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Genes Jan 2022The current version of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) does not consider Asperger syndrome a...
The current version of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) does not consider Asperger syndrome a diagnostic category. This study was undertaken to see if there is evidence that this diagnosis should be reinstated. An online survey was conducted to examine symptoms and behaviors associated with the current diagnostic criteria of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (DSM-V), and those associated with Asperger syndrome based on the previous version (DSM-IV-TR). The study also examined other characteristics historically associated with autism, as well as impairments often reported in infancy/young childhood and medical comorbidities frequently associated with autism. The sample included 251 individuals who had received a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and 1888 who were diagnosed with autism or ASD. Numerous similarities and differences were found between the two groups. The findings are discussed in relation to reestablishing Asperger syndrome as a valid diagnostic category as well as a subtype of ASD.
Topics: Asperger Syndrome; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic Disorder; Child; Comorbidity; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Humans; United States
PubMed: 35205319
DOI: 10.3390/genes13020274 -
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2020In this study, we aim to verify how emotional training can improve empathy and theory of mind (ToM) in patients diagnosed with early onset schizophrenia and Asperger's...
In this study, we aim to verify how emotional training can improve empathy and theory of mind (ToM) in patients diagnosed with early onset schizophrenia and Asperger's syndrome. The study design includes 100 subjects divided into two experimental groups and two control groups. The two experimental groups followed a rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) protocol. The two control groups instead underwent cognitive behavioral psychotherapy training. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied to analyze the difference between the Asperger's syndrome (AS) and early onset schizophrenia (EOS) groups, pre and post training. Our analysis shows that the AS group improved post emotional training but only when emotions were internalized, as demonstrated by the improvement of the scores in the post-treatment eye test (ET) but not in the emotional quotient (EQ) test. The EOS group instead showed post-training improvement, not only concerning skills leading to internalizing emotions but also in empathy, as demonstrated by the improvement of EQ and Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ) test scores. These scores remained lower than in the control group. Finally, our findings reveal that the value of the treatment was more considerable for the EOS group than for the AS group due to the improvement in first- and second-order ToM skills and an improvement of empathic skills in the first group, followed by the group comprising AS subjects. In the AS group, the treatment only favored the enhancement of first-order ToM skills; however, this improved quality of life and social adaptation.
PubMed: 32872431
DOI: 10.3390/bs10090131 -
Herzschrittmachertherapie &... Sep 2021This review discusses important aspects of pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapy of reflex syncope. The autonomic nervous system plays a crucial role in the origin of... (Review)
Review
This review discusses important aspects of pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapy of reflex syncope. The autonomic nervous system plays a crucial role in the origin of this frequently observed form of syncope. In most cases, reflex syncopes occur under specific circumstances. Thus, a detailed history is essential. Besides a physical exam und a normal 12-lead ECG, dedicated tests like tilt-table-testing, carotid massage and the implantation of a loop recorder often assist in making the correct diagnosis. The basis of therapy for all patients is reassurance about the benign course of the disease as well as education about adequate measures. Pharmacotherapy is reserved to a minority of patients. In older patients with repeat or severe syncopes and documented asystoles, pacemaker therapy is a valuable option.
Topics: Aged; Autonomic Nervous System; Humans; Pacemaker, Artificial; Reflex; Syncope; Syncope, Vasovagal
PubMed: 34189616
DOI: 10.1007/s00399-021-00775-2 -
Cureus Sep 2023Autism spectrum disorder is made up of several disorders, which include autism, Asperger syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder. Boys are four times more likely... (Review)
Review
Autism spectrum disorder is made up of several disorders, which include autism, Asperger syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder. Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls with autism spectrum disorder, and symptoms usually become apparent by the age of three. Autism spectrum disorders' core characteristic features are abnormal interaction, impairment in communication, and stereotyped behaviors with restricted activities and interests. There are also non-core features associated with autism spectrum disorder, and these are aggression, self-injurious behavior, and tantrums. To date, there is no one drug approved to treat the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, but antipsychotic drugs such as risperidone have been shown to be effective at treating both core and non-core symptoms in controlled trials using multiple behavioral rating scales such as the Aberrant Behavioral Checklist subscale, the Clinical Global Impression Improvement Scale, the Ritvo-Freeman Real Life Scale, the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, and the Social Withdrawal Subscale. The safety, efficacy, acceptability, and tolerability of risperidone were assessed in these studies, and weight gain was a common side effect observed, but the outcome was usually mild and self-limiting. The effect of risperidone on cognition was explored in this article. The studies selected for this article were of small sample size and short duration, which presented limitations for treatment with risperidone and an area that needs to be explored further for its contribution to clinical practice.
