Late diagnosed Asperger's syndrome with bipolar disorder

  • MD Serap Oflaz, Turkey
  • MD Sevda Gumus, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, Turkey
  • MD Cagatay Karsidag, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, Turkey
  • MD Sabri Herguner, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, Turkey
  • MD Erhan Kurt, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, Turkey
  • MD Timucin Oral, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Turkey

Introduction: Asperger’s Disorder(AD) which is a pervasive development disorder is characterized by a paucity of empathy, naive and inappropriate interactions, a limited ability to form friendships with peers, intense absorption in circumscribed topics, and at least in some patients ill-coordinated movements(1) In contrast to autistic disorder, most AD patients have normal intellectual functioning, normal speech development and motor clumsiness(2). Anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder are the most common conditions seen as comorbidity with AD(3)
Objective: this report presents the adolescent patient with bipolar disorder and undiagnosed AD
Case: A 17 years old boy who is a student at high school, arrived our outpatient clinic with a lack of social interactions with peers, worries about his future, living in a dream world, an unhappiness, impulsivity, aggression and tics. At primary school he was interested in geography and memorized areas of all countries and also tic disorders began. He had first psychotic depression 4 years ago and many depressive episodes with/ without psychosis and two hypomanic episodes, has been using different antipsychotics since that time. EEG and CT results were normal. IQ was 134. Treatment was rearranged as 3 mg/d risperidon and 400 mg/d carbamezepine for impulsivity, tic and bipolar disorders.
Conclusion: AD is rarely seen in adult psychiatric patients. The awareness of AD is important for treatment and clinical survey of other psychiatric disorders.
References:
1-FrazierAJ,DoyleR,ChiuS,CoyleJT.Treating aChild withAsperger’s Disorder andComorbid Bipolar Disorder. Am J Psych, Jan2002,159:1.
2-KhouzamHR,El-GabalawiF,PirwaniN,Priest F.Asperger’s Disorder:AReview ofits diagnosis andtreatment
3-McPartlandJ,Klin A (2006).Asperger's syndrome. Adolesc MedClin 17(3):771–88.