What is Asperger Syndrome?

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by an inability to understand how to interact socially. Other features include clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements, social impairment with extreme obtuseness, limited interests and/or unusual preoccupations, repetitive routines or rituals, speech and language peculiarities, and non-verbal communication problems. Generally, children with AS have few facial expressions apart from anger or misery. Most have excellent rote memory and musical ability, and become intensely interested in one or two subjects (sometimes to the exclusion of other topics). They may talk at length about a favorite subject or repeat a word or phrase many times. Children with AS tend to be "in their own world" and preoccupied with their own agenda. AS is commonly recognized after the age of 3. Some individuals who exhibit features of autism (a developmental brain disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills) but who have well-developed language skills may be diagnosed with AS, although high-functioning autism differs from AS in early language delay.

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Is there any treatment?

There is no specific course of treatment or cure for AS. Treatment, which is symptomatic and rehabilitational, may include both psychosocial and psychopharmacological interventions such as psychotherapy, parent education and training, behavioral modification, social skills training, educational interventions, and/or medications including psychostimulants, mood stabilizers, beta blockers, neuroleptics, and tricyclic antidepressants.

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What is the prognosis?

Children with AS have a better outlook than those with other forms of pervasive developmental disorders, and are much more likely to grow up to be independently functioning adults. Nonetheless, in most cases, these individuals will continue to demonstrate, to some extent, subtle disturbances in social interactions. There is also an increased risk for development of psychosis (a mental disorder) and/or mood problems such as depression and anxiety in the later years.

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What research is being done?

The NINDS conducts and supports a broad range of research on developmental disorders including AS. The goals of these studies are to increase understanding of these disorders and to find ways to treat, prevent, and ultimately cure them.

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Asperger Syndrome Coalition of the U.S. (ASC-US)
P.O. Box 351268
Jacksonville, FL 32235-1268
info@asc-us.org
http://www.asc-us.org
Tel: 866-4-ASPRGR (866-427-7747)

MAAP Services [For Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, and PDD]
P.O. Box 524
Crown Point, IN 46308
chart@netnitco.net
http://www.maapservices.org/index.html
Tel: 219-662-1311
Fax: 219-662-0638

Autism Network International (ANI)
P.O. Box 35448
Syracuse, NY 13235-5448
ani@autistics.org
http://ani.autistics.org

New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community (COSAC)
1450 Parkside Avenue
Suite 22
Ewing, NJ 08638
information@njcosac.org
http://www.njcosac.org
Tel: 609-883-8100 NJ: 800-4-AUTISM (428-8476)
Fax: 609-883-5509

Autism Society of America
7910 Woodmont Ave.
Suite 300
Bethesda, MD 20814-3067
info@autism-society.org
http://www.autism-society.org
Tel: 301-657-0881 800-3AUTISM (328-8476)
Fax: 301-657-0869

National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
P.O. Box 1968
(55 Kenosia Avenue)
Danbury, CT 06813-1968
orphan@rarediseases.org
http://www.rarediseases.org
Tel: 203-744-0100 Voice Mail 800-999-NORD (6673)
Fax: 203-798-2291

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Information Clearinghouse
1 Communication Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-3456
nidcdinfo@nidcd.nih.gov
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov
Tel: 800-241-1044 TTD/TTY: 241-1055

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institutes of Health
Bldg. 31, Rm. 2A32
Bethesda, MD 20892-2425
NICHDClearinghouse@mail.nih.gov
http://www.nichd.nih.gov
Tel: 301-496-5133 800-370-2943

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
6001 Executive Blvd.
Rm. 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
nimhinfo@nih.gov
http://www.nimh.nih.gov
Tel: 301-443-4513 TTY: 301-443-8431 Depression Info: 800-421-4211 Anxiety Info: 88-88-ANXIETY (269-4389) Panic Info: 888-64-PANIC (64-72642)
Fax: 301-443-4279
 

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Provided by:
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892

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Last modified: July 11, 2010