What is Asperger syndrome?

Asperger syndrome (AS), or Asperger's, is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. The syndrome is no longer recognized as a diagnosis, having been merged with other conditions into autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It was considered to differ from other diagnoses that were incorporated into ASD by relatively unimpaired spoken language and intelligence.

The syndrome was named after the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger, who, in 1944, described children in his care who struggled to form friendships, did not understand others’ gestures or feelings, engaged in one-sided conversations about their favorite interests, and were clumsy. In 1994, the diagnosis of Asperger's was included in the fourth edition (DSM-IV) of the American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; however, with the publication of DSM-5 in 2013, the syndrome was removed, and the symptoms are now included within autism spectrum disorder along with classic autism and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). It was similarly merged into autism spectrum disorder in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as of 2021.

The exact cause of Asperger's is poorly understood. While it has high heritability, the underlying genetics have not been determined conclusively. Environmental factors are also believed to play a role. Brain imaging has not identified a common underlying condition. There is no single treatment, and the UK's National Health Service (NHS) guidelines suggest that ’treatment’ of any form of autism should not be a goal since autism is not an 'a disease that can be removed or cured’. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, while co-occurring conditions might require treatment, ’management of autism itself is chiefly about providing the education, training and social support/care required to improve the person's ability to function in the everyday world’. Only limited data support the effectiveness of particular interventions for autism. Interventions may include social skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, parent training, and medications for associated problems, such as mood or anxiety. Autistic characteristics tend to become less evident in adulthood , but social and communication difficulties usually persist.