Asperger's syndrome

Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disability characterized by severe impairments in reciprocal social interaction, the use of language for social discourse, and a circumscribed interest in unusual subjects. There is considerable debate with respect to the nosologic status of this disorder; in particular, whether it should be considered as a separate type of pervasive developmental disorder or a mild variant of autism. In this paper, the literature on Asperger's syndrome is reviewed and possible differences from autism are highlighted.