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Autism Spectrum Disorder: Help from an Unexpected Source

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natural cures for autism
Photo courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/mindwhisperings/

There was a recent news story of a mother who threw her 6 year-old autistic son to his death off of a bridge.

While this heinous act was performed by a mentally disturbed woman, her reasoning was heartbreaking.  She couldn’t bear the idea of her child regressing back into himself as he had done so many times in the past.

As a father, even the thought of losing a child’s outward reaction to his or her environment and experiencing the joys and pains as they grow is hard to imagine.

For the parents who do have children that fall under the autistic spectrum disorders category, there are things that can be done.  There are many amazing behavioral programs that, if instituted early, can increase the likelihood of your child fully integrated into higher grade levels.

There are also a large number of approaches designed to improve the health of the brain, irregardless of any labels that may be attached to that brain.  Nutrition and supplementation plays a huge role here, as you can see from this particular study.

In it, researchers looked at the use of sulforaphane in autistic spectrum disorders.  Sulforaphane is one of the principal components found in broccoli.  And, as you know, broccoli is an interdimensional warp, containing several pounds of incredibly good-for-you natural chemicals in every tree-resembling ounce.

They took 44 young men (aged 13–27) with moderate to severe ASD and gave them either sulforaphane derived from broccoli sprout extracts or a placebo for 18 weeks.  Behavior was evaluated three behavioral measures completed by parents/caregivers and physicians: the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Clinical Global Impression Improvement Scale (CGI-I).

Here’s what they found:

  • After 18 weeks, the placebo group had minimal change (<3.3%).
  • The sulforaphane group had substantial improvement of behavior: 34% for ABC and 17% for SRS scores.
  • On CGI-I, a greater number of the sulforaphane group had improvement in social interaction, abnormal behavior, and verbal communication.
  • Four weeks after discontinuation of sulforaphane, the scores slid back toward pretreatment levels.

Researchers noted that they picked sulforaphane “because of its well-known ability to reverse abnormalities that have been associated with ASD, including oxidative stress and lower antioxidant capacity, depressed glutathione synthesis, reduced mitochondrial function and oxidative phosphorylation, increased lipid peroxidation, and neuroinflammmation.”

That’s a pretty tall order for a natural compound that had no side effects.  We are talking about improving the health of the brains of our children and protecting them against further damage.

Being a “lifestyle” person, I would prefer to load our kids up with broccoli and cauliflower, but the amount of sulforaphane given in this study would equate to a relatively large dose of broccoli sprouts (which have a higher content of sulforaphane) and even this would depend largely on storage and cooking method.  Sometimes, we just have to accept that the pharmaceutical model of taking a bioactive compound, concentrating it and using it to treat something may be the best bet.

The big difference is that the drug companies take that natural compound and try to figure out some way to change it slightly so it can be patented.  This opens up the door to side effects that just aren’t seen in the original natural compound.

 

Autism, Schizophrenia and Depression; Surprising Thing They Have in Common

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Disorders of the mind have never been as easy to grasp for doctors. While therapists have a larger toolbox, most physicians are limited to medications.

For me, medications that screw with the essential way that your brain cells function in relationship to one another are a wee bit on the scary side.  We really know so little about the brain so it seems that using medications to alter it would be akin to cavemen using rocks to fix an iPad.

But alas, this is all we do in modern medicine.  The lucky ones will find their way to a good therapist and find tools to help.

But rarely does the topic of lifestyle changes come up.  The prevailing attitude is the opposite—there is little that can be done in the way of diet and lifestyle to manage these conditions.  But contrary to this opinion is an increasingly growing body of medical literature stating the opposite.

There is one key factor all these conditions and all this research have in common.

Inflammation.

Yup, that all so subtle, lifestyle-driven state of immune dysfunction.  It ranges from full-blown autoimmune conditions where the immune system is attacking tissues and organs it should not be to allergies and asthma when the immune system completely ignores the tissues inside and runs around like a Tasmanian devil trying to keep innocuous dust and particles at bay.

In all these situations, the resources used to drive the inflammation leaves the inflamed patient fatigued and prone to infections.  The constant insult to the body, the zapping of the body’s resources, the need to repair tissues again and again ultimately increases the risk for all chronic diseases, especially heart disease, dementia and many cancers.

But what does this inflammation do to the brain in the here and now?

It is very clear that current inflammation wreaks havoc on the brain.  This little fact, however, has escaped the notice of psychiatrists for decades.  Until now.

At this years’ (2014) annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association the cat was let out of the bag by Dr. Eric Hollander of Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City.  During the next several presentations, Dr. Hollander and others covered several important examples that demonstrate the links between inflammation and psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Andrew Miller of Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta discussed the relationship between depression and inflammation.  He used these findings as proof:

  • Several studies have demonstrated that patients with depression have higher levels of inflammatory messengers (cytokines) in their blood and cerebral spinal fluid (specifically IL-6, TNF-alpha and CRP).
  • In treatment-resistant depression (about one-third of all depressed patients) there is an increase in inflammatory chemicals that have the ability to sabotage and deactivate the action of antidepressant therapy.
  • In one of the first studies in psychiatry linking a biomarker to treatment response, the high-powered drug used to block TNF-alpha (infliximab) was used in those with treatment-resistant depression.  Those patients who had high CRP levels had the best response to infliximab.
  • In a related study, Miller’s team were able to tell, using gene expression profiles, which patients were going to responded to infliximab within 6 hours of the first infusion.

The topic of schizophrenia was addressed by Dr. Norbert Müller of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany.  Here were his points:

  • Infections and inflammation play a role in the development of schizophrenia; prenatal and postnatal infections are risk factors for schizophrenia.  The risk increases with the number of infections.
  • A number of studies using anti-inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors in addition to antipsychotic medication have had positive effects.
  • Timing is important: no benefit was seen in who had chronic schizophrenia, but anti-inflammatory therapies given early in the course of the disease were effective.

Dr. Hollander addressed the relationship between autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and inflammation.  He notes:

  • Increases in inflammatory chemicals have been found both in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with ASD and in brain tissue at autopsy in those with autism.
  • The bacteria in the gut may play a large role (the gut “microbiome”).
  • In support of the “hygiene hypothesis,” developed countries have higher rates of autoimmune conditions.
  • Hollander and others have focused on affecting the microbiome using a medicalized parasite, Trichuris suis ova (TSO-the eggs of a porcine whipworm). Trichuris suis ova is safe in humans, does not multiply in the host, is not transmittable by contact, and is cleared from the system spontaneously.  It works by balancing the inflammatory response to increase its survival. This balance in our system has shown some success in autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease.
  • His group has been carrying out a small study of TSO in 10 high-functioning adults with ASD for 3 months and have found a potential benefit.
  • In another interesting study, researchers studied 10 children with ASD who were known to improve when they had fevers.  The children spent alternate days soaking in a hot tub at 102°F (to mimic fever) or at 98°F (control condition), showing improvements on the hot tub days.  It is believed that upping the body temp releases anti-inflammatory signals that positively affect behavior.

All of this information is a bit to swallow at once.  However, the real take home message is that inflammation is very bad for the brain, whether it is related to one of the three conditions covered here or another one like migraines, epilepsy or dementia.

Brain health is all-encompassing.  If you have no conditions it is still just as important to keep your brain healthy today for tomorrow’s brain health.  Leading an anti-inflammatory lifestyle is critical.  While the full nature of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle is beyond the scope of this article, you can better believe it involves exercise, stress management and a plant-based diet high in healthy fats.

 

The initial care of newborn infants and subsequent hay fever – (11-16-00)

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The initial care of newborn infants and subsequent hay fever

This is another article supporting the fact that exposure to bacteria as our immune systems develop is instrumental in this process. Dr. Wakefield, the author that continues to receive much criticism for his research linking measles vaccine and autism, was one of the researchers for this study.

Synergy Abstract

Read entire article here

New Variant of IBD Observed in Children With Developmental Disorders – (10-30-00)

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New Variant of IBD Observed in Children With Developmental Disorders

Dr. Andrew Wakefield is truly a pioneer, and yet he has received an indescribable amount of criticism for his studies suggesting a possible link between the mumps vaccine and autism. And yet, like many old pioneers ridiculed by their colleagues, further research is confirming his findings. There appears to be a link between the health of the GI tract and autistic patients. While some may consider this ludicrous, to those of use familiar with functional medicine, it is very plausible.

Am J Gastroenterol 2000;95:2154-2156,2285-2295 Children with developmental disorders seem to be at risk of developing a distinct variant of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that lacks the typical features of either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. “The combination of ileocolonic lymphoid nodular hyperplasia and colitis in children with developmental disorders distinguished them from developmentally normal children with similar symptoms (including abdominal pain and constipation) in whom lymphoid nodular hyperplasia and histopathological change were uncommon,” Dr. Wakefield and colleagues say. The accumulating evidence of a specific variant of enterocolitis in autism makes it “tempting to suggest that a gut-brain interaction” may be involved in the pathogenesis of what researchers are beginning to call “autistic enterocolitis,” the authors note. They explain that recent detection of opioid peptides of dietary origin in urine from some affected children is further evidence of this possibility. But in a related editorial, Drs. Eamonn M. M. Quigley and David Hurley, of the National University of Ireland in Cork, say that “there is, at present, insufficient evidence to establish either a direct or indirect link…between an inflamed gut and the brain, in autism.”

Aberrant Immune Response Seen in Autism – (05-07-01)

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Aberrant Immune Response Seen in Autism

I have seen many children diagnosed with conditions like autism, ADD and ADHD that begin the morning with enough sugar to stagger the mind. Many of these patients do not think for one instant that what a child eats can have an effect on the mental performance. I think this article illustrates nicely that there are alterations in some autistic children that can be either addressed or made worse by lifestyle choices.

Experimental Biology 2001 Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) produce higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines than children without autism, researchers announced Monday at the Experimental Biology 2001 meeting in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Harumi Jyonouchi of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and colleagues analyzed the immune responses of 83 children with ASD, between 2 and 17 years old, compared with a group of healthy matched controls. The researchers measured the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 in the subjects before and after exposure to low doses of endotoxin. “More than three-quarters of the ASD children produced higher levels of at least one of the pro-inflammatory cytokines compared with controls,” Dr. Jyonouchi told Reuters Health. These differences were evident both with and without endotoxin exposure, she added. The researchers also found that “75% to 80% of these children have T-cell reactivity to dietary proteins including soy, milk, and wheat,” Dr. Jyonouchi said. “If their response to endotoxins is dysregulated, children with ASD may be predisposed to other adverse reactions to foods, bacteria, and vaccines, and may have an increased risk for autoimmune reactions,” Dr. Jyonouchi explained. She noted that these children may also require a longer time to recover from such exposures. “This is scientific data supporting parents’ claims that autistic children may get sicker from colds and flu and are more sensitive to dietary proteins,” Dr. Jyonouchi said.

 

Time Trends in Autism and in MMR Immunization Coverage in CA – (03-22-01)

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Time Trends in Autism and in MMR Immunization Coverage in CA

This suspected link has become quite the hot topic lately; with many researchers rapidly producing reviews suggesting no link between autism and MMR vaccination. This study summarizes the results by comparing the increase in autism rates (up 373%) to increase in immunization rates (up 14%). Since autism rates went up much higher than immunizations, then the immunizations could not be to blame. Could it be that all these researchers are viewing the data with the same blinders that we view chronic diseases today? The one cause, one cure syndrome again. It could very well be possible that the development of autism is a multifactorial event, and the administration of the MMR vaccine is merely the final straw on the proverbial camel’s back. For those of you that may think I’m reaching, please look back in the updates and review Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s research into ileonodular hyperplasia. Time Trends in Autism and in MMR Immunization Coverage in California

Read entire article here

Repeated Doses of Porcine Secretin in the Treatment of Autism – (05-21-01)

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Repeated Doses of Porcine Secretin in the Treatment of Autism

This study found no benefit to the use of secretin for autism. Hopefully one day soon medicine will begin to address the biological individuality of its patients. Secretin is a hormone that stimulates the production of pancreatic enzymes for digestion. We have previously discussed the phenomena of certain milk proteins making it to the brain IN SUSEPTABLE INDIVIDUALS and causing morphine-like effects. Pull these kids off of milk and it’s like a miracle how they recover. But it may only be a select few that response to this. I feel that secretin is no different. This study included 64 children and found no benefit. What if only 1 in 100 autistics would benefit from secretin use? It would not show up in any study because the incidence is too low. There’s a reason why some parents claim that it works–probably because it has!

Pediatrics — Abstracts: Roberts et al. 107 (5): e71

Read entire article here

California Confirms Rise in Autism Cases – (11-07-02)

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California Confirms Rise in Autism Cases

I know the rising rates of autism has been denied by many in the medical profession, explaining that increased diagnosis is what has accounted for the rise. A 273% increase. Want my opinion? We’re doing something to our kids that are predisposing them to this condition. Multiple vaccinations, food allergies, poor prenatal/pregnancy care? I personally believe that not every child will get autism from the MMR vaccine (which is the vaccine most blamed for the onset), but that a certain percentage of children have the genes that make them susceptible  probably when combined with other factors such as a poor diet. This is NOT from the genes…it is from the way we are treating the genes. It takes hundreds of thousands of years for true genetic variation to occur, and this is occurring in decades.

Read entire article here

California researchers say that the state is seeing a sharp rise in the number of autistic children–but said they were mystified about what caused the unprecedented spread of the developmental disorder.The report by researchers at the University of California-Davis’ M.I.N.D. Institute released on Thursday showed a 273% increase in the number of autistic children entering various state treatment centers between 1987 and 1998.The findings also indicate that the increase could not be accounted for by other factors such as the misclassification of cases or changing diagnostic criteria.”Speculation about the increase in autism in California has led some to try to explain it away as a statistical issue or with other factors that artificially inflated the numbers,” lead investigator Dr. Robert Byrd said.”Instead, we found that autism is on the rise in the state and we still do not know why. The results of this study are, without a doubt, sobering,” he added.Medical experts say it is difficult to compare California’s autism numbers with other states’ because tracking systems are different. But they say anecdotal evidence indicates rates may also be rising elsewhere in the country.The California study, which was launched this year in an effort to determine why observed cases were increasing, looked at a statewide sample of 684 children from both English- and Spanish-speaking families.But the research did little to solve the mystery.Dr. Byrd’s team found that the rising number of autism cases could not be attributed to a loosening of the criteria for diagnosis, or an appreciable rise in the number of mentally retarded children misdiagnosed as autistic.They also found more than 90% of children in the survey were native born–blowing a hole in theories that the migration of children with the condition to California might be behind the higher numbers.”While this study does not identify the cause of autism, it does verify that autism has not been over-reported” in California, Dr. Byrd said.