1. Stewart ME, Day A, Bertilsdotter Rosqvist H. Autistic Experience and Aging: A Neurodiversity-Affirmative Approach. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):145-148.

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2. Stewart ME, Bertilsdotter Rosqvist H, Day A, Long J, Grant A, Hersh M, Michael C, Doherty M, Ingard C, Lawson W. Priorities for Research on Autism and Ageing: A Roundtable Discussion. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):149-158.

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3. Jarrell C. Passport to Healthy Aging: An Autistic Senior’s Perspective on Primary Health Care. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):159-161.

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4. Davies J, Matthews R, Romualdez AM, Pellicano E, Remington A. “Retirement Is One Hell of a Change”: Autistic People’s Experiences of Retiring. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):162-174.

Background: Limited research has examined autistic people’s experiences of aging. Although the significance of retirement in the context of aging has been highlighted by autistic people themselves, there is a dearth of research in this regard, with only one study focusing on the retirement experiences of one autistic man.Methods: In this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight older autistic people (mean age?=?63 years, range?=?56?70 years) who had retired or semi-retired in the past 10 years, and four who were planning to retire in the next 5 years. We aimed to generate some of the first insights regarding autistic people’s retirement experiences. We analyzed the data using reflexive thematic analysis.Results: Experiences were diverse. Challenges in retirement planning and adjustment were reported by some, whereas others viewed retirement as a positive respite from challenging work environments. The availability of more leisure time was appreciated by some, whereas others encountered ongoing responsibilities and obstacles hindering desired activities. A common theme was the inadequate support available for autistic people during retirement. Concerns about the aging process, including concerns about health decline and the possibility of entering residential care, were also common.Conclusion: Future research should examine the suitability of residential care for older autistic adults, consider alternative autistic-led group living arrangements, and explore avenues for improved support during and after the retirement transition.

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5. Chen Y, Jenkins CA, Charlton RA, Happé F, Mandy W, Stewart GR. “Utterly Overwhelming”—A Mixed-Methods Exploration of Sensory Processing Differences and Mental Health Experiences in Middle-Aged and Older Autistic Adults. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):175-187.

Background: Sensory processing differences (SPDs) and mental health symptoms are not limited to young autistic people but continue to occur into adulthood. However, existing quantitative research has predominantly focused on younger autistic people. Less work has been done to investigate SPDs and relationships with mental health conditions in older autistic adults (i.e., aged 40 and older) across their midlife and older adulthood.Methods: A total of 432 participants (autistic n = 265; non-autistic n = 167) aged 40?93 years completed online questionnaires related to SPDs and mental health (i.e., anxiety and depression symptoms). Neurotype and gender differences, age associations, and associations between SPDs and mental health were examined. Participants? contextualization of their lived experiences of SPDs was analyzed qualitatively.Results: Overall, SPDs and mental health symptoms were more apparent in the autistic group than the non-autistic group, with autistic women showing higher levels of SPDs and poorer mental health than autistic men. SPDs were more often reported to worsen across adulthood by those in the autistic group than those in the non-autistic group, with older autistic people more often reporting worse coping abilities. Furthermore, positive associations between SPDs and anxiety/depression symptoms were observed in the autistic group, with the strength of associations increasing with age. From the qualitative data, we developed six topics reflecting participants? lived experience of SPDs.Conclusion: Quantitative and qualitative evidence suggest that autistic adults in older age may be more likely to have a heightened risk of SPDs and associated poorer mental health. This study extends previous understanding of SPDs with mainly younger autism populations and highlights the necessity of exploring sensory difficulties in autistic adults in midlife and older adulthood.Community Brief Why is this an important issue?Autistic people often experience sensory processing differences (SPDs), for example, difficulties with sound/noise, textures, tastes, smells, and temperatures. In addition, these SPDs often impact their mental health. Although these SPDs are not unique to autistic people, they experience SPDs at higher rates than the general population.What was the purpose of this study?People of all ages can experience SPDs and mental health conditions. Despite this, much of the existing research on sensory and mental health experiences has focused on young autistic people. This study aimed to explore these experiences in middle-aged (age 40?59) and older (age 60+) autistic people.What did the researchers do?Using an online survey, we asked middle-aged and older autistic and non-autistic adults questions about their experiences of SPDs and their mental health. A total of 265 autistic and 167 non-autistic adults aged 40?93 took part in our survey. About half of our sample were women.What were the results of the study?Compared with the non-autistic participants, the autistic people in our study reported more SPDs, a higher frequency of overwhelming sensory experiences, and lower abilities to cope with their sensory experiences as they aged. SPDs and mental health conditions were found to co-occur, and this was reported more often by older autistic participants. In the open-text responses, autistic and non-autistic people reported that noise was a particular issue, but autistic people were more likely to stress the impacts on their mental health than non-autistic people. Several autistic people mentioned that they had developed coping strategies for managing their sensory experiences, for example, wearing noise-canceling headphones.What do these findings add to what was already known?These findings further our understanding of the experience of SPD in autistic populations. Much of the existing research has focused on younger people, and these findings highlight that middle-aged and older autistic people may need additional support for managing their sensory environments as they get older. It also highlights that sensory experiences should be considered when supporting autistic people with their mental health, and this may be particularly important for older autistic people.What are potential weaknesses in the study?First, our findings are based on cross-sectional data, and thus, we are unable to generate predictive relationships between SPDs and mental health conditions. Second, the subscale used to measure the presence of SPDs included only three items. Third, most current participants are from the United Kingdom, and very few non-binary/trans/gender-fluid individuals took part in this study. Last, there may also be other factors that are influencing the SPDs of middle-aged and older autistic adults that are not taken into consideration in this study, for example, their physical health or their living situation.How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?These findings highlight that autistic people in midlife and older age may be particularly susceptible to SPDs, which may impact their mental health. This emphasizes the need for evidence-based interventions to address SPDs and support autistic people with their sensory environments as they age.

