Eating disorders and autism spectrum: links and risks

In the last decades, increasing attention has been provided to socio-cultural and 27 neurobiological factors involved in the psychopathology of Feeding and eating 28 disorders (FED), encouraging a multifactorial approach. In this framework, several 29 authors stressed an association between FED and other kinds of psychiatric disorders 30 from both a psychopathological and a neurobiological point of view. In particular, many 31 promising contributions are focusing on the possible link between FED and autism 32 spectrum disorder (ASD). Growing interest about this association rose from the 33 frequently reported evidence of ASD-like traits amongst FED patients and abnormal 34 eating behaviors amongst patients with ASD. This narrative review overview aims to 35 summarize the most relevant findings about the overlap between different kinds of FED 36 and the autism spectrum, taking into account the most recent hypotheses about the 37 psychopathology of both these conditions. While most of the studies focused on 38 Anorexia Nervosa, both ASD and autistic traits seem to be detectable also in other kinds 39 of FED. In addition, the recently increased interest towards a dimensional approach to 40 psychopathology led to progressively broadening the concept of ASD, focusing on its 41 subthreshold and gender-specific manifestations and on its link with other psychiatric 42 conditions, including FED. Globally the studies summarized here provide further 43 support to theoretical models featuring a neurodevelopmental approach for mental 44 disorders. In particular, FED have been conceptualized as a possible psychopathological 45 trajectory of a neurodevelopmental alteration, towards which female gender would act 46 as one of many predisposing factors.