Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Brief Report: Autistic-Like Traits in Childhood Predict Later Age at Menarche in Girls

  • Brief Report
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between autistic-like traits in early childhood and age at menarche in typically developing girls. Autistic-like symptoms were measured at age 2 years using the Child Behaviour Checklist, and age at menarche (AAM) was determined prospectively using self-report questionnaires at age 8, 10, 14 and 17 years. Girls with ‘high’ autistic-like symptoms at age 2 years demonstrated significantly later AAM (n = 70; M = 13.07 years; SD = 1 year) than girls reported to show ‘typical’ (n = 216; M = 12.72 years; SD = 1.1) or ‘low’ (n = 47; M = 12.66 years; SD = 1.13 years) levels of these behaviors. These data further establish a link between the autism phenotype and later AAM and may provide insights into the etiology of the condition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  • Abbott, D. H., Dumesic, D. A., Eisner, J. R., Colman, R. J., & Kemnitz, J. W. (1998). Insights into the development of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) from studies of prenatally androgenized female rhesus monkeys. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 9, 62–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M., Edelbrock, C., & Howell, C. T. (1987). Empirically based assessment of the behavioral emotional-problems of 2-year-old and 3-year-old children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15, 629–650.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Auyeung, B., Baron-Cohen, S., Ashwin, E., Knickmeyer, R., Taylor, K., & Hackett, G. (2009). Fetal testosterone and autistic traits. British Journal of Psychology, 100, 1–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., & Hill, J. (2001). The ‘reading the mind in the eyes’ test revised version: A study with normal adults, and adults with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 42, 241–252.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, R., Blell, M., Hardy, R., Black, S., Pollard, T. M., Wadsworth, M. E. J., et al. (2006). Validity of age at menarche self-reported in adulthood. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 60(11), 993–997.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dezegher, F., Devlieger, H., & Veldhuis, J. D. (1992). Pulsatile and sexually dimorphic secretion of luteinizing-hormone in the human infant on the day of birth. Pediatric Research, 32, 605–607.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edelson, L., & Saudino, K. (2009). Genetic and environmental influences on autistic-like behaviors in 2-year-old twins. Behavior Genetics, 39, 255–264.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fombonne, E. (2003). Epidemiological surveys of autism and other pervasive developmental disorders: An update. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33(4), 365–382.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, R., Sloboda, D. M., Doherty, D. A., Norman, R. J., Atkinson, H. C., Newnham, J. P., et al. (2010). Circulating maternal testosterone concentrations at 18 weeks of gestation predict circulating levels of antimüllerian hormone in adolescence: A prospective cohort study. Fertility and Sterility, 94(4), 1544–1547.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hickey, M., Sloboda, D. M., Atkinson, H. C., Doherty, D. A., Franks, S., Norman, R. J., et al. (2009). The relationship between maternal and umbilical cord androgen levels and polycystic vary syndrome in adolescence: A prospective cohort study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 94, 3714–3720.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jolliffe, T., & Baron-Cohen, S. (1997). Are people with autism or Asperger’s syndrome faster than normal on the embedded figures task? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 527–534.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knickmeyer, R., Baron-Cohen, S., Raggatt, P., & Taylor, K. (2005). Foetal testosterone, social relationships, and restricted interests in children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 46, 198–210.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knickmeyer, R. C., Wheelwright, S., Hoekstra, R., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2006). Age of menarche in females with autism spectrum conditions. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 48, 1007–1008.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laitinen, J., Taponen, S., Martikainen, H., Pouta, A., Millwood, I., Hartikainen, A. L., et al. (2003). Body size from birth to adulthood as a predictor of self-reported polycystic ovary syndrome symptoms. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 27, 710–715.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lutchmaya, S., Baron-Cohen, S., & Raggatt, P. (2002). Foetal testosterone and eye contact in 12-month-old human infants. Infant Behavior and Development, 25, 327–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matchock, R. L. (2008). Low digit ratio (2D:4D) is associated with delayed menarche. American Journal of Human Biology, 20(4), 487–489.