SCHAFER AUTISM REPORT "Healing Autism:

No Finer a Cause on the Planet"

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December 05, 2002 Promote Your Event - Free! - Send a CALENDAR LISTING:

RESEARCH

* UC Davis to I.D. Eligible Families For Autism Environ. Factors Study

* Autism Researchers to Study Causes in Iowa

[Following are Abstracts that contains technical language.]

* Autism, Regression, and The Broader Autism Phenotype

* Lefty Autism, Sexual Orient., Breast Cancer & Heart Disease: Finger Ratios

* The Significance Of Ammonia/Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Ratio

For Normality

* Race Differences in the Age at Diagnosis Among Medicaid-Eligible Children with Autism

* Neuropsychological Changes In Coeliac Disease

* The Autistic Spectrum. An Epidem. Study and Analysis Of Possible Subgroups

* Retts Syndrome. Clinical Features And Advances In Genetics

* Communication and Language In The Autistic Spectrum: Autism And Dysphasia

* Thalamic Spectroscopy Using Magnetic Resonance In Autism

* Clinical Diagnosis Of Autism

* Developmental Amnesias

* Autism: A Medical Primer

* The Role Of Cellular Secretion In Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Unifying Hypothesis.

* Follow-up of Children With Language Delay And Features Of Autism From Preschool Years To Middle Childhood

* In autism: Increased Serum Albumin, Gamma Globulin,Immunoglobulin IgG, and IgG2 and IgG4

* Recall Bias, MMR, and Autism

* Perinatal Risk Factors For Schizophrenia: Diagnostic Specificity And Relationships With Maternal Psychopathology.

* Dear Mr. President

RESEARCH

UC Davis to I.D. Eligible Families For Autism Environmental Factors Study

[From a UC Davis press release.]

UC Davis researchers are ready to launch the first-ever major epidemiological case-control study of up to 2,000 California children to examine genetic and environmental factors that may affect the development of autism, mental retardation and developmental delay in children.

Parents of children who recently have become eligible to receive services from California's Regional Centers will receive information on how their child can join the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) study of children between 2 and 5 years of age. Recruitment will continue over the next three years as newly diagnosed children enter the Regional Center system, which coordinates services to developmentally disabled children and adults for the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS).

This study is one of three projects within the UC Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention, that was created last fall with grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the M.I.N.D. Institute at UC Davis. The center is the first to specifically look at severe impairments of social behavior in relation to both genetic and environmental factors. "Most importantly, our researchers will be tackling how genes and environmental factors interact," said Isaac Pessah, the center director and professor of molecular biosciences at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

"It's clear that genes play a role in autism and developmental delay, but evidence suggests that the environment is also an important factor," said Irva Hertz-Picciotto, professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine at UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center. "By studying a large number of children with different types of development, we expect to gain a better understanding of the multiple ways autism and other developmental delays may occur." Hertz-Picciotto, an internationally renowned environmental epidemiologist, is leading the study.

The study, which will be conducted in Los Angeles and north-central California by researchers from UC Davis, UCLA and Kaiser Permanente, will enroll up to 2,000 children with differing patterns of development, including children with autism, children with mental retardation or developmental delay but not autism, and children who are developing typically.

Exposure to a broad array of external factors and measurements of important physiologic factors will be compared among the three groups. These factors include environmental exposures from chemicals used in industrial processes, consumer products, illnesses of the mother during pregnancy and of the child after birth, medications and vaccinations, and diet. Researchers will also conduct studies on lipids, specific genes, key molecules involved in the working of the immune and nervous systems, and cell-to-cell communication and metabolism.

The researchers will review regional-center records for children with autism and children with mental retardation or developmental delay. Families from both diagnostic groups and families of children with typical development will complete questionnaires and give specimens, and those with autism will participate in a diagnostic work-up.

