UMC Utrecht
A link between autism and schizophrenia?
Patients with Multiple Complex Developmental Disorder (MCDD) have
clinical features of both autism (social impairment) and schizophrenia
(cognitive impairment).
In addition to social problems and problems regulating their emotions,
they also have thinking disorders and in many cases develop a
schizophrenia spectrum disorder (more than 60 percent in adults). In
her doctoral dissertation, Bertine Lahuis wonders whether a number of
neurobiological parameters can be used to differentiate MCDD as a
subtype within autistic spectrum disorders. She studied brain
structure using structural imaging, psychophysiological parameters
(Smooth Pursuit Eye Movement, Prepulse Inhibition, and P50), and
neuropsychological aspects.
Bertine Lahuis will receive her PhD from Utrecht University on June
24. The title of her dissertation is "Neurobiological parameters in
Multiple Complex Developmental Disorder, a subtype of the Pervasive
Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified."
24 June 2008