Abstract
Fetal androgen exposure may be associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We studied 1777 mother–child pairs in the prospective Odense Child Cohort. Prenatal androgen exposure was assessed by maternal 3rd trimester testosterone concentrations, maternal polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and 3 months offspring anogenital distance. ASD traits were assessed at age 3 years with the ASD-symptom scale of the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 1½–5 years. Maternal testosterone was positively associated with traits of ASD in boys (p < 0.05). Maternal PCOS was associated with increased offspring ASD traits (p = 0.046), but became non-significant after excluding parental psychiatric diagnosis. Offspring anogenital distance was not linked to ASD traits. Higher prevalence of ASD in boys could be linked to higher susceptibility to fetal androgen exposure.
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The study was funded by the Danish Foundation for Scientific Innovation and Technology (09-067180); the Ronald McDonald Children Foundation; Odense University Hospital; the Region of Southern Denmark; Odense Municipality; the Mental Health Services in the Region of Southern Denmark; the Danish Council for Strategic Research; the Danish Programme Commission on Health, Food and Welfare (2101-08-0058); Odense Patient data Exploratory Network (OPEN); Novo Nordisk Foundation (Grant No. NNF15OC00017734); the Danish Council for Independent Research; and the Foundation for research collaboration between Rigshospitalet and Odense University Hospital; the Health Foundation (Helsefonden); the National Board of Social Services; and Lundbeckfonden (F-61171-19-27). There is no conflict of interest of any author that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.
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Laura G. Find began the initial data analysis and manuscript construction. Cilia M. Dalgaard and Anja F. Dreyer helped with the initial data analysis. Camilla V. B. Palm took over the data analysis with statistical expert knowledge from Pia V. Larsen. Dorte Glintborg and Camilla V. B. Palm completed the data interpretation and writing of the manuscript, with input and proofreading from Niels Bilenberg, Marianne S. Andersen, Henriette Boye and Tina K. Jensen.
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Palm, C.V.B., Glintborg, D., Find, L.G. et al. Prenatal Androgen Exposure and Traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Offspring: Odense Child Cohort. J Autism Dev Disord 53, 1053–1065 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05446-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05446-w