Gastrointestinal Tract Symptomatology in Adults with Pica and Autism

Abstract

This study investigated pica behavior in those with and without autism in relation to gastrointestinal (GI) tract symptomatology and disease. A chart review of 64 residential adults with developmental disabilities indicated that individuals with pica had more GI tract diseases, and those with autism and pica had a higher rate of GI diseases compared to those with autism and no pica behavior. These data suggest that individuals with both autism and pica disorders may be a phenotypic subgroup in the autistic spectrum characterized by GI symptomatology, requiring a clinical algorithm for categorization and effective treatment. A behavior-analytic model is presented that conceptualizes pica as part of a chain of events that begins with exploratory behavior and culminates in GI symptomatology and disease. Issues of sensory processing are addressed within this model. Individuals exhibiting pica may benefit from gastrointestinal evaluation, including assessment of the microbiome, and, if indicated, microbiota transfer therapy to

Does pica potentiate autism?: developing a research agenda

“…The power of statistical analysis can be increased by utilizing a common complaint, e.g., gastritis or H .Pylori (diagnosed by a physician) across all study participants. 35 A study employing children would permit comparison to most studies cited here, while focus on adult populations would complement the findings by Alexander et al 10 and Kinnell. 9 The latter approach may yield more striking results since age, disease, and other factors can impact the gut microbiota ecosystem.…”

“…A 2020 study by these authors 10 looked across adult clients in four groups: autism, pica, autism/ pica, and developmental disability without secondary diagnosis (ages 24-58, mean 42; N=64). Based on chart review covering a 10 year period by "blind" UCLA graduate school interns, the clients with autism/ pica showed the highest average number of gastrointestinal diseases (2.88) per individual, while the autism (only) clients were the lowest of the four groups (0.53 diseases on average).…”

“…The road is plowed to measure and compare saliva RNA transcriptomes, bacteria genera, and metabolic profiles across autism, pica, autism/pica, developmental disability, and neurotypical groups. Doing so would follow the the recommendation for subgroup categorization and analysis offered not only by Beversdorf et al, 6 but also by Alexander et al, 10 Buie et al, 29,30 Coury, 27 James et al, 1 Ousley and Cermak, 31 and others. We may discover unique or shared metabolic phenotypes as well as behavioral phenotypes; and be well on our way to specific targeted nutrition treatment for maldigestion, malabsorption, and presumably dysbiotic gut flora, inflammation, and increased gut permeability.…”

Invoking Nature and Nurture in a Synergistic Treatment Model F0r Autism

“…Baseline. In fact, individuals with both autism and pica disorders may be a phenotypic subgroup the autism spectrum requiring a clinical algorithm for categorization and effective treatment(Alexander et al, 2020).How does the bio-nutritional approach impact persons with pica or autism and pica? Small -sample studies and case studies -like the comprehensive study by Adams et al, (2019) -lead us to believe we are on the right intervention track.…”