Subjective face recognition difficulties, aberrant sensibility, sleeping disturbances and aberrant eating habits in families with Asperger syndrome.
BACKGROUND
The present study was undertaken in order to determine whether a set of clinical features, which are not included in the DSM-IV or ICD-10 for Asperger Syndrome (AS), are associated with AS in particular or whether they are merely a familial trait that is not related to the diagnosis.


METHODS
Ten large families, a total of 138 persons, of whom 58 individuals fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for AS and another 56 did not to fulfill these criteria, were studied using a structured interview focusing on the possible presence of face recognition difficulties, aberrant sensibility and eating habits and sleeping disturbances.


RESULTS
The prevalence for face recognition difficulties was 46.6% in individuals with AS compared with 10.7% in the control group. The corresponding figures for subjectively reported presence of aberrant sensibilities were 91.4% and 46.6%, for sleeping disturbances 48.3% and 23.2% and for aberrant eating habits 60.3% and 14.3%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
An aberrant processing of sensory information appears to be a common feature in AS. The impact of these and other clinical features that are not incorporated in the ICD-10 and DSM-IV on our understanding of AS may hitherto have been underestimated. These associated clinical traits may well be reflected by the behavioural characteristics of these individuals.
Nieminen-von Wendt
Taina
T
Department of Child Neurology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. taina.nieminen@kolumbus.fi
Paavonen
Juulia E
JE
Ylisaukko-Oja
Tero
T
Sarenius
Susan
S
Källman
Tiia
T
Järvelä
Irma
I
von Wendt
Lennart
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005145:Face; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005556:Form Perception; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010375:Pedigree; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D012938:Social Perception