"By looking at children's medical history, environmental exposure to toxins, diet, genetic background, chemical and cellular markers from tissue samples, and many other aspects of their lives, both before and after birth, we will be able to evaluate possible causes and contributing factors to autism," said Hertz-Picciotto.

The Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention is studying molecular and immunological mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders involving studies in animals and cell systems and of specimens from the children in the CHARGE study.

Pessah, principal investigator for the Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention, said the samples will be used to compare and contrast immune responses to vaccine antigens among the three groups.

"Our ultimate goal is to understand common patterns of dysfunction in autism and clarify how toxins contribute to abnormal neurodevelopment so that we can develop rational strategies for intervention and, hopefully, prevention," Pessah said.

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Autism Researchers to Study Causes in Iowa

[By Ed Tibbetts in the Quad City Times. Not available online.]

Autism researchers have selected Iowa and three other states as the focus of an effort to acquire brain tissue in a quest to find causes and treatments for the disorder, which affects more than 1 million people and their families nationwide.

Meanwhile, an executive of the Autism Society of America (ASA) warned during a meeting last week in the Quad-Cities that a rapid increase in the disorder has the potential to overwhelm the nation’s health-care system.

Autism is a mysterious neurological disorder that is often discovered in children during their first three or four years and characterized by communication difficulties and problems with social interaction. Recent studies have revealed a stunning increase in the incidence of autism and related disorders, and the government says two to six out of every 1,000 people in the United States are affected.

“This is a national crisis,” said Rob Beck, the executive director of the Autism Society of America, who met with parents of autistic children Tuesday in Moline.

So far, there is no explanation for the increase, but a recent study in California reported it is real and not due to better diagnosis and awareness. The society estimates that the disease grew an average of 17 percent a year over the past decade. The California study documented a 272 percent increase over 10 years, ending in 1998.

The brain tissue program, founded in 1998 and operated by three organizations, including the society’s foundation, seeks donors among autistic people and their families. So far, 40 to 60 people have donated brain tissue post-mortem, Beck said.

The connection with Iowa and the other three states — Maine, Michigan and New Mexico — was fostered in an effort to help autistic people and their families in the hopes of securing more tissue. Already, scientists believe they have made discoveries from the donations.

“We need to study the brain at a cellular level,” said Dr. Jane Pickett, the coordinator of the Autism Tissue Program. She said about 30 research projects are going on across the world using tissue from the program.

Iowa was chosen because of its strong network of autism societies, its statewide organ-donor network and supportive medical examiners, officials said.

Gail Karp, the president of the Autism Society of the Quad-Cities, said she believes Iowa will be a particularly welcome place in which to secure donations. “I think we can really be leaders in this type of research,” she said. “We’ve been leaders in education.” .

She also noted Iowa’s high number of blood donors. The society sponsored the Beck and Pickett appearance for a society meeting at the Butterworth Center in Moline. .

Many families of autistic people will be motivated to make donations, she said, because of their own experiences and desire to help others.

Autism was discovered almost 50 years ago, but government funding has been ratcheted upward only rather recently. The government estimates that autism carries a $20 billion annual cost, and Beck said that cost could balloon to $200 billion to $300 billion in a decade. .

The federal government spends about $50 million a year on research solely devoted to autism, he said. Earlier this year, several congressmen formed an autism caucus within the U.S. House of Representatives. U.S. Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, a Davenport native, is a member.

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Autism, Regression, and The Broader Autism Phenotype.

ds=12439889&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Lainhart JE, Ozonoff S, Coon H, Krasny L, Dinh E, Nice J, McMahon W. Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The broader autism phenotype (BAP) is a subclinical set of personality and other features that is thought to index familiality and/or genetic liability to autism.

Eighteen parents of autistic probands with a history of language regression and 70 parents of autistic probands without regression were assessed for features of the BAP and compared with published rates in parents of nonautistic subjects.

Parents of probands with regressive and nonregressive autism demonstrated similar rates of the BAP (27.8% vs. 32.9%; P = 0.33).

