Asperger Syndrome/亚斯伯格症候群

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1

病症大环境简介

Background Information and Contextualization

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a type of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental and neurological disorder (meaning strongly genetic) that is characterized by a spectrum, or range, of social deficiencies.

Children with AS sometimes behave like “little professors,” as they often have a strong and narrow interest in a particular topic with a need to express it. Based on this fact, according to Harvard College, why AS is slightly different from the typical ASD is that people with AS often have “... no deficiencies in overall intellectual development…”.

Despite these distinguishing characteristics, it is difficult for people with AS to have normal communication skills and social interactions, which often result in clumsy behaviors, social awkwardness, and isolation. For example, the trouble of understanding others’ perspectives can cause them [who are diagnosed with AS] to be literal and rigid. Thus, when treating Asperger syndrome, therapists often focus on three main symptoms: poor communication skills, obsessive routines, and physical clumsiness (NINDS).

Lastly, what is surprising is that boys are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with this syndrome than girls -- three to four times (Nationwide Children’s).

Figure 1

Mandatory diagnostic criteria for Asperger Syndrome according to Szatmari et al.

(1989), Gillberg (2002), ICD-10 and DSM-IV TR (Photo courtesy of frontiers).

诊断亚斯伯格症的必要标准

亚斯伯格症是一种孤独症谱系障碍（自闭症），一种发育和神经障碍（大多时候都是由于基因造成的），其特征，比如社交缺陷等，是有一个范围的。通常情况下，有亚斯伯格症的孩子会像 “小老师”一样，因为他们会在某一个极度喜爱的事物上有着强烈的表达欲望。基于这个特征，根据哈佛大学的说法，为什么亚斯伯格症和我们认识的自闭症不太一样是因为患有AS的患者 “......在整体智力发展方面没有缺陷......”。

尽管拥有着这些与众不同的特征，患有AS的人会很难拥有正常的沟通和社交互动，这会导致一些笨拙的行为，社交尴尬，甚至被孤立。例如，AS患者对他人的想法，观点，甚至感情等没有那么敏感，导致他们的语言（用词）比较直白甚至是僵硬的。因此，在治疗阿斯伯格综合症时，治疗师通常关注三个主要症状：较差的沟通技巧，强迫性的/重复性的行为，以及笨拙性。最后，一个不太被关注的点就是男性通常比女性更容易被诊断出患有亚斯伯格症——可高达三到四倍。

Figure 2

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

2

趋势变化数据收集

Current Trend and Data Collection

Figure 3

Results of a pubmed search for articles containing the word “Asperger” in the title,

published between 1976 and November 2015 (Photo courtesy of frontiers)

A cohort study in the UK was conducted to examine the trend of autism disorder from 1998-2018. Although this study focused on the broad autism spectrum disorder, it can certainly provide insights into the trend of Asperger syndrome as well, as AS falls under the category of ASDs.

英国进行了一个研究：1998-2018年自闭症的趋势。虽然这项研究的重点放在了广泛的自闭症谱系障碍，但它也可以提供对亚斯伯格症趋势的见解，因为亚斯伯格症是自闭症的一种。

Figure 4

The overall time trend of new cases of autism diagnosis with an overall 787% increase in the recorded incidence of autism diagnosis over 20 years.

(Photo courtesy of The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health)

近二十年内，自闭症诊断发生率增涨了787%。

3

国内趋势变化数据收集

Current Trend and Data Collection in China

Figure 5

Incidental rate of ASDs in the United States, China (中国自闭症现状分析报

告), and the entire world from 2006-2014. Photo courtesy of Sohu.

中国和美国在2006-2014年内的自闭症诊断率的变化

4

趋势变化分析

Data Analysis

According to statistics, approximately every one out of five hundred people in America is diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. With this ratio and the population ratio, the number ofdiagnostics in China can be approximately as high as 2.6 million.

We have seen three scenarios: the UK, the US, and China. Most of the above data and graphs have shown an increase in (all) autism diagnoses (not necessarily Asperger Syndrome, but we can get some helpful information since Asperger syndrome is a type of autism disorder). In the UK, a significant 787% increase in its diagnoses; US, the incident rate increased from one out of one hundred and ten to one out of sixty-eight, as well as an increase of ASDs diagnoses in China (not shown in the pictures). However, we should be cautious of this conclusion.

