Characteristics
From Greta Thunberg to Vincent Van Gogh: there are several characters who have gone through ancient, modern and contemporary history living with Asperger’s Syndrome. This pathology is a neurodevelopmental disorder and is considered a particular form of autism, consequently it has various similarities with it: from the difficulty of interacting with others, to the impairment of communication and behavioral skills, to repetitive and stereotyped attitudes.
Asperger’s patients also develop a variety of hallmarks, including obsessive compulsive behavior, sleep disturbances, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety disorder.
Etiology of Asperger’s Syndrome
The etiology of Asperger’s Syndrome is closely linked to a variability of genetic, neurological and environmental factors, but unfortunately the precise mechanisms of alteration are still unknown.
genetic factors
Among the factors associated with the pathogenesis of Asperger’s Syndrome, genetic contribution is widely accepted. Genomic sequencing data suggest that numerous genes are associated with Asperger’s Syndrome, and it is estimated that 400 to 1000 genes may lead to a genetic predisposition. What is certain is that these genes are involved in a wide range of biological processes that influence brain maturation and function.
Environmental factors
There are several environmental factors that contribute to the development of Asperger’s Syndrome, such as obstetric events, perinatal age, parental age, maternal factors, fetal factors and exposure to toxic and teratogenic substances. All these factors can either act as independent elements or influence genetic susceptibility.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome affect different areas:
- language and communication;
- social relations;
- behavior;
- motor skills
From a clinical point of view there are several conditions that are associated with Asperger’s Syndrome, such as epileptic seizures, hearing and vision impairment, intellectual disability and learning disabilities.
Epidemiology
Data on the prevalence of Asperger’s Syndrome are widely variable. It is estimated that it affects 2 to 7 people in 1,000 and appears to be much more common in males. However, it should be noted that there are currently no complete investigations into this matter.
Diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome
A thorough diagnosis should involve an interdisciplinary team that mainly includes the following figures:
- audiologo;
- psychiatrist;
- speech therapist;
- geneticist;
- pediatrician;
- social worker;
- occupational therapist
Therapy
Asperger’s Syndrome, unfortunately, does not provide a healing therapy, but only the alleviation of symptoms. Treatment involves pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy.
Pharmacological therapy
Pharmacological administration is aimed, first of all, at the moderation of particular symptoms, such as irritability, depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and attention deficit. The FDA has approved several drugs:
- ARIPIPRAZOLE: indicated to treat irritability and depressive states;
- SELECTIVE SEROTONIN RE-UPtake INHIBITORS (SSRIs): used to reduce repetitive behaviors;
- GUANFANCINA: used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Non-pharmacological therapy
Regardless of drug administration, there are several approaches used to treat Asperger’s Syndrome. Usually the most used ones are:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): whose goal is to help the patient to create a behavioral change, through the analysis of thoughts and emotions, as they influence behaviors;
- Language and speech therapy: among the various diagnostic standards, the language deficit is certainly among the most important (linguistic delay and phonetic deficits). In this case, a speech therapy, using images and visual cues, can improve global communication;
- Occupational therapy: improving health and involvement in society through occupation, is a goal of occupational therapy which aims above all to ensure patient autonomy. The work can focus on attention, but also on motor skills, on managing emotions, on manual skills;
- Family therapy: it is important that the patient’s close relatives learn about his disorder in detail, in order to be able to help him in a decisive way in his management path.