The rate of the BAP was significantly higher in both groups of autism parents than in parents of nonautistic subjects (P </= 0.01).

Thus, this measure of genetic liability is increased equally in families with both forms of autism when compared with controls.

Environmental events are therefore unlikely to be the sole cause of regressive autism in our sample.

Environmental events, however, may act in an additive or "second-hit" fashion in individuals with a genetic vulnerability to autism.

Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 12439889 [PubMed - in process]

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ds=12441204&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Okten A, Kalyoncu M, Yaris N.

Department of Paediatrics, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency results in excessive androgen exposure in the gestational period and various degrees of masculinization of the external genitalia in female foetuses.

Intrauterine gonadal steroids are not only essential for the development of the genital organs but also affect some other extragenital organ development.

The second to fourth digit (2D/4D) ratio shows a sexually dimorphic pattern with longer fourth digit from second digit in men compared to women.

A low 2D/4D ratio is associated with high sperm count, testosterone levels and reproductive success in men.

A high 2D/4D ratio is associated with high oestrogen levels in women.

Second and fourth digit ratio has also found to be correlated with sexual orientation, left hand preference autism and some adult onset diseases such as breast cancer and myocardial infarction.

We found lower 2D/4D ratio in female patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency compared to healthy girls (p=0.000) and equal 2D/4D ratio for female patients when compared to male controls.

Male patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency had significantly lower 2D/4D ratio than female and male controls in the right hand.

Healthy boys had lower 2D/4D ratio than healthy girls.

It is concluded that 2D/4D ratio established by intrauterine androgen levels influences the sexually dimorphic digit pattern.

PMID: 12441204 [PubMed - in process]

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The Significance Of Ammonia/Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Ratio For Normality And Liver Disorders.

ds=12445521&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Cohen BI. Director of Research, ED Laboratories, New Jersey, S. Hackensack, USA

Cohen has illustrated that extremely high Gamma-aminobutyric acid

(GABA) levels in the urine and blood and high plasma ammonia were observed for an autistic male child diagnosed with infantile autism.

GABA is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the mammalian brain and the enzyme responsible for catabolism is GABA-Transaminase (GABA-T).

Elevated levels of ammonia in the plasma results in a decrease in the efficiency for the GABA-T enzyme and this results in higher GABA concentrations after regulation in the liver.

It is postulated that a link between plasma ammonia and plasma GABA exists where the concentration of GABA in the plasma is directly related to the ammonia plasma concentration.

A ratio of approximately 0.30 (plasma ammonia/GABA) is a consistent finding for normal subjects and for subjects with infantile autism and liver diseases such as hepatic encephalopathy.

PMID: 12445521 [PubMed - in process]

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Race Differences in the Age at Diagnosis Among Medicaid-Eligible ASD Kids 'Race Differences in the Age at Diagnosis Among Medicaid-Eligible Children With Autism.'

ds=12447031&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Mandell DS, Listerud J, Levy SE, Pinto-Martin JA.

OBJECTIVE To examine racial differences in the age at which Medicaid-eligible children first receive an autistic disorder (AD) diagnosis and to examine time in mental health treatment until an AD diagnosis was received.

METHOD Philadelphia Medicaid specialty mental health claims identified 406 children who received services in 1999 for AD.

Claims from 1993-1999 were used to identify the date of first mental health visit, first receipt of AD diagnosis, and number of visits occurring between those dates.

Linear regression was used to examine the relationship among race, age at first diagnosis of AD, time in mental health treatment, and number of visits until the diagnosis was made.

RESULTS On average, white children received the AD diagnosis at 6.3 years of age, compared with 7.9 years for black children ( <.001).

White children entered the mental health system at an earlier age (6.0 versus 7.1 years, =.005); however, after adjusting for age, sex, and time eligible for Medicaid, black children required more time in treatment before receiving the diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS Important disparities exist in the early detection and treatment of autism.

