Re: Autism: a Novel Form of Mercury Poisoning

[Guest guest]

<< On Wed, 20 Sep 2000 10:02:42 -0700 FEAT writes:

> > FEAT DAILY NEWSLETTER Sacramento, California

> > http://www.feat.org

> > " Healing Autism: No Finer a Cause on the Planet "

> > ______________________________________________________

> > September 20, 2000

> >

> > Autism: a Novel Form of Mercury Poisoning

> >

> > [This research paper is a keystone document in the heavy metal

> > theory

> > of autism. The strong comparison of the symptoms of autism to the

> > symptoms

> > of mercury poisioning is almost surreal and disturbing in its

> > implication.

> > The abstract of this study appeared in the June 20, 2000 FEAT Daily

> > Newsletter.]

> >

> > S. Bernard, B.A., A. Enayati, M.S.M.E., L. Redwood, M.S.N., H.

> > , B.A.,

> > T. Binstock

> >

> > Sallie Bernard, ARC Research, 14 Commerce Drive, Cranford, NJ 07901

> > USA,

> > , fax

> >

> > Summary Autism is a syndrome characterized by impairments in

> > social

> > relatedness and communication, repetitive behaviors, abnormal

> > movements, and

> > sensory dysfunction. Recent epidemiological studies suggest that

> > autism may

> > affect 1 in 150 U. S. children. Exposure to mercury can cause

> > immune,

> > sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions similar to

> > traits

> > defining or associated with autism, and the similarities extend to

> > neuroanatomy, neurotransmitters, and biochemistry. Thimerosal, a

> > preservative added to many vaccines, has become a major source of

> > mercury in

> > children who, within their first two years, may have received a

> > quantity of

> > mercury that exceeds safety guidelines. A review of medical

> > literature and

> > U.S. government data suggests that (i) many cases of idiopathic

> > autism are

> > induced by early mercury exposure from thimerosal; (ii) this type of

> > autism

> > represents an unrecognized mercurial syndrome; and (iii) genetic and

> > non-genetic factors establish a predisposition whereby thimerosal's

> > adverse

> > effects occur only in some children

> > INTRODUCTION

> > Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental

> > syndrome with

> > onset prior to age 36 months. Diagnostic criteria consist of

> > impairments in

> > sociality and communication plus repetitive and stereotypic

> > behaviors (1).

> > Traits strongly associated with autism include movement disorders

> > and

> > sensory dysfunctions (2). Although autism may be apparent soon after

> > birth,

> > most autistic children experience at least several months, even a

> > year or

> > more of normal development -- followed by regression, defined as

> > loss of

> > function or failure to progress (2,3,4)

> > The neurotoxicity of mercury (Hg) has long been recognized

> > (5).

> > Primary data derive from victims of contaminated fish (Japan -

> > Minamata

> > Disease) or grain (Iraq, Guatemala, Russia); from acrodynia (Pink

> > Disease)

> > induced by Hg in teething powders; and from individual instances of

> > mercury

> > poisoning (HgP), many occurring in occupational settings (e.g., Mad

> > Hatter's

> > Disease). Animal and in vitro studies also provide insights into the

> > mechanisms of Hg toxicity. More recently, the Food and Drug

> > Administration

> > (FDA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have determined

> > that the

> > typical amount of Hg injected into infants and toddlers via

> > childhood

> > immunizations has exceeded government safety guidelines on an

> > individual (6)

> > and cumulative vaccine basis (7). The mercury in vaccines derives

> > from

> > thimerosal (TMS), a preservative which is 49.6% ethylmercury (eHg)

> > (7)

> > Past cases of HgP have presented with much inter-individual

> > variation,

> > depending on the dose, type of mercury, method of administration,

> > duration

> > of exposure, and individual sensitivity. Thus, while commonalities

> > exist

> > across the various instances of HgP, each set of variables has given

> > rise to

> > a different disease manifestation (8,9,10,11). It is hypothesized

> > that the

> > regressive form of autism represents another form of mercury

> > poisoning,

> > based on a thorough correspondence between autistic and HgP traits

> > and

> > physiological abnormalities, as well as on the known exposure to

> > mercury

> > through vaccines. Furthermore, other phenomena are consistent with a

> > causal

> > Hg-ASD relationship. These include (a) symptom onset shortly after

> > immunization; ( ASD prevalence increases corresponding to

> > vaccination

> > increases; © similar sex ratios of affected individuals; (d) a

> > high

> > heritability rate for autism paralleling a genetic predisposition to

> > Hg

> > sensitivity at low doses; and (e) parental reports of autistic

> > children with

> > elevated Hg

> > TRAIT COMPARISON

> > ASD manifests a constellation of symptoms with much

> > inter-individual

> > variation (3,4). A comparison of traits defining, nearly universal

> > to, or

> > commonly found in autism with those known to arise from mercury

> > poisoning is

> > given in Table I. The characteristics defining or strongly

> > associated with

> > autism are also more fully described

> > Autism has been conceived primarily as a psychiatric

> > condition; and

> > two of its three diagnostic criteria are based upon the observable

> > traits of

> > (a) impairments in sociality, most commonly social withdrawal or

> > aloofness,

> > and ( a variety of perseverative or stereotypic behaviors and the

> > need for

> > sameness, which strongly resemble obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

> > Differential diagnosis may include childhood schizophrenia,

> > depression,

> > obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorder, and other

> > neuroses.

> > Related behaviors commonly found in ASD individuals are irrational

> > fears,

> > poor eye contact, aggressive behaviors, temper tantrums,

> > irritability, and

> > inexplicable changes in mood (1,2,12-17). Mercury poisoning, when

> > undetected, is often initially diagnosed as a psychiatric disorder

> > (18).

