A 2008 study by a Pentagon think tank speculates that Russian President Vladimir Putin suffers from Asperger's Syndrome.

 

The report, which was obtained by USA Today through the Freedom of Information Act, claims Putin's neurological development was "interrupted in infancy," resulting in Asperger's. The life-long neurological abnormality is part of the autism spectrum, and causes difficulties with communication, social interaction, and flexibility. It results in lack of empathy and understanding in daily life, especially in males, which frequently results in anger and frustration.

 

A U.S. Naval War College expert in movement pattern analysis arrived at the diagnosis after studying Putin's movements in public settings. The Pentagon study has been criticized by experts who say the diagnosis can only be made after a thorough face-to-face process.

 

Asperger's Syndrome afflicts approximately one in 200 people, and is more common in males than females. Sufferers often have higher than average intelligence and may want to interact socially, but are incapable of grasping how to fit in with others. In the latest edition (2013) of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Asperger's was dropped as a stand-alone disorder and folded into the overall autism spectrum.