Autism Spectrum Disorder Linked to Increased Risk for Parkinson Disease

TUESDAY, June 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with an increased risk for Parkinson disease (PD), according to a study published online May 27 in JAMA Neurology.

Weiyao Yin, M.D., Ph.D., from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and colleagues examined the association between ASD and future PD risk in a nationwide, population-based prospective cohort study using data from Swedish national registers. The study included 2,278,565 individuals, contributing 33,858,476 person-years.

The researchers found that PD occurred in 438 of the 2,226,611 individuals without ASD and in 24 of 51,954 individuals with ASD (0.02 and 0.05 percent, respectively [1.3 and 3.9 cases/100,000 person-years]; relative risk, 4.43). After adjustment for sex, socioeconomic status, family history of mental illness, family history of PD, and age at ASD diagnosis, the risk estimates were similar. There was no association for preterm or early-term birth with PD, nor did these modify PD risk. Independent of ASD, depression and antidepressant use were associated with an increased risk for PD (relative risk, 2.01). The association was reduced, but not fully attenuated, with antipsychotic exposure (relative risk, 2.00), with no interaction with ASD on PD risk.

“ASD was associated with increased risk of PD, even after adjusting for depression, antidepressant use, and antipsychotic exposure. These findings suggest a potential shared etiology between neurodevelopmental disorders and PD,” the authors write.

Two authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

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