Autism Research

Hi group members,

In an article by medical doctor, Dr. Rachita Narsaria, results of new research studies on autism were reported.  A summary of those findings follows: 

1)  Air pollution is one cause for the rising rates of autism

Air pollution was leading to enlargement of some parts of the brain in mice, when exposed to pollution in the years of development. The vital discovery the study made was that the enlarged areas of the mice brain were the same as the ones seen in humans with autism and another psychological condition called schizophrenia.

2)  Anti-depressant use in pregnancy linked to autism risk

Exposure to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), which are commonly used anti-depressants in pregnant mothers, increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) directly 2-fold. 

3)  Elevated steroids in womb may lead to autism

Children that went on to develop autism were exposed to elevated steroid hormone levels like testosterone, cortisol, progesterone, while in the womb.  The study utilized samples from amniotic fluid of over 19,500 individuals. The finding has opened a new door to employ these hormone levels as bio-markers in pregnant women to assess the risk of autism in the developing fetus.

4)  Prenatal stress in expectant mother predicts autism risk

The more the maternal hardship and greater her distress, the higher were the autistic traits in their children at 6.5 years age. 

5)  A greater role on environment in autism cases

More than half the risk for autism could be attributed to influence of environmental factors like an expectant mother’s stress or diet.  Over 14,000 children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder were studied.  It was found that only half the cases could be attributed to genetic mutations leaving the remaining half to environmental influences.

 

Do any of our members work with students that are diagnosed with Autism?  If so, please share information about your program with us.

Thanks,

Rochelle Kenyon, SME
 

 

Comments

I don't know about environmental issues and "causes of disability" in our Autistic students, but I have observed that our students have demonstrated a significant capacity to grow well beyond the attributes that are usually associated with their diagnosis. I honestly have never seen this much growth in individuals diagnosed  with any disability. I have to assume that all of them have not been misdiagnosed. So my only other conclusion is that the hard lines of diagnostic criterion for this diagnosis are considerably more fluid than at least school systems assume they are. No one in the program is going to wake up tomorrow as a result of this course and be "cured", but since the one thing that is different for these individuals is that their educational environment has completely changed, I am guessing that environment has a significant effect on the expression of their "symptoms".  If that is the case with others diagnosed with autism, I could see making an argument that environment could play a greater role in "cause" both because of limited hard genetics roles and environment seeming to have such a great role in expressions of "symptoms". I would love to hear from anyone working with Autistic adults in our group.

Hi Robin,

Thanks for the interesting response.  I agree with your statement, "I could see making an argument that environment could play a greater role in cause."   In material that I have read, environment - including toxins, pesticides, food additives, mercury, etc. has always been at the top of the list as causes for Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder........ and...........the reason why the incidence of LD stays the same or increases.

Rochelle Kenyon, SME

 

Hi Rochelle: I am interested in theclinical citings for the reasearch conclusions you mentioned re "causal factors' and Autism. In addition to my Adult Ed work i am part of a practice called College Autism Spectrum connected with the Autism Center at Yale. We are very cautious about  using cause and effect language.... your remember the uproar about vaccines causing  autism, quite unfounded, but quite sadly many childern were not vaccinated as  a result of the press on that. I hadn't seen the research literature that you mention and want to share it with my colleagues. Thanks  Lauri

Thanks for your comment, Laura.

You mentioned the College Autism Spectrum connected with The Autism Center at Yale University.  I am interested to hear about the work that is being done there.  Can you share information with us?  Please begin a new discussion thread with the topic, College Autism Spectrum connected with The Autism Center at Yale University.

I appreciate your participation in our discussions.

Rochelle Kenyon, SME