The combination of autism and exceptional cognitive ability is associated with suicidal ideation

Lucas G. Casten; Taylor R. Thomas; Alissa F. Doobay; Megan Foley-Nicpon; Sydney Kramer; Thomas Nickl-Jockschat; Ted Abel; Susan Assouline; Jacob J. Michaelson

doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107698

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The combination of autism and exceptional cognitive ability is associated with suicidal ideation

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

The combination of autism and exceptional cognitive ability is associated with suicidal ideation

Lucas G. Casten, Taylor R. Thomas, Alissa F. Doobay, Megan Foley-Nicpon, Sydney Kramer, Thomas Nickl-Jockschat, Ted Abel, Susan Assouline and Jacob J. Michaelson

Neurobiology of learning and memory, Vol.197, 107698

01/2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107698

PMID: 6450307

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https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10088461/pdf/nihms-1887014.pdfView

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Abstract

Autism with co-occurring exceptional cognitive ability is often accompanied by severe internalizing symptoms and feelings of inadequacy. Whether cognitive ability also translates into greater risk for suicidal ideation is unclear. To investigate this urgent question, we examined two samples of high-ability autistic individuals for factors that were predictive of suicidal ideation. In the first sample (N=1,074 individuals seen at a clinic specializing in gifted/talented youth), we observed a striking excess of parent-reported suicidal ideation in autistic individuals with IQ ≥ 120 (Odds Ratio=5.9, p=0.0007). In a separate sample of SPARK participants, we confirmed higher rates of suicidal thoughts compared to non-autistic children from the ABCD cohort (combined N=16,049, Odds Ratio=6.8, p<2.2e-16), and further that autistic children with suicidal thoughts had significantly higher cognitive ability (p<2.2e-16) than those without. Elevated polygenic scores (PGS) for cognitive performance were associated with increased suicidal thoughts (N=1,983, Z=2.16,p=0.03), with PGS for educational attainment trending in the same direction (Z=1.4,p=0.17). Notably, similar results were found in parents of these autistic youth, where higher PGS for educational attainment was associated with increasing thoughts of suicide (N=736, Z=2.28,p=0.02). Taken together, these results suggest that on a phenotypic and genetic level, increasing cognitive ability is an unexpected risk factor for suicidal ideation in individuals diagnosed with, or at risk for autism.

Autism

Genetics

Mental Health

Psychiatry

Cognition

Intelligence

Polygenic scores

Suicide

Twice-exceptional

Details

Title: Subtitle: The combination of autism and exceptional cognitive ability is associated with suicidal ideation
Creators: Lucas G. Casten - University of Iowa
Taylor R. Thomas - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa
Alissa F. Doobay - University of Iowa
Megan Foley-Nicpon - University of Iowa
Sydney Kramer - University of Iowa
Thomas Nickl-Jockschat - University of Iowa
Ted Abel - University of Iowa
Susan Assouline - University of Iowa
Jacob J. Michaelson - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Neurobiology of learning and memory, Vol.197, 107698
DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107698
PMID: 6450307
NLM abbreviation: Neurobiol Learn Mem
ISSN: 1074-7427
eISSN: 1095-9564
Publisher: Elsevier
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 11/27/2022
Date published: 01/2023
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Communication Sciences and Disorders; Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Psychiatry; Belin-Blank Center; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neuroscience and Pharmacology; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
Record Identifier: 9984322060302771

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