> > Commonly occurring symptoms include (a) " extreme shyness, "

> > indifference to

> > others, active avoidance of others, or " a desire to be alone " ; (

> > depression, " lack of interest " and " mental confusion; " ©

> > irritability,

> > aggression, and tantrums in children and adults; (d) anxiety and

> > fearfulness; and (e) emotional lability. Neuroses, including

> > schizoid and

> > obsessive-compulsive traits, problems in inhibition of

> > perseveration, and

> > stereotyped behaviors, have been reported in a number of cases; and

> > lack of

> > eye contact was observed in one 12 year old girl with mercury vapor

> > poisoning (18-35)

> > The third diagnostic criterion for ASD is impairment in

> > communication

> > (1). Historically, about half of those with classic autism failed to

> > develop

> > meaningful speech (2), and articulation difficulties are common (3).

> > Higher

> > functioning individuals may have language fluency but still show

> > semantic

> > and pragmatic errors (3,36). In many cases of ASD, verbal IQ is

> > lower than

> > performance IQ (3). Similarly, mercury-exposed children and adults

> > show a

> > marked difficulty with speech (9,19,37). In milder cases scores on

> > language

> > tests may be lower than those of unexposed controls (31,38). Iraqi

> > children

> > who were postnatally poisoned developed articulation problems, from

> > slow,

> > slurred word production to an inability to generate meaningful

> > speech; while

> > Iraqi babies exposed prenatally either failed to develop language or

> > presented with severe language deficits in childhood (23,24,39).

> > Workers

> > with Mad Hatter's disease had word retrieval and articulation

> > difficulties

> > (21)

> > Nearly all cases of ASD and HgP involve disorders of physical

> > movement

> > (2,30,40). Clumsiness or lack of coordination has been described in

> > many

> > higher functioning ASD individuals (41). Infants and toddlers later

> > diagnosed with autism may fail to crawl properly or may fall over

> > while

> > sitting or standing; and the movement disturbances typically occur

> > on the

> > right side of the body (42). Problems with intentional movement and

> > imitation are common in ASD, as are a variety of unusual stereotypic

> > behaviors such as toe walking, rocking, abnormal postures,

> > choreiform

> > movements, spinning; and hand flapping (2,3,43,44). Noteworthy

> > because of

> > similarities to autism are reports in Hg literature of (a) children

> > in Iraq

> > and Japan who were unable to stand, sit, or crawl (34,39); (

> > Minamata

> > disease patients whose movement disturbances were localized to one

> > side of

> > the body, and a girl exposed to Hg vapor who tended to fall to the

> > right

> > (18,34); © flapping motions in an infant poisoned from

> > contaminated pork

> > (37) and in a man injected with thimerosal (27); (d) choreiform

> > movements in

> > mercury vapor intoxication (19); (e) toe walking in a moderately

> > poisoned

> > Minamata child (34); (f) poor coordination and clumsiness among

> > victims of

> > acrodynia (45); (g) rocking among infants with acrodynia (11); and

> > (h)

> > unusual postures observed in both acrodynia and mercury vapor

> > poisoning

> > (11,31). The presence of flapping motions in both diseases is of

> > interest

> > because it is such an unusual behavior that it has been recommended

> > as a

> > diagnostic marker for autism (46)

> > Virtually all ASD subjects show a variety of sensory

> > abnormalities

> > (2). Auditory deficits are present in a minority of individuals and

> > can

> > range from mild to profound hearing loss (2,47). Over- or

> > under-reaction to

> > sound is nearly universal (2,48), and deficits in language

> > comprehension are

> > often present (3). Pain sensitivity or insensitivity is common, as

> > is a

> > general aversion to touch; abnormal sensation in the extremities and

> > mouth

> > may also be present and has been detected even in toddlers under 12

> > months

> > old (2,49). There may be a variety of visual disturbances, including

> > sensitivity to light (2,50,51,52). As in autism, sensory issues are

> > reported

> > in virtually all instances of Hg toxicity (40). HgP can lead to mild

> > to

> > profound hearing loss (40); speech discrimination is especially

> > impaired

> > (9,34,). Iraqi babies exposed prenatally showed exaggerated reaction

> > to

> > noise (23), while in acrodynia, patients reported noise sensitivity

> > (45).

> > Abnormal sensation in the extremities and mouth is the most common

> > sensory

> > disturbance (25,28). Acrodynia sufferers and prenatally exposed

> > Iraqi babies

> > exhibited excessive pain when bumping limbs and an aversion to touch

> > (23,24,45,53). A range of visual problems has been reported,

> > including

> > photophobia (18,23,34)

> > COMPARISON OF BIOLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES

> > The biological abnormalities commonly found in autism are

> > listed in

> > Table II, along with the corresponding pathologies arising from

> > mercury

> > exposure. Especially noteworthy similarities are described

> > Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder which has been

> > characterized

> > as " a disorder of neuronal organization, that is, the development of

> > the

> > dentritic tree, synaptogenesis, and the development of the complex

> > connectivity within and between brain regions " (54). Depressed

> > expression of

> > neural cell adhesion molecules (NCAMs), which are critical during

> > brain

> > development for proper synaptic structuring, has been found in one

> > study of

> > autism (55). Organic mercury, which readily crosses the blood-brain

> > barrier,

> > preferentially targets nerve cells and nerve fibers (56); primates

> > accumulate the highest Hg-levels in the brain relative to other

> > organs (40).