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6. Bishop L, Nikahd M, Wolf BJ, Patterson BW, Longo A, Radford D, Krantz E, Hyer JM, Hand BN. Evaluation of Equity in Hospice Care Utilization Among Medicare-Enrolled Autistic Older Adults. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):188-196.

Background: Better identification of autistic people and increased life expectancy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have given rise to an urgent need to better understand end-of-life care in autistic people. We compared hospice utilization of autistic older adults with non-autistic older adults and examined if known inequities in hospice utilization among the general population are exacerbated among autistic older adults.Methods: We analyzed hospice claims from Medicare, which insures Americans older than 65 years and covers hospice costs. Our sample included 5468 autistic older adults and 10,934 matched population comparison older adults who died during 2013?2021. We used multivariable logistic regression to compare these groups on the odds of any, early, intermediate, and late hospice utilization. We defined early hospice utilization as at least 28 days before death, intermediate as 4?27 days before death, and late as within 3 days of death. Interaction terms were used to assess whether effects were modified by beneficiary?s sex, race, or rurality. In a sensitivity analysis, we repeated our analyses in unmatched samples.Results: The autistic older adult and matched population comparison groups had similar odds of any hospice utilization (odds ratio [OR]: 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.98?1.13), early (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.91?1.11), intermediate (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.95?1.13), and late hospice (OR: 1.07; 95% CI: 0.96?1.19). In our models evaluating the impact of other known inequities, we did not find significant interactions between autism diagnostic status and sex, race, or rurality. Results were similar in the unmatched samples.Conclusion: Given the body of literature documenting health disparities in autistic people, our findings are heartening, suggesting that Medicare-enrolled autistic older adults experience similar receipt and timing of hospice as their non-autistic peers. Our findings highlight the potential power of health policies that provide zero-cost, universal benefits to Americans in reducing health care utilization disparities among autistic people.Community Brief Why is this an important issue?Autistic people may use health care services less than non-autistic peers. It is important to understand differences in health care use and end-of-life care in older adulthood. This information will be useful to autistic people and their families for future planning as well as to the health care system for preparing to meet the needs of aging autistic adults.What was the purpose of this study?Hospice care focuses on comfort and quality of life before death when a person is diagnosed with a progressive condition from which they are not expected to recover. The purpose of this study was to compare the hospice use of Medicare-enrolled autistic older adults with that of non-autistic older adults.What did the researchers do?We analyzed hospice claims from Medicare, a government-funded insurance program that provides coverage for Americans older than 65 and fully covers hospice costs. We identified 5468 autistic older adults who died and matched them to 10,934 non-autistic older adults who died. Matching involves creating a comparison group of non-autistic individuals who have similar characteristics to the autistic sample, including sex, race, and rurality. We compared groups on the odds of any, early, intermediate, and late hospice use. We defined early hospice use as at least 28 days before death, intermediate as 4?27 days before death, and late as within 3 days of death. We looked at whether differences between groups differed based on sex, race, or rurality. We also repeated our analyses in unmatched samples of autistic and non-autistic older adults.What were the results of this study?Autistic older adults and non-autistic older adults had similar odds of any, early, intermediate, and late hospice use. Sex, race, and rurality had similar effects on the odds of hospice use among autistic and non-autistic older adults. Results were similar in the matched and unmatched sample .What do these findings add to what was already known?While multiple other studies have identified disparities in health care utilization in autistic people, this study suggests that these disparities may decrease as autistic people age and have access to comprehensive insurance with universal, no-cost benefits such as Medicare. Hospice care is an area in which autistic people may not experience disparities.What are the potential weaknesses of this study?Findings may not predict hospice use among future generations of autistic older adults because the older adults in this study were born and raised before access to modern diagnoses and supports. Some autistic older adults may have been miscategorized as non-autistic.How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?Our findings may provide some comfort about the unknowns of aging for Medicare-enrolled autistic older adults, as they have similar use of hospice compared with their non-autistic peers. Disparities that may exist for other health care services earlier in life may not persist into end-of-life care. Our findings may also be used to advocate for more health policies that provide zero-cost, universal benefits to reduce health care use disparities among autistic people.

