Study supports theory that rise in autism is related to changes in diagnosis

[dyslimbic]

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-04/wt-sst040808.php

A (very) small study group =38

[Jamies Mommy]

I always think its funny when these come out. Somehow they get more press than over 40 years of tracking done by the California Regional Centers that say the rise is not due to misdiagnosis or better diagnois.

[Isabelle]

to me "autism" is a "catch all" word to cover many medical mistakes or as a consequence of environmental triggers, like vaccines ?? and, to say is 'genetics' is a way to say, "is not my fault if you have bad genes".
at all events, this one is another possible cope out.

[The Pogue]

I've long thought the same, Dyslimbic. I actually think Asperger's is over diagnosed.

[Jamies Mommy]

I do think that Aspergers is probably over diagnosed. The numbers out of California do not count diagnosis of Aspergers, PDD NOS or anything that is not full blown Autism since our Regional Centers do not fund those diagnosis.

[peglem]

I do think that Aspergers is probably over diagnosed. The numbers out of California do not count diagnosis of Aspergers, PDD NOS or anything that is not full blown Autism since our Regional Centers do not fund those diagnosis.

But, I think the fact that the regional centers do not fund Aspergers and PDDNOS perhaps results in dr.s calling it autism instead, so the kids will qualify for services...I don't think its enough to justify the huge increases, but I do think it accounts for some increase. I also think the dx of autism covers such a wide spectrum of neurological presentations, that is almost worthless as a dx, except for, of course, qualifying kids for services.

[Isabelle]

"to one who does speak in long complex utterances but nevertheless has problem communicating effectively because of problems in conveying a point or grasping what other means."

this could be a good description of the way some doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists communicate, they are at their worse when writing their reports...ugh! one needs a medical dictionary or a translator....

[The Pogue]

I always think its funny when these come out. Somehow they get more press than over 40 years of tracking done by the California Regional Centers that say the rise is not due to misdiagnosis or better diagnois.


Uh...that's not what the study says. I realize whacky groups have twisted it to say that, but here is an excerpt from the report itself:


RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of autism for children at each year of age from 3 to 12 years increased throughout the study period. The estimated prevalence of DDS clients aged 3 to 5 years with autism increased for each quarter from January 1995 through March 2007. Since 2004, the absolute increase and the rate of increase in DDS clients aged 3 to 5 years with autism were higher than those in DDS clients of the same ages with any eligible condition including autism. CONCLUSIONS: The DDS data do not show any recent decrease in autism in California despite the exclusion of more than trace levels of thimerosal from nearly all childhood vaccines. The DDS data do not support the hypothesis that exposure to thimerosal during childhood is a primary cause of autism.

[mrsjerome]

The history of Welcome Trust that did this research study
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/About-us/History/index.htm
Welcome drug business
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/About-us/History/Wellcome-business/index.htm
Isn’t GlaxoSmithKline a pharmaceutical & Vaccine Co.?

[Kerri123]

Please. All I have to say to that is "THE AMISH". OK? OK.

[peglem]

But, low autism rates among the Amish is not neccesarily due to not being vacinated. They also don't use computers, tvs, microwaves. They don't eat processed food and, though I'm just guessing, I believe they do not have alot of modern medical interventions (antibiotic?). At any rate, they have a lot of differences in lifestyle that brings in alot more variables than just vaccines.

[The Pogue]

The Amish have quite an isolated gene pool. While rates of autism are low, rates of other genetic disorders, such as Muscular Dystrophy are quite high.

Many Amish sects actually do immunize.

[The Pogue]

STRASBURG, Pa., March 29 - A study of Old Order Amish children has identified the genetic mutation that causes a previously unknown disorder, with seizures that progress to autism and retardation.
The recessive disorder, dubbed cortical dysplasia-focal epilepsy syndrome, or CDFE, is marked by relatively normal infancy followed by onset at about 14 to 16 months of age of frequent seizures -- 50 to 90 per week.

The seizure onset is followed by language regression and the development of hyperactivity, aggressive and impulsive behaviors, and mental retardation, reported Kevin A. Strauss, M.D., of the Clinic for Special Children here, and colleagues, The Old Order Amish is a close-knit, genetically homogenous population.

The finding points to a genetic variation in the gene encoding for contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) as a possible cause of both epilepsy and autism in the affected children, the investigators wrote in the March 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"We were able to unequivocally map the disease gene to chromosome 7 and identify a pathogenic sequence variant in the gene CNTNAP2, which codes for the CASPR2 protein," said co-author Erik G. Puffenberger, Ph.D., laboratory director at the Center for Special Children.

"Although these patients were from an isolated population, we anticipate that CASPR2 mutations will be found in children from other populations with mental retardation, seizures, and autism," he added.