According to the data collected from Santhosh Girirajan, “ the autism rise is partly the result of students being moved from one category to another (ex. Intellectual disability)” (Science). There are possibly other factors, such as we know more about this syndrome and its symptoms over the past few years, thus making the trend appears like it is increasing by increasing the number of diagnoses. Be critical!

根据应届毕业生网：“统计数据表明，美国大约500个人中可能就有一个患有阿斯伯格综合征的患者，但找这个比例来计算，中国阿斯伯格综合征患者可能高达到260万。我们这里已经看到过了三种例子：英国（787%的增长），美国（每一百一十人有一个到每六十八里有一个）和中国 (不在图表里）。以上大多数的图表和数据都展现出了近些年自闭症诊断率的增长（我们推断自闭症的诊断率和亚斯伯格症的诊断率是成正比的）。

但是，我们应该对这个结果怀着迟疑的态度。根据Girirajan的数据， “自闭症诊断率的增长主要是患者在不同类别之间来回移动”。还会有很多其他的元素导致了这个结果，比如说我们近些年对对自闭症和心理疾病的更深了解，导致了增涨的确诊率。

5

总结

Conclusion

What makes Asperger syndrome stands out is its patient’s obsessive interest in one particular topic. The discussion of whether or not Asperger syndrome is a type of autism disorder remains controversial, due to the average level of intellect compared to that of ASDs. Currently, scientists characterized this syndrome as strongly genetic, unlikely caused by environmental factors such as vaccines or parenting styles. Up to now, AS cannot be cured with medicine, but treatment is available to help people with AS.

亚斯伯格症与众不同地方是在它的患者对某个事物的热爱。由于智商相比起正常人来说没有大幅度的变化，关于阿斯伯格综合症是否属于一种自闭症的讨论仍然存在争议。目前，科学家们将这个综合症的起因归因于基因，不太可能是由疫苗或养育方式等环境因素引起的。到目前为止， 亚斯伯格症无法用药物治愈，但可以通过治疗来帮助患有 AS 的人。

Figure 6

Compares the IQ (blue) and EQ (orange) of high-functioning autism (on the left),

low-functioning autism (in the middle), and Asperger syndrome (on the right).

Photo courtesy of Sohu.

6

引用列表

Work Cited

"Asperger's Syndrom." Nationwide Children's,

www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/aspergers-syndrome.

Accessed 8 Dec. 2022.

"Asperger's Syndrome." Harvard Health Publishing, 9 Mar. 2014,

www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/aspergers-syndrome#:~:text=Despite%20normal%20and%20sometimes%20superior,feelings%20tend%20to%20confuse%20them.

Accessed 8 Dec. 2022.

"Asperger Syndrome." National Institution of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 25 July 2006,

www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/asperger-syndrome#:~:text=Asperger%

20syndrome%20(AS)%20is%20a,patterns%20of%20thought%20and%20behavior.

Accessed 8 Dec. 2022.

Barahona-Correa, Bernardo, and Carols N. Filipe. A Concise History of Asperger Syndrome: The Short Reign of a Troublesome Diagnosis, 25 Jan. 2016. frontiers,

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02024.

Accessed 8 Dec. 2022.

Cornwall, Warren. "Autism rates are up, but is it really on the rise?" Science, 22 July 2015,

www.science.org/content/article/autism-rates-are-it-really-rise.

Accessed 9 Dec. 2022.

G, Gel. "【世界自闭症日】干细胞能点亮「星星的孩子」吗？." Sohu, 2 Apr. 2019,

m.sohu.com/a/305516514_120054046?_trans_=010004_pcwzy.

Accessed 9 Dec. 2022.

Russell, Ginny. Time trends in autism diagnosis over 20 years: a UK population-based cohort study, 19 Aug. 2021,

https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13505.

Accessed 9 Dec. 2022.

本期作者｜Rachel Zhu

本期翻译｜Rachel Zhu

本期排版｜Dorothy

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