List of people with autism spectrum disorders

This is a list of notable people known or speculated to have been diagnosed or misdiagnosed with autism, Asperger syndrome (AS), or another condition on the autism spectrum. Due to the fluctuating and imprecise criteria for the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and of autism, even a formal diagnosis cannot be taken as certain proof that a given person is on the spectrum. Speculation and doubts continue about well-known autistic figures such as Donna Williams. Also, self-diagnosis of Asperger syndrome is common, and some doctors may overdiagnose in order to enable a child to receive special education, or for other reasons; see reliability of AS diagnosis.

1 Asperger's syndrome
- 1.1 High-functioning autism
2 Autism spectrum
3 Not on the autism spectrum
4 See also
5 References

Asperger's syndrome

Further information: Asperger syndrome

Julian Assange, computer hacker and founder of WikiLeaks^[1]
Dan Aykroyd, American comedian and actor^[2]
Phillipa "Pip" Brown (aka Ladyhawke), indie rock musician^[3]
Michael Burry, US investment fund manager^[4]
Lizzy Clark, actress and campaigner^[5]
Ryan Cleary, LulzSec hacker^[6]
William Cottrell, student sentenced for fire-bombing SUV dealerships^[7]
Paddy Considine, actor^[8]
James Durbin, finalist on the tenth season of American Idol^[9]
Robert Durst, American real estate developer accused of murder^[10]
Tim Ellis, Australian magician and author^[11]
Daryl Hannah, actress^[12]
Peter Howson, Scottish painter^[13]
Luke Jackson, author^[14]
Heather Kuzmich, fashion model and reality show contestant on America's Next Top Model^[15]
Adrian Lamo, American computer hacker^[16]
Clay Marzo, American professional surfer^[17]
Gary McKinnon, computer hacker who broke into high-security military and government sites^[18]
Robert Napper, British murderer^[19]
Jerry Newport, American author and mathematical savant, basis of the film Mozart and the Whale^[20]
Craig Nicholls, frontman of the Australian garage rock band, The Vines^[21]
Gary Numan, British singer and songwriter^[22]
Tim Page, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and author^[23]
Dawn Prince-Hughes, Ph.D., primate anthropologist, ethologist, and author^[24]
Nicky Reilly, failed suicide bomber from Britain^[25]
John Elder Robison, author of Look Me in the Eye^[26]
Vernon L. Smith, Nobel Laureate in economics^[27]
Carl Söderholm, speaker in neuropsychiatric disorders^[28]
Satoshi Tajiri, creator and designer of Pokémon^[29]^[30]
Raymond Thompson, New Zealand scriptwriter and TV producer^[31]
Liane Holliday Willey, author^[32]
Travis Meeks, lead singer, guitarist and song writer for acoustic rock band Days of the New^[33]
Adam Young, multi-instrumentalist, producer and the founder of the electronic project Owl City^[34]

High-functioning autism

Further information: High-functioning autism

High-functioning autism is an informal term, not an official diagnostic category. Compared to diagnostic criteria for the official ASDs, descriptions of HFA tend to align most closely with Asperger syndrome.

Michelle Dawson, autism researcher and autism rights activist^[35]
Temple Grandin, food animal handling systems designer and author^[36]
Caiseal Mór author, musician, and artist^[37]
Hikari Ōe, Japanese composer^[38]
Dylan Scott Pierce, wildlife illustrator^[39]
Jim Sinclair, autism rights activist^[40]
Donna Williams, Australian author; this diagnosis is controversial^[41]

Autism spectrum

Further information: Autism, autistic savant, and autism spectrum

Amanda Baggs, advocate of rights for autistic people^[42]
Marty Balin, singer and songwriter with Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship^[43]
Lucy Blackman, university educated author^[44]
Alonzo Clemons, American clay sculptor^[45]
Tony DeBlois, blind American musician^[46]
James Hobley, British dancer and 2011 Britain's Got Talent finalist^[47]
Jonathan Jayne, contestant on American Idol^[48]
Christopher Knowles, American poet^[49]
Bhumi Jensen, grandson of Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand^[50]
Leslie Lemke, blind American musician^[51]
Jonathan Lerman, American artist^[52]
Jason McElwain, high school basketball player^[53]
Thristan Mendoza, Filipino marimba prodigy^[54]
Tito Mukhopadhyay, author, poet, and philosopher^[55]
Derek Paravicini, blind British musician^[56]
James Henry Pullen, gifted British carpenter^[57]
Matt Savage, U.S. autistic jazz prodigy^[58]
Birger Sellin, German author^[59]
Henriett Seth F., Hungarian autistic savant, poet, writer and artist^[60]
Daniel Tammet, British autistic savant^[61]
Richard Wawro, Scottish artist^[51]
Stephen Wiltshire, British architectural artist^[62]

Not on the autism spectrum

The late Kim Peek, one of the people used as the basis for the movie Rain Man,^[51]^[63] was once thought to be autistic, but his diagnosis has now changed.^[64] A 2008 study concluded that Peek probably had FG syndrome, a rare genetic syndrome linked to the X chromosome which causes physical anomalies such as hypotonia (low muscle tone) and macrocephaly (abnormally large head).^[65]