These disparities may be the result of differences in help-seeking, advocacy and support, and clinician behaviors.

PMID: 12447031 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Neuropsychological Changes In Coeliac Disease [Article in Spanish]

ds=12447786&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Martinez Bermejo A, Polanco I.

Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Espa a.

Objective. Coeliac disease is a gastrointestinal disorder caused by intolerance to cereals due to an immunological mechanism.

The intestinal mucosa is damaged, causing a severe malabsorption syndrome.

The diagnosis is based on classical clinical features such as diarrhoea and weight loss.

However, there is a broad spectrum of this disorder which includes disorders of other organs and systems.

In this paper we review the main studies of involvement of the nervous system in coeliac disease.

Development. Studies published to date report a high prevalence of ataxia, headaches and epilepsy, especially associated with bilateral occipital calcifications together with psychological features and psychiatric disorders including behavior change, depression, schizophrenia, autism, and disorders of personality, emotion and family relationships.

Problems of learning and cognition are less common.

Conclusions. Many of these processes have only relatively recently been recognized.

The pathogenic mechanism of these disorders is not completely clear although biochemical factors such as a low plasma serotonin level may be a cause.

Treatment is based on the early recognition of the disorder which is difficult to suspect when there are no gastrointestinal symptoms present and the use of various types of treatment, including a cereal free diet, which is the most effective.

PMID: 12447786 [PubMed - in process]

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ds=12447789&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Ferrando Lucas MT, Martos J, Llorente Comi M, Freire Prudencio S, Ayuda R, Martinez Diez Jorge C, Gonzalez Navarro A. Centro de Rehabilitacion del Lenguaje, Madrid, Espa a.

Introduction. Although the concept of autistic spectrum may be useful to explain and describe the heterogeneity of the syndrome, its aetiology is still unknown.

Different disorders have been reported as the biological basis of autism.

Early diagnosis and a multi disciplinary approach to the condition are essential for effective psychopaedagogic treatment.

Objective. To determine whether there is a relationship between the severity of the syndrome of autism and the course of the disorder, as a function of the presence or absence of neurological features, and to define homogeneous subgroups by detecting etiological variables which may be common to them.

Patients and methods. 46 children defined as being within the spectrum of autism, in whom the diagnosis was confirmed on the autistic spectrum inventory (IDEA/Rivi re 97).

Parameters studied: family history, perinatal risk, age of onset, complementary investigations and neurological features.

Results. The diagnosis was confirmed in 18 children; of the others 14 had a specific defect of the development of language.

There was an almost complete absence of underlying neurological disorders, although this may have been due to dispersion of the complementary investigations done.

Conclusions. Specific disorders of the development of language are the main differential diagnoses to be considered together with the autistic spectrum.

The diagnosis of autism is clinical, but the heterogeneity of the medical approach interferes with the overall assessment of the spectrum favoring behavioural and underestimating the biological aspects.

This means that the problem should be reconsidered so as to obtain uniform guidelines for action.

PMID: 12447789 [PubMed - in process]

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ds=12447790&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

[Article in Spanish]

Temudo T, Maciel P.

Hospital Geral de Santo Antonio, Porto, Portugal.

Introduction. Rett s syndrome (RS) is a disorder of neurological development which is the second commonest cause of mental retardation in girls.

It is normally caused by de novo mutations of a gene on the X chromosome.

This gene encodes for the protein joining the methyl CpG (MECP2).

Mutations of this gene have been found in approximately 80% of the cases confirmed as having the classical form of RS.

Mutations of the gene MECP2 were also found in about a third of the nonclassical cases of RS and in other conditions: women with mild or severe mental retardation, children with autism, even children with neonatal encephalopathy or with a clinical condition similar to RS.

Development. Studies correlating the genotypes and phenotypes in classical RS suggest that the pattern of inactivation of the X chromosome is more important in determining the severity of the condition than the type or site of the mutation.

