Citation

DiBlasi E, Kirby AV, Gaj E, Docherty AR, Keeshin BR, Bakian AV, Coon H. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10803-020-04419-1

PMID

32096122

Abstract

Evidence suggests there may be increased risk for suicidal behavior among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An emerging body of research explores social factors that may contribute to increased risk, however little is known about the potential role of biological factors. The current project addresses this knowledge gap through a preliminary study of genes associated with both ASD and suicidal behavior. Gene set enrichment tests of eight genes strongly associated with both ASD and suicidal behavior revealed overrepresentation of nine biological processes, including cognition and synapse function, and 14 cellular components, including the neuron, the synapse, and the synaptic and postsynaptic membrane. These results can be used to inform future investigations of the biological underpinnings of suicidal behavior and ASD.

Language: en

Keywords

Autism; Gene set enrichment; Genetic; Suicide