Causes of Asperger syndrome

Related information on causes of Asperger syndrome:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Asperger syndrome may be found in:

• Risk factors for Asperger syndrome

Causes of Asperger syndrome: Online Medical Books

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Autistic disorder: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

The causes of autistic disorder remain unclear but are thought to include psychological, physiologic, and sociological factors. Much evidence has accumulated to suggest a biological substrate. The parents of a child who’s autistic may appear distant and unaffectionate. However, because children who are autistic are unresponsive or respond with rigid, screaming resistance to touch and attention, parental remoteness may be merely a frustrated, helpless reaction to this disorder, not its cause.

Some children who are autistic show abnormal but nonspecific EEG findings that suggest brain dysfunction, possibly resulting from trauma, disease, or a structural abnormality. Autistic disorder has also been associated with maternal rubella, untreated phenylketonuria, tuberous sclerosis, anoxia during birth, encephalitis, infantile spasms, and fragile X syndrome. Studies have established a link with abnormalities in neurotransmitters, including (in some cases) increased dopamine and increased serotonin. There appears to be a genetic component as well; between 2% and 4% of siblings of those with autism also had autistic disorders at a rate higher than the general population.

Autistic disorder is rare, affecting 4 to 5 children per 10,000 births. It affects three to four times more boys than girls.

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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Autistic disorder: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Autistic disorder is thought to result from a combination of psychological, physiologic, and sociological factors. The parents of an autistic child may appear distant and unaffectionate. However, because autistic children are unresponsive or respond with rigid, screaming resistance to touch and attention, parental remoteness may be merely a frustrated, helpless reaction to this disorder, not its cause.

Some autistic children show abnormal but nonspecific EEG findings that suggest brain dysfunction, possibly resulting from trauma, disease, or a structural abnormality. Autistic disorder also has been associated with maternal rubella, untreated phenylketonuria, tuberous sclerosis, anoxia during birth, encephalitis, infantile spasms, and fragile syndrome X.

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Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003