everyone is that "lucky".

 

[Rhymer]

I've had depression pretty constantly since my teenage years so I can relate to this 100%.
I actually look at people who are happy with some kind of strange fascination as I can't work out how they can be happy all the time without being mentally ill.
I'm one of life's little rays of sunshine arent I !

 

[MEDL86]

I sometimes find myself wondering if I really have depression, or if I am simply having an appropriate emotional response to negative circumstances. If the effects are indistinguishable, does the cause matter?

Clinical depression is always distinguished from sadness due to external causes. But what if those external causes (social isolation in my case, I believe it is similar for many on the spectrum), and thus the sadness associated with them, simply never go away?

Same with anxiety. Is it still clinically diagnosable anxiety when it is based on an accurate assessment of one's situation?

And, even if recognized as such, are this type of "depression" or "anxiety" treatable without first remedying the root cause? If not then that does not bode well, given the utter lack of effective treatment options for autism.

Depression is more than just overwhelming sadness though, in many cases it's a chemical deficiency caused by neurotransmitter misfire or loss, and that can be remedied with the proper medicine.