Genetics researchers often find insights into the origins of developmental disorders by studying populations such as the Amish, Mennonites, and Hasidic Jews. Members of these groups tend to have ancestors who came from the same geographic region, live in isolated populations, and intermarry, allowing recessive genetic traits to emerge in their offspring.
Dr. Strauss and colleagues at his center and at the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix and Center for Human Genetics in Marshfield, Wis., studied nine patients with CDFE to see whether they could narrow in on a specific cause of the epilepsy.
The clinical course in the children consisted of "mild gross motor delay and subtle limitations in skills that required imitation, concentration, or motor planning," the investigators wrote.
The children generally had good language comprehension and eight of the nine had age-appropriate cognitive and social development before the onset of seizures.
The seizures, including simple, partial, and complex partial types, began at a median age of 16 months (range 14-20) and were frequent and intractable when the children were between the ages of two and seven. The seizures did not resolve following resective surgery, but tended to abate spontaneously several years after onset, the authors noted
The seizure onset was followed by deterioration in learning ability and social development, and by age three all patients with CDFE were found to have "language regression, aberrant social interactions, and a restricted behavioral repertoire."
The investigators took DNA samples from four of the children and their six parents, and used DNA microarray analysis to screen for genetic variations.
After narrowing the field of candidates, they then tested all of the children with CDFE, and found that they were homozygous for a single-base deletion at nucleotide 3709 in exon 22 of the CNTNAP2 gene.
An analysis of an additional 105 healthy Old Order Amish controls showed that none was homozygous for the mutation, but that four were carriers. The authors then sequenced the gene in an additional 18 Amish patients with complex partial seizures, and found that nine of these patients were homozygous for the deletion. These patients were all siblings of seven of the children with CDFE.
Their findings provide important insights into a previously unknown developmental role for CASPR2, a protein known to be important for neuronal and glial connections in the mature central nervous system. "Previous studies on CASPR2 in isolated cell cultures and genetic 'knockout' mice did not predict its fundamental role in human brain development or cortical electrical activity," Dr. Krauss said. "The present findings are compelling evidence for such roles, and open new directions for epilepsy and autism research beyond the index population." His colleague, D. Holmes Morton, M.D., co-founder and medical director of the Center for Special Children, added that "the identification of the mutation in CASPR2 in our Amish patients has already allowed us to recognize affected newborns before they become symptomatic. Our hope is that early treatment and prevention of prolonged seizures in these infants will lessen the effects of the disorder upon the lives of children and their families."


Primary source: New England Journal of Medicine
Source reference:
Strauss KA et al. "Recessive Symptomatic Focal Epilepsy and Mutant Contactin-Associated Protein-like 2" (http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/354/13/1370) N Engl J Med 2006;354:1370-7.

[mrsjerome]

No Autism For Unvaccinated Amish?
Monday, December 12, 2005 - FreeMarketNews.com

Medical practices with Homefirst's approach to immunizations are rare. "Because of that, we tend to attract families that have questions about that issue," said Dr. Paul Schattauer, who has been with Homefirst for 20 years and treats "at least" 100 children a week. Schattauer seconded Eisenstein's observations. "All I know is in my practice I don't see autism. There is no striking 1-in-166," he said. Earlier this year we reported the same phenomenon in the mostly unvaccinated Amish.

CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding told us the Amish "have genetic connectivity that would make them different from populations that are in other sectors of the United States." Gerberding said, however, studies "could and should be done" in more representative unvaccinated groups - if they could be found and their autism rate documented.
Schattauer, interviewed at the Rolling Meadows office, said his caseload is too limited to draw conclusions about a possible link between vaccines and autism. "With these numbers you'd have a hard time proving or disproving anything," he said. "You can only get a feeling about it. "In no way would I be an advocate to stand up and say we need to look at vaccines, because I don't have the science to say that," Schattauer said. "But I don't think the science is there to say that it's not."

Full Article

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Health/2005/12/07/the_age_of_autism_a_pretty_big_secret/6829/

To be able to have studied this, wouldn’t one need to really have access to a very huge study base and actually have tracked these kids over time if at all possible?
I also posted an article last Nov.
Why are these disorders that seem so unrelated to one another all being put under the autism label?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21600784

[The Pogue]

I've read that Gerberding article. It's a man stating a view to promote his Homefirst business, not a scientific study. The myth of the "autism free Amish" has become a deeply imbedded bit of urban folklore.

[mrsjerome]

You are correct but our Head of the CDC Julie Gerberding is saying so too. I also would think that would apply to any other genetic conditions in the Amish community using the same reasoning.
CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding told us the Amish "have genetic connectivity that would make them different from populations that are in other sectors of the United States." Gerberding said, however, studies "could and should be done" in more representative unvaccinated groups - if they could be found and their autism rate documented
I also agreed with my remark
To be able to have studied this, wouldn't one need to really have access to a very huge study base and actually have tracked these kids over time if at all possible? This data base could not be the Amish as their population and “genetic connectivity make them different from other populations.

