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The History of Asperger Syndrome

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Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism?

Part of the book series: Current Issues in Autism ((CIAM))

Abstract

In physical medicine, the identification of recurring patterns of signs or symptoms suggesting a common pathology and etiology has led to major advances in prevention and treatment of a range of conditions. The “specific disease” model is appropriate and useful in some but not all disorders. A major theme in the history of psychiatry is the ongoing struggle to identify discrete patterns among the variety of symptoms and signs of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral disturbances in order to facilitate research into causes and treatments. The identification of syndromes among the developmental disorders affecting behavior is particularly difficult. Overt behavioral abnormalities in such conditions are the outcome of impairments of psychological functions, resulting from abnormalities of brain functions, caused by biochemical and/or structural neuropathology, produced by the original etiology. Added to this are the effects of individual differences in brain organization, changes with increasing age, individual personality, and environmental influences. Recognizing patterns within this bewildering complexity is akin to classifying clouds.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Autistic Society Centre for Social and Communication Disorders, Bromley, Kent BR2 9HT, UK

    Lorna Wing

Authors
  1. Lorna Wing
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division TEACCH, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599-7180, USA

    Eric Schopler  & Gary B. Mesibov  & 

  2. Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Illinois, 61702-2900, USA

    Linda J. Kunce

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Wing, L. (1998). The History of Asperger Syndrome. In: Schopler, E., Mesibov, G.B., Kunce, L.J. (eds) Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism?. Current Issues in Autism. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5369-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5369-4_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7450-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-5369-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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