What Is Asperger's Syndrome? Elon Musk Reveals He Has Form of Autism Spectrum Disorder

During his appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL), entrepreneur and SpaceX founder Elon Musk revealed that he has Asperger's syndrome.

"I don't always have a lot of intonation or variation in how I speak, which I'm told makes for great comedy," Musk joked during the opening monologue of the episode that he guest-hosted.

"I'm actually making history tonight as the first person with Asperger's to host SNL. Or at least the first person to admit it," he said.

But what is Asperger's syndrome?

Asperger's syndrome—also known simply as Asperger's—is a lifelong neurodevelopment condition that affects people in many different ways but is often associated with difficulties in interacting socially and having very obsessive interests, among other traits. It is estimated that nearly 40 million people around the world are affected by it.

"People with Asperger syndrome see, hear and feel the world differently to other people," according to the British National Autistic Society. "If you have Asperger syndrome, you have it for life—it is not an illness or disease and cannot be 'cured.' Often people feel that Asperger syndrome is a fundamental aspect of their identity."

"With the right sort of support, all autistic people can be helped to live a more fulfilling life of their own choosing."

People with Asperger's may have problems interpreting verbal and non-verbal language, and may also take more time to process information.

"Look, I know I sometimes say or post strange things, but that's just how my brain works," Musk said during the SNL episode.

Those with Asperger's may also find it difficult to express their feelings in a conventional or socially appropriate way, but can also be more empathetic or emotionally aware than non-autistic people.

The world can seem like a very unpredictable and confusing place to people with Asperger's and many like to engage in repetitive behaviors, which can bring a sense of order.

Many people with Asperger's have very intense and highly-focused interests that some channel into successful careers.

The term "Asperger's syndrome" was first popularized by the British psychiatrist Lorna Wing in the early 1980s.

It derives from a study conducted in 1944 by Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger, which described children in his care who had difficulty making friends, struggled to understand the body language or feelings of others, and often engaged in one-sided conversations about their favorite interests.

Mental health professionals used to view Asperger's as a distinct condition. But in 2013, the syndrome was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)—the standard book used by experts in the field—and now its symptoms tend to be classified under the broader, albeit related, category of autism spectrum disorder (ASD,) although this change was seen as controversial by some.

Even though Asperger's is generally no longer considered to be a distinct condition, many people still use the term and it is down to each individual how they choose to identify, according to the British National Autistic Society. For example, some people may prefer to say that they are autistic or on the autistic spectrum rather than say they have Asperger's—or vice versa.

Some experts view Asperger's as a "high-functioning" form of ASD, meaning the symptoms are less severe than other kinds of autism spectrum disorders.

For example, people with Asperger's don't tend to have the learning disabilities that many autistic people have, although they may still suffer from specific learning difficulties. People with Asperger's also tend to have fewer problems with speech, although they may still have difficulties when it comes to understanding and processing language.