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Originally Posted by Ruthla
Maybe those big fancy scientists are getting a little mixed up. Anglemen's? Autism? Eh, they both start with the letter "A" so they must be the same thing.
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But seriously, the problem IMO is that geneticists are searching for something that doesn't exist - the Autism gene. When "Autism" is nothing more than a label - a description of behaviours.
It reminds me of the time Fragile X (FMR1), was the suspect 'Autism gene'. (1) It just didn't make any sense to me, because so few children with an ASD have Fragile X (2% - 6%), and only a minority of children with Fragile X have an ASD (15 to 20%).
Fragile X is associated with Autism and so is tuberous sclerosis and they are both genetic, but it doesn't follow that the symptoms of Autism in these groups are genetic, or that Autism itself is genetic. I don't see how it can be when hypoxia, measles encephalitis, and herpes encephalitis can cause Autism. Damage to certain areas of the brain in those cases = Autism. Not genes.
According to Dr Rimland 2 out ot 3 children with autism today have the regressive, late-onset type. It bothers me that if regression takes place before the age of 2, the child is said to have Autism, but after the age of 2, they have Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and that appears to be a neurodegenerative disorder.(2) They don't know what causes that either.
What is damaging children's brains?
(1)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medi...p?newsid=36355
Chromosome May Harbor Autism Gene, Utah School Of Medicine - Article Date: 20 Jan 2006
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One gene, FXR1, appeared to be a likely candidate for a link to autism. FXR1 is similar to the X-chromosome Fragile X gene, FMR1. Mutations in FMR1 cause Fragile X Syndrome, an inherited condition that can cause mental impairments ranging from learning disabilities to severe cognitive problems. Fragile X syndrome has been shown to overlap with autism, and because FXR1 is similar to the gene that causes the syndrome, U researchers suspected FXR1 might be linked to autism. But after analyzing the entire coding sequence of FXR1, the researchers found no alterations in the gene likely to contribute to autism.
Based on statistical evidence, they're now looking at other genes. But evidence that a gene on a particular region of chromosome 3 is linked to the disorder doesn't preclude other genes from being a cause of autism, according to ****. All in all, the researchers have a daunting search ahead of them.
"We're just looking for the needle in the haystack," **** said. |
I think they're wasting their time.
(2)
http://pediatricneurology.com/aspergers.pdf
Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Sorting It Out
Martin L. Kutscher, MD
Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY.
Pediatric Neurological Associates, White Plains, NY.
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Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
Neurologists are scratching their head on this one, and assume psychiatrists mean neurodegenerative disorders. |