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7. Ponting E. The Architectural Needs and Preferences of Autistic People Versus Gerontological Residential Care Facility Design Practices. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):197-210.

Background: Older autistic people in the United Kingdom are facing a social care crisis. Autistic people are more likely to need social care as they age, but little is known about the architectural needs of autistic people, meaning current residential care facility design makes this form of social care inaccessible to them. Older autistic people often have to rely on fragile informal care or are placed in unsuitable social care situations such as long-stay hospital wards. In contrast, there are established gerontological best practices for designing residential care for older people. This article discusses how the residential architectural needs of autistic people and gerontological residential care design best practices may conflict.Methods: One hundred and five autistic people answered an online questionnaire asking about their architectural needs and preferences. Qualitative results were analyzed using reflective thematic analysis with an inductive approach, and quantitative results were described and tested for statistical significance where appropriate.Results: The research identified three themes where there may be conflict between the architectural needs of autistic people and gerontological residential care design practices: sensory challenges, interactions with others, and day-to-day life. Elements within these themes could make buildings inaccessible to autistic people, cause sensory overload, cause distress, or negatively impact their executive function and ability to complete daily tasks.Conclusions: Certain aspects of residential care design that may positively influence older people?s well-being and quality of life may cause autistic people distress and discomfort and inhibit their ability to undertake daily tasks. Some of the elements that may cause this dichotomy are the building location and connectivity, building and spatial size, navigation and wayfinding, open plan flexible spaces or distinct separate spaces, spatial interconnectivity, the extent of the private domain, and social space design. Further research is needed on how to overcome these conflicts.Community Brief Why is this an important issue?Older autistic people are more likely to need social care than older non-autistic people. We don?t know much about the best way to design buildings for autistic people. The design of residential care buildings might stop autistic people moving into them. This could stop autistic people accessing social care when they need it.What was the purpose of this study?We looked at whether the best way to design buildings for autistic people may be different from designing buildings for older people. Understanding those differences may help us design better residential buildings for autistic people.What did the researcher do?The researcher wrote a questionnaire and asked autistic people to answer it. The questionnaire was about what autistic people like or dislike about the buildings they live in. We looked for patterns in the answers. We compared those patterns with research on the best way to design residential care buildings for older people.What were the results?The autistic people who answered the questionnaire wrote about how they wanted to live somewhere quiet. They said that they didn?t want to live near other people. They did not want to live with other people who had different lifestyles and needs. They also said too many other people and sensory discomfort may stop them being able to enter a space. They did not like being forced to socialize. They need to be able to leave a space when there are too many people in it. They wanted there to be enough space between people. They said that having to use shared spaces may stop them being able to cook, eat, exercise, and wash. They said that they would find it hard to use rooms that had several different uses or where the layout could change. They said their home is their safe space.What do these findings add to what was already known?These findings help us know more about what autistic people like or dislike about the buildings they live in. They also help us know which parts of residential care building design autistic people dislike.What are potential weaknesses in the study?We did not know much about this topic before doing the research. This made it harder to know how to do the research. It would have been better if more autistic people had answered the questionnaire. It would have been better if more different types of people answered the questionnaire.How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?This research will help people design residential care buildings in a way that is better for autistic people. It helps us understand why they like or dislike parts of a building?s design.