However, when we consider all the phenotypes associated with mutations of MECP2, it is seen that the type of mutation correlates to a certain degree with the clinical onset and severity of the disorder.

Conclusions. Recent advances in the genetics of RS therefore have specific application in the clinical field.

They give further markers for diagnosis and possibly indicate the prognosis, as well as being useful in genetic counselling for the families of patients with RS.

PMID: 12447790 [PubMed - in process]

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Communication and Language In The Autistic Spectrum: Autism And Dysphasia [Article in Spanish]

ds=12447791&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Martos J, Ayuda R.

Centro Leo Kanner, Valencia, Espa a.

Introduction. The alterations of language and communication seen in children with autistic spectrum disorders (TEA) have some similar and some dissimilar features to those seen in children with specific language disorders (TEL).

The basic disorder of TEA seems to be due to alterations in the social and mental use of codes of communication, both verbal and non verbal.

Children with TEL however have better non verbal and practical abilities.

Objective. In view of this, we decided to determine the qualitative difference in function in communication and language between the two populations.

Patients and methods. The great heterogeneity between persons with autistic spectrum disorders and even variation between individuals makes investigation of large groups difficult.

It is therefore necessary to study individual cases or groups with small numbers.

If we fix our attention on language and communication, it is important to define subtypes of function with the population affected by the autistic spectrum of disorders at an early age, in the fields of communication, receptive language and expressive language in our small sample of persons; taking the normal course of development in each field as the parameter for comparison.

This is a pilot study within a long term research project.

Results. The results reported here are the preliminary findings of what will be a more extensive study with fuller analysis of the results.

Conclusions. The preliminary findings suggest that there are different linguistic and communication function profiles in the different populations compared.

PMID: 12447791 [PubMed - in process]

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Thalamic Spectroscopy Using Magnetic Resonance In Autism [Article in Spanish]

ds=12447793&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Perich Alsina J, Aduna De Paz M, Valls Santasusana A, Mu oz Yunta JA. Hospital Universitario del Mar, Barcelona, Espa a.

Objective. To evaluate the cerebral metabolic changes in paediatric patients using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Patients and methods. We studied 31 patients diagnosed as having autism (autistic group) using cerebral magnetic resonance and hydrogen spectroscopy, together with 15 patients without autism (control group).

The groups were sub divided according to age: 0 3 years, 4 7 years and 8 13 years.

The morphology of the brain was studied using magnetic resonance and hydrogen spectroscopy of the thalamus.

In each case we evaluated the presence of morphological changes in the brain and the concentrations of the cerebral metabolites N acetyl aspartate(NAA), choline (Cho) and creatinine (Cr) by measuring the coefficients NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho and Cho/Cr coefficients, and also any anomalous concentrations of other metabolites.

Results. No morphological changes were seen in the brains studied.

There was no significant increase in minor metabolites in any of the groups studied.

Significant differences in the NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr coefficients between the control and autistic groups were only seen in the oldest subgroup (8 13 years), but in the other groups the differences were not significant.

The results in the sub group of older autistic children are similar to those of the younger subgroups in both autistic and control groups.

Conclusion. The spectroscopic findings showed similar recordings in the control group and in the autistic group up to the age of 7 years with reduced thalamic NAA in autistic patients older than this.

This suggests interruption and regression in the process of neuronal maturity, in which the thalamus also plays a part.

PMID: 12447793 [PubMed - in process]

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Clinical Diagnosis Of Autism [Article in Spanish]

ds=12447794&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends hereRodriguez Barrionuevo AC, Rodriguez Vives MA. Hospital Materno Infantil Carlos Haya, Malaga, Espa a.

Introduction. The disorders of the autistic spectrum form a collection of symptoms due to dysfunction of the central nervous system with great variations in the degree of severity.

Autism is considered to be a generalized disorder of development (DSM IV).

Autism is not defined as a specific disease, since it does not have a specific aetiology.

