Immune, Autonomic, and Endocrine Dysregulation in Autism and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome/Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders Versus Unaffected Controls

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Casanova, M., Sharp, J. L., Edelson, S., Kelly, D., Sokhadze, E. M., & Casanova, M. F. (2019). Immune, Autonomic, and Endocrine Dysregulation in Autism and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome/Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders Versus Unaffected Controls. Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities, (2), 82-95. https://doi.org/10.26407/2019jrtdd.1.20

Publication date: 31 Oct 2019 Added to AutiHub: 14 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
6
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 6 (16.7%)
  1. Manuel Casanova *
  2. Julia L. Sharp
  3. Stephen Edelson
  1. Desmond Kelly
  2. Estate M Sokhadze
  3. Manuel F. Casanova

Abstract

Background: A growing body of literature suggests etiological overlap between Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)/hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) and some cases of autism, although this relationship is poorly delineated. In addition, immune, autonomic, and endocrine dysregulation are reported in both conditions and may be relevant to their respective etiologies. \nAims: To study symptom overlap in these two comorbid spectrum conditions. \nMethods and Procedures: We surveyed 702 adults aged 25+ years on a variety of EDS/HSD-related health topics, comparing individuals with EDS/HSD, autism, and unaffected controls. \nOutcomes and Results: The autism group reported similar though less severe symptomology as the EDS/HSD group, especially in areas of immune/autonomic/endocrine dysregulation, connective tissue abnormalities (i.e., skin, bruising/bleeding), and chronic pain. EDS/HSD mothers with autistic children reported more immune symptoms than EDS/HSD mothers without, suggesting the maternal immune system could play a heritable role in these conditions (p = 0.0119). \nConclusions and Implications: These data suggest that EDS/HSD and autism share aspects of immune/autonomic/endocrine dysregulation, pain, and some tissue fragility, which is typically more severe in the former. This overlap, as well as documented comorbidity, suggests some forms of autism may be hereditary connective tissue disorders (HCTD).

Bibliography cited by this reference

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Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 14 Sep 2026 14:22.

Cited references
22
With a DOI
20
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
0
1 / 22 (4.5%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 22 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
22 / 22 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
0
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
94
From DOI or external metadata
94
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
8 / 94 (8.5%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 86 / 94 (91.5%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
2 / 94 (2.1%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 2 / 8 (25.0%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 1 / 88 (1.1%).
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