Funds to Support Research on Effects to the Brain Following Mercury Exposure

[Guest guest]

Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation and Speedway Children's Charities Grant

NAA $30,000 for Burbacher/ton Study

Tuesday December 19, 3:40 pm ET

Funds to Support Research on Effects to the Brain Following Mercury

Exposure

NIXA, Mo., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Autism Association

(NAA) announced today the receipt of two grants for the

Burbacher/ton study into the effects of mercury exposure in

the brain. The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc. awarded a

$20,000 grant, along with 25 other grants to organizations totaling

over $357,000. Speedway Children's Charities (SCC) of Concord, NC,

will also support the research with a $10,000 grant from its national

charitable funding program. SCC awarded more than $2.8 million to

over 470 organizations in 2006.

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The mercury study's primary investigator is Dr. Burbacher, a

University of Washington researcher. Burbacher's earlier research

found that exposure to Thimerosal, the ethylmercury-based vaccine

preservative, resulted in inorganic mercury deposits in the brain

that were twice the amount of those following exposure to equal

amounts of methyl mercury, the type commonly found in fish. Previous

research has documented that inorganic mercury is associated with a

neuro-inflammatory process, recently documented to also occur in the

brains of children diagnosed with autism. Inorganic mercury has no

discernable half-life and, once trapped in the brain, continues to

damage brain cells.

NAA has been assisting in funding the ongoing Burbacher research

since 2005. " Continuing this research will provide even more

important clues into the neurological effects mercury has upon our

children, which we hope will lead to better treatments and even a

cure, " said NAA board member Bono. " We're extremely grateful to

the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation and Speedway Children's Charities for

these wonderful grants. "

" As parents of a child with autism, we are concerned about the

possible correlation between mercury and autism and are pleased to

see NAA continuing to support this very important research that may

help resolve the mercury issue, " commented Doug and Laurie Flutie.

" SCC is proud to award the NAA a grant to enhance its

Burbacher/ton research study, " said General Sadler,

Executive director of SCC. " I hope these funds will help them come

closer to finding a cure and continue to help the children affected

by autism. "

For more information or to donate to the Burbacher/ton

research, visit www.nationalautism.org

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