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Familial aggregation of synaesthesia with autism (but not schizophrenia)

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posted on 2023-06-10, 04:07 authored by Max Nugent, Jamie WardJamie Ward
This study determines whether there is a familial aggregation between synaesthesia and two neuropsychiatric conditions (autism and schizophrenia). We examined the prevalence of autism and schizophrenia among synaesthetes and non-synaesthetic controls, and among their first-degree relatives. As predicted, autism occurred at elevated levels among synaesthetes and – we document for the first time – amongst their relatives. This suggests a shared genetic predisposition. This was not found for schizophrenia, where a link may be expected, or in a control condition (type 1 diabetes) where we had no a priori reason to assume a link. Synaesthetes, compared to controls, were also more likely to have other synaesthetes in their family. People with three or more types of synaesthesia were more likely (compared to synaesthetes with fewer types) to have synaesthetic relatives and to report autism in themselves. People with two or more types of synaesthesia (compared to synaesthetes with only one type) were more likely to report familial autism. That is, more extreme synaesthetes may tend to hail from more neurodiverse families.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Cognitive Neuropsychiatry

ISSN

1354-6805

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Issue

5

Volume

27

Page range

373-391

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2022-07-01

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2022-08-18

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2022-06-29

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