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Asperger syndrome (AS),also known as Asperger's syndrome,formerly described a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication,along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior,interests,and activities. The syndrome has been merged with other disorders into autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is no longer considered a stand-alone diagnosis. It was considered milder than other diagnoses that were merged into ASD due to relatively unimpaired spoken language and intelligence.
Diagnoses of autism have become more frequent since the 1980s,which has led to various controversies about both the cause of autism and the nature of the diagnoses themselves. Whether autism has mainly a genetic or developmental cause,and the degree of coincidence between autism and intellectual disability,are all matters of current scientific controversy as well as inquiry. There is also more sociopolitical debate as to whether autism should be considered a disability on its own.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders that begin in early childhood,persist throughout adulthood,and affect three crucial areas of development:communication,social interaction and restricted patterns of behavior. There are many conditions comorbid to autism spectrum disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and epilepsy.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to autism:
The heritability of autism is the proportion of differences in expression of autism that can be explained by genetic variation;if the heritability of a condition is high,then the condition is considered to be primarily genetic. Autism has a strong genetic basis. Although the genetics of autism are complex,autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is explained more by multigene effects than by rare mutations with large effects.
Autism therapies include a wide variety of therapies that help people with autism,or their families. Such methods of therapy seek to aid autistic people in dealing with difficulties and increase their functional independence.
The epidemiology of autism is the study of the incidence and distribution of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A 2022 systematic review of global prevalence of autism spectrum disorders found a median prevalence of 1% in children in studies published from 2012 to 2021,with a trend of increasing prevalence over time. However,the study's 1% figure may reflect an underestimate of prevalence in low- and middle-income countries.
Classic autism,also known as childhood autism,autistic disorder,(early) infantile autism,infantile psychosis,Kanner's autism,Kanner's syndrome,or (formerly) just autism,is a neurodevelopmental condition first described by Leo Kanner in 1943. It is characterized by atypical and impaired development in social interaction and communication as well as restricted,repetitive behaviors,activities,and interests. These symptoms first appear in early childhood and persist throughout life.
Autism,formally called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC),is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by deficits in reciprocal social communication and the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Other common signs include difficulties with social interaction,verbal and nonverbal communication,along with perseverative interests,stereotypic body movements,rigid routines,and hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input. Autism is clinically regarded as a spectrum disorder,meaning that it can manifest very differently in each person. For example,some are nonspeaking,while others have proficient spoken language. Because of this,there is wide variation in the support needs of people across the autism spectrum.
The history of autism spans over a century;autism has been subject to varying treatments,being pathologized or being viewed as a beneficial part of human neurodiversity. The understanding of autism has been shaped by cultural,scientific,and societal factors,and its perception and treatment change over time as scientific understanding of autism develops.
Sex and gender differences in autism exist regarding prevalence,presentation,and diagnosis.
Discrimination against autistic people is the discrimination,persecution,and oppression that autistic people have been subjected to. Discrimination against autistic people is a form of ableism.
The Social Responsiveness Scale,developed by John Constantino in 2002 and expanded upon by Constantino et al. in 2003,is a quantitative measure of autistic traits in 4–18 year olds. Its correlation with behaviour problems and autism spectrum disorder symptoms has been studied. It can be assessed with an 18 question survey filled out by the child's parents or teacher.
The Ritvo Autism &Asperger Diagnostic Scale (RAADS) is a psychological self-rating scale developed by Dr. Riva Ariella Ritvo. An abridged and translated 14 question version was then developed at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institute,to aid in the identification of patients who may have undiagnosed ASD.
Connie Kasari is an expert on autism spectrum disorder and a founding member of the Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART) at the University of California,Los Angeles (UCLA). Kasari is Professor of Psychological Studies in Education at UCLA and Professor of Psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She is the leader of the Autism Intervention Research Network for Behavioral Health,a nine-institution research consortium.
Marian Diamond Sigman (1941–2012) was a developmental and child clinical psychologist known for her research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At the time of her death,she was Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology at the University of California,Los Angeles (UCLA).
Social (pragmatic) communication disorder (SPCD),also known as pragmatic language impairment (PLI),is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in the social use of verbal and nonverbal communication. Individuals with SPCD struggle to effectively engage in social interactions,interpret social cues,and use language appropriately in social contexts. This disorder can have a profound impact on an individual's ability to establish and maintain relationships,navigate social situations,and participate in academic and professional settings. Although SPCD shares similarities with other communication disorders,such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD),it is recognized as a distinct diagnostic category with its own set of diagnostic criteria and features.