[LauraP]

Mrs. J you're correct that studies like this require a representative sampling of the population, and of the control group too. I think it's interesting that, in some cases, the Amish are used as the control group, which of course alters the finding.

Also, not having read all the literature on this, isn't there a certain degree of self-reporting that is necessary? For example, kids who have signs of autism, but whose parents don't get a diagnosis, do not enter the rolls as affected individuals. That affects the overall statistics. I'm not sure how event reporting occurs in insular groups like the Amish or the FLDS or what have you, of any medical/mental health issues--the State public health reporting chain is what goes to the CDC and is collated into statistics for the country, but if you just opt out of the system, I have no idea how those numbers (if any) get reported.

Just a thought. Interesting discussion.

[Isabelle]

mrsj, you are a very clever researcher!!! :p:D

i was wondering what is the relation between the eureka news about a wellcome trust foundation, that i never heard before, saying it is not autism increasing but better dx is what makes a difference, had to do with glaxosmithkline that you mentioned. and having some time to pass i decided to read every site posted here.....i felt i was missing something and after reading them, i shout my own "eureka" !!

the wellcome trust fundation merged with glaxosmithkline in 2000 and are one and the same!!!

of course, glaxosmithkline are well known manufacturers drugs and vaccines, pulling the wool over our eyes, eh? but not for mrsj.

what a conflict of interest, recently i read the use of "ghostwriters" in the publication of "scientific research" done by merck in relation of its drug vioxx, the company wrote the articles and got doctors to endorse as theirs, the oldest trick in the world passed as "science".... augh! what's next?

thanks, mrsj, to open my eyes wide :eek::D:eek: clearly we still have lots to learn about their 'marketing' tricks and the validity of their 'research' and 'scientific findings' made by these pharmaceuticals.

[The Pogue]

Holy Flying Spaghetti Monster!
Are you saying the study discovering of the gene causing autism and muscle weakness amongst the Amish was funded by a pharma co? I see no link.

[mrsjerome]

Oh No I think Isabelle is referring to the original thread that the rise in autism is related to changes in diagnosis . That study was done by Welcome Trust which is directly linked to glaxosmithkline

[The Pogue]

Ohhh...I see. Regardless of how it was funded, the findings are absolutely true. I've been in my field since the early 80's. The population of disabled individuals hasn't changed; only the labels we use, and how we treat / don't treat them.

[mrsjerome]

Then you would tend to agree with an earlier article I had posted
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21600784

[The Pogue]

I do indeed, and have voiced my belief many times.

[mrsdoubtfyre]

The Wellcome Trust here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellcome_Trust

It is pretty complex, but they are in the drug business.
I have some personal experience with them, in the past (a friend) and they
are mostly a research/charity. It is difficult to extrapolate their real connections to Glaxo at this time. Their new drug activity and acquisition of
Boots pharmaceutical company puts them back into the manufacturer mix.

The problem of ghostwriting and outright fraud in the studies "business" is
disturbing. It has been happening more and more commonly, with the Vioxx
debacle being the most recently published. But it goes on and on.

I often wonder at the so called epidemic of diabetes in this country. Diabetes is a known autoimmune triggered disease. I wonder if continued yearly use of flu vaccine by adults isn't doing some harm here as well.

I think the only viable vaccine studies would be:
1) group of normally vaccinated children (according to CDC guideline)
2) group of unvaccinated children not in a confined area like the Amish...and followed for more than 20 yrs. (both groups)
Evaluate what disorders appear, or if diseases become more common in either group.

I know the interest here is triggering autism...but you know, there may be other neuro and metabolic diseases triggered by constant vaccine administration. There could be mito damage going on it adults that we cannot see until PN shows up, or diabetes, or Parkinson's or whatever shows up finally.

I personally know someone whose son had vaccines at a later age for a trip abroad...and he developed an autistic like****ement disorder right after them.
So it is possible vaccines may assert at other ages besides infancy and early childhood. We just see the autism connection because of the high number of vaccines given in a short period of time.

I think there is more information that we don't understand about vaccines in general.

[NTLegend]

You're exactly right. There are connections.

If you want to see some eerie problems, read at length about frontotemporal dementia. In particular, look for the words "irritability" or "anger" or "rage."

A lot of women think their husbands, some quite young these days -- guess why -- have Alzheimer's. They think it because that's what they were told.

But in fact, reading their descriptions carefully it becomes clear that it's likely to be FTD.

BigPharma has no idea what it has done. But BigPharma is soulless, conscience-less entities (see the documentary "The Corporation") and consequently doesn't care. Profits are all, people are naught.

So now we have . . . let's see . . . toxic environments, global warming, world hunger, the incredibly stupid wasteful wars. Even if we could solve every single health problem -- what good would it do? When set against the huge global problems, how much difference would it make anyway? Somebody answer me that.