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Neurological considerations: autism and Parkinson's disease
Eric Hollander1, A Ting Wang, Ashley Braun
1Department of Psychiatry, Montefiore Medical Center, University Hospital of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10467-2490, United States. eholland@montefiore.org
Psychiatry Research
|October 10, 2009
Summary
Autism and Parkinson's disease (PD), though distinct, share compulsive behaviors and brain dysfunction with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Comparing these conditions offers insights into OCD spectrum disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Obsessive-compulsive (OC) features are present in various neurological disorders.
- Autism and Parkinson's disease (PD) are distinct neurological conditions that can exhibit compulsive-impulsive behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the similarities and differences between autism and PD in relation to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and OC spectrum disturbances.
- To provide insights into the pathophysiology and treatment of OC spectrum disorders by comparing autism and PD.
Main Methods:
- Review of phenomenology, comorbidity, course of illness, family history, brain circuitry, and treatment of autism and PD.
- Focus on how these aspects relate to OCD and OC spectrum disturbances.
Main Results:
- Both autism and PD can involve repetitive behaviors, basal ganglia, and frontal lobe dysfunction, similar to OCD.
- Despite differing symptom domains, shared phenomenology in repetitive behaviors is noted.
Conclusions:
- Comparing autism and PD offers a unique lens for understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of repetitive behaviors in OC spectrum disorders.
- This comparative approach may inform novel therapeutic strategies for OCD and related conditions.
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