People with autism could be four times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease later in life, according to a study among Swedish population.

Autism is a neuro-developmental disorder affecting thought processes and social behaviour. It is diagnosed in early childhood, while Parkinson's disease is ageing-related neuro-degeneration, in which one experiences tremors in limbs and affected movement.

"This indicates that there can be shared biological drivers behind ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and Parkinson's disease," first author Weiyao Yin, a researcher at the department of medical epidemiology and biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, said.