Influence of sex differences in comorbidities of autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Comorbidity is classified as the co-occurrence of two or more conditions in the same individual at the same time. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely than others to have one or more comorbid conditions. A significant incidence of comorbid psychiatric, biological and neurodevelopmental problems can be observed among autistic individuals compared to neurotypicals. This research evaluates the evidence on gender variations in the clinical presentation of ASD and the comorbidities that are linked with the disorder (ASD). Overall, it was observed that females have a higher prevalence of epilepsy, intellectual impairment, and anorexia nervosa than their male counterparts. Psychopathological comorbidities, on the other hand, yielded conflicting results when it came to identifying gender differences. According to these data, there are significant differences in comorbidity patterns between genders, which may aid in the development of effective sex-specific diagnostic and treatment approaches for autism spectrum disorder and comorbid conditions.