PubMed: 37731686
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.45524 -
Scientific Reports Oct 2023Subjects with Asperger's syndrome without intellectual disabilities have significant difficulties in establishing social relationships despite their IQ being within the...
Subjects with Asperger's syndrome without intellectual disabilities have significant difficulties in establishing social relationships despite their IQ being within the normal range. One of the effects of social deficit is depression. The question arises whether loneliness and dimensions of meaning in life correlate with the severity of depression and whether the average severity of depression, loneliness and dimensions of meaning in life differentiate the following groups: people with Asperger's syndrome and depression, people with Asperger's syndrome without depression, people with depression without Asperger's syndrome and healthy subjects. The study was conducted on a total of 170 people, including: 43 people with Asperger's syndrome and depression, 41 people with Asperger's syndrome without depression, 40 people with depression without Asperger's syndrome and 46 healthy people (without Asperger's syndrome and without depression). All were administered a demographic survey, Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, Life Attitude Profile-Revised. Asperger's syndrome and depressive episodes were diagnosed on the basis of ICD-10 research criteria still applicable in Poland. In the group with Asperger's syndrome and depression the highest levels of loneliness and the lowest values of the dimensions of the sense of meaning in life, except for the acceptance of death, were observed. This result was significantly different from the results obtained in the other study groups. Both in people with Asperger's syndrome without depression and in people with depression without Asperger's syndrome, the values of the dimensions of the sense of meaning in life and the level of loneliness differ significantly from the results obtained in the control group. The BDI-II scores correlated positively with the loneliness values and negatively with the sense of meaning in life values in all groups. The results indicate that both suffering from depression and having Asperger's syndrome are associated with an increased sense of loneliness and a reduced sense of meaning in life. People with Asperger's syndrome and depression have the highest values of loneliness and the lowest values of dimensions of the sense of meaning of life compared to the other groups studied. The limitation of the work is the deliberate selection of groups, because it would be interesting to answer the question whether Asperger's syndrome is a risk factor for depression in the population.
Topics: Humans; Asperger Syndrome; Pilot Projects; Loneliness; Interpersonal Relations; International Classification of Diseases
PubMed: 37838751
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43826-z -
Frontiers in Neuroscience 2021Delta activity on electroencephalogram (EEG) is considered a biomarker of homeostatic sleep drive. Delta power is often associated with sleep duration and intensity....
Delta activity on electroencephalogram (EEG) is considered a biomarker of homeostatic sleep drive. Delta power is often associated with sleep duration and intensity. Here, we reviewed the literature to explore how sleep quality was influenced by changes in delta power. However, we found that both the decrease and increase in delta power could indicate a higher sleep quality due to the various factors below. First, the differences in changes in delta power in patients whose sleep quality is lower than that of the healthy controls may be related to the different diseases they suffered from. We found that the patients mainly suffered from borderline personality disorder, and Rett syndrome may have a higher delta power than healthy individuals. Meanwhile, patients who are affected by Asperger syndrome, respiratory failure, chronic fatigue, and post-traumatic stress disorder have lower delta power. Second, if the insomnia patients received the therapy, the difference may be caused by the treatment method. Cognitive or music therapy shows that a better therapeutic effect is associated with decreased delta power, whereas in drug treatment, there is an opposite change in delta power. Last, for healthy people, the difference in delta change may be related to sleep stages. The higher sleep quality is associated with increased delta power during the NREM period, whereas a deceased delta change accompanies higher sleep quality during the REM period. Our work summarizes the effect of changes in delta power on sleep quality and may positively impact the monitoring and intervention of sleep quality.
PubMed: 34975393
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.803507 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2020Social campaigns are carried out to promote autism spectrum disorder (ASD) awareness, normalization, and visibility. The internet helps to shape perceptions of Asperger...
