Asperger's Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Asperger's Syndrome, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, medication.

Clinical neurological abnormalities in young adults with Asperger syndrome.

Tani P, Lindberg N, Appelberg B, Nieminen-von Wendt T, von Wendt L, Porkka-Heiskanen T

Department of Psychiatry, and Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. pekka.tani@pp.inet.fi

Children with Asperger syndrome (AS), a neurodevelopmental disorder falling in the autism spectrum disorders, have an increased rate of neurological abnormalities, especially in motor coordination. While AS is a lifelong condition, little is known about the persistence of neurological abnormalities in adulthood. Twenty young adults with AS were compared with 10 healthy controls using a structured clinical neurological rating scale. The score for neurological abnormalities was higher in the AS group. In addition, a subscore for neurological soft signs indicating defective functioning of the central nervous system with a non-localizing value was significantly higher in the AS subjects. This preliminary study indicates that neurological abnormalities, soft signs in particular, represent a non-specific vulnerability factor for AS. Consistent with other features of AS, neurological abnormalities seem to persist into adulthood.

Published 5 April 2006 in Psychiatry Clin Neurosci, 60(2): 253-5.
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