Children with either Autism, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome or both: Mapping cognition to specific syndromes

Three patients were tested: (1) A case of ‘pure’ autism; (2) A case of ‘pure’ Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS); and (3) a case comorbld for both autism and GTS. Based on previous studies, we predicted a ‘theory of mind’ deficit in the first case, an ‘intention editin’ deficit in the second, and a co-occurrence of these deficits in the third. Finally, we predicted that an ‘executive function’ deficit would not distinguish these patients, since they might be equally impaired in this. These predictions were supported. The results are discussed in terms of a ‘frontal’ theory to account for both pure and comorbid cases, and in terms of how such dissoclations contribute evidence for the independence of these putative frontal systems.