Autism, Genetic Flaw and Vaccine Additive?
Summary
A study released today by an environmental organization offers support
to the theory that a vaccine preservative called thimerosal may contribute
to the cause of autism.
The study has found a genetic flaw that sheds further light on how autistic
children are metabolically different from healthy children. This may explain
why autistic children may not be able to excrete mercury and other heavy
metals.
Because of this finding, some doctors also believe that a relatively
simple mixture of nutritional supplements may provide a dramatic treatment
for autistic children.
The new 18-month autism investigation was conducted by Dr. Jill James,
a former Food and Drug Administration research scientist who now works
at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Her report claims that autistic children have a severe deficiency in
glutathione, which James said is the body's most important detoxifier.
The Environmental Working Group, a not-for-profit organization that
investigates toxicity in the environment, is using James' study as
a way to petition for further thimerosal research.
Many parents and several researchers have speculated that thimerosal,
which is 50 percent mercury by weight, is the culprit behind the exponential
increase in autism cases over the last decade. Ten years ago, the American
Academy of Pediatrics estimated an autism rate of one in 2,500 in the
United States. Today, the rate is estimated as high as one in 166. As
many as one in six children have neurological disorders. Many believe
the rise in autism and the corresponding increase in the nation's
vaccine schedule are not coincidental.
Pharmaceutical companies removed thimerosal from required vaccines in
2002, but it still exists in most of the recommended influenza shots.
Autism theorists have for several years hypothesized that certain children
are susceptible to heavy-metal toxicity, which poisons the brain.
The reports shows that autistic children have 133 percent more "inactive"
glutathione in their bodies than healthy children and 68 percent less
"active" glutathione.
The report also gives parents hope. Preliminary results have shown that
certain supplements -- folinic acid and methyl B12 -- can bring glutathione
back to normal levels.
Dr. Elizabeth Mumper, the CEO for Advocates for Children and associate
professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Virginia Medical
School, said she has seen dramatic improvements in some autistic children
who have been taking the supplements.
"I don't mean to imply that we can cure autism," she said.
"But in this subset, some have moved out of the [autism] spectrum
and gone to kindergarten without aid."
She said the metabolic makeup of autistic adults will have to be studied,
but she sees no reason why the nutritional aids won't help autistic
adults as well.
Closer and closer
News of such a breakthrough is exciting for Dena Petzoldt of Fruitland,
whose son, Ben, is autistic. Tests have shown that Ben has high levels
of heavy metals, including mercury, in his blood. The family has traveled
to many states to try various remedies.
"We're just getting closer and closer," she said. "There
have to be answers out there because there are so many autistic kids out
there. I'll definitely check into this."
James studied the metabolism of 20 autistic children. In a conference
call with reporters, she explained she started with 10 plasma samples
from autistic children.
The results were "very, very striking," she said. They were
so consistently abnormal that she added 10 more samples to her study,
just to make sure they were accurate. They came back the same.
Autism is generally regarded as a genetic and environmental mixed bag.
James said the genetic causes are complex. There could be 10 genes that
contribute to autism.
The new finding makes sense for a number of reasons, she said.
Glutathione levels are naturally lower in males, which could help explain
why 70 percent of autistic children are boys. Estrogen, found more predominantly
in females, is an antioxidant like glutathione, so girls have more chemical
weapons to fight against metal toxins.
The glutathione discovery may also explain why so many autistic children
have intestinal disorders.
Glutathione, according to the study, is vital to proper functioning
of the intestines.
The Environmental Working Group is waving James' study in the face
of the Institute of Medicine.
In May, the IOM -- an independent scientific group commissioned by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to delve into the thimerosal
issue -- released a report which said there is no evidence suggesting
a link between the preservative and autism. It based its findings on five
epidemiology studies, including one from Denmark, which has a different
vaccine schedule and thus different thimerosal exposure than the United
States.
Epidemiology is a mathematical approach to science based on complicated
statistics derived from medical databases.
The IOM heard but did not accept the biological evidence, which was
only theoretical, the committee said. The IOM also suggested that "further
research to find the cause of autism should be directed toward other lines
of inquiry."
Dr. David Weldon, a congressman from Florida, has been the leading government
anti-thimerosal spokesman.
"The work of Dr. James and other have continued with private support,"
Weldon said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the National Institutes
of Health has not yet dedicated funding to better understand and develop
interventions for the epidemic of children suffering from neurological
development disorders, particularly those that have resulted from mercury
exposures from childhood vaccines.
"Today's study, along with several other recently published
scientific studies, demonstrate clearly that the IOM overstated their
conclusions."
Didn't dismiss anything
Dr. Steve Goodman of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in
Baltimore sat on the IOM committee that reviewed the evidence.
He told the Southeast Missourian he couldn't speak for the IOM because
the committee no longer exists, but he said there was a general feeling
that thimerosal would be unlikely to turn out to be the cause of autism.
However, he said some of the IOM's statements were misconstrued at
the time.
"First of all, we didn't dismiss anything," he said. "We
simply stated the epidemiology evidence favored no relationship, which
is true. At this point there is no increased risk to the general population.
"What we did say is if you've got a fixed pot, don't spend
huge amounts more on epidemiology. What we said was that resources would
be better spent on understanding the biology."
For several years a certain segment of the scientific community has
suspected that autistic children have a genetic susceptibility to mercury
and that thimerosal could be the environmental trigger to autism. So why
base a national report on five studies that don't address the theory?
"That's what we're saying," Goodman said.
He said unless the genetic flaws can be identified and a test group
can be formed with the same flaws, there is no use for more epidemiology,
which suggests no danger to the healthy population.
The anti-thimerosal groups have been making that same argument since
May when the IOM report was released.
The IOM did admit in its report that "the committee cannot rule
out, based on the epidemiological evidence, the possibility that vaccines
contribute to autism in some small subset or very unusual circumstance."
Regardless, major television networks only reported the news of no link,
followed by quotes from board members saying funding should be spent elsewhere.
Many physicians at the time considered the thimerosal issue a closed book.
And, according to a US congressional source speaking on the condition
of anonymity, perhaps the National Institutes of Health did too.
The National Institutes of Health has cited the IOM report when it has
denied funding for biological research, the source said.
Shortly after the IOM report came out, Columbia University researcher
Dr. Mady Hornig published a study showing that mice with genetically susceptible
immune systems displayed autistic-like behaviors when given thimerosal.
While the Environmental Working Group acknowledges that James' research
doesn't prove a link, the organization says the findings should force
the government to pick up the issue again. The epidemiology studies the
IOM based its report on assumed that the children had equal toxin-fighting
capabilities, the EWG says.
Goodman didn't want to comment specifically on the new study until
he reads it.
"This type of study could fit in a much bigger picture and enhance
the understanding of autism and the immune system," he said. "It's
a small piece of fabric of a theory which may or may not turn out to be
true. But it doesn't mean that thimerosal causes autism. There are
lots of fragments, pieces of biological evidence and theories. But those
theories are still incomplete."
bmiller@semissourian.com
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