Childhood trauma, life-time self-harm, and suicidal behaviour and ideation are associated with polygenic scores for autism.

ABSTRACT: Autistic individuals experience significantly elevated rates of childhood trauma, self-harm and suicidal behaviour and ideation (SSBI). Is this purely the result of negative environmental experiences, or does this interact with genetic predisposition? In this study we investigated if a genetic predisposition for autism is associated with childhood trauma using polygenic scores (PGS) and genetic correlations in the UK Biobank (105,222 < N < 105,638), and tested potential mediators and moderators of the association between autism, childhood trauma and SSBI. Autism PGS were significantly associated with childhood trauma (max R² = 0.096%, P < 2 × 10^-16), self-harm ideation (max R² = 0.108%, P < 2 × 10^-16), and self-harm (max R² = 0.13%, P 

SUBMITTER: Warrier V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8159746 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature