Autizam, aging and depression

Abstract

Autism was identified in the 1940s, but wasn’t widely recognized until the 1970s. This means some older autistic adults may have never have received a diagnosis. It’s also why we still don’t know much about the autism experience in later life. Experts are confident autism itself doesn’t get worse with age. But there is still a lot we don’t know about the experiences of older autistic people. It’s only now that those who were first diagnosed back in the 40s and 50s are reaching later life, and taking part in groundbreaking studies. Studies in America have found links between autism and an increased risk of diabetes, depression, or heart disease in later life. These risks is likely to be due to common autistic traits such as liking very particular foods, or feeling isolated or lonely. Research in North Macedonia was conducted to evaluate the link between autism and depression at older people.