Development. There are many syndromes related to autism, but most of these disorders are not selective and show a combination of autistic symptoms together with symptoms of neurological dysfunction.

There is no specific aetiology, although in recent years genetics have been shown to be important.

The prevalence varies between 1 and 1.2/1,000.

Boys are more often affected than girls, in a proportion of 3 4 to 1.

Diagnosis is clinical and is based on alterations of social interaction, problems of communication and also a restricted range of activities and interests (DSM IV).

There are anomalies associated with behaviour problems, such as delay in speaking, mental retardation, sensorial defects and motor difficulties.

Conclusions. Over 75% of autistic children have mental retardation, and this proportion is higher in severe cases, especially when the children have attention deficit with hyperactivity.

These children have many of the typical signs of autism: stereotyped movements, inappropriate language, obsessive behaviour with little mental flexibility, naivety and little skill in social interaction.

In these cases it is difficult to draw the line between mental retardation and autism.

PMID: 12447794 [PubMed - in process]

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ds=12447800&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Narbona J, Crespo Eguilaz N.

Clinica Universitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Espa a.

Objective.x The literature on clinical and physiophatologic characteristics of the spectrum of memory disorders in childhood is reviewed in this article.

Development.x There are only a few detailed reports of permanent specific memory disorders in children.

Early anoxo ischaemic bihippocampal injuries can cause a selective permanent impairment of episodic daily life memory with preservation of semantic learning and general intelligence; this dissociation has been related to partial hippocampal damage whilst the entorhinal, parahippocampal and prefrontal cortices, wich are critical to systematized memorizing and work memory, keep normal.

Biological psychiatry research has shown that early childhood amnesias after psychological maltreatment or abuse could be related to damage in neuronal systems wich support memory, caused by glutamatergic cascade.

Both severe bilateral hippocampal sclerosis (also mediated by toxic

neurotransmitters) in early malignant epilepsies, and massive bilateral damage of mesial temporal lobes due to herpex virus encephalitis or Reye s syndrome, cause severe amnesic deficits, frequently accompanied by absence of any language development and autism with features of Klver Bucy syndrome.

There are also on record some examples of Korsakoff's syndrome in children with midfossa tumors.

Conclusions.x All types of classical amnesias described in adults have been observed in children.

Developmental amnesias are probably more frequent than currently presumed.

It must be paid special attention to selective autobiographical memory impairments in individuals who underwent a partial bihippocampal damage in perinatal or early postnatal periods; they are to be distinguished from, although it may coexist with, other clinical situations such as attention deficit disorder or semantic pragmatic disorder.

PMID: 12447800 [PubMed - in process]

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Autism: A Medical Primer

ds=12449265&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Prater CD, Zylstra RG.

Department of Family Medicine, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Chattanooga 37403, USA.

Autistic disorder, a pervasive developmental disorder resulting in social, language, or sensorimotor deficits, occurs in approximately seven of 10,000 persons.

Early detection and intervention significantly improve outcome, with about one third of autistic persons achieving some degree of independent living.

Indications for developmental evaluation include no babbling, pointing, or use of other gestures by 12 months of age, no single words by 16 months of age, no two-word spontaneous phrases by 24 months of age, and loss of previously learned language or social skills at any age.

The differential diagnosis includes other psychiatric and pervasive developmental disorders, deafness, and profound hearing loss.

Autism is frequently associated with fragile X syndrome and tuberous sclerosis, and may be caused by lead poisoning and metabolic disorders.

Common comorbidities include mental retardation, seizure disorder, and psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Behavior modification programs are helpful and are usually administered by multidisciplinary teams, targeted medication is used to address behavior concerns.

Many different treatment approaches can be used, some of which are unproven and have little scientific support.

Parents may be encouraged to investigate national resources and local support networks.

