The following guest post was contributed by Wendy Graham who writes for CRNA Schools

A study conducted at the University of Minnesota, roughly 20 years ago, disclosed that there might be early signs in our writing that indicate a connection to Alzheimer’s disease. The “nun study” was conducted to examine aging women over time, and the focus of the study was at first on four women, not actual nuns, but sisters with similar history and background.

Photo by churl

David Snowden, the conductor of the study, signed on eventually close to seven hundred sisters, age 75 and older, and all of them agreed to donate small portions of their brains to the experimental study after they died. Each year, a researcher would visit in order to set-up memory tests for the elderly women, and upon one of these visits, Snowden made an unlikely discovery. A collection of biographies that many of the women had to write upon entering the school fifty years ago displayed some very pertinent information. Snowden and his research team looked at the following two criteria: grammatical complexity and the amount of distinct ideas within every ten words. An idea-laden sentence appears as follows:

“It was about a half hour before midnight between February 28 and 29 of the leap year 1912 when I began to live, and to die, as the third child of my mother, whose maiden name is Hilda Hoffman, and my father, Otto Schmidt…”

And here’s an example of a sentence with less ideas in it: “I was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on May 24, 1913, and was baptized in St. James Church…”

The discovery for Snowden and his research team was that the sisters who did poorly regarding these two measures were much more likely to develop dementia. And those sisters at the bottom third of the sample were close to sixty times as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those at the top third of the study. According to this test, ninety-two percent of the time, researchers were able to predict that the brain in question had some of the lesions and plaque associated with the disease. Opposing beliefs claim that the study is merely an association, which does not mean simple writing points to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia later on in life. Further analysis concludes that Alzheimer’s can be detected early, following a number of methods, but it is uncertain whether writing can be justified as a discernable method for doing so.

Related posts:

1. Tragedy of Rebecca Doig – A 31 Years Old New Mother with Alzheimer Disease
2. Alzheimer Disease – Are You at Risk?
3. Women Have Inbuilt Fear of Getting Fat

Yesterday we covered Alzheimer disease, a disease which usually occurs after the age of 65. Rebecca Doig’s case, however, is different.

What should have been the happiest moment of Rebecca’s life – the birth of her first baby girl, has become a moment of indifference for her. 31 years old Rebecca has a rare form of Alzheimer disease. Her symptoms started about two years ago, but deteriorated rapidly.

This case is thought to be the first case of an Alzheimer patient giving birth.

This video is from a TV show that aired a month before the birth:

The couple’s healthy daughter Emily was delivered by caesarean section last week. Rebecca hasn’t been able to hold her yet and she can’t recognize her own baby.

Related posts:

1. Alzheimer Disease – Are You at Risk?
2. Predicting Alzheimer’s Through One’s Writing
3. As Seen On 24 – Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease – A Disease Caused by Prions

Danger level: High

What is it?

Alzheimer disease (AD)  is a disorder which causes a deterioration in mental functioning, especially memory loss.

Who gets it?

In the US, more than 14% of people over age 65 have AD, and after age 80 the number reaches 40%. All in all there are about 4 million Americans with the disease.

Around the world, the percentages are similar.

There are some risk factors – having those puts a person at a higher risk of developing AD:

1. Age – The disease usually affects people after the age of 65. It can, rarely, affect people younger than 40 (we will talk about this on tomorrow’s post).

   
   Old age – the older you are, the more at risk you are to develop AD. Photo by jamelah

2. Family history – If you have first-degree relatives (parents, siblings) with the disease, your risk of developing it yourself are higher.
3. Sex – Women tend to have the disease more than men.
4. Education level – People who had less education during their lifetime are more likely to get AD than other, more educated, people.
5. Down syndrome – People with Down syndrome tend to develop AD in their 30s and 40s.
6. High cholesterol levels and high blood pressure

What causes it?

No one knows for sure what causes AD. What is known, though, is that AD causes damage to the brain.

