Autism

Autism isn’t just a terrible cross to bear; in fact there are distinct advantages, according to a controversial paper which appeared in the journal Nature just this week (Nov 2nd 2011). You will remember I recently did a post on the astonishing mental prowess of a couple of youngsters who were disadvantaged by autism and brain damage. Well, for them it wasn’t merely damage: they seemed to have amazingly augmented powers of mind that leave us ordinary mortal gasping with admiration. savants Laurent Mottron, MD, PhD, from the University of Montreal’s Centre for Excellence in Pervasive Development Disorders, says the definition of autism itself is biased, being characterized by “a suite of negative characteristics,” focusing on deficits that include problems with language and social interactions. However, in certain settings, such as scientific research, people with autism exhibit cognitive strength. He walks his talk and Dr Mottron has 8 individuals with autism in his own  research group including 4 assistants, 3 students, and 1 researcher, Michelle Dawson, whom he met almost 10 years ago during a television documentary about autism. Though lacking a formal doctorate, Ms Dawson has since coauthored 13 papers and several book chapters.

Autism isn’t just a terrible cross to bear; in fact there are distinct advantages, according to a controversial paper which appeared in the journal Nature just this week (Nov 2nd 2011). You will remember I recently did a post on the astonishing mental prowess of a couple of youngsters who were disadvantaged by autism and brain damage. Well, for them it wasn’t merely damage: they seemed to have amazingly augmented powers of mind that leave us ordinary mortal gasping with admiration. savants Laurent Mottron, MD, PhD, from the University of Montreal’s Centre for Excellence in Pervasive Development Disorders, says the definition of autism itself is biased, being characterized by “a suite of negative characteristics,” focusing on deficits that include problems with language and social interactions. However, in certain settings, such as scientific research, people with autism exhibit cognitive strength. He walks his talk and Dr Mottron has 8 individuals with autism in his own  research group including 4 assistants, 3 students, and 1 researcher, Michelle Dawson, whom he met almost 10 years ago during a television documentary about autism. Though lacking a formal doctorate, Ms Dawson has since coauthored 13 papers and several book chapters.

Autism In Mice What are we to make of this? Scientists have genetically engineered mice whose symptoms closely mimic autism in humans. Autism is characterized by problems with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and restricted interests and behaviors. The “autistic mice” showed similar traits. Unlike ordinary mice, the genetically engineered versions showed little interest […]

Autism In Mice What are we to make of this? Scientists have genetically engineered mice whose symptoms closely mimic autism in humans. Autism is characterized by problems with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and restricted interests and behaviors. The “autistic mice” showed similar traits. Unlike ordinary mice, the genetically engineered versions showed little interest […] The post Autism Mouse Model appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.

Those who have been my subscribers any length of time know where I stand on the mercury-autism link. There isn’t one! Now a new study has shown yet again that exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines in infancy or in the womb is not associated with an increased risk for developing autism. Of course mere facts and good science don’t worry the Internet “experts”, who ramble on about conspiracies to hide the truth, as if every scientist and doctor in the world was a corrupted puppet of Big Pharma. They have their prejudice and are not going to let mere evidence sway them from their rigid views. The fact is, as I have said often, kids get autism who have never had any vaccinations, never mind whether with mercury or not. Moreover there is the problem of explaining why boys have a far higher incidence of autism than girls. That suggests genes are at least partly involved. Mercury should not selectively attack one gender or the other.

Those who have been my subscribers any length of time know where I stand on the mercury-autism link. There isn’t one! Now a new study has shown yet again that exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines in infancy or in the womb is not associated with an increased risk for developing autism. Of course mere facts and good science don’t worry the Internet “experts”, who ramble on about conspiracies to hide the truth, as if every scientist and doctor in the world was a corrupted puppet of Big Pharma. They have their prejudice and are not going to let mere evidence sway them from their rigid views. The fact is, as I have said often, kids get autism who have never had any vaccinations, never mind whether with mercury or not. Moreover there is the problem of explaining why boys have a far higher incidence of autism than girls. That suggests genes are at least partly involved. Mercury should not selectively attack one gender or the other.

Sometimes knowledge and certainty is not easy to come by. You may have seen a recent breakfast piece in the USA, about a boy who had OCD (quite severe) but it turned out to be the consequence of a strep sore throat. Sep 24th, see the OCD video here. His mother Beth Alison Maloney wrote a book about the journey back to wellness, Saving Sammy: Curing the Boy Who Caught OCD. It’s a powerful story, not least because Sammy could have been a prisoner for life of this dreadful incapacitating condition; but by chance his mother hit on the cure, when the family doctors missed it.

Sometimes knowledge and certainty is not easy to come by. You may have seen a recent breakfast piece in the USA, about a boy who had OCD (quite severe) but it turned out to be the consequence of a strep sore throat. Sep 24th, see the OCD video here. His mother Beth Alison Maloney wrote a book about the journey back to wellness, Saving Sammy: Curing the Boy Who Caught OCD. It’s a powerful story, not least because Sammy could have been a prisoner for life of this dreadful incapacitating condition; but by chance his mother hit on the cure, when the family doctors missed it.