Increased serum androstenedione in adults with autism spectrum conditions

SummaryMolecular and behavioural evidence points to an association between sex-steroid hormones and autism spectrum conditions (ASC) and/or autistic traits. Prenatal androgen levels are associated with autistic traits, and several genes involved in steroidogenesis are associated with autism, Asperger Syndrome and/or autistic traits. Furthermore, higher rates of androgen-related conditions (such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, hirsutism, acne and hormone-related cancers) are reported in women with autism spectrum conditions. A key question therefore is if serum levels of gonadal and adrenal sex-steroids (particularly testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and androstenedione) are elevated in individuals with ASC. This was tested in a total sample of n = 166 participants. The final eligible sample for hormone analysis comprised n = 128 participants, n = 58 of whom had a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome or high functioning autism (33 males and 25 females) and n = 70 of whom were age- and IQ-matched typical controls (39 males and 31 females). ASC diagnosis (without any interaction with sex) strongly predicted androstenedione levels (p < 0.01), and serum androstenedione levels were significantly elevated in the ASC group (Mann–Whitney W = 2677, p = 0.002), a result confirmed by permutation testing in females (permutation-corrected p = 0.02). This result is discussed in terms of androstenedione being the immediate precursor of, and being converted into, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, or estrogens in hormone-sensitive tissues and organs.