Our brain is composed of cells called neurons. They help the brain serve as the control center for the body, controlling everything from movement to memory and understanding.

In AD there are two things found in brain cells which scientists believe are related to the damage that’s caused to them:

1. Senile plaques
2. Neurofibrillary tangles

These are both materials that accumulate in small numbers during our normal aging of the brain. In AD, for reasons unknown, they occur in excess.

The brain of an Alzheimer patient under a microscope. The groups of plaques shown around the picture are senile plaques. Photo by KGH

How does it feel?

AD is a type of dementia, which is a group of diseases in which people have a decline in their mental functions, especially memory loss.

When someone has AD, its signs usually start gradually and are often subtle. They include:

• Memory problems –
  - AD patients tend to forget recent events (including conversations they had)
  - They have trouble finding the right words – Including names, often of family members and everyday objects
  - They repeat things they had already said
  - They forget appointments
  - They misplace things
• Trouble performing complex tasks – Like paying the bills
• Disorientation – They may get lost in familiar places
• Loss of judgment – They forget what to do in situations such as fire starting in the house.

How is it discovered?

Besides taking a history and discovering the problems described above, the doctor can perform a special test called the Mini-Mental State Exam, which tests a person’s problem solving skills, attention span, counting skills and memory.

Other than that, lab tests and imaging of the body may be done to rule out other causes of the memory decline.

How is it treated?

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for AD.

There are certain drugs which can be given to patients, which include names such as Aricept, Exelon, Razadyne and Namenda.

None of these cure the disease, but studies have shown that they may improve mental function.

What happens after treatment?

AD tends to get worse over time. The rate at which the person worsens is different for each person.

People with AD tend to die earlier than normal (although they may live anywhere from 3-20 years after the diagnosis). They usually become immobile and disabled with the advancement of the disease. Usually death isn’t a direct result of the disease, but of an infection or failure of body systems.

There’s no proven way to prevent AD. You may be able to reduce your risk of developing it by controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the blood.

Studies have also shown that participating in leisure activities such as reading, playing board games, playing musical instruments, and dancing may lower your risk of developing AD.

This excellent video shows the progression of the disease inside the brain:

Related posts:

1. As Seen On 24 – Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease – A Disease Caused by Prions
2. Tragedy of Rebecca Doig – A 31 Years Old New Mother with Alzheimer Disease
3. Predicting Alzheimer’s Through One’s Writing

This is part of our House MD Project series.

Click here to read the connection to the episode (spoiler alert!)


On episode 2 of season 1, also known as Paternity, Dan, a 16 year old gets hit in the head during a lacrosse game. He also has night terrors and double vision. After a few mis-diagnoses (including sexual abuse and multiple sclerosis) the team (or, rather, Dr. House) arrive at the correct diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Dr. House asking his team to run unethical DNA tests on episode 2 of season 1. Photo by Fox Broadcasting Company. Credit: Danny Feld/FOX.

Danger level: High

What is it?

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare, progressive neurological disorder characterized by inflammation of the brain (encephalitis = brain inflammation). It’s associated with infection of the brain with the measles virus.

Who gets it?

SSPE is rare. Before the measles vaccine was used, in the 1960’s, it was more common (and even then pretty rare – 0.61 cases per million people). In the early 1990’s only 2-3 cases per year were discovered in the US.

SSPE usually happens when people are infected by the measles virus at an early age, before the age of 4, and mostly before age 2. It then affects the infected person 7-13 years after the infection.

SSPE is twice as common in males as it is in females. It also tends to happen less in people living in cities, and more in rural areas. It’s also more common in children of Hispanic origin.

What causes it?

Usually, an infection by the measles virus tends to subside and the virus goes away. In SSPE, there appears to be a persistent infection with a virus that had somehow changed. That virus stays inside the cells in the brain for several years. After 7-10 years it starts attacking the cells in the brain that previously protected it.

This causes an inflammation in the cells which eventually leads to their death.

The measles virus. In SSPE it destroys brain cells.

