NEUROSCIENCE IN EDUCATION: AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND MOOD DISORDERS

There is an international scientific consensus about the need to study the comorbidity of mood disorder (depressive and anxiety disorders) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The main purpose of this paper is to present and discuss the results of a review of studies about comorbidity between both disorders (Mood disorders and ASD) published in the main international databases. The specific objectives are to (1) propose possible explanatory hypotheses about vulnerability and comorbidity in ASD; (2) emphasize the methodological problems to research the high prevalence of mood disorders among people with ASD; (3) highlight the need to do longitudinal studies in this field, which enables us to find out the evolution of people with ASD and mood disorders, and finally (4) suggest future research lines that eliminate the methodological problems that arise in most of the published studies. With the achievement of these objectives, this work aims to improve the educational and clinical practice in the areas of prevention, early detection and intervention. For this purpose, this review analyses the relations and overlappings among symptoms of mood disorders and ASD that show the main studies reviewed of this field. According to the results, this paper concludes the urgent need to develop specific strategies and tools that allow, on the one hand, to carry out a differential assessment of comorbid disorders and, secondly, to develop a more effective therapy. Finally, methodological and theoretical considerations are addressed, and conclusions and proposals for future research directions are put forth.