A comparative study of development and symptoms among disintegrative psychosis and infantile autism with and without speech loss

J Autism Dev Disord. 1992 Jun;22(2):175-88. doi: 10.1007/BF01058149.

Abstract

To investigate clinical pictures and the validity of disintegrative psychosis (DP) as defined in ICD-9, 18 cases of DP were compared with 51 and 145 cases of infantile autism (IA) with and without speech loss, respectively, on clinical variables. The DP cases showed clearer regression after more satisfactory development than the IA cases with speech loss. Around age 7, about 4 years after regression, those with DP were significantly more severely retarded than those with IA, yet both were similar in autistic symptomatology. EEG abnormalities and mothers 30 or older at delivery were significantly more common in the histories of those with DP than of those with IA. DP may be linked with IA having speech loss with regression in mental development as a common denominator.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autistic Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Autistic Disorder / psychology
  • Child
  • Developmental Disabilities / diagnosis*
  • Developmental Disabilities / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Language Development Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Language Development Disorders / psychology
  • Life Change Events
  • Male
  • Neurocognitive Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Neurocognitive Disorders / psychology
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychotic Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Psychotic Disorders / psychology
  • Regression, Psychology
  • Risk Factors
  • Syndrome