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Rigid-compulsive behaviors are associated with mixed bowel symptoms in autism spectrum disorder
Brittany Peters1, Kent C Williams, Phillip Gorrindo
1Vanderbilt University, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Suite 300, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA, brittany.peters@vanderbilt.edu.
Insights
Rigid-compulsive behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder are linked to severe constipation and related gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea or staining. This finding suggests a potential connection between gut and brain health in these children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently associated with gastrointestinal (GI) problems.
- Rigid-compulsive behaviors are a core feature of ASD, but their link to GI symptoms is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between rigid-compulsive behaviors and GI symptoms (constipation, diarrhea, underwear staining) in children with ASD.
- To explore potential shared biological pathways influencing both gut and brain function.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Autism Treatment Network, including children aged 2-17 years.
- Assessed rigid-compulsive behaviors using multiple measures: parental reports of repetitive and compulsive behaviors, clinician diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) ritual observations.
- Analyzed the association between GI symptoms and behavioral measures, applying statistical correction.
Main Results:
- Four out of five primary measures of rigid-compulsive behavior showed a significant association with constipation and co-occurring diarrhea or underwear staining.
- Significant associations were found with parental reports of repetitive behavior, parental reports of compulsive behavior, clinician-diagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder, and ADOS-observed rituals.
Conclusions:
- Rigid-compulsive behaviors are significantly associated with specific gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder.
- The findings suggest a potential causal link or a shared underlying biological mechanism affecting both the gut and brain in ASD.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the nature of this gut-brain connection.
Abstract:
Based on clinical experience, we hypothesized that rigid-compulsive behaviors are associated with severe constipation and co-occurring diarrhea or underwear staining in children with autism spectrum disorder. Using data from the Autism Treatment Network, we evaluated the association between these gastrointestinal symptoms and measures of rigid compulsive behavior in children ages 2-17. Following statistical correction, four of five primary measures were significantly associated with constipation and diarrhea or underwear staining, including parental report of repetitive behavior, parental report of compulsive behavior, clinician diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and report of rituals observed on the autism diagnostic observation schedule. This association could point to a causal connection between these symptoms or to a common biological pathway that impacts both gut and brain.
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