> > Furthermore, although most cells respond to mercurial injury by

> > modulating

> > levels of glutathione (GSH), metallothionein, hemoxygenase, and

> > other stress

> > proteins, neurons tend to be " markedly deficient in these responses "

> > and

> > thus are less able to remove Hg and more prone to Hg-induced injury

> > (56). In

> > the developing brain, mercury interferes with neuronal migration,

> > depresses

> > cell division, disrupts microtubule function, and reduces NCAMs (28,

> > 57-59)

> > While damage has been observed in a number of brain areas in

> > autism,

> > many nuclei and functions are spared (36). HgP's damage is similarly

> > selective (40). Numerous studies link autism with neuronal

> > atypicalities

> > within the amygdala, hippocampi, basal ganglia, the Purkinje and

> > granule

> > cells of the cerebellum, brainstem, basal ganglia, and cerebral

> > cortex

> > (36,60-69). Each of these areas can be affected by HgP

> > (10,34,40,70-73).

> > Migration of Hg, including eHg, into the amygdala is particularly

> > noteworthy, because in primates this brain region has neurons

> > specific for

> > eye contact (74) and it is implicated in autism and in social

> > behaviors

> > (65,66,75)

> > Autistic brains show neurotransmitter irregularities which are

> > virtually identical to those arising from Hg exposure: both high or

> > low

> > serotonin and dopamine, depending on the subjects studied; elevated

> > epinephrine and norepinephrine in plasma and brain; elevated

> > glutamate; and

> > acetylcholine deficiency in hippocampus (2,21,76-83)

> > Gillberg and (2) estimate that 35-45% of autistics

> > eventually

> > develop epilepsy. A recent MEG study reported epileptiform activity

> > in 82%

> > of 50 regressive autistic children; in another study, half the

> > autistic

> > children expressed abnormal EEG activity during sleep (84). Autistic

> > EEG

> > abnormalities tend to be non-specific and have a variety of patterns

> > (85).

> > Unusual epileptiform activity has been found in a number of mercury

> > poisoning cases (18,27,34,86-88). Early mHg exposure enhances

> > tendencies

> > toward epileptiform activity with a reduced level of

> > seizure-discharge

> > amplitude (89), a finding consistent with the subtlety of seizures

> > in many

> > autism spectrum children (84,85). The fact that Hg increases

> > extracellular

> > glutamate would also contribute to epileptiform activity (90)

> > Some autistic children show a low capacity to oxidize sulfur

> > compounds

> > and low levels of sulfate (91,92). These findings may be linked with

> > HgP

> > because (a) Hg preferentially binds to sulfhydryl molecules (-SH)

> > such as

> > cysteine and GSH, thereby impairing various cellular functions (40),

> > and (

> > mercury can irreversibly block the sulfate transporter NaSi

> > cotransporter

> > NaSi-1, present in kidneys and intestines, thus reducing sulfate

> > absorption

> > (93). Besides low sulfate, many autistics have low GSH levels,

> > abnormal

> > GSH-peroxidase activity within erythrocytes, and decreased hepatic

> > ability

> > to detoxify xenobiotics (91,94,95). GSH participates in cellular

> > detoxification of heavy metals (96); hepatic GSH is a primary

> > substrate for

> > organic-Hg clearance from the human (40); and intraneuronal GSH

> > participates

> > in various protective responses against Hg in the CNS (56). By

> > preferentially binding with GSH, preventing absorption of sulfate,

> > or

> > inhibiting the enzymes of glutathione metabolism (97), Hg might

> > diminish GSH

> > bioavailability. Low GSH can also derive from chronic infection

> > (98,99),

> > which would be more likely in the presence of immune impairments

> > arising

> > from mercury (100). Furthermore, mercury disrupts purine and

> > pyrimidine

> > metabolism (97,10). Altered purine or pyrimidine metabolism can

> > induce

> > autistic features and classical autism (2,101,102), suggesting

> > another

> > mechanism by which Hg can contribute to autistic traits

> > Autistics are more likely to have allergies, asthma, selective

> > IgA

> > deficiency (sIgAd), enhanced expression of HLA-DR antigen, and an

> > absence of

> > interleukin-2 receptors, as well as familial autoimmunity and a

> > variety of

> > autoimmune phenomena. These include elevated serum IgG and ANA

> > titers, IgM

> > and IgG brain antibodies, and myelin basic protein (MBP) antibodies

> > (103-110). Similarly, atypical responses to Hg have been ascribed to

> > allergic or autoimmune reactions (8), and genetic predisposition to

> > such

> > reactions may explain why Hg sensitivity varies so widely by

> > individual

> > (88,111). Children who developed acrodynia were more likely to have

> > asthma

> > and other allergies (11); IgG brain autoantibodies, MBP, and ANA

> > have been

> > found in HgP subjects (18,111,112); and mice genetically prone to

> > develop

> > autoimmune diseases " are highly susceptible to mercury-induced

> > immunopathological alterations " even at the lowest doses (113).

> > Additionally, many autistics have reduced natural killer cell (NK)

> > function,

> > as well as immune-cell subsets shifted in a Th2 direction and

> > increased

> > urine neopterin levels, indicating immune system activiation

> > (103,114-116).