How does it feel?

The disease can appear anywhere between age 1 and 30, but is more common in children and adolescents, as it usually begins 7-13 years after the infection with the measles virus occurred.

The disease has 4 stages:

In stage 1 subtle changes in behavior or school performance appear – including irritability, reduced attention span, or temper outbursts. This stage may be missed since the symptoms are mild.

In stage 2, a phenomenon called myoclonus is observed (which was also seen in the House episode). This is a brief, involuntary twitch of a muscle or a group of muscles.

In stage 3 there are no more involuntary movements. Instead, other, more severe types of movement problems appear, including something called choreathetosis (dancing movements), immobility, rigidity of muscles. These result from the destruction of areas in the brain responsible for movement.

In this stage, the infected person’s consciousness also deteriorates and can lead to a coma.

In Stage 4 brain areas that control our breathing, heart rate and blood pressure are destroyed, leading to death.

How is it discovered?

If the clinical stages above are seen by a doctor this might give a clue to SSPE. Also, at least one of these findings has to exist in order to diagnose SSPE -

1. Detection of antibodies – Antibodies are molecules the body produces to fight infections. Once we are infected, they may be found in the blood. Here, we actually look for antibodies not in the blood but in the spinal fluid, which runs throughout our brain and spinal cord. This is done by taking a sample from the spine, usually by inserting a needle to the lower back.
2. Findings on EEG – EEG is a tracing of our brain’s electrical activity, much like an ECG can show the electrical activity in our heart. In SSPE, the EEG has a certain pattern that can be seen in stage 2 of the disease.
3. Brain biopsy – This used to be more common. A part of the brain was taken to examine it under the microscope and see if the virus is there. Today it’s no longer done routinely.

Example of an EEG. Photo by Der Lange.

How is it treated?

Usually no specific treatment can be offered to people with SSPE, in contrast to what was seen on the House episode. On that episode, treatment with a drug called interferon was given to the kid, which cured him. Studies made on such treatment showed that only about 30% of people treated with it improved.

What happens after treatment?

Most people, unless rarely cured by the treatment, die within 1-3 years.

SSPE can be prevented if the initial infection by the measles virus is prevented. This is done by taking the measles vaccine.

Related posts:

1. Echoviruses (As Seen on House MD)
2. Rabies – All You Need To Know (As Seen on House MD)
3. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) – All You Need To Know

On last night’s episode, Izzie Stevens brings her former biology teacher to Seattle Grace (+Mercy West) hospital as he has been having memory problems. Turns out her teacher has a condition called NPH, which we will cover today.

Danger Level: High

What is it?

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) is a condition in which there is excess “brain fluid” inside the brain.

Who gets it?

NPH usually occurs in elderly people (usually over 60). It can happen to men and women alike.

What causes it?

Our brain and our spinal cord are connected to each other. They are both a part of our central nervous system. It doesn’t take a doctor to know that damage to them can lead to severe consequences.

To prevent damage to them, they are protected by fluid which floats around them, cushioning them. This fluid also provides them with nutrients and gets rid of waste products they produce. This fluid is called CSF – or cerebrospinal fluid.

This fluid is produced within our brain and circulates inside the brain and along our spinal cord.

 

The CSF is produced inside the brain and protects the brain and spine.

Our brain isn’t a solid structure. It has “holes” in it, called ventricles. Inside them there is an area called choroid plexus, in which the CSF is produced.

Normally, CSF circulates in the ventricles and on to the spinal cord and when an excess is produced it is absorbed. In NPH the system which drains and absorbs extra CSF doesn’t work like it should and there is too much CSF inside the ventricles. This causes the ventricles to enlarge and press on different parts of the brain, causing the pressure inside our skull.

NPH can be caused because of a head injury, bleeding around the brain, stroke, meningitis, or a brain tumor.

How does it feel?

