Maltreatment-associated neurodevelopmental disorders: a co-twin control analysis

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology
• Genetics

Background:

• Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a known risk factor for psychiatric disorders.
• The mechanisms linking CM to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) require further investigation.
• Familial confounding may influence the association between CM and NDDs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if maltreated children have an elevated number of NDDs.
• To assess if CM is a risk factor for increased NDD load and symptoms, controlling for familial effects.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional Swedish twin study of 8,192 nine-year-old twins.
• CM assessed via parent-reported abuse and neglect.
• Four NDDs measured using the Autism-Tics, AD/HD, and other comorbidities inventory.

Main Results:

• Maltreated children exhibited a higher mean number of NDDs.
• No significant difference in NDD number between CM-discordant monozygotic twins.
• CM associated with increased ADHD and ASD symptoms in discordant twins, largely due to shared genetics.

Conclusions:

• Maltreated children face a higher risk of multiple NDDs.
• Findings do not support CM as a direct cause of increased NDD load.
• Recommend full neurodevelopmental assessment for maltreated children and awareness of NDDs in maltreated populations.