Neurocognitive Profiles in Parents of Autistic Children and Parents of Children with Anorexia Nervosa

Abstract

There is growing evidence to suggest an overlap between autism spectrum disorder (autism) and anorexia nervosa (AN), both of which are known to be highly heritable conditions. The aim of this study was to explore overlapping behavioural and clinical characteristics, and neurocognitive profiles related to the autism dyad of symptoms among parents. Parents of autistic children, parents of children with AN, and parents of typically developing children completed a battery of behavioural questionnaires and neurocognitive tasks related to social cognition and cognitive flexibility. Parents of autistic children reported significantly more difficulties on imaginative abilities compared to the other two parent groups. Parents of children with AN had superior performance on cognitive flexibility tasks. As expected, and in support of an overlap between the two conditions, increased eating disorder psychopathology was associated with poorer performance on neurocognitive tasks related to the autism dyad. Understanding the overlap between AN and autism has important implications for accurate development of risk profiles, diagnosis, as well as treatment. This is critical as those with overlapping traits of autism and AN have poorer treatment outcomes and are at higher risk of the damaging physical health consequences of AN.

Keywords: Anorexia nervosa; Autism spectrum disorder; Cognitive flexibility; Executive function; Heritability; Mentalizing.