Current research indicates that autistic people have higher rates of LGBT identities and feelings than the general population. A variety of explanations for this have been proposed,such as prenatal hormonal exposure,which has been linked with both sexual orientation,gender dysphoria and autism. Alternatively,autistic people may be less reliant on social norms and thus are more open about their orientation or gender identity. A narrative review published in 2016 stated that while various hypotheses have been proposed for an association between autism and gender dysphoria,they lack strong evidence.
The theory of the double empathy problem is a psychological and sociological theory first coined in 2012 by Damian Milton,an autistic autism researcher. This theory proposes that many of the difficulties autistic individuals face when socializing with non-autistic individuals are due,in part,to a lack of mutual understanding between the two groups,meaning that most autistic people struggle to understand and empathize with non-autistic people,whereas most non-autistic people also struggle to understand and empathize with autistic people. This lack of understanding may stem from bidirectional differences in communication style,social-cognitive characteristics,and experiences between autistic and non-autistic individuals,but not necessarily an inherent deficiency. Recent studies have shown that most autistic individuals are able to socialize,communicate effectively,empathize well,and display social reciprocity with most other autistic individuals. This theory and subsequent findings challenge the commonly held belief that the social skills of autistic individuals are inherently impaired,as well as the theory of "mind-blindness" proposed by prominent autism researcher Simon Baron-Cohen in the mid-1980s,which suggested that empathy and theory of mind are universally impaired in autistic individuals.
The diagnosis of autism is based on a person's reported and directly observed behavior. There are no known biomarkers for autism spectrum conditions that allow for a conclusive diagnosis.
References
- ↑ Hughes, Virginia (2008-11-03). "John Constantino: Educating communities about autism's complexities". Spectrum: Autism Research News. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
- ↑ "Faculty Details | Psychiatry | Washington University". www.psychiatry.wustl.edu. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
- ↑ Constantino, John N. (2002). The social responsiveness scale. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.
- ↑ "(SRS™) Social Responsiveness Scale™ | WPS". www.wpspublish.com. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
- ↑ Constantino, John N.; Davis, Sandra A.; Todd, Richard D.; Schindler, Matthew K.; Gross, Maggie M.; Brophy, Susan L.; Metzger, Lisa M.; Shoushtari, Christiana S.; Splinter, Reagan (2003-08-01). "Validation of a Brief Quantitative Measure of Autistic Traits: Comparison of the Social Responsiveness Scale with the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised". Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 33 (4): 427–433. doi:10.1023/A:1025014929212. ISSN 1573-3432. PMID 12959421. S2CID 12491364.
- ↑ "Constantino, Luby receive awards from child psychiatry academy | The Source | Washington University in St. Louis". The Source. 2015-10-30. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
- ↑ "John N. Constantino, MD". Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
- ↑ "$6.5 million to fund research, treatment of developmental disabilities". Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. 2015-11-23. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
- ↑ "Research Summaries | Psychiatry | Washington University". www.psychiatry.wustl.edu. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
- ↑ Constantino, John N.; Todd, Richard D. (2003-05-01). "Autistic Traits in the General Population: A Twin Study". Archives of General Psychiatry. 60 (5): 524–30. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.60.5.524 . ISSN 0003-990X. PMID 12742874.
- ↑ Reiersen, Angela M.; Constantino, John N.; Volk, Heather E.; Todd, Richard D. (2007). "Autistic traits in a population-based ADHD twin sample". Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 48 (5): 464–472. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2006.01720.x. ISSN 1469-7610. PMID 17501727.
- ↑ "dbGaP | phs000267.v1.p1 | Autism Genome Project (AGP) Consortium - Whole Genome Association and Copy Number Variation Study of over 1,500 Parent-Offspring Trios - Stage I". www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
- ↑ Autism Genome Project Consortium (2007). "Mapping autism risk loci using genetic linkage and chromosomal rearrangements". Nature Genetics. 39 (3): 319–328. doi:10.1038/ng1985. ISSN 1061-4036. PMC 4867008 . PMID 17322880.
- ↑ Virkud, Yamini V.; Todd, Richard D.; Abbacchi, Anna M.; Zhang, Yi; Constantino, John N. (2009). "Familial aggregation of quantitative autistic traits in multiplex versus simplex autism". American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics. 150B (3): 328–334. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.30810. ISSN 1552-485X. PMC 2819431 . PMID 18618672.
- ↑ Micheletti, Megan; McCracken, Courtney; Constantino, John N.; Mandell, David; Jones, Warren; Klin, Ami (2019-04-29). "Research Review: Outcomes of 24‐ to 36‐month‐old children with autism spectrum disorder vary by ascertainment strategy: a systematic review and meta‐analysis". Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 61 (1): 4–17. doi:10.1111/jcpp.13057. ISSN 0021-9630. PMC 6819204 . PMID 31032937.
