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Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome, Asperger disorder (AD) or simply Asperger's, is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development. Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and atypical (peculiar or odd) use of language are frequently reported.〔〔 The diagnosis of Asperger's was eliminated in the 2013 fifth edition of the ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (DSM-5) and replaced by a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder on a severity scale. The syndrome is named after the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger who, in 1944, studied and described children in his practice who lacked nonverbal communication skills, demonstrated limited empathy with their peers, and were physically clumsy.〔 The modern conception of Asperger syndrome came into existence in 1981 and went through a period of popularization, becoming standardized as a diagnosis in the early 1990s. Many questions and controversies remain about aspects of the disorder.〔 There is doubt about whether it is distinct from high-functioning autism (HFA);〔 partly because of this, its prevalence is not firmly established.〔 The exact cause of Asperger's is unknown. Although research suggests the likelihood of a genetic basis,〔 there is no known genetic cause, and brain imaging techniques have not identified a clear common pathology.〔 There is no single treatment, and the effectiveness of particular interventions is supported by only limited data.〔 Intervention is aimed at improving symptoms and function. The mainstay of management is behavioral therapy, focusing on specific deficits to address poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness.〔 Most children improve as they mature to adulthood, but social and communication difficulties may persist.〔 Some researchers and people with Asperger's have advocated a shift in attitudes toward the view that it is a difference, rather than a disease that must be treated or cured.〔〔 Globally Asperger's is estimated to affect 31 million people as of 2013. ==Classification== The extent of the overlap between AS and high-functioning autism (HFA—autism unaccompanied by intellectual disability) is unclear.〔 The ASD classification is to some extent an artifact of how autism was discovered, and may not reflect the true nature of the spectrum; methodological problems have beset Asperger syndrome as a valid diagnosis from the outset. In the fifth edition of the ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (DSM-5), published in May 2013, AS, as a separate diagnosis, was eliminated and folded into autism spectrum disorder.〔 Like the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome, the change was controversial〔 and AS was not removed from the WHO's ICD-10. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Asperger syndrome (AS) as one of the autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), which are a spectrum of psychological conditions that are characterized by abnormalities of social interaction and communication that pervade the individual's functioning, and by restricted and repetitive interests and behavior. Like other psychological development disorders, ASD begins in infancy or childhood, has a steady course without remission or relapse, and has impairments that result from maturation-related changes in various systems of the brain. ASD, in turn, is a subset of the broader autism phenotype, which describes individuals who may not have ASD but do have autistic-like traits, such as social deficits. Of the other four ASD forms, autism is the most similar to AS in signs and likely causes, but its diagnosis requires impaired communication and allows delay in cognitive development; Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder share several signs with autism but may have unrelated causes; and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) is diagnosed when the criteria for a more specific disorder are unmet. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「asperger syndrome」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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