NPH normally causes three major things:

1. Dementia: This is a decline in our mental abilities, meaning our ability to remember things, solve problems, concentrate and so on. It is the same thing that’s seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

2. Urinary incontinence: This is an inability to hold urine.

3. Abnormal gait: This means difficulty walking.

Other things which can be seen in NPH are headaches, nausea and difficulty focusing the eyes.

How is it discovered?

NPH can sometimes, but not always, be seen on CT scans or MRI scans. In them the brain’s ventricles might look bigger than normal.

A better way to diagnose NPH is to perform a spinal tap (or lumbar puncture) – in it a syringe is inserted to an area around the spinal cord and CSF is removed. This fluid is than analyzed for possible abnormalities. The interesting thing about this procedure is that when fluid is removed, the pressure on the brain subsides, making the symptoms go away.

How is it treated?

If the cause (such as a brain tumor) for NPH is known, a surgery to correct the problem is performed.

If it isn’t (which happens in many cases) a shunt operation is performed. In it, a tube is implanted in the brain’s ventricles, and travels under the skin to the belly, to where the fluid is drained.

What happens after treatment?

The shunt operation should relieve future pressure from the brain and prevent recurrence of the symptoms. Without treatment, symptoms often get worse and could lead to death.

It’s important to note that surgical treatment improves symptoms in about 50% of cases.

The bottom line – How do I avoid it?

Treating disorders that may lead to NPH (such as a brain tumor or a stroke) may prevent it from developing.

This video sums it all up:

Related posts:

1. As Seen on Grey’s Anatomy – Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome
2. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) – All You Need To Know
3. Preeclampsia – A Dangerous Rise in Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

Danger level: High

What is it?

A stroke happens when your brain stops functioning normally due to problems with its blood supply.

You should also know the term Transient ischemic attack (TIA) – this is the same as stroke, but the symptoms here last for less than 24 hours.

Who gets it?

In the United States, more than 700,00 people a year have a stroke for the first time (out of those, 20% will die within the first year after the stroke).

Men tend to have more strokes than women. Women also respond better to treatment.

When it comes to age, most cases of stroke happen in older age – after 55.

There are certain risk factors. Having those can increase your risk of having a stroke:

1. A family history of stroke, heart attack or TIA
2. Being age 55 or older
3. High blood pressure
4. High cholesterol
5. Smoking cigarettes
6. Diabetes
7. Being fat – You’re at risk if you have a BMI of 30 or higher
8. Previous stroke or TIA
9. Use of birth control pills or other hormone therapy

What causes it?

In order to understand what strokes are all about you need to understand that our brain, like any other organ in the body, needs oxygen to function. This oxygen is delivered to it by the blood, through blood vessels.

The brain is supplied by many blood vessels. Photo by brain_blogger

There are two main types of stroke:

One is an ischemic stroke, which accounts for about 80% of all strokes. In this case, blood flow through an artery that leads to the brain is partially or completely blocked. If the artery remains blocked for more than a few minutes, the brain can become damaged and brain cells in that area start to die.

The artery here is blocked due to one of two reasons: A thrombus, which is a blood clot that blocks the artery (like in heart attacks). The other possible reason is an embolus, in which case a blood clot develops elsewhere in the body (usually the heart) and travels to the brain. One common reason for this type is an irregular heart rhythm, called atrial fibrillation.

The other type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke. This occurs when blood vessels in the brain leak or rupture, causing bleeding in or around the brain. The damage to the brain here is caused because the blood accumulates inside the skull, pressing the brain. Also the blood itself irritates the brain.

This video sums it up:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKrXCly1kK0

How does it feel?

There are some general symptoms that happen during a stroke. Knowing how to recognize them may save your life:

1. Sudden numbness, paralysis, or weakness in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body.
2. New problems with walking or balance – This may include stumbling or having sudden dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination.
3. Sudden vision changes: This includes blurred, doubled, or decreased vision.
4. Drooling or slurred speech.
5. New problems speaking or understanding simple statements, or feeling confused.
6. A sudden, severe headache that is different from past headaches.

