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  • Epidemiology of Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
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Epidemiologic approaches to neurodevelopmental disorders

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages S2–S3 (2002)Cite this article

In this report we discuss epidemiologic research designs which have been successful in illuminating etiologies of neurodevelopmental disorders, and the potential application of these designs in autism research. Neurodevelopmental disorders pose a special challenge to epidemiologic research, for several reasons. These include the need for prospective data on early prenatal exposures, the uncertainty of diagnoses, and the very large sample sizes required to examine gene–environment interactions in a prospective design. Nonetheless, several designs have proved adaptable for this purpose, of which we shall explore four: (a) pregnancy/birth cohort designs; (b) linked registry designs; (c) genetic high risk cohorts; (d) exposure based cohorts. To illustrate their potential we draw examples from research on another neurodevelopmental disorder, schizophrenia; we also use examples from autism research when available.

The first veritable birth cohort study was initiated in 1946 in the UK.1 By the 1950s investigators in the United States were establishing pregnancy/birth cohorts in which mothers were recruited at the first prenatal visit rather than at the time of birth.2 These pregnancy/birth cohort studies collected prenatal data not only by administering questionnaires and reviewing medical records, but also by obtaining and storing biological specimens (eg, maternal serum samples, placentas). In combination with neurodevelopmental assessments in childhood this innovation fundamentally altered the scope of hypotheses which could be addressed for neurodevelopmental disorders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology of Brain Disorders Department, New York State Psychiatric Institute, USA

    E Susser & M Bresnahan

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, USA

    E Susser & M Bresnahan

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  1. E Susser
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  2. M Bresnahan
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Correspondence to E Susser.

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Susser, E., Bresnahan, M. Epidemiologic approaches to neurodevelopmental disorders. Mol Psychiatry 7 (Suppl 2), S2–S3 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001161

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