Guest guest Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Interesting article about the possible (genetic) cause of autism...I think Heidi has presented a similar theory on this list. New York Times link: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/08/opinion/08baron-cohen.html?ex=1124164800 & en=a0\ 093114b49eb0e3 & ei=5070 & emc=eta1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 >-----Original Message----- >From: >[mailto: ]On Behalf Of > > >Interesting article about the possible (genetic) cause of autism...I >think Heidi has presented a similar theory on this list. > >New York Times link: > >http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/08/opinion/08baron-cohen.html?ex=112 >4164800 & en=a0093114b49eb0e3 & ei=5070 & emc=eta1 Very interesting! However, I think the fact that some parents are able to reverse their children's autism with dietary/supplement interventions suggest that autism is not *caused* by genes (any more than any other disease is caused by the mere presence of genes). The genes could be a predictor of autism, but if they were the *cause* then dietary/supplement intervention would not be able to reverse the condition. Suze Fisher Lapdog Design, Inc. Web Design & Development http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3shjg Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine http://www.westonaprice.org ---------------------------- “The diet-heart idea (the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol cause heart disease) is the greatest scientific deception of our times.” -- Mann, MD, former Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University, Tennessee; heart disease researcher. The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics <http://www.thincs.org> ---------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 >Interesting article about the possible (genetic) cause of autism...I >think Heidi has presented a similar theory on this list. > >New York Times link: > >http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/08/opinion/08baron-cohen.html?ex=1124164800 & en=a\ 0093114b49eb0e3 & ei=5070 & emc=eta1 Yes, I did (I also mentioned that the reason women might be less common in math is because there are fewer autistic females). The one thing I disagree with in the article is that the author is mainly concentrating on the *social* aspects of autism. In fact, a lot of folks think the social aspect is only a side-effect of something else. Autistic folk have a very different way of processing input data and get overloaded easily on visual and auditory stimulus. Autism is basically about sensory processing, not about socialization, though the socialization differences are the RESULT of the changes in sensory processing and differences in brain functioning. And some folk, like Temple Grandin, have far advanced empathy with animals, just not with humans. Yet I haven't noticed that males in general have great empathy with animals! And you get a lot of Aspie programmers together and they have great sociability and empthy with each other too. If in fact the author's thesis is correct, an Aspie female should get along great with very " male " guy, (Arnie? Rambo?) which in fact I just can't imagine happening! If anything, your average male " geek " is consdered by most folks as being at the opposite end of the spectrum from Arnie and Rambo! Anyway, one of the tests most predictive of autism is where they hold the baby and see how it orients it's head, IIRC, which isn't really a " sociability " or " systemizing " test, but does appear to show that whatever causes autism is in place before environmental causes (except possibly prenatal causes) come into effect. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 At 03:35 PM 8/8/2005, you wrote: >Very interesting! However, I think the fact that some parents are able to >reverse their children's autism with dietary/supplement interventions >suggest that autism is not *caused* by genes (any more than any other >disease is caused by the mere presence of genes). The genes could be a >predictor of autism, but if they were the *cause* then dietary/supplement >intervention would not be able to reverse the condition. > >Suze Fisher Yeah, I don't think " autism " is, at it's best, a " disease " . I expect that in optimal conditions, the kid that might become autistic just has more brain cells, a bigger head, and a more sensitive neurological system than average, and that *this* is genetic. You take that kid and expose them to something like Zonulin, that breaks down the blood/brain barrier, esp. while their blood is full of improper protein breakdown products, and the kid just can't function. (Zonulin is my favorite culprit, but as you've pointed out before, there could certainly be others). I'm basing this WAG theory mainly on my own family history ... my great-great grandad was hardly " normal " but in fact was above average: loved science, experimenting and all that, but had a good family life and was social etc. My son, who has been on a somewhat idealized diet for most of his life, has some the autistic traits but none of the moody, depressive, socialization problems -- he has a big head and an unusually sensitive/quick neurological system, but he's happy, outgoing, popular, and great linguistically. The generations between my son and great-great grandad though, exhibited most of the typical worst aspie traits, which showed up more in the individuals on the typical SAD. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 I used the word " cause " in my op incorrectly...glad you found the article interesting. > > Very interesting! However, I think the fact that some parents are able to > reverse their children's autism with dietary/supplement interventions > suggest that autism is not *caused* by genes (any more than any other > disease is caused by the mere presence of genes). The genes could be a > predictor of autism, but if they were the *cause* then dietary/supplement > intervention would not be able to reverse the condition. > > Suze Fisher > Lapdog Design, Inc. > Web Design & Development > http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3shjg > Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader, Mid Coast Maine > http://www.westonaprice.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 > > And some folk, like Temple Grandin, > have far advanced empathy with animals, just not with humans. > Yet I haven't noticed that males in general have great empathy with > animals! And you get a lot of Aspie programmers together and > they have great sociability and empthy with each other too. If > in fact the author's thesis is correct, an Aspie female should > get along great with very " male " guy, (Arnie? Rambo?) which in fact > I just can't imagine happening! If anything, your average male > " geek " is consdered by most folks as being at the opposite > end of the spectrum from Arnie and Rambo! Did you see that TV series " Beauty and the Geek " ? The " geeks " were the guys, and the " beauties " were, of course, the girls. They let them pair up and then challenged them with geek-oriented tasks and beauty-oriented tasks, which they had to tackle as a pair. We thought it was really interesting how things turned out. Since childish behavior and personal attacks were not have helped their efforts to win, the couples had to establish a kind of synergy and make their differences work for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 >Did you see that TV series " Beauty and the Geek " ? The " geeks " were >the guys, and the " beauties " were, of course, the girls. They let >them pair up and then challenged them with geek-oriented tasks and >beauty-oriented tasks, which they had to tackle as a pair. > >We thought it was really interesting how things turned out. Since >childish behavior and personal attacks were not have helped their >efforts to win, the couples had to establish a kind of synergy and >make their differences work for them. > > No, I didn't see it, but it sounds fascinating. Sounds like what happens in Cubeland, in technology groups. The manager is usually an outgoing, political, sales type. Managing a bunch of geeks. They have to establish a truce of sorts to get anything done ... Heidi Jean 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.