Addiction and Autism: A Remarkable Comorbidity?

Objective Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are well known for high prevalence’s of comorbid conditions especially anxiety, obsessions, depression and challenging behaviours. In this article we will consider the evidence for an eventual comorbidity between ASD and Addiction (Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and explore the possible underlying explanations. Methods A literature study on similarities between Addiction and ASD (at a phenotypical and neurobiological level) as well as a case note review on a year cohort of 200 consecutive admissions in an adult addiction psychiatry unit was studied here. Results In our pilot-survey 8 (men) on 118 patients were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. This is substantially higher than in the general population (1%) but in line with other European studies. Autism spectrum disorders and addiction can both be perceived as developmental disorders in which a genetic predisposition and vulnerability interact with environmental factors. They can be induced by early stress thus affecting the proper functioning of the cortico-striatal dopaminergic regulation systems (and also the HPA axis). There is growing evidence that ASD and SUD share developmental dysregulations of the limbic and sensorimotor cortico-striatal regulations loops. Conclusions There are clear indications that a possible comorbidity of substance abuse disorder should be considered in cases of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. This finding is important for clinicians to take into account in assessing patients with addiction problems or ASD. time frame, and take responsibility for oneself and others. He managed to get the shopping done in time but was tidying the purchased items when he was expected to join a group therapy session. When one of the nurses confronted him, he went out of his mind, became very aggressive and bashed doors and broke windows whilst threatening the nurse verbally. Due to this unacceptable behaviour he was dismissed from the program immediately. A week later he came back to our outpatient clinic and was asked what had happened and had caused his extreme reaction. He said that he became very angry because the nurse had interrupted him. For him it was inconceivable that he should have joined the group leaving his task unfinished. In the clinical interview it became clear that this type of rigid behaviour, and his incapacity Citation: Wijngaarden-Cremers PJM, Brink WV, Gaag RJ (2014) Addiction and Autism: A Remarkable Comorbidity?. J Alcohol Drug Depend 2: 170. doi:10.4172/2329-6488.1000170