The effects of sex on prevalence and mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders
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Published on: December 9, 2013
Sabrina Nowak1, Sébastien Jacquemont1
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Abstract:
Neurodevelopmental disorders occur more frequently in boys than in girls and often differ in presentation between the sexes. The sex differences in prevalence and presentation of autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, communication disorders, specific learning disabilities, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Tourette's syndrome, and epilepsy are discussed, as well as sex differences in the patterns of comorbidities between these disorders. Prominent theories have been proposed to explain sex biases. These include genetic factors, sex hormones, sociological factors, cognitive differences between the sexes, and environmental insult. Despite the large body of research reviewed in this chapter, many aspects of sex-related effects in neurodevelopmental disorders remain poorly understood.
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