> > Depending upon genetic predisposition, Hg can induce immune

> > activation, an

> > expansion of Th2 subsets, and decreased NK activity (117-120)

> > POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS

> > In most affected children, autistic symptoms emerge gradually,

> > although there are cases of sudden onset (3). The earliest

> > abnormalities

> > have been detected in 4 month olds and consist of subtle movement

> > disturbances; subtle motor-sensory disturbances have been observed

> > in 9

> > month olds (49). More overt speech and hearing difficulties become

> > noticeable to parents and pediatricians between 12 and 18 months

> > (2). TMS

> > vaccines have been given in repeated intervals starting from infancy

> > and

> > continuing until 12 to 18 months. While HgP symptoms, may arise

> > suddenly in

> > especially sensitive individuals (11), usually there is a

> > preclinical

> > " silent stage " in which subtle neurological changes are occuring

> > (121) and

> > then a gradual emergence of symptoms. The first symptoms are

> > typically

> > sensory- and motor-related, which are followed by speech and hearing

> > deficits, and finally the full array of HgP characteristics (40).

> > Thus, both

> > the timing and nature of symptom emergence in ASD are fully

> > consistent with

> > a vaccinal Hg etiology. This parallel is reinforced by parental

> > reports of

> > excessive amounts of mercury in urine or hair from younger autistic

> > children, as well as some improvement in symptoms with standard

> > chelation

> > therapy (122)

> > The discovery and rise in prevalence of ASD mirrors the

> > introduction

> > and spread of TMS in vaccines. Autism was first described in 1943

> > among

> > children born in the 1930s (123). Thimerosal was first introduced

> > into

> > vaccines in the 1930s (7). In studies conducted prior to 1970,

> > autism

> > prevalence was estimated, at 1 in 2000; in studies from 1970 to 1990

> > it

> > averaged 1 in 1000 (124). This was a period of increased vaccination

> > rates

> > of the TMS-containing DPT vaccines among children in the developed

> > world. In

> > the early 1990s, the prevalence of autism was found to be 1 in 500

> > (125),

> > and in 2000 the CDC found 1 in 150 children affected in one

> > community, which

> > was consistent with reports from other areas in the country (126).

> > In the

> > late 1980s and early 1990s, two new TMS vaccines, the HIB and

> > Hepatitis B,

> > were added to the recommended schedule (7)

> > Nearly all US children are immunized, yet only a small

> > proportion

> > develop autism. A pertinent characteristic of mercury is the great

> > variability in its effects by individual, so that at the same

> > exposure

> > level, some will be affected severely while others will be

> > asymptomatic

> > (9,11,28). An example is acrodynia, which arose in the early 20th

> > Century

> > from mercury in teething powders and afflicted only 1 in 500-1000

> > children

> > given the same low dose (28). Studies in mice as well as humans

> > indicate

> > that susceptibility to Hg effects arises from genetic status, in

> > some cases

> > including a propensity to autoimmune disorders (113,34,40). ASD

> > exhibits a

> > strong genetic component, with high concordance in monozygotic twins

> > and a

> > higher than expected incidence among siblings (4); autism is also

> > more

> > prevalent in families with autoimmune disorders (106)

> > Additionally, autism is more prevalent among boys than girls,

> > with the

> > ratio estimated at 4:1 (2). Mercury studies in mice and humans

> > consistently

> > report greater effects on males than females, except for kidney

> > damage (57).

> > At high doses, both sexes are affected equally; at low doses only

> > males are

> > affected (38,40,127)

> > DISCUSSION

> > We have shown that every major characteristic of autism has

> > been

> > exhibited in at least several cases of documented mercury poisoning.

> > Recently, the FDA and AAP have revealed that the amount of mercury

> > given to

> > infants from vaccinations has exceeded safety levels. The timing of

> > mercury

> > administration via vaccines coincides with the onset of autistic

> > symptoms.

> > Parental reports of autistic children with measurable mercury levels

> > in hair

> > and urine indicate a history of mercury exposure. Thus the standard

> > primary

> > criteria for a diagnosis of mercury poisoning - observable symptoms,

> > known

> > exposure at the time of symptom onset, and detectable levels in

> > biologic

> > samples (11,31) - have been met in autism. As such, mercury toxicity

> > may be

> > a significant etiological factor in at least some cases of

> > regressive

> > autism. Further, each known form of HgP in the past has resulted in

> > a unique

> > variation of mercurialism - e.g., Minamata disease, acrodynia, Mad

> > Hatter's

> > disease - none of which has been autism, suggesting that the Hg

> > source which

> > may be involved in ASD has not yet been characterized; given that

> > most

> > infants receive eHg via vaccines, and given that the effect on

> > infants of

> > eHg in vaccines has never been studied (129), vaccinal thimerosal

> > should be

> > considered a probable source. It is also possible that vaccinal eHg

> > may be

> > additive to a prenatal mercury load derived from maternal amalgams,

> > immune

> > globulin injections, or fish consumption, and environmental sources

> > CONCLUSION

> > The history of acrodynia illustrates that a severe disorder,

> > afflicting a small but significant percentage of children, can arise

> > from a

> > seemingly benign application of low doses of mercury. This review

> > establishes the likelihood that Hg may likewise be etiologically

> > significant

> > in ASD, with the Hg derived from thimerosal in vaccines rather than

> > teething

> > powders. Due to the extensive parallels between autism and HgP, the

> > likelihood of a causal relationship is great. Given this

> > possibility, TMS

> > should be removed from all childhood vaccines, and the mechanisms of

> > Hg

> > toxicity in autism should be thoroughly investigated. With perhaps 1

> > in 150

> > children now diagnosed with ASD, development of HgP-related

> > treatments, such

> > as chelation, would prove beneficial for this large and seemingly

> > growing

> > population.

> > For references, go to http://www.autism.com/ari/mercury.html .

