There is a significant lack of evidence to support the usage and efficacy of psychotropic medications to treat individuals with co-occurring autism and intellectual disabilities.


Polypharmacy of Psychotropic Medications in Individuals with Co-Occuring ID and ASD

Previous estimates of ID in individuals with ASD was estimated to be around 50% to 70%, but more recent research reports a rate closer to 20%. 


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The most common co-occurring disorders with Autism Spectrum Disorder include epilepsy/seizures, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Often, these can go undetected due to the overlapping symptoms of ASD and/or inability to communicate these symptoms. This inability to communicate other discomforts can often result in coping mechanisms consisting of inappropriate behaviors, thus a shift in behavior can indicate presence of a comorbid disorder. 

- ASD and Epilepsy

ASD Co-morbidity with Other Disorders

McCarthy, J. M., & Chaplin, E. (2022). Adults with Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Is the Evidence around the Use of Polypharmacy. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(23), 15974. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315974

Adults with Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Is the Evidence around the Use of Polypharmacy

Bennett, A. E. (2017, July 1). Autism's Clinical Companions: Frequent Comorbidities with ASD. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. https://www.chop.edu/news/autism-s-clinical-companions-frequent-comorbidities-asd.

Autism's Clinical Companions: Frequent Comorbidities with ASD

Casanova, M. F., Frye, R. E., Gillberg, C., & Casanova, E. L. (2020). Editorial: Comorbidity and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11, 617395. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.617395

Editorial: Comorbidity and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Occurs in 25-30% of ASD individuals, as compared to 2-3% of the general population. Though there is a correlation, the exact reason is uncertain. It’s suspected that there is a shared genetic link between epilepsy and autism. There also seems to be a correlation between epilepsy risk and decreased intellectual ability (per one standard deviation decrease in IQ, odds of having epilepsy increase by ~47%) (Viscidi E.W. et. al, 2013). Abnormal EEG recordings are often seen in the ASD brain, even without epilepsy. 

ASD and Epilepsy

Co-occurrence of Autism and Intellectual Disability

Research found that fifty percent of individuals with autism suffer from social anxiety disorder. This can happen due to the anxiety that people with autism face in social situations, causing them to develop social anxiety disorder.

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