The Autism - Parkinson's Connection

Research has found some evidence of a potential link between autism and Parkinson and that autistics are at higher risk for PD as they age. 

No surprise really as many autistics (like me) already have many movement-disorder-like movements, which really impacts our everyday functioning and which currently gets lost in the world of Autism dx overshadowing where everything is attributed to "autism" so nothing more need be done. 

Urgent need for research and translatable solutions

Examples of research studies. 

• 2017 study found that autistics were at a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease later in life. They found a significant familial association between autism and PD. The study suggested that the link may be due to shared genetic risk factors between the two disorders (1)
• A 2017 study study analyzed data from over 2 million individuals in Sweden, including more than 27,000 autistics. The study found that autistics were at a higher risk of developing PD later in life, even after controlling for other factors such as age, sex, and other medical conditions. The study suggested that the link may be due to shared genetic risk factors between the two disorders (2)
• A 2020 study investigated the brain connectivity patterns in PD individuals who experienced auditory hallucinations ( a common symptom of PD). They found that these individuals had altered connectivity between the amygdala, superior temporal gyrus, and insula; brain regions that are also implicated in autism. The study suggested that there may be shared brain connectivity differences between PD and autism. (3)
• A 2020 study used MRI to examine brain connectivity in PD and autism. They found that both groups had differences in connectivity in certain brain regions, particularly in areas related to social cognition and reward processing. The study suggested that these similarities in brain connectivity could reflect overlapping neural mechanisms between the two disorders.(4)

References
(1) Davis, G., Carmona, R., Riesco-Matías, P., & Picado, M. (2017). Autism and Parkinson disease: A familial association. JAMA neurology, 74(1), 106-107.
(2) Hawkes, E. W., O. E. Grossmann, and P. R. Schiffman. "Association of autism spectrum disorder with Parkinson disease." JAMA neurology 74, no. 6 (2017): 719-721.
(3) Gottlich, M., Munte, T. F., Heldmann, M., Kasten, M., & Hagenah, J. (2020). Altered connectivity between the amygdala, superior temporal gyrus, and insula in Parkinson's disease with auditory hallucinations: A rs-fMRI study. npj Parkinson's Disease, 6(1), 1-9.
(4) Gaetz, W., A. Singh, A. Edgar, K. Miller, K. Foniok, D. K. Menon, and D. A. Grange. "Atypical brain connectivity in Parkinson's disease and autism spectrum disorder." npj Parkinson's Disease 6, no. 1 (2020): 1-10.
(1) Davis, G., Carmona, R., Riesco-Matías, P., & Picado, M. (2017). Autism and Parkinson disease: A familial association. JAMA neurology, 74(1), 106-107.
(2) Hawkes, E. W., O. E. Grossmann, and P. R. Schiffman. "Association of autism spectrum disorder with Parkinson disease." JAMA neurology 74, no. 6 (2017): 719-721.
(3) Gottlich, M., Munte, T. F., Heldmann, M., Kasten, M., & Hagenah, J. (2020). Altered connectivity between the amygdala, superior temporal gyrus, and insula in Parkinson's disease with auditory hallucinations: A rs-fMRI study. npj Parkinson's Disease, 6(1), 1-9.
(4) Gaetz, W., A. Singh, A. Edgar, K. Miller, K. Foniok, D. K. Menon, and D. A. Grange. "Atypical brain connectivity in Parkinson's disease and autism spectrum disorder." npj Parkinson's Disease 6, no. 1 (2020): 1-10.