Autism vs. Asperger's Syndrome

One of the articles we read had the main topic of autism and the environmental and genetic factors that can cause it. In the article it talks about the redox/methylation hypothesis and how it leads to the development of autism. The hypothesis states that genetic factors and environmental factors bot lead to impaired sulfur metabolism in the body which leads to oxidative stress which scientist believe not only leads to autism but also can lead to cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. In terms of autism, the oxidative stress leads to a decrease in methionine synthase activity. The hypothesis then states that this decrease will lead  to both a decrease in the methylation of DNA and also a decrease dopamine receptor phospholipid methylation. The decrease of both of these lead to decreases in attention, cognition and development, which are a few of the main symptoms in autistic individuals. One question that some want to know is if this mechanism causes the other autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how truly different are classic autism and Asperger’s.
We know that autism is a developmental disorder that affects the communication, social and development skills of those affected by it. They usually have a difficult time with speech and gesturing, communication, socializing with others and they are know to have very repetitive qualities such as continuously clapping their hands or they can  also repeat sounds or movements. Echolalia or repeating of the words someone has just said to you, is another symptom of classic autism. Also, some individuals with autism can have tantrums, physical tics, they sometimes do not like physical contact such as cuddling or hugs but this is usually pertains to people outside of their immediate family, they can sometimes have difficulty understanding other people’s emotions,Signs that a child might have autism include: doesn’t babble or coo by 12 months, doesn’t gesture — such as point or wave — by 12 months, doesn’t say single words by 16 months, doesn’t say two-word phrases by 24 months, or loses previously acquired language or social skills at any age.
Asperger’s syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. Children with Asperger’s syndrome typically exhibit social awkwardness and an all-absorbing interest in specific topics. Asperger’s syndrome symptoms include: engaging in one-sided, long-winded conversations, without noticing if the listener is listening or trying to change the subject, displaying unusual nonverbal communication, such as lack of eye contact, few facial expressions, or awkward body postures and gestures, showing an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects, such as baseball statistics, train schedules, weather or snakes, appearing not to understand, empathize with or be sensitive to others’ feelings, having a hard time “reading” other people or understanding humor, speaking in a voice that is monotonous, rigid or unusually fast, and moving clumsily, with poor coordination. Unlike children with more-severe forms of autism spectrum disorders, those with Asperger’s syndrome usually don’t have delays in the development of language skills. However, children with Asperger’s syndrome may have difficulties holding normal conversations. Their conversations may feel awkward and lack the usual give and take of normal social interactions. Toddlers and school-age children with Asperger’s syndrome may not show an interest in friendships. Those with Asperger’s often have developmental delays in their motor skills, such as walking, catching a ball or playing on playground equipment. In early childhood, kids with Asperger’s may be quite active. By young adulthood, people with Asperger’s syndrome may experience depression or anxiety. If an elementary schoolchild has frequent problems in school or seems unable to make friends, a doctor should be consulted.
So looking at both of these disorders there doesn’t seem to be a big difference between them and in all actuality there isn’t. But the big difference is how children with Asperger’s develop and the communication skills they have. Children with autism develop very poor speech  if any at all and those with Asperger’s usually have a very extensive vocabulary. Autistic children usually do not attend public schools, those with Asperger’s are more than capable of attending school it’s just that they will have a difficult time holding conversations and making friends. These two disorders are so similar and yet so different. But in the end I believe that the mechanism described in the paper for autism also plays a big part in the development of Asperger’s.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aspergers-syndrome/DS00551
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autism/DS00348