Study finds shift in adult autism diagnoses since 2010

Medical records in the United Kingdom and Sweden show that the health profiles of adults diagnosed with autism have shifted significantly since 2010, according to a report by Medical Xpress. The findings were published in the online journal BMJ Mental Health. Researchers identified a notable transition away from prior diagnoses of epilepsy, psychosis, and intellectual disability toward other mental health conditions. [1]

Medical Xpress reported that adults diagnosed with autism are now more frequently diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and depression. The analysis indicated that the steepest increase in autism diagnoses during this period occurred among individuals aged 16 to 20 years, females, and people of white ethnic backgrounds. [1]

Clinical depression, also known as major depressive disorder, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of low mood, low self-esteem, and a loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities. The term was adopted by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980. The condition causes the second-most years lived with disability globally, following lower back pain. [2]