Co-occurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder with Other Neurological Disorders: A Brief Overview

The present study highlights a brief overview on co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder with other neurological disorders. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a common neurodevelopmental disorder, is characterized by deficiency in social communication and interaction and restricted, repetitive behaviours. Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurological conditions where abnormal brain activity occurs, affected 70 million people worldwide. A total of 552 developmentally challenged children were screened for ASD by following the criteria set in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder-IV (DSM-IV) at four districts such as Shivamogga, Chikmagaluru, Davangere, and Haveri of Karnataka, India. A total of 49 individuals with ASD were identified from the pool of special schools. It reveals that the males (71.43%) have been affected with ASD by two and a half fold higher than females (28.57%). Both genetic as well as environmental factors play a huge role in the cause of autism. A better understanding of ASD comorbidity with ONDs aids in diagnosis and treatment, thereby improving the quality of life of affected individuals.