> >

> > Take Some Mystery out of Autism

> > >> SUBSCRIBE <<

> > Emailed to you Daily no cost:

> > http://www.feat.org/FEATNews

> > _____________________________________________________

> >

> > >>>>>> Orlando 2000: Conference October 14-15, 2000

> > >>>>>> www.autismconference.org Orlando, Florida

> > ______________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

<< On Wed, 20 Sep 2000 10:02:42 -0700 FEAT writes:

> > FEAT DAILY NEWSLETTER Sacramento, California

> > http://www.feat.org

> > " Healing Autism: No Finer a Cause on the Planet "

> > ______________________________________________________

> > September 20, 2000

> >

> > Autism: a Novel Form of Mercury Poisoning

> >

> > [This research paper is a keystone document in the heavy metal

> > theory

> > of autism. The strong comparison of the symptoms of autism to the

> > symptoms

> > of mercury poisioning is almost surreal and disturbing in its

> > implication.

> > The abstract of this study appeared in the June 20, 2000 FEAT Daily

> > Newsletter.]

> >

> > S. Bernard, B.A., A. Enayati, M.S.M.E., L. Redwood, M.S.N., H.

> > , B.A.,

> > T. Binstock

> >

> > Sallie Bernard, ARC Research, 14 Commerce Drive, Cranford, NJ 07901

> > USA,

> > , fax

> >

> > Summary Autism is a syndrome characterized by impairments in

> > social

> > relatedness and communication, repetitive behaviors, abnormal

> > movements, and

> > sensory dysfunction. Recent epidemiological studies suggest that

> > autism may

> > affect 1 in 150 U. S. children. Exposure to mercury can cause

> > immune,

> > sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions similar to

> > traits

> > defining or associated with autism, and the similarities extend to

> > neuroanatomy, neurotransmitters, and biochemistry. Thimerosal, a

> > preservative added to many vaccines, has become a major source of

> > mercury in

> > children who, within their first two years, may have received a

> > quantity of

> > mercury that exceeds safety guidelines. A review of medical

> > literature and

> > U.S. government data suggests that (i) many cases of idiopathic

> > autism are

> > induced by early mercury exposure from thimerosal; (ii) this type of

> > autism

> > represents an unrecognized mercurial syndrome; and (iii) genetic and

> > non-genetic factors establish a predisposition whereby thimerosal's

> > adverse

> > effects occur only in some children

> > INTRODUCTION

> > Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental

> > syndrome with

> > onset prior to age 36 months. Diagnostic criteria consist of

> > impairments in

> > sociality and communication plus repetitive and stereotypic

> > behaviors (1).

> > Traits strongly associated with autism include movement disorders

> > and

> > sensory dysfunctions (2). Although autism may be apparent soon after

> > birth,

> > most autistic children experience at least several months, even a

> > year or

> > more of normal development -- followed by regression, defined as

> > loss of

> > function or failure to progress (2,3,4)

> > The neurotoxicity of mercury (Hg) has long been recognized

> > (5).

> > Primary data derive from victims of contaminated fish (Japan -

> > Minamata

> > Disease) or grain (Iraq, Guatemala, Russia); from acrodynia (Pink

> > Disease)

> > induced by Hg in teething powders; and from individual instances of

> > mercury

> > poisoning (HgP), many occurring in occupational settings (e.g., Mad

> > Hatter's

> > Disease). Animal and in vitro studies also provide insights into the

> > mechanisms of Hg toxicity. More recently, the Food and Drug

> > Administration

> > (FDA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have determined

> > that the

> > typical amount of Hg injected into infants and toddlers via

> > childhood

> > immunizations has exceeded government safety guidelines on an

> > individual (6)

> > and cumulative vaccine basis (7). The mercury in vaccines derives

> > from

> > thimerosal (TMS), a preservative which is 49.6% ethylmercury (eHg)

> > (7)

> > Past cases of HgP have presented with much inter-individual

> > variation,

> > depending on the dose, type of mercury, method of administration,

> > duration

> > of exposure, and individual sensitivity. Thus, while commonalities

> > exist

> > across the various instances of HgP, each set of variables has given

> > rise to

> > a different disease manifestation (8,9,10,11). It is hypothesized

> > that the

> > regressive form of autism represents another form of mercury

> > poisoning,

> > based on a thorough correspondence between autistic and HgP traits

> > and

> > physiological abnormalities, as well as on the known exposure to

> > mercury

> > through vaccines. Furthermore, other phenomena are consistent with a

> > causal

> > Hg-ASD relationship. These include (a) symptom onset shortly after

> > immunization; ( ASD prevalence increases corresponding to

> > vaccination

> > increases; © similar sex ratios of affected individuals; (d) a

> > high

> > heritability rate for autism paralleling a genetic predisposition to

> > Hg

> > sensitivity at low doses; and (e) parental reports of autistic

> > children with

> > elevated Hg

> > TRAIT COMPARISON

> > ASD manifests a constellation of symptoms with much

> > inter-individual

> > variation (3,4). A comparison of traits defining, nearly universal

> > to, or

> > commonly found in autism with those known to arise from mercury

> > poisoning is

> > given in Table I. The characteristics defining or strongly

> > associated with

> > autism are also more fully described

> > Autism has been conceived primarily as a psychiatric

> > condition; and

> > two of its three diagnostic criteria are based upon the observable

> > traits of

> > (a) impairments in sociality, most commonly social withdrawal or

> > aloofness,

> > and ( a variety of perseverative or stereotypic behaviors and the

> > need for

> > sameness, which strongly resemble obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

> > Differential diagnosis may include childhood schizophrenia,

> > depression,

> > obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorder, and other

> > neuroses.

