Epilepsy in Autism: Prevalence and Associated Factors in a Large Inpatient Psychiatric Sample

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Child and adolescent psychiatry
• Clinical neurology

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and epilepsy frequently co-occur, with reported prevalence ranging widely from 2.4% to 46%.
• Understanding this comorbidity is crucial, especially in specialized psychiatric settings where this population is often treated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between epilepsy and autism in a cohort of youth hospitalized in psychiatric settings.
• To identify factors associated with epilepsy in this underrepresented population.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the Autism Inpatient Collection (N=1354, ages 4-21) of youth with confirmed ASD.
• Utilized t-tests and chi-square tests to compare autistic individuals with and without epilepsy on demographic, clinical, and genetic variables.

Main Results:

• Epilepsy was present in 18.9% of the study participants.
• Epilepsy was significantly associated with older age, lower non-verbal IQ, and profound autism characteristics.
• Increased rates of genetic testing, family history of seizures/headaches, and higher medication counts were linked to epilepsy.

Conclusions:

• The study replicated known associations between epilepsy and autism in a psychiatric inpatient youth cohort.
• Identified novel associations, including increased genetic testing and medication burden, in autistic individuals with epilepsy.
• Findings can guide clinical care and family counseling for autistic youth in psychiatric facilities.