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8. Birtwell K, Bramwell D, Gowen E, Brown LJE, Hulme L, Corsellis E, Rowland C. “Our Existence as Whole Individuals Does Not Evaporate at Age 50”: A Mixed Methods Study of Autistic Adults’ Perspectives on Growing Older. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):211-232.

Background: Older autistic adults are at risk of social isolation and are more likely to experience physical and mental health conditions compared with non-autistic older adults. However, the needs and experiences of older autistic adults, and the perspectives of autistic adults (across ages) about growing older, are an under-researched area.Methods: We conducted a mixed methods online survey to explore factors that may help autistic people to do well in older age, what worries people about older age, changes in experiences of being autistic with age, and priorities for future research. We recruited 121 autistic adults aged 18?88 from the United Kingdom, mainly via social media. We employed quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods.Results: We generated three categories from participants? free-text responses: (1) health, care, and wider societal support; (2) independence and autonomy; and (3) social connectedness. Qualitative findings supported the quantitative findings that maintaining physical and mental health, independence and autonomy, and social relationships were considered important. Participants worried about a lack of appropriate support from health and care staff, age-related health conditions such as dementia and menopause, and not having intersectional needs understood or met. Some participants reported their experience of being autistic became easier with age, and others found it more difficult. Participants suggested future research could include health and care staff and services (including care homes), health conditions (e.g., dementia), autistic-specific needs and concerns (e.g., changes in sensory sensitivities with age), social life and support, and independent living.Conclusions: This study highlights supportive factors and concerns in relation to autistic aging. Our findings support recent research and highlight underexplored areas such as care home experiences, dementia, menopause, and LGBTQIA+ aging needs. Findings will help to inform health and care provision as well as directing future research in line with the priorities of the autistic community.Community Brief Why is this an important issue?We know that social support and relationships contribute to better quality of life in older autistic adults. However, we do not know enough about the experiences of older autistic adults, what might help autistic people to do well in older age, and what worries autistic people about growing older.What was the purpose of this study?To understand the experiences and support needs of autistic people as they age and identify priorities for future research about aging.What did the researchers do?We worked with autistic individuals to create an online survey about growing older. The survey asked participants to rate (between 1 and 5) certain aspects of aging and asked participants ?open-ended? questions, where participants could write what they wanted. Open questions asked what might help people to do well in older age, what might worry people about older age, and whether their experience of being autistic has changed as they have grown older. We also asked people what aging-related topics they think future research should look at. In total, 121 autistic people took part, aged 18?88. We looked for patterns across the responses where participants wrote similar or different things.What were the results of the study?We found that participants had many concerns about ?aging well.? These included concerns about health and conditions such as dementia and menopause, the suitability and quality of care, and wider support and understanding from across society as well as closer relationships. Participants also worried about losing their independence and autonomy, having to move to unsuitable care homes, isolation, and a lack of support and social connectedness. Given this, we suggest that future research could focus on health and social care staff and services (including care homes), health conditions (e.g., dementia), autistic-specific needs and concerns (e.g., changes in sensory sensitivities with age , social life and support, and independent living.What do these findings add to what was already known?Our findings confirm previous research about worries over losing independence and the need for health and care staff to be more aware of older autistic people?s needs. Our findings highlight the underexplored areas of care home living and health conditions such as dementia.What are potential weaknesses in the study?The study captures and reports the experiences of a small group of people compared with the wider autistic population, and these may not be relevant to everyone. Most participants were White British and had a degree, so views from the wider autistic population and particularly those with different backgrounds may not be reflected in this study.How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?These findings help to validate the experiences, hopes, and fears of autistic individuals; provide evidence to help people advocate for their needs; and provide information for health and care professionals to help them provide care and support for older autistic adults. Important topics for future research are also suggested.