PMID: 12449265 [PubMed - in process]

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The Role Of Cellular Secretion In Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Unifying Hypothesis.

ds=12450778&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Bolte ER., New Lenox, IL, USA

This paper outlines the possibility that disruption of cell-to-cell biochemical signaling activates a cascade of events resulting in a diverse spectrum of behavioral and biological symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorders.

PMID: 12450778 [PubMed - in process]

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Follow-up of Children With Language Delay And Features Of Autism From Preschool Years To Middle Childhood

ds=12455857&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here.

Michelotti J, Charman T, Slonims V, Baird G.

Donald Winnicott Centre, City and Hackney Community Services, NHS Trust, London, UK.

Eighteen children (13 males, five females) who had severe developmental language delay/disorder and some features of autism (although insufficient in severity and combination to meet ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for childhood autism) at preschool age (Time 1; mean age 4 years 4 months) were followed up 4 years later (Time 2; mean age 8 years 7 months).

At the initial assessment the diagnostic dilemma was how much the social communication impairments and behavioural problems were secondary to the language problem and how much they constituted a genuine case of a pervasive developmental disorder.

It was anticipated that at follow-up some children would continue to show social impairments but that in others social impairments would have receded as language competence improved.

Follow-up assessments included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, the Children's Communication Checklist, and the Social Communication Questionnaire.

At follow-up, five children had continuing language disorder and were considered to fulfil diagnostic criteria for childhood autism, four children had continuing language disorder and met criteria for atypical autism, and nine met criteria for atypical autism but had somewhat recovered language skills.

Thus, even in the subgroup of children whose language ability had improved the features of autism had not dissipated.

Severity of social communication impairments and repetitive behaviours at Time 1, rated retrospectively from case notes, were associated with severity of autism symptoms and pragmatic competence at Time 2.

The findings are discussed in relation to the unclear boundary between autism spectrum disorders and language delay/disorder.

PMID: 12455857 [PubMed - in process]

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In autism: Increased Serum Albumin, Gamma Globulin, Immunoglobulin IgG, and IgG2 and IgG4 .

ds=12455944&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Croonenberghs J, Wauters A, Devreese K, Verkerk R, Scharpe S, Bosmans E, Egyed B, Deboutte D, Maes M. University Center of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, A. Z. M. and Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Clinical Laboratory A. Z. Middelheim, Antwerp, The Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: Research on the biological pathophysiology of autism has found some evidence that immune alterations may play a role in the pathophysiology of that illness.

As a consequence we expected to find that autism is accompanied by abnormalities in the pattern obtained in serum protein electrophoresis and in the serum immunoglobulin (Ig) and IgG subclass profile.

METHOD: We examined whether subjects with autism showed changes in total serum protein (TSP) and the serum concentrations of albumin, alpha1 globulin, alpha2 globulin, beta globulin and gamma globulins, IgA, IgM and IgG and the IgG subclasses IgG 1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4, compared with normal controls.

RESULTS: We found significantly increased concentrations of TSP in autistic subjects, which were attributable to increased serum concentrations of albumin and gamma globulin.

Serum IgG, IgG2 and IgG4 were also significantly raised.

In autism there were significant and positive correlations between social problems and TSP and serum gamma globulin and between withdrawal symptoms and TSP and serum albumin and IgG.

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that autism is characterized by increased TSP, a unique pattern obtained in serum protein electrophoresis, i.e. increased serum albumin and IgG, and by a specific IgG subclass profile, i.e. increased serum IgG2 and IgG4.

The increased serum concentrations of IgGs in autism may point towards an underlying autoimmune disorder and/or an enhanced susceptibility to infections resulting in chronic viral infections, whereas the IgG subclass skewing may reflect different cytokine-dependent influences on autoimmune B cells and their products.

PMID: 12455944 [PubMed - in process]

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* * *

Recall Bias, MMR, and Autism.

ds=12456546&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Andrews N, Miller E, Taylor B, Lingam R, Simmons A, Stowe J, Waight P. Statistics Unit, Public Health Laboratory Service, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK Immunisation Division, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Public Health Laboratory Service Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London NW3 2PF, UK.