Social campaigns are carried out to promote autism spectrum disorder (ASD) awareness, normalization, and visibility. The internet helps to shape perceptions of Asperger syndrome and autism. In fact, these campaigns often coincide with the increase in searches for both diagnoses on Google. We have two study objectives: to use Google Trends to identify the annual time points from 2015 to 2019 with the highest Google search traffic in Spain for the terms "autism" and "Asperger", and to identify news and trending topics related to ASD that took place during the weeks with the highest number of Google searches for these terms. Google Trend, MyNews and Trendinalia were used to analyze the volume of searches and trending topics related to ASD. As a result, social marketing campaigns, social networks and the publication of news items act as powerful voices that can provide a realistic or sensationalist picture of the disorder. For this reason, we concluded that campaigns play an important role in the normalization of ASD, and that it is important for organizations concerned with the visibility and social inclusion of people with ASD to check the way ASD is portrayed through the internet, media, and social networks.
Topics: Asperger Syndrome; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic Disorder; Humans; Internet; Spain
PubMed: 33333991
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17249386 -
Disability and Rehabilitation Jul 2020This pilot study describes the socio-professional development and quality of life of young adults with Asperger syndrome in France. Those young adults, between 18 and...
This pilot study describes the socio-professional development and quality of life of young adults with Asperger syndrome in France. Those young adults, between 18 and 30 years old, receiving care in a child psychiatry department for autistic spectrum disorder, were requested to respond to the Ad Hoc, World Health Organization Quality Of Life - Bref and Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaires regarding their socio-professional background and feelings about their future. Of the 79 eligible subjects, 24 were selected to participate in our study. Their average age at the time of the pilot study was 22.2 years (standard deviation 3.4 years), and their average age when they were diagnosed was 17.5 years (standard deviation 3.7 years.). There were 54% who reported a psychiatric comorbidity anxiety disorder. Half stated they had completed secondary school and benefitted from being professionally employed. During this study, only six were employed, while the others remained financially dependent on their parents. The group's quality of life self-assessment scores were significantly lower compared to the French general population in overall psychology (43.6 versus 68.7) and social relationships (48.9 versus 76.5). However, the study's participants perceived work as an important means to their personal development. Hence, in order to cope with their difficulties, they hoped to benefit from customized support adapted to their autistic disorder and for their workplace colleagues to be better informed about Asperger syndrome.: Our results are in line with international data. Additional studies need to be done in order to determine socio-professional integration factors and, in particular, the integration of potential contributions by occupational health departments with those social and medical teams supporting these young adults.Implications for rehabilitationYoung adults with Asperger syndrome benefit from the support of their family in determining their professional goals.Support may be required to enhance social and communicative abilities to help integration.Employees would benefit from information on the syndrome and how best to support.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Asperger Syndrome; Autistic Disorder; Child; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Family; Female; France; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Pilot Projects; Quality of Life; Social Skills; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
PubMed: 30669888
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2018.1544297 -
Sleep Medicine Reviews Feb 2020Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are often characterised by sleep problems, and recent evidence indicates alterations of the sleep electroencephalographic (EEG)... (Review)
Review
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are often characterised by sleep problems, and recent evidence indicates alterations of the sleep electroencephalographic (EEG) oscillations in these patients. Sleep microstructure plays a crucial role in cognitive functioning and brain maturation. In this view, modifications in sleep EEG oscillations in NDDs could further impair the cognitive maturation process in these patients. We provide an overview of sleep microstructure alterations observed in three NDDs without intellectual disabilities (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, high-functioning autism/Asperger syndrome and developmental dyslexia) and their relationships with the disorders' phenomenology. For each NDD, we discuss empirical evidence of altered EEG oscillations, and we consider their interaction with patients' cognitive and behavioural functioning, with the aim to elucidate their functional meaning. We highlight the limits of the present literature and propose possible future directions while underlining the clinical relevance of the research in this field. Beyond confirming the importance of sleep management in atypically developing children, the review findings suggest that sleep EEG oscillations in NDDs could become a target for specific clinical intervention.
Topics: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Cognition; Electroencephalography; Humans; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Sleep
PubMed: 31731102
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2019.101224 -
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health :... Apr 2021
Topics: Humans; Mental Health
PubMed: 33848028
DOI: 10.1002/cbm.2195