One method of telling if someone is having a stroke is the F.A.S.T method:

F – Face -Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A – Arms -- Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S – Speech -- Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?

T – Time -- Time is of the essence in stroke treatment. The sooner treatment begins, the better the chances are for recovery.

How is it discovered?

As mentioned above, time is of the essence when it comes to strokes. If a diagnosis is made within 3 hours, your chances of recovery are higher.

The first thing a doctor will want to know is whether your stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic – This is important since the drugs used to treat an ischemic stroke may kill you in a hemorrhagic stroke.

One way to find out is a CT scan or an MRI,  both are types of x-ray imaging of the brain that shows whether there’s bleeding or not, and where in the brain the stroke occurred.

A hemorrhagic stroke, as seen in a CT scan. The white stuff in the middle is blood.

Other tests here include echocardiography (which is an ultrasound of the heart, which can discover if an embolus travelled from your heart to your brain), an electrocardiogram (EKG), an ultrasound of your neck (to see if blood vessels there, which lead to the brain, are blocked), blood tests and others.

How is it treated?

The treatment is different for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes:

Ischemic stroke

Here drugs are given which dissolve the clot blocking the artery. These drugs should be given within 3 hours of the start of the stroke.

Hemorrhagic stroke

Surgery may be used here, in order to remove the blood building up inside the brain and to lower pressure inside the head. Not everyone with a hemorrhagic stoke needs surgery, though. Sometimes medicines are given to control blood pressure, brain swelling and other important factors.

What happens after treatment?

The results of a stroke depend not only on how fast it was treated, but also on the size and location of the stroke in the brain. Some people are left paralyzed, with speech problems, movement problems or with other disabilities.

The best way to prevent a stroke is to know if you have any of the risk factors above and to treat them:

1. Control high blood pressure – Consult your doctor about an appropriate treatment.
2. Lower your cholesterol – This is can be done by eating less foods containing saturated fats. If your blood fats are high, you may also need to take medications to lower them.
3. Quit smoking
4. Control your diabetes – If you have it.
5. Maintain a healthy weight – You may start with our article about using the Internet to lose weight.
6. Exercise regularly

Related posts:

1. Chest Pain – Is It a Heart Attack?
2. Understanding Heart Attacks – Part 1 – Atherosclerosis
3. Understanding Heart Attacks – Part 3 – Myocardial Infarction

About 90% of headaches are caused by one of three conditions: migraines, cluster headaches and tension headaches. Today we’ll cover the last one.

Danger level: Low

What is it?

Tension headaches (or tension-type headaches) are the most common cause of headaches.

Who gets it?

Tension headaches can happen at any age, but it happens mostly in young adults.

About 30-80% of the adult US population suffers from tension headaches from time to time. It happens twice as much in women.

What causes it?

The exact cause isn’t known. One of the theories behind tension headaches is that the pain is the result of muscle tension in the face, neck and scalp. Yet this hasn’t been proven. Other evidence shows that there is a change in chemicals in our brain which causes this type of headache.

Whatever the cause may be, there are certain triggers, or things which are believed to bring about the headache:

1. Stress – Such as problems at home or with family, around exam time, deadlines at work, etc.
2. Depression and anxiety
3. Not enough rest
4. Poor posture
5. Working in awkward positions or holding one position for a long time
6. Jaw clenching

Stress. It can bring about tension headaches. Photo by vidrio.

How does it feel?

The pain in tension headache is usually mild to moderate. It feels like pressure or tightness around both sides of the head or neck (people will say it feels like a vice). The muscles in the head, neck or shoulders may feel tender.

The pain is usually steady, and activity doesn’t make it worse. It lasts for anything from 30 minutes to several days. It typically starts several hours after waking and worsens as the day progresses.

Unlike migraine headaches, tension headaches usually don’t involve nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light and sounds or auras (you can read our article about migraine headaches to see what aura means).

