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A Twin Study of Autism in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · 1989 · Vol. 30(3) · pp. 405–416

Suzanne Steffenburg(University of Gothenburg)Christopher Gillberg✉(University of Gothenburg)Lars Hellgren(University of Gothenburg)Lena AnderssonI. Carina Gillberg(University of Gothenburg)Gun Jakobsson(University of Gothenburg)Michael Bohman(Umeå University)

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Abstract

The Nordic countries were screened for the occurrence of cases of autism with a same-sexed twin under age 25 years. Twenty-one pairs (11 monozygotic and 10 dizygotic) of twins and one set of identical triplets were found and extensively examined. The concordance for autism by pair was 91% in the monoygotic and 0% in the dizygotic pairs. The corresponding concordances for cognitive disorder were 91% and 30%, respectively. In most of the pairs discordant for autism, the autistic twin had more perinatal stress. The results lend support for the notion that autism sometimes has a hereditary component and that perinatal stress is involved in some cases.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Child Development and Digital TechnologyAutismConcordancePsychologyDizygotic twinsDevelopmental psychologyHeritability of autismTwin studyAutism spectrum disorderMedicineGenetics

MeSH terms

AdolescentAdultAutistic DisorderBrain Damage, ChronicChildChild Behavior DisordersChild, PreschoolDiseases in TwinsFemaleFragile X SyndromeHumansIcelandLearning DisabilitiesMaleRisk Factors

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Heritability of autism spectrum disorders: a meta‐analysis of twin studies