> > Related behaviors commonly found in ASD individuals are irrational

> > fears,

> > poor eye contact, aggressive behaviors, temper tantrums,

> > irritability, and

> > inexplicable changes in mood (1,2,12-17). Mercury poisoning, when

> > undetected, is often initially diagnosed as a psychiatric disorder

> > (18).

> > Commonly occurring symptoms include (a) " extreme shyness, "

> > indifference to

> > others, active avoidance of others, or " a desire to be alone " ; (

> > depression, " lack of interest " and " mental confusion; " ©

> > irritability,

> > aggression, and tantrums in children and adults; (d) anxiety and

> > fearfulness; and (e) emotional lability. Neuroses, including

> > schizoid and

> > obsessive-compulsive traits, problems in inhibition of

> > perseveration, and

> > stereotyped behaviors, have been reported in a number of cases; and

> > lack of

> > eye contact was observed in one 12 year old girl with mercury vapor

> > poisoning (18-35)

> > The third diagnostic criterion for ASD is impairment in

> > communication

> > (1). Historically, about half of those with classic autism failed to

> > develop

> > meaningful speech (2), and articulation difficulties are common (3).

> > Higher

> > functioning individuals may have language fluency but still show

> > semantic

> > and pragmatic errors (3,36). In many cases of ASD, verbal IQ is

> > lower than

> > performance IQ (3). Similarly, mercury-exposed children and adults

> > show a

> > marked difficulty with speech (9,19,37). In milder cases scores on

> > language

> > tests may be lower than those of unexposed controls (31,38). Iraqi

> > children

> > who were postnatally poisoned developed articulation problems, from

> > slow,

> > slurred word production to an inability to generate meaningful

> > speech; while

> > Iraqi babies exposed prenatally either failed to develop language or

> > presented with severe language deficits in childhood (23,24,39).

> > Workers

> > with Mad Hatter's disease had word retrieval and articulation

> > difficulties

> > (21)

> > Nearly all cases of ASD and HgP involve disorders of physical

> > movement

> > (2,30,40). Clumsiness or lack of coordination has been described in

> > many

> > higher functioning ASD individuals (41). Infants and toddlers later

> > diagnosed with autism may fail to crawl properly or may fall over

> > while

> > sitting or standing; and the movement disturbances typically occur

> > on the

> > right side of the body (42). Problems with intentional movement and

> > imitation are common in ASD, as are a variety of unusual stereotypic

> > behaviors such as toe walking, rocking, abnormal postures,

> > choreiform

> > movements, spinning; and hand flapping (2,3,43,44). Noteworthy

> > because of

> > similarities to autism are reports in Hg literature of (a) children

> > in Iraq

> > and Japan who were unable to stand, sit, or crawl (34,39); (

> > Minamata

> > disease patients whose movement disturbances were localized to one

> > side of

> > the body, and a girl exposed to Hg vapor who tended to fall to the

> > right

> > (18,34); © flapping motions in an infant poisoned from

> > contaminated pork

> > (37) and in a man injected with thimerosal (27); (d) choreiform

> > movements in

> > mercury vapor intoxication (19); (e) toe walking in a moderately

> > poisoned

> > Minamata child (34); (f) poor coordination and clumsiness among

> > victims of

> > acrodynia (45); (g) rocking among infants with acrodynia (11); and

> > (h)

> > unusual postures observed in both acrodynia and mercury vapor

> > poisoning

> > (11,31). The presence of flapping motions in both diseases is of

> > interest

> > because it is such an unusual behavior that it has been recommended

> > as a

> > diagnostic marker for autism (46)

> > Virtually all ASD subjects show a variety of sensory

> > abnormalities

> > (2). Auditory deficits are present in a minority of individuals and

> > can

> > range from mild to profound hearing loss (2,47). Over- or

> > under-reaction to

> > sound is nearly universal (2,48), and deficits in language

> > comprehension are

> > often present (3). Pain sensitivity or insensitivity is common, as

> > is a

> > general aversion to touch; abnormal sensation in the extremities and

> > mouth

> > may also be present and has been detected even in toddlers under 12

> > months

> > old (2,49). There may be a variety of visual disturbances, including

> > sensitivity to light (2,50,51,52). As in autism, sensory issues are

> > reported

> > in virtually all instances of Hg toxicity (40). HgP can lead to mild

> > to

> > profound hearing loss (40); speech discrimination is especially

> > impaired

> > (9,34,). Iraqi babies exposed prenatally showed exaggerated reaction

> > to

> > noise (23), while in acrodynia, patients reported noise sensitivity

> > (45).

> > Abnormal sensation in the extremities and mouth is the most common

> > sensory

> > disturbance (25,28). Acrodynia sufferers and prenatally exposed

> > Iraqi babies

> > exhibited excessive pain when bumping limbs and an aversion to touch

> > (23,24,45,53). A range of visual problems has been reported,

> > including

> > photophobia (18,23,34)

> > COMPARISON OF BIOLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES

> > The biological abnormalities commonly found in autism are

> > listed in

> > Table II, along with the corresponding pathologies arising from

> > mercury

> > exposure. Especially noteworthy similarities are described

> > Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder which has been

> > characterized

> > as " a disorder of neuronal organization, that is, the development of

> > the

> > dentritic tree, synaptogenesis, and the development of the complex

> > connectivity within and between brain regions " (54). Depressed

> > expression of

> > neural cell adhesion molecules (NCAMs), which are critical during

> > brain

> > development for proper synaptic structuring, has been found in one

> > study of

> > autism (55). Organic mercury, which readily crosses the blood-brain

> > barrier,

> > preferentially targets nerve cells and nerve fibers (56); primates

> > accumulate the highest Hg-levels in the brain relative to other

> > organs (40).