Tension headaches can be divided into three categories, according to how often they occur:

1. Infrequent episodic – When it happens less than once per month
2. Frequent episodic – When it occurs 1-14 times per month
3. Chronic – When it happens 15 days or more in a month

Usually people can go on with their daily routine in spite of the headache.

How is it discovered?

The story and physical check are usually enough to diagnose tension headaches, and no special tests are needed.

If the doctor suspects another cause, they may order other tests (such as a CT scan) to rule out other problems.

How is it treated?

A lot of people will just take over-the-counter painkillers for their tension headaches. This can be a problem, since taking too much of those can cause headaches by itself. (these headaches are then called “medication-overuse headaches”).

There are a couple of drugs which can be used against tension headaches:

1. Anti inflammatory drugs – These drugs can both take down inflammation and relieve pain. They are the first drugs used for tension headaches. Examples of such drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, indomethacin, and ketorlac. Acetaminophen may also help. Most of these drugs are over-the-counter drugs (OTC. meaning you don’t need a prescription for them). If OTC drugs don’t work, your doctor may write a prescription for something stronger.
2. Behavioral and psychological interventions – Sometimes relaxation and stress management can help, especially when combined with drugs.

What happens after treatment?

Usually treatment provides relief from the headaches. As long as not too much of the medications is taken (which may cause headaches by itself) they can be controlled.

If you tend to get tension headaches, there are medications which can be taken to prevent these headaches from occurring. These include drugs like antidepressants (those usually used to treat depression), blood pressure medications, and anti-seizure medications. You should consult your doctor about these drugs.

Another option is to deal with the stressors in your life that may bring about these headaches in the first place.

This video sums it up:

Related posts:

1. The Connection Between Exercise and Headache
2. Cluster Headaches – Excruciating Attacks of Headaches
3. Migraine Headaches – How To Tell If Your Headaches Are Life Threatening, and What You Can Do About Them

Anyone who watched last night’s season finale of Grey’s Anatomy has two different questions on their mind right now (and to not spoil it for anyone who didn’t, neither of them involves either IL-2 or anterograde amnesia). But tradition is tradition, and so you get to learn about two subjects for the price of one today.

IL-2

What is it?

IL-2 (or by its long name interleukin-2) is a chemotherapy used to treat melanomas and kidney cancer.

How does it work?

Interleukins are molecules in our immune system. They help in our body’s response to infections.

The cells that fight infections in our body are the white blood cells. The interleukins attach to these cells by connecting to a special receptor on them, and by this they activate them.

The good news is that the white blood cells can kill not only bacteria and viruses, but also cancer cells. IL-2 causes the body to make more of the immune system cells and makes the cells more effective.

The IL-2 molecule.

When is it used?

IL-2 is used to treat advanced stages of kidney cancer (called renal cell carcinoma) or melanoma, when these tumors metastasize (spread to other parts of the body).

How successful is it?

About 10-20% of people treated with IL-2 respond to the treatment. In a study done in 1999, 270 people with metastatic melanoma were given the treatment. 16% of them (43 people) improved with the treatment. Another study was done in 2000, in which again 16% of people improved.

It’s important to understand, though, that only 6% of these people were completely cured with this drug, while in the others it only helped partially.

Danger level: Medium

What is it?

Amnesia  is a Greek word which means forgetfulness or loss of memory. Anterograde amnesia is the inability to remember new facts.

Who gets it?

There are two types of things which can cause anterograde amnesia:

1. Drugs – No, not the ones that make you high. A group of drugs called benzodiazepines (which are usually used for anxiety or to induce sleep) can cause you to forget things. This can be seen in people receiving them before undergoing surgeries, who can’t recollect the minutes around taking the drug.
2. Physical damage to the brain – The damage can be the result of an injury (such as after an accident) or after a surgery to the brain. Such surgeries may be needed in some types of seizures, or when a tumor is in that part of the brain.

What causes it?

The area in our brain responsible for storing memories is called the hippocampus. Damage to the area of the hippocampus can cause a problem with learning new things and retaining them.