Parents of autistic children with regressive symptoms who were diagnosed after the publicity alleging a link with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine tended to recall the onset as shortly after MMR more often than parents of similar children who were diagnosed prior to the publicity.

This is consistent with the recall bias expected under such circumstances.

PMID: 12456546 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Perinatal Risk Factors For Schizophrenia: Diagnostic Specificity And Relationships With Maternal Psychopathology.

ds=12457383&dopt=Abstract <- - address ends here

Verdoux H, Sutter AL.

Department of Psychiatry, University Victor Segalen Bordeaux2, Bordeaux, France.

Although a growing body of evidence supports the hypothesis that exposure to obstetric complications (OCs) increases the vulnerability for schizophrenia, some questions remain unanswered regarding the diagnostic specificity and the etiological significance of this association.

Associations with a history of OCs have been reported for other severe psychiatric disorders, such as autism, anorexia nervosa, or psychotic affective disorder.

Thus, OCs may increase in a relatively non-specific way the vulnerability for a range of severe mental disorders, the expression of this vulnerability depending on the interaction between OCs and other risk factors, such as the genetic liability for specific psychiatric disorder, or exposure to later environmental risk factors.

The causal pathway between OCs, maternal psychopathology, and psychotic outcome in the offspring is not fully elucidated.

The directions of the associations are often bi-directional, and the mediating variables, if any, are not clearly identified.

OCs may have a direct negative impact on fetal brain development, may be on the causal pathway between prepartum maternal depression/exposure to stress and increased risk of schizophrenia, or may indirectly increase the risk of child's later psychiatric disorder by acting as risk factors for maternal postpartum depression.

The links and possible interactions between somatic perinatal risk factors and maternal psychopathology in the association with offspring's increased vulnerability for psychosis have to be further explored.

Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 12457383 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

* * *

Dear Mr President,

On a hot summer afternoon on the beautiful Kentucky Farm of the Farish's, I met you and discussed with you Kentucky's children with autism. You were kind enough to lend me your ear for about ten minutes and in those ten minutes, you seemed extremely interested in the endeavors I had single handedly undertaken to improve the lives of children in Kentucky and Southern Indiana unfortunate enough to have a diagnosis of autism. Towards the end of our conversation, you said a few words which haunt me still today, "Just what would you like for me to do for you, young lady?"

Hoping your words were sincere, I asked you (this was prior to your election), "Governor Bush, please do not forget the children with autism in Kentucky and in our great country".

This devastating disorder has grown in proportions since I met you face to face under that tent that day. Autism has been on the cover of TIME magazine, covered on Newsweek and CNN news and numerous congressional hearings have been held on just what might be causing the rise in the number of children diagnosed with autism.

While I do not know what is causing these epidemic numbers, I do know that we need two things to happen pretty quickly. We need to find the 'whys' but we also need to provide medical biological support for these children and behavioral therapy in order to give them the best chance at recovery so that they may be able to go on and become contributing members of society. The healing needs to take place on the inside and on the outside for these very sick children. Their parents, who are some of the bravest I have ever met, must be supported financially in their options for treatment.

I voted for you in November and am proud of that vote. I am impressed with your initiative entitled "No Child Left Behind" as it directly implies what the children of this world need, especially those with autism.Please defend and protect the children in our country with this disorder and call for the conference on Autism that Congressman Burton has asked for.These children need a hero to hear their silent cries.

- Betsy Gibbs, Founder Turning Point, An ABA therapy provider

>>>>> CONGRESSMAN DAN BURTON IS CALLING ON THE PRESIDENT <<<<<

TO HAVE A WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON AUTISM. YOU

CAN SUPPORT REP. BURTON BY SENDING YOUR LETTER

URGING HIM TO DO SO AS WELL:

President George W. Bush

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

EMAIL: President George W. Bush: president@whitehouse.gov

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