Should science cure Asperger's Syndrome?

Unlike, say, homosexuality, Asperger's is a developmental disorder. These patients require a lot of intervention, which is expensive, and having this disorder is another life struggle. Soon science will be able to identify the genes that contribute to the development of spectrum disorders. But some Aspies fear fetuses with Asperger's will be aborted simply for that reason. They also argue their lives are just fine, thank you. They say they're different; not disordered. But Aspies don't understand how frustrating they are to the rest of us because they have the disorder. I say parents should be able to selectively abort.

• it's fake

• If they cure it, we won't have any more "Big Bang Theory."

• I don't think "curing" and killing are the same thing. Cure, to me, implies a treatment not an extinction.

• No it's not, r1. True Asperger's is real, but all the UMC white people have glommed onto it in order to excuse their sons' weirdness and lack of social skills.

• But what would we do without our Sherlock Holmes?

• No psycholigical condition has ever been linked to a pathogen. Homosexuliaty is one of many nonexitent "disorders," such as sociopathy or narcissism, which biol down to someone behaving in a manner we simply don't like. I believe that Asperger's is the natural state of trust and ignorance in which we are born, and that those who are diagnosed with it never "evolve" into cynicism like the rest of us. For jobs which require trust, like handling money or security acess, it is actually considered a big plus, and there are employment agencies who place these people. I wouldn't call it a true disorder as much as an inability to function in society. One could argue that the rest of us have the porblem, since Aspies are loyal, trusting, honest, and treat others with the respect that they assume others will treat them. We already have a "cure" for it, but most do not realize it: COGNITIVE THERAPY. Talk to someone with Asperger's where others took the time to school them on how the world really operates. They learn intellectually what most of us learn naturally, but once the lightbulb goes off, they can function just fine. Our desire to label them as mentally ill is just another example of politically-motivated retaliation against those we deem a threat. Criminals don't like honest people who refuse to shut up, that's for sure.

  Former Aspie, now smart and cynical

• Tesla was an Aspie.

• You can't diagnose Asperger's thru a brainscan etc. You can only assess for it. My therapist referred me, and I score 5 points over the baseline. Now I am pissed at how my mother "punished" me for not living up to her standard of social skills. And at my sister for "setting me up" for embarrassments. But I don't define myself my that way and never will. And I don't advertise it. It does however give me some comfort that it explains some things.

• For one thing, the term "Asperger's Syndrome" is itself considered out of date at this point, as it isn't distinguishable from high-functioning autism. And autism spectrum disorder may not be a binary yes-you-have-it or no-you-don't genetic condition so much as an epigenetic one. [quote]Epigenetic processes [are] chemical reactions tied to neither nature nor nurture but representing what researchers have called a "third component." These reactions influence how our genetic code is expressed: how each gene is strengthened or weakened, even turned on or off, to build our bones, brains, and all the other parts of our bodies. [quote]If you think of our DNA as an immense piano keyboard and our genes as keys—each key symbolizing a segment of DNA responsible for a particular note, or trait, and all the keys combining to make us who we are—then epigenetic processes determine when and how each key can be struck, changing the tune being played. [quote]One way the study of epigenetics is revolutionizing our understanding of biology is by revealing a mechanism by which the environment directly impacts genes. Studies of animals, for example, have shown that when a rat experiences stress during pregnancy, it can cause epigenetic changes in a fetus that lead to behavioral problems as the rodent grows up. Other epige­netic changes appear to occur randomly—throwing a monkey wrench into the engine of nature versus nurture. Still other epigenetic processes are normal, such as those that guide embryonic cells as they become heart, brain, or liver cells, for example. [quote]"During pregnancy, many changes must occur as cells commit to and become progressively specialized tissues, and we know that process involves a cascade of epigenetic programs," says Andrew Feinberg, director of the Center for Epigenetics at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. [quote]Feinberg's study focuses on a particular epigenetic process called DNA methylation, which is known to make the expression of genes weaker or stronger. To better understand how it relates to autism, Feinberg and his team are using scanners and computers to search samples of DNA from autistic twins for epigenetic "tags," places along the genome where methylation changes the pattern of gene expression. [quote]The goal of the study, still in progress, is to determine whether individuals with severe autism have different methylation profiles than other people. Despite sharing the same keyboard, their bodies [may be] playing different tunes. [quote]Scientists are only beginning to understand how epige­netic processes relate to complex disorders like autism. The good news is that some of these processes, unlike our DNA sequences, can be altered. Genes muted by methylation, for example, sometimes can be switched back on again relatively easily. And though it may not happen soon, the hope is that someday epigenetic mistakes will be as simple to repair as a piano that's out of tune.

  http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/01/twins/miller-text

• I was diagnosed with it at 40 and since I have none of those Aspie related super skills some with the condition seem to possess I'd want to be cured.

• It's hard to cure something that is basically an excuse for bad behaviour.

• I dated an aspie & he was a genius level scientist. He was also almost incapable of using the phone, sustaining communication , and relating to any emotional issues. If you get rid of Aspergers you would get rid of some of the greatest geniuses the world has produced. I really liked the guy I dated, but it was impossible to have a relationship of any depth with him.

• People who say Aspergers is fake are incredibly ignorant.

• R13, if a person is "incredibly ignorant," does that mean they're not really ignorant? Or are you just illustrating what such ignorance looks like by embodying it? Thanks.

  Asbergers%20Insight

• Incredibly is a synonym for astonishing dickweed

• No, absolutely not, and no fucking way to the OP's repugnant proposal. Eugenics are not a solution.

• A friend and I had sons of the same age who were in the same preschool program for language delays. When the boys were in elementary school being horribly bullied, behaving differently from other kids, being loving,having great senses of humor, obviously very intelligent children, she said to me, "If there were a way to make this go away, I wouldn't change him. I love him the way that he is." We later found out that both boys have Aspergers. It is a difference in brain organization that takes place early in fetal development. Our sons had it rough in school, but college is different. My son has friends and has had girlfriends, makes many social mistakes, is doing very well in school, plays Dungeon and Dragons, and is very happy. I think my friend was right: even though he has not had an easy time of it, I wouldn't change him.

  He%20was%20born%20that%20way