> > Furthermore, although most cells respond to mercurial injury by

> > modulating

> > levels of glutathione (GSH), metallothionein, hemoxygenase, and

> > other stress

> > proteins, neurons tend to be " markedly deficient in these responses "

> > and

> > thus are less able to remove Hg and more prone to Hg-induced injury

> > (56). In

> > the developing brain, mercury interferes with neuronal migration,

> > depresses

> > cell division, disrupts microtubule function, and reduces NCAMs (28,

> > 57-59)

> > While damage has been observed in a number of brain areas in

> > autism,

> > many nuclei and functions are spared (36). HgP's damage is similarly

> > selective (40). Numerous studies link autism with neuronal

> > atypicalities

> > within the amygdala, hippocampi, basal ganglia, the Purkinje and

> > granule

> > cells of the cerebellum, brainstem, basal ganglia, and cerebral

> > cortex

> > (36,60-69). Each of these areas can be affected by HgP

> > (10,34,40,70-73).

> > Migration of Hg, including eHg, into the amygdala is particularly

> > noteworthy, because in primates this brain region has neurons

> > specific for

> > eye contact (74) and it is implicated in autism and in social

> > behaviors

> > (65,66,75)

> > Autistic brains show neurotransmitter irregularities which are

> > virtually identical to those arising from Hg exposure: both high or

> > low

> > serotonin and dopamine, depending on the subjects studied; elevated

> > epinephrine and norepinephrine in plasma and brain; elevated

> > glutamate; and

> > acetylcholine deficiency in hippocampus (2,21,76-83)

> > Gillberg and (2) estimate that 35-45% of autistics

> > eventually

> > develop epilepsy. A recent MEG study reported epileptiform activity

> > in 82%

> > of 50 regressive autistic children; in another study, half the

> > autistic

> > children expressed abnormal EEG activity during sleep (84). Autistic

> > EEG

> > abnormalities tend to be non-specific and have a variety of patterns

> > (85).

> > Unusual epileptiform activity has been found in a number of mercury

> > poisoning cases (18,27,34,86-88). Early mHg exposure enhances

> > tendencies

> > toward epileptiform activity with a reduced level of

> > seizure-discharge

> > amplitude (89), a finding consistent with the subtlety of seizures

> > in many

> > autism spectrum children (84,85). The fact that Hg increases

> > extracellular

> > glutamate would also contribute to epileptiform activity (90)

> > Some autistic children show a low capacity to oxidize sulfur

> > compounds

> > and low levels of sulfate (91,92). These findings may be linked with

> > HgP

> > because (a) Hg preferentially binds to sulfhydryl molecules (-SH)

> > such as

> > cysteine and GSH, thereby impairing various cellular functions (40),

> > and (

> > mercury can irreversibly block the sulfate transporter NaSi

> > cotransporter

> > NaSi-1, present in kidneys and intestines, thus reducing sulfate

> > absorption

> > (93). Besides low sulfate, many autistics have low GSH levels,

> > abnormal

> > GSH-peroxidase activity within erythrocytes, and decreased hepatic

> > ability

> > to detoxify xenobiotics (91,94,95). GSH participates in cellular

> > detoxification of heavy metals (96); hepatic GSH is a primary

> > substrate for

> > organic-Hg clearance from the human (40); and intraneuronal GSH

> > participates

> > in various protective responses against Hg in the CNS (56). By

> > preferentially binding with GSH, preventing absorption of sulfate,

> > or

> > inhibiting the enzymes of glutathione metabolism (97), Hg might

> > diminish GSH

> > bioavailability. Low GSH can also derive from chronic infection

> > (98,99),

> > which would be more likely in the presence of immune impairments

> > arising

> > from mercury (100). Furthermore, mercury disrupts purine and

> > pyrimidine

> > metabolism (97,10). Altered purine or pyrimidine metabolism can

> > induce

> > autistic features and classical autism (2,101,102), suggesting

> > another

> > mechanism by which Hg can contribute to autistic traits

> > Autistics are more likely to have allergies, asthma, selective

> > IgA

> > deficiency (sIgAd), enhanced expression of HLA-DR antigen, and an

> > absence of

> > interleukin-2 receptors, as well as familial autoimmunity and a

> > variety of

> > autoimmune phenomena. These include elevated serum IgG and ANA

> > titers, IgM

> > and IgG brain antibodies, and myelin basic protein (MBP) antibodies

> > (103-110). Similarly, atypical responses to Hg have been ascribed to

> > allergic or autoimmune reactions (8), and genetic predisposition to

> > such

> > reactions may explain why Hg sensitivity varies so widely by

> > individual

> > (88,111). Children who developed acrodynia were more likely to have

> > asthma

> > and other allergies (11); IgG brain autoantibodies, MBP, and ANA

> > have been

> > found in HgP subjects (18,111,112); and mice genetically prone to

> > develop

> > autoimmune diseases " are highly susceptible to mercury-induced

> > immunopathological alterations " even at the lowest doses (113).

> > Additionally, many autistics have reduced natural killer cell (NK)

> > function,

> > as well as immune-cell subsets shifted in a Th2 direction and

> > increased

> > urine neopterin levels, indicating immune system activiation

> > (103,114-116).

