ReviewBrain sciences2026
Autism and Neurodegeneration: Distinct Disorders or a Shared Biological Continuum?
Review in Brain sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is traditionally classified as a neurodevelopmental condition, whereas neurodegenerative diseases are defined by progressive neuronal decline in later life. This separation has shaped research and clinical practice, yet emerging evidence suggests potential biological overlap. This review aims to evaluate whether ASD and neurodegenerative disorders represent distinct entities or are linked through shared mechanisms operating across the lifespan.
methodsThis narrative review synthesizes findings from genetic, molecular, cellular, circuit-level, and epidemiological studies examining ASD and major neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Emphasis is placed on identifying convergent pathways and evaluating evidence within a lifespan-oriented framework.
resultsAcross multiple levels of analysis, ASD and neurodegenerative diseases share partially overlapping biological mechanisms, including mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired proteostasis, neuroimmune alterations, and network-level instability. Genetic and molecular data reveal pleiotropic pathways influencing both early neurodevelopment and later neuronal resilience. Circuit-level studies highlight shared principles of network vulnerability, including cerebellar involvement and excitation-inhibition imbalance. Epidemiological data further indicate increased risk of dementia and parkinsonian features in autistic adults. These convergences suggest that early neurodevelopmental alterations may establish latent vulnerabilities that, under specific conditions, intersect with neurodegenerative processes later in life.
conclusionsASD and neurodegenerative diseases are best understood as distinct clinical conditions that share partially overlapping biological substrates. Rather than implying a deterministic progression, the evidence supports a model of lifespan convergence in which timing, context, and individual susceptibility shape outcomes. This framework highlights the need for integrated research and clinical approaches that consider brain health as a continuous process from development through aging.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.