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9. Tomaszewski B, Klein CB, Meyer AT, Lamarche E, Klinger LG. Developmental Trajectories of Adaptive Behavior from Toddlerhood to Middle Adulthood in Autism. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):233-245.

Background: Adaptive behavior skills are a significant predictor of adult outcomes. However, few studies have examined developmental trajectories in autistic individuals from early childhood into mid-adulthood and how these trajectories are associated with adult outcomes.Methods: This study uses a longitudinal sample (n = 266) to investigate age-related adaptive behavior developmental growth trajectories across ages 1?55 years. The study investigated clinic records, including questionnaires, interviews, and diagnostic assessments. Caregivers completed the majority of questionnaires.Results: A linear spline model best fits the data, suggesting that from early childhood to young adulthood (ages 1?20; autistic individuals gained adaptive behavior skills, but scores declined from young adulthood to mid-adulthood [ages 21?55]). Higher IQs and fewer clinician-endorsed autism characteristics across childhood into mid-adulthood were associated with greater adaptive behavior skill growth over time. Caregiver reports of a higher quality of life and daily living skills in adulthood were related to adaptive behavior growth over time.Conclusion: Overall, the growth of adaptive behavior skills is positive from young childhood to young adulthood but begins to decline during adulthood. It appeared that there was a potential decline in adaptive behavior towards mid-adulthood. Results confirm the importance of adaptive behavior in caregiver perceptions of quality of life for autistic adults and suggest adaptive behavior is essential to support throughout the lifespan.Community Brief Why is this an important issue?Adaptive behavior skills are tasks that support an individual in their everyday lives. Autistic individuals often have difficulties with these skills from childhood to adulthood, regardless of their cognitive skills. There is not much longitudinal research measuring adaptive behavior beyond young adulthood.What was the purpose of this study?The study aimed to look at how adaptive behavior changes from childhood to mid-adulthood and how the quality of life, experiences in employment and postsecondary education, and cognitive skills such as flexibility, memory, and organization support adaptive behavior skills in adulthood.What did the researchers do?The researchers analyzed data from a sample of 266 autistic individuals who lived in North Carolina. Some participants had first been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the late 1960s?1970s at the University of North Carolina TEACCH Autism Program. Participants had multiple evaluations done over time in the clinics. A follow-up survey was sent to caregivers for autistic adults diagnosed before 2000 and who were ages 21?55. Caregivers reported on the autistic adults? daily life activities, such as if they had jobs or went to school and where they lived. The researchers measured changes in adaptive behavior skills in early childhood (age 1 year) into adulthood (age 55). The researchers also examined the relationship between adaptive behavior, daily activities, quality of life, and participation in employment and postsecondary education.What were the results of the study?In this sample, autistic individuals gained adaptive behavior skills from early childhood to adulthood. They gained adaptive behavior skills at a slower rate once they turned 21, and abilities may have declined into later adulthood. Individuals with higher IQs and fewer clinician-rated autistic traits from childhood to adulthood made higher gains in adaptive behavior. Caregiver reports of adaptive behavior during childhood (ages 1?20) were related to a higher quality of life, higher daily living skills, and more vocational or educational experiences in adulthood. Caregiver reports of a higher quality of life and higher daily living skills were related to adaptive behavior skills gained during adulthood (ages 21?55).What do these findings add to what was already known?Longitudinal research on adaptive behavior across the lifespan is limited. Less is known about how the growth of adaptive behavior skills i related to quality of life and what predicts adaptive behavior skill growth during adulthood. This study has provided helpful information on how adaptive behavior changes across the lifespan.What are the potential weaknesses in the study?The majority of adaptive behavior measures were from caregiver reports; thus, the study lacked self-report measures.How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?The findings in this study identified how important adaptive behavior is for autistic adults. Adaptive behavior during childhood was related to quality of life, daily living skills, and vocational and educational experiences in adulthood. Adaptive behavior growth during adulthood was related to quality of life and daily living skills, suggesting the importance of supporting adaptive behaviors across the lifespan and continuing into middle adulthood. Furthermore, we hope that caregivers and clinicians will work to consider the priorities of autistic adults with whom adaptive behaviors may be targeted.