> > Depending upon genetic predisposition, Hg can induce immune

> > activation, an

> > expansion of Th2 subsets, and decreased NK activity (117-120)

> > POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS

> > In most affected children, autistic symptoms emerge gradually,

> > although there are cases of sudden onset (3). The earliest

> > abnormalities

> > have been detected in 4 month olds and consist of subtle movement

> > disturbances; subtle motor-sensory disturbances have been observed

> > in 9

> > month olds (49). More overt speech and hearing difficulties become

> > noticeable to parents and pediatricians between 12 and 18 months

> > (2). TMS

> > vaccines have been given in repeated intervals starting from infancy

> > and

> > continuing until 12 to 18 months. While HgP symptoms, may arise

> > suddenly in

> > especially sensitive individuals (11), usually there is a

> > preclinical

> > " silent stage " in which subtle neurological changes are occuring

> > (121) and

> > then a gradual emergence of symptoms. The first symptoms are

> > typically

> > sensory- and motor-related, which are followed by speech and hearing

> > deficits, and finally the full array of HgP characteristics (40).

> > Thus, both

> > the timing and nature of symptom emergence in ASD are fully

> > consistent with

> > a vaccinal Hg etiology. This parallel is reinforced by parental

> > reports of

> > excessive amounts of mercury in urine or hair from younger autistic

> > children, as well as some improvement in symptoms with standard

> > chelation

> > therapy (122)

> > The discovery and rise in prevalence of ASD mirrors the

> > introduction

> > and spread of TMS in vaccines. Autism was first described in 1943

> > among

> > children born in the 1930s (123). Thimerosal was first introduced

> > into

> > vaccines in the 1930s (7). In studies conducted prior to 1970,

> > autism

> > prevalence was estimated, at 1 in 2000; in studies from 1970 to 1990

> > it

> > averaged 1 in 1000 (124). This was a period of increased vaccination

> > rates

> > of the TMS-containing DPT vaccines among children in the developed

> > world. In

> > the early 1990s, the prevalence of autism was found to be 1 in 500

> > (125),

> > and in 2000 the CDC found 1 in 150 children affected in one

> > community, which

> > was consistent with reports from other areas in the country (126).

> > In the

> > late 1980s and early 1990s, two new TMS vaccines, the HIB and

> > Hepatitis B,

> > were added to the recommended schedule (7)

> > Nearly all US children are immunized, yet only a small

> > proportion

> > develop autism. A pertinent characteristic of mercury is the great

> > variability in its effects by individual, so that at the same

> > exposure

> > level, some will be affected severely while others will be

> > asymptomatic

> > (9,11,28). An example is acrodynia, which arose in the early 20th

> > Century

> > from mercury in teething powders and afflicted only 1 in 500-1000

> > children

> > given the same low dose (28). Studies in mice as well as humans

> > indicate

> > that susceptibility to Hg effects arises from genetic status, in

> > some cases

> > including a propensity to autoimmune disorders (113,34,40). ASD

> > exhibits a

> > strong genetic component, with high concordance in monozygotic twins

> > and a

> > higher than expected incidence among siblings (4); autism is also

> > more

> > prevalent in families with autoimmune disorders (106)

> > Additionally, autism is more prevalent among boys than girls,

> > with the

> > ratio estimated at 4:1 (2). Mercury studies in mice and humans

> > consistently

> > report greater effects on males than females, except for kidney

> > damage (57).

> > At high doses, both sexes are affected equally; at low doses only

> > males are

> > affected (38,40,127)

> > DISCUSSION

> > We have shown that every major characteristic of autism has

> > been

> > exhibited in at least several cases of documented mercury poisoning.

> > Recently, the FDA and AAP have revealed that the amount of mercury

> > given to

> > infants from vaccinations has exceeded safety levels. The timing of

> > mercury

> > administration via vaccines coincides with the onset of autistic

> > symptoms.

> > Parental reports of autistic children with measurable mercury levels

> > in hair

> > and urine indicate a history of mercury exposure. Thus the standard

> > primary

> > criteria for a diagnosis of mercury poisoning - observable symptoms,

> > known

> > exposure at the time of symptom onset, and detectable levels in

> > biologic

> > samples (11,31) - have been met in autism. As such, mercury toxicity

> > may be

> > a significant etiological factor in at least some cases of

> > regressive

> > autism. Further, each known form of HgP in the past has resulted in

> > a unique

> > variation of mercurialism - e.g., Minamata disease, acrodynia, Mad

> > Hatter's

> > disease - none of which has been autism, suggesting that the Hg

> > source which

> > may be involved in ASD has not yet been characterized; given that

> > most

> > infants receive eHg via vaccines, and given that the effect on

> > infants of

> > eHg in vaccines has never been studied (129), vaccinal thimerosal

> > should be

> > considered a probable source. It is also possible that vaccinal eHg

> > may be

> > additive to a prenatal mercury load derived from maternal amalgams,

> > immune

> > globulin injections, or fish consumption, and environmental sources

> > CONCLUSION

> > The history of acrodynia illustrates that a severe disorder,

> > afflicting a small but significant percentage of children, can arise

> > from a

> > seemingly benign application of low doses of mercury. This review

> > establishes the likelihood that Hg may likewise be etiologically

> > significant

> > in ASD, with the Hg derived from thimerosal in vaccines rather than

> > teething

> > powders. Due to the extensive parallels between autism and HgP, the

> > likelihood of a causal relationship is great. Given this

> > possibility, TMS

> > should be removed from all childhood vaccines, and the mechanisms of

> > Hg

> > toxicity in autism should be thoroughly investigated. With perhaps 1

> > in 150

> > children now diagnosed with ASD, development of HgP-related

> > treatments, such

> > as chelation, would prove beneficial for this large and seemingly

> > growing

> > population.

> > For references, go to http://www.autism.com/ari/mercury.html .

> >

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> >

> > >>>>>> Orlando 2000: Conference October 14-15, 2000

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> > ______________________________________________________