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Case Report: High Functioning Autism and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder in Half Brothers

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Abstract

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) is grouped with autism as a subtype of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) in ICD-10 and DSM-IV. This is the first report of autism and CDD cosegregating within a sibship. J. P. and M. P. are half-brothers with the same mother. J. P. is an 18-year-old with impairments in communication, social reciprocity, and stereotypies and was diagnosed with autism. M. P. is a 7-year-old who developed normally to 2 years 4 months. He then underwent a profound regression, becoming nonverbal and socially withdrawn, and lost adaptive skills. Investigations did not reveal any neurodegenerative process. M. P. was diagnosed with CDD. The rarity of the two conditions suggests a shared transmissible mechanism. The implications for autism/PDD genetic studies are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    L. Zwaigenbaum

  2. Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    P. Szatmari, G. Bartolucci & J. MacLean

  3. Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    W. Mahoney

  4. Department of Psychology, York University, North York, Ontario, Canada

    S. Bryson

Authors
  1. L. Zwaigenbaum
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  2. P. Szatmari
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  3. W. Mahoney
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  4. S. Bryson
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  5. G. Bartolucci
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  6. J. MacLean
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Zwaigenbaum, L., Szatmari, P., Mahoney, W. et al. Case Report: High Functioning Autism and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder in Half Brothers. J Autism Dev Disord 30, 121–126 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005455505211

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