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10. Norris JE, Tales A, Badger JR, Cousins AL, Richards E. Autistic Trait Level and Reaction Time in Older Adults: The Influence of Sex and Task upon Study Outcome. Autism in Adulthood;2026 (2026/04/01);8(2):246-259.

Background: The present debate regarding what constitutes ?cognitively healthy aging? in people with elevated autistic traits is highly relevant to the diagnosis of age-related conditions such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. Behavioral reaction time (RT) is an important component of cognition and everyday functioning, and it is included in diagnostic testing for such conditions. Autism trait level is not typically considered when including participants in aging-related RT research, and therefore requires examination to address whether those with high levels of autistic traits may show differences in terms of their RT performance, as relevant to testing for MCI and dementia.Methods: In the present study, we examined the relationship between RT and levels of autistic traits in 76 community-dwelling older adults (aged 50?78 years). We also investigated whether there were any differences in the relationship between RT and autistic trait level with respect to sex.Results: We found that the relationship between an individual?s levels of autistic traits and their RT scores varied depending on the type of task used, and on sex. In particular, for females, higher levels of autistic traits were related to slower RTs on the Trail Making task (Trails A), a task commonly used in clinical practice.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that some aspects of age-related cognitive decline may be steeper for older adults with higher levels of autistic traits, but that the impact may be different depending on sex, with higher trait levels in females being indicative of poorer RT performance. These findings may explain some of the outcome variability typical of previous studies, and have important implications for interpreting tests used for dementia diagnosis, particularly for older adults on the autism spectrum.Community Brief Why is this an important issue?Reaction time (RT) refers to the amount of time that passes between when we perceive something and when we respond to it. It is an important part of our thinking and reasoning abilities called cognition, affecting how we function in daily life, and is included in the tests used for diagnosing age-related conditions including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. It is important to understand more about the relationship between autistic traits and RT, particularly as we age.What was the purpose of this study?A person?s level of autistic traits are not typically taken into account when reaction time data is collected from the general population. This data is then used to compare an individual?s performance with when diagnosing conditions such as MCI and dementia. This means that, for older adults on the autism spectrum, current practice based on such data may be leading to inaccurate interpretation of cognitive ability.What did the researchers do?The current study recruited 76 people aged between 50 and 78 years, and investigated the relationship between their reaction time and levels of autistic traits on two different tests. We also analysed whether there were differences between males? and females? performances.What were the results of the study?We found that the relationship between an individual?s levels of autistic traits and their reaction time scores vary depending on the type of task used, and on sex. For example, for females, higher levels of autistic traits were related to slower reaction times on one task.What do these findings add to what was already known?The findings will be important in determining how clinical test results are interpreted, in particular concerning the diagnosis of MCI and dementia in people with higher levels of autistic traits. In addition, this study indicates that reaction time performance may decline to a greater degree for older adults with higher levels of autistic traits, but that this may be more noticeable in females compared to males.What are potential weaknesses in the study?This study recruited a higher number of females (N = 51) compared to males (N = 25). This may mean that there are limits to the extent to whi h conclusions can be drawn regarding the differences between sexes. Further research can aim to address these weaknesses by recruiting larger numbers of male and female older adults.How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?Our findings have important implications for how clinicians should interpret the results of tests used for dementia diagnosis, particularly for older adults on the autism spectrum.Future research should aim to determine whether these results can be replicated with different tests of reaction time, and in older people with even higher levels of autistic traits. Finally, it is noted that studies of autistic traits in the general population cannot replace those with diagnosed autistic older adults. Future studies should therefore seek to determine how meaningful such reaction time data are to assessment and diagnosis of MCI and dementia in autistic older adults, and to determine what constitutes ?cognitively normal ageing? for autistic people as they age.

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