Identifying cognitive and behavioral endophenotypes in families with autism spectrum disorders

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Title Identifying cognitive and behavioral endophenotypes in families with autism spectrum disorders
Publication Type thesis
School or College College of Social & Behavioral Science
Department Psychology
Author Villalobos, Michele Elizabeth
Date 2008-08
Description Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) demonstrate a wide variety of clinical resentations. Although the etiology is unknown, it is likely that ASDs result from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. It may also be the case that there are multiple types of ASD, each with their own unique etiology and developmental trajectory. It has been difficult to identify homogeneous groups of individuals with ASD that in turn makes it difficult to discover any etiology. Neurocognitive characteristics of ASD may be a helpful way to find ASD subtypes. However, consistent neurocognitive patterns in ASD have not emerged. One potential method for studying genetic etiology is to examine nonautistic family members. Certain characteristics of ASD have been shown to occur in other family members at a subclinical level. These are known as endophenotypes or intermediate traits that may be genetically related to ASD. If subtypes of ASD can be identified based on neurocognitive profiles, those same profiles may also exist in some family members as endophenotypes. The present study aimed to examine the cognitive and behavioral profiles in families with ASDs. A cluster analysis utilizing constructs of IQ, language, social ability behavior, and adaptive behavior was performed on the affected family members. Similar methods and constructs were applied to unaffected family member data, and results were compared. Four clusters emerged in the affected
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Autism, Patients, Family relationships; Autism, Patients, Family relationships.
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Dissertation Name MS
Language eng
Relation is Version of Digital reproduction of "Identifying cognitive and behavioral endophenotypes in families with autism spectrum disorders " J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections, RC39.5 2008 .V54
Rights Management © Michele Elizabeth Villalobos
Format application/pdf
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 109,356 bytes
Identifier us-etd2,31924
Source Original: University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections
ARK ark:/87278/s6794k7g
Setname ir_etd
ID 193096
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6794k7g
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