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, N. M., & Udry, J. R. (1980). Validation of a self-administered instrument to assess stage of adolescent development. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 9, 271–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newnham, J. P., Evans, S. F., Michael, C. A., Stanley, F. J., & Landau, L. I. (1993). Effects of frequent ultrasound during pregnancy: A randomized controlled trial. Lancet, 342, 887–891.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ong, K. K., Ahmed, M. L., & Dunger, D. B. (1999). The role of leptin in human growth and puberty. Acta Paediatrica, 88, 95–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ong, K. K., Emmett, P., Northstone, K., Golding, J., Rogers, I., Ness, A. R., et al. (2009). Infancy weight gain predicts childhood body fat and age at menarche in girls. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism, 94, 1527–1532.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ong, K. K., Potau, N., Petry, C. J., Jones, R., Ness, A. R., Honour, J. W., et al. (2004). Opposing influences of prenatal and postnatal weight gain on adrenarche in normal boys and girls. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism, 89, 2647–2651.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Romans, S. E., Martin, J. M., Gendall, K., & Herbison, G. P. (2003). Age of menarche: The role of some psychosocial factors. Psychological Medicine, 33, 933–939.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sikora, D. M., Hall, T. A., Hartley, S. L., Gerrard-Morris, A. E., & Cagle, S. (2008). Does parent report of behavior differ across ADOS-G classifications: Analysis of scores from the CBCL and GARS. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 440–448.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sloboda, D. M., Hart, R., Doherty, D. A., Pennell, C. E., & Hickey, M. (2007). Age at menarche: Influences of prenatal and postnatal growth. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 92, 46–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whincup, P. H., Gilg, J. A., Odoki, K., Taylor, S. J. C., & Cook, D. G. (2001). Age of menarche in contemporary British teenagers: Survey of girls born between 1982 and 1986. British Medical Journal, 322, 1095–1096.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehouse, A. J. O., Maybery, M. T., Hart, R., Mattes, E., Newnham, J. P., Sloboda, D. M., et al. (2010). Fetal androgen exposure and pragmatic language ability of girls in middle childhood: Implications for the extreme male-brain theory of autism. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 35, 1259–1264.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolke, D., Waylen, A., Samara, M., Steer, C., Goodman, R., Ford, T., et al. (2009). Selective drop-out in longitudinal studies and non-biased prediction of behaviour disorders. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 195, 249–256.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yudkin, P. L., Aboualfa, M., Eyre, J. A., Redman, C. W. G., & Wilkinson, A. R. (1987). New birthweight and head circumference centiles for gestational ages 24 to 42 weeks. Early Human Development, 15, 45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) for their long term contribution to funding the study over the last 20 years. Core Management of the Raine study has been funded by the University of Western Australia (UWA), the UWA Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, the Raine Medical Research Foundation, the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, and the Women’s and Infants Research Foundation. The 2- and 10-year follow-up was funded by the NH&MRC and the Raine Medical Research Foundation. The authors are extremely grateful to the study participants and their families as well as the Raine Study team for cohort co‐ordination and data collection.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

    Andrew J. O. Whitehouse

  2. Neurocognitive Development Unit, School of Psychology, University of Western Australia, 100 Roberts Road, Subiaco, Perth, WA, Australia, 6008

    Andrew J. O. Whitehouse & Murray T. Maybery

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VC, Australia

    Martha Hickey

  4. The Liggins Institute and the National Research Centre for Growth and Development, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Deborah M. Sloboda

Authors
  1. Andrew J. O. Whitehouse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Murray T. Maybery
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Martha Hickey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Deborah M. Sloboda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrew J. O. Whitehouse.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Whitehouse, A.J.O., Maybery, M.T., Hickey, M. et al. Brief Report: Autistic-Like Traits in Childhood Predict Later Age at Menarche in Girls. J Autism Dev Disord 41, 1125–1130 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1129-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1129-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation