Guest guest Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 I'm debating with myself as I'm writing because I might contribute to how far of the plantation we are venturing... but I'll play in this a bit. First, I respect you on several levels Natasa and I am supportive of the energy you are putting into calcium channels and I'm reading everything you have published. The only think I want to contribute is the genetic link to autism. First, it's clear that a large majority of autism has an environmental link. This is the only explanation that many of us can rationalize based on the increase of autism first reported by Dr. Leo Kanner in circa 1932 (strangely close to the date of the first Thimerosal containing vaccine), which has risen to 1 in 10,000 children 11 years ago, and is now 1 in 166. The study conducted and published by the UC Mind institute that says that better diagnosis and awareness did not cause this increase. Lastly, there has never been a genetic epidemic. The fastest growing genetic disease is a 1% increase per 100 years. Based on this set of facts it's fair to say that there is very high probability that we are seeing primarily an environmental element as a key contributor of at least the trigger of what we are calling autism. Now we do see children with common biological disorders and behaviors but when you dig deeper and then look at it from a macro level it seems we have " autisms. " Yes, a long set of therapies improve symptoms of a majority of children, but it if you focus on the recovered kids, there has been a primary therapy or set of therapies... or sequence of therapies that bring these kids back and in fact there are some children that do not seem to respond to anything we know of today. On the surface we see similarities in behavior, but on a micro level we see some dramatic differences (and commonalities) in the biological functioning. So, I'm beating a dead horse here, but Yes, there can be a real genetic disorder in a minority of children that expresses itself in what looks like and qualifies as autism and there are single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) which are gene sets that have been shut down for one reason or another that will cause a great susceptibility to environmental factors but, in summary I believe the data suggests that a majority of autism to have an environmental trigger. The reason I feel so strongly about stating my position on this has to do with how much money is being invested by some groups to find " the genetic causes of autism " because these discoveries might be nice for the history books and treatment modalities for a subset of children in the future but this investment means we are ignoring the needs of the children today who would have a much better chance of recovery if we invested in metabolic, environmental, pathogen, and autoimmune based research.... but that might not win any awards or make as big of an impression in the history books. Obviously my energy on the topic is not all based on the your post Natasa. The word " genetic " was clearly an environmental trigger set off from the underlying predispostion of my feelings about the topic. (click click)... <stepping off my soupbox> - Stan > > >> >> > > >> >> Natasa, > > >> >> I am facinated by this. Are there any therories or treatments to > > >> >eliviate this calcium problem?? My DAN said CJ is low normal for > > >Calcium > > >> >and low in folinic acid but he's had BAD reactions to both. Are we > > >> >suppose to supplement? She wants us to try again. Is there > something > > >to > > >> >giving Cal citrate only with no D or magnesium citrate? I've been > > >> >reading all of these posts from you on several sites and I'm not > sure > > >> >where to learn more. Who is working on this in the DAN world? I do > > >not > > >> >want the behaviors that CJ was displaying, while on the previous > > >> >supplements he was on, to ever return. He was beligerant on > folinic > > >and > > >> >just GONE on cal/mag. Sorry for all the questions I know you're > just > > >> >looking for the answers too. Thanks for sharing this info. > - > > >> >> > > >> >> >From: natasa778 neno@ > > >> >> >Date: Thu Feb 16 17:00:06 CST 2006 > > >> >> >To: mb12 valtrex > > >> >> >Subject: Calcium channels/signalling in autism - > > >part2 > > >> >> > > >> >> >Dear listmates, > > >> >> > > > >> >> >Following my earlier post on possible links between > > >> >dysfunctionalcalcium channels and autism, there now seems to be > > >another > > >> >geneticdisorder (in addition to Syndrome) that points in > > >> >thatdirection: > > >> >> > > > >> >> > > > >> >> >Damaged gene causes impaired vision and autism in NZ family > > >> >> > > > >> >> >17 May 2005 > > >> >> > > > >> >> >A University of Otago research team today announced a > > >> >majorbreakthrough in understanding a severe genetic disorder that > > >> >affects alarge New Zealand family. > > >> >> > > > >> >> >The inherited eye condition has been in the family for at least > > >> >fivegenerations and causes vision impairment in both males and > > >females, > > >> >butis most severe in male family members. In addition, some male > > >> >childrenhave intellectual disability and autism. > > >> >> > > > >> >> >The research has discovered a subtle alteration in a calcium > > >> >channelgene that has profound effects on channel function. This > > >> >particularcalcium channel is found in the light-sensing cells of > the > > >> >eye. It ispart of a signalling pathway that converts light stimuli > > >into > > >> >nervemessages to the brain. Normally entry of calcium via this > > >channel > > >> >istightly regulated but the damaged channel is hyperactive. > > >> >> > > > >> >> >Molecular geneticist, Dr n Maw, says it is not surprising > > >that > > >> >vision is impaired in family members. > > >> >> > > > >> >> > " The healthy version of this calcium channel lets calcium enter > > >> >thelight-sensing cells of the eye during darkness. The damaged > > >channel > > >> >ishyperactive and probably lets calcium enter the cells regardless > > >> >ofwhether it is dark or light. > > >> >> > > > >> >> > " Other forms of damage to this same gene cause a clinically > > >> >relatedform of visual impairment called X-linked incomplete > > >> >congenitalstationary night blindness, " she says. > > >> >> > > > >> >> >The association of abnormal calcium channel activity with > > >> >intellectual impairment and autism intrigues the researchers. > > >> >> > > > >> >> > " We wondered if the association was a coincidence, but a recent > > >> >studysuggests otherwise. Researchers in New York have shown that > > >> >syndrome, a multi-system disorder including autism and > > >> >intellectualimpairment, is caused by damage to a different calcium > > >> >channel gene.Moreover the damaged channel again permits excess > > >calcium > > >> >to entercells, " Dr Maw says. ... > > >> >> >?. > > >> >> > > > >> >> >Full original article can be seen here:? > > >> >http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/102/21/7553 > > >> >> > > > >> >> > > > >> >> >Best wishes, > > >> >> > > > >> >> >Natasa > > >> >> > > > >> >> > > > >> >> > > > >> >> > > > >> >> > > > >> >> > > > >> >> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.