Affiliations: Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bispebjerg
University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark | Hødersvej 5, Roskilde, Formerly Associated with
the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, Copenhagen,
Denmark | Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Glostrup
University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Svend Erik Mouridsen, Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry Centre, Bispebjerg University Hospital, DK-2400, Copenhagen,
Denmark. Tel.: +45 38641182; Fax: +45 38641234; E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract: The objective of this study is to compare the prevalence and nature
of cerebral palsy (CP) in a diagnosed cohort of individuals with Asperger's
syndrome (AS) with general population data. We performed a nationwide,
retrospective follow-up study of CP in all people who were born in Denmark
during the period January 1, 1980 through June 29, 2006 and registered in the
Danish Psychiatric Central Register with AS on February 7, 2011. All 4180
identified patients with AS (3431 males and 749 females) were screened through
the nationwide Danish National Hospital Register with respect to CP. Mean age
at the end of the observation period was 18.1 yr (range 4–31 yr). Of the
4180 individuals with AS, 27 (0.65%) were registered with at least one CP
diagnosis in the Danish National Hospital Register, which is significantly
increased (P < 0.0001; odds ratio = 3.9) relative to the general population
of Eastern Denmark, where an estimate is 0.17%. These population data lend
support to the assumption that the risk of CP is increased in people with AS.
Recognition of co-occurring disorders may provide insight into etiology and
treatment needs.