The hippocampus. Lose it and you’ll stop remembering new things.

How does it feel?

People with anterograde amnesia lose the ability to learn new facts. It’s important to understand, though, that they can learn how to do new things, such as talk on the phone. They won’t, whoever, remember who they talked to.

If the amnesia was caused by a drug, it usually goes away after a short time. If the amnesia is a result of damage to the brain, however, the chances of gaining the remembering ability back are much slimmer.

This video is a good example. It’s a part of a documentary about Clive Wearing, who suffers from anterograde amnesia:

You can see more examples by watching the (fictional) movies Memento and 50 First Dates.

How is it treated?

Unfortunately, once an area of the brain is damaged, there is currently no known way to recover that area.

Related posts:

1. As Seen on Grey’s Anatomy – Melanoma – You Can Avoid It if It’s Found on Time
2. As Seen on Grey’s Anatomy – Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)
3. Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome – Hearing Sounds Inside Your Own Body (As Seen on Grey’s Anatomy)

Danger level: Medium

What is it?

Asperger syndrome is one of the autistic spectrum disorders (ASD. Also called Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)) (other disorders in this spectrum include autism, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder), in which people have difficulties understanding how to interact socially.

Who gets it?

It’s not known exactly how many people there are with Asperger’s, and the estimation is anywhere between 1 in 250 people to 1 in 10,000 people.

Asperger syndrome is more common in males (4 times as much as in females). It’s most commonly discovered in the early school years.

What causes it?

The exact cause isn’t known. Since it tends to run in families, there might be a genetic reason for it.

How does it feel?

There are a few things that characterize people with Asperger’s:

1. Problems with social interaction – This includes -
   a. Problems using or understanding non-verbal cues, such as eye-to-eye contact, facial expressions, body postures, and gestures. For example. They will not understand a wink of the eye, the meaning of a face that shows disgust (for example) and so on.
   b. Problems developing relationships with others. It’s not that they don’t approach other people, but often it’s done awkwardly, such as by starting a one-sided speech about their favorite subject without understanding the listener’s reactions, such as the need for privacy or haste to leave. People may misinterpret this as being insensitive, which isn’t the case (they just can’t “read” the body language).
   c. People with Asperger’s will not try to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people.

   
   A smile. A person with Asperger syndrome might not understand the meaning behind it. Photo by *Zara.

2. Repeated behavior – This is also called “stereotyped behavior” -
   a. For example, they may stick to inflexible routines, move in repetitive ways.
   b. They may have interest in specific and narrow topics (such as deep fat fryers) without understanding the broader topic. For example, memorizing camera model numbers without a care for photography.

Those are the main features of Asperger’s, although there are others, such as language problems.

The following video is a documentary about Asperger Syndrome, made about David Jordan, who was diagnosed in 2002 -

Another good example is Dr. Virginia Dixon on the show Grey’s Anatomy (she was portrayed by actress Mary McDonnell on season 5). An excellent read on Asperger’s is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which is told from the perspective of a boy with Asperger’s.

How is it discovered?

Usually Asperger’s isn’t diagnosed until about age 3, when social problems become apparent (although it might be diagnosed before that).

The doctor will diagnose Asperger’s based on the child’s story and examination.

How is it treated?

The treatment involves communication and social skills training. There are also appropriate educational services for people with Asperger’s.

What happens after treatment?

With effective treatment, children with Asperger Syndrome can learn to cope with their disabilities, but they may still find social situations and personal relationships challenging. Many adults with AS are able to work successfully in mainstream jobs, although they may continue to need encouragement and moral support to maintain an independent life.

There is no known way to prevent Asperger syndrome.

For further reading, you can visit the Life With Aspergers Blog or Marc’s Autism – Asperger’s Syndrome Blog.

Related posts:

1. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – How the Intestines Can Affect Your Whole Life
2. Turner Syndrome – The Missing X
3. Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome – Hearing Sounds Inside Your Own Body (As Seen on Grey’s Anatomy)