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What can understanding autistic transgender individuals tell us about sex differences in ASD?

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Happy Pride! In honor of June, this week’s podcast focuses on the specific needs of those who are transgender or sexually diverse and also autistic. What is the prevalence of autism in those who are transgender and what is the prevalence of being transgender in those who are autistic? New research has emerged which shows that mental and physical health problems are more prevalent in those with an autism diagnosis and transgender compared to those who are not autistic and transgender. What can we learn about sex differences in diagnoses of males and females through studying those who are also transgender? Also, Laura Graham Holmes who authored one of the studies comments on the importance of her research.

Click to access 10.1177_07067437261442432.pdf

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aur.70235

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41614651

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17794-1

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41533668

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Is it co-morbid or co-occurring?

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A new paper in Translational Psychiatry this week outlines the reasons why some conditions that occur with autism are actually co-morbid, and not co-occurring. The podcast will break down clues on why sometimes they are co-morbid, and present an argument on why they are important in understanding the vast heterogeneity of autism.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aur.2898

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-023-02374-w

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“Profound” Autism

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On Tuesday, the journal Lancet published a 2+ year long endeavor around understanding the heterogeneity of autism not just in features but in access to services for individuals and families across the world. They called for a stepped care to help individualize and prioritize needs in different individuals based on their needs, not their diagnosis. They also called for the label of “profound autism” which describes individuals with very different outcomes compared to those who have a higher verbal and cognitive ability. Recognizing everyone needs supports and help, the “profound autism” label needs different supports, like different employment situations and different living accommodations. Thankfully, to authors, Dr. Catherine Lord from UCLA and Alison Singer from ASF explain the article and the impact they hope it makes on the field.

The article is open access but you have to register to download a copy, here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01541-5/fulltext