Cross posted from Science: "Friendly" bacteria and autism

[Warpy]

Treatment with 'friendly' bacteria could counter autism in children

PROBIOTIC bacteria given to autistic children improved their concentration and behaviour so much that medical trials collapsed because parents refused to accept placebos, a scientist revealed yesterday.

The effect of the bacteria was so pronounced that some of the parents taking part in what was supposed to be a blind trial realised their children were taking something other than a placebo.

A number then refused to give their children the placebo when they were due to switch, resulting in the collapse of the trial.

snip

He said that certain kinds of clostridia produced neuro- toxins, which potentially could be the cause of autism or a contributory factor.

http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1308572006

Lots more on the study and why it wasn't continued.

[AspenRose]

1. Wow

thanks for this

[Warpy]

2. Thank icymist for digging this one up

The original thread is http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=228x23534

[icymist]

4. Thanks Warpy. Glad I could help.

eom

[Orrex]

3. So these friendly bacteria eat the Thimerosal, right?

:sarcasm:

Holy moley, but that's some amazing news! Thanks for posting, and thanks to icymist for the OP!

[Celebration]

5. Proposed mechanism

As I understand the anti mercury argument, mercury can cause leaky gut syndrome. It is the leaky gut syndrome which in turn causes large protein substances to escape the instestines into the bloodstream, after which the body develops an autoimmune reaction to them.

So the bacteria would not eat the Thimerosal, it would merely help neutralize at least part of the effects.

Yeah, this is great!! Gotta love it when the the parents cause a trial to collapse. So much for double blind, LOL.

[Orrex]

6. To be fair, though

If they knew what was being tested, it was only single-blind.

And the leaky gut/autoimmune theory is still speculative, I believe (though I could be wrong).

[Warpy]

7. Totally speculative and thoroughly DEBUNKED

but some belief systems will never die.

The parents who saw a dramatic difference on the unmarked pill their children took were the ones who refused to switch. It turned out that these were the children getting the probiotic bacteria, not the dummy pill.

It would be wild to find out that autism is caused by a hyperactive immune system that attacks normal intestinal flora, allowing various nasty anaerobes to flourish and release toxins.

This study is a very tantalizing one.

[Celebration]

8. clarification

It certainly is NOT just mercury that is thought to cause leaky gut--it is also the "bad" bacteria. Mercury is probably a minor factor (just my thoughts). Just think antiobiotics (kills *good* bacteria), Caesarian sections (babies do not get the benefits of good bacteria in the birth canal). Add to that gluten, grains, proteins which may be close to proteins in the body, and there is just a TON of evidence that leaky gut can be a factor not only in autism, but also Type 1 diabetes and all kinds of ailments. I know of NO evidence that has debunked leaky gut as a cause for these things.

BTW I am highly suspicious of the practice of some OBGYNS giving antibiotics prior to delivery. IMHO, every vaccination, every antibiotic prescription, every Caesarian section should be accompanied by probiotics. Too bad there is no money in it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16092447&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum

Acta Paediatr. 2005 Apr;94(4):386-93. Tight junctions, leaky intestines, and pediatric diseases.Liu Z, Li N, Neu J.
International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND: Tight junctions (TJs) represent the major barrier within the paracellular pathway between intestinal epithelial cells. Disruption of TJs leads to intestinal hyperpermeability (the so-called "leaky gut") and is implicated in the pathogenesis of several acute and chronic pediatric disease entities that are likely to have their origin during infancy. AIM: This review provides an overview of evidence for the role of TJ breakdown in diseases such as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, allergies, asthma, and autism. CONCLUSION: A better basic understanding of this structure might lead to prevention or treatment of these diseases using nutritional or other means.

PMID: 16092447

[Celebration]

9. lots of evidence for this

1: J Fam Health Care. 2002;12(2):34-8.
Diet in autism and associated disorders.Garvey J.
Royal Free Hospital, London.

A dietitian discusses the theory that peptides with opioid activity may cause or trigger autism. The use of an exclusion diet to treat autism is explained, weighing the potential benefits against some of the practical difficulties of keeping to a strict exclusion diet. The use of nutritional supplements is described. An abnormal gut flora has also been implicated in autism and the use of probiotics and prebiotics in improving the integrity of the gut mucosa is also discussed.

PMID: 12415751

Here is the "possible" connection with mercury. Note that I am not specifically endorsing this--but this is the theory.....

: Med Hypotheses. 2002 May;58(5):382-5.
Probiotics as an adjuvant to detoxification protocols.Brudnak MA.
MAK Wood Inc, Grafton, Wisconsin 53024-9429, USA. [e-mail]

Autism is a developmental disease characterized by a spectrum of symptoms ranging from decreased verbal skills and social withdrawal, to repetitive behavior and violent outbursts. Genetic analysis has yielded a few potentially interesting genes, however no clear linkage has been established. For this reason, it has been suggested that the etiology of autism may involve multiple loci. This, in large part, explains why so many different theories abound. One such theory is that of mercury poisoning. Environmentally acquired mercury, either through some causal contact or through vaccination, has been postulated as the culprit. Mercury is thought to be exerting its neurological effect on the brain. The standard treatment has been to apply chelating agents in an attempt to extricate the mercury. One missing component in the treatment is the utilization of the body's own detoxification mechanisms. Arguably the largest detoxification component of the body, the endogenous enteric bacteria are an enormous reservoir, which can be constantly and safely replenished. This paper discusses the use of high-dose probiotics as an adjuvant for detoxification protocols with an emphasis on use in autistics. Copyright 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

PMID: 12056873

[crikkett]

10. note that actual probiotic wasn't revealed

probably because it was cheap and easily accessible.

It's a shame that natural substances could benefit people now but we won't hear about it until it's a patented pill on the market.

(of course there are only so many probiotic bacteria.)

[HysteryDiagnosis]

11. Weak metallothionein protein and genetic anomalies concerning

the major histocompatibility index, oxidative stress as well.

1: Altern Med Rev. 2002 Aug;7(4):292-316.Click here to read Links
Autism, an extreme challenge to integrative medicine. Part: 1: The knowledge base.

* Kidd PM.

Autism, archetype of the autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by socially aloof behavior and impairment of language and social interaction. Its prevalence has surged in recent years. Advanced functional brain imaging has confirmed pervasive neurologic involvement. Parent involvement in autism management has accelerated understanding and treatment. Often accompanied by epilepsy, cognitive deficits, or other neurologic impairment, autism manifests in the first three years of life and persists into adulthood. Its etiopathology is poorly defined but likely multifactorial with heritability playing a major role. Prenatal toxic exposures (teratogens) are consistent with autism spectrum symptomatology. Frequent vaccinations with live virus and toxic mercurial content (thimerosal) are a plausible etiologic factor. Autistic children frequently have abnormalities of sulfoxidation and sulfation that compromise liver detoxification, which may contribute to the high body burden of xenobiotics frequently found. Frequent copper-zinc imbalance implies metallothionein impairment that could compound the negative impact of sulfur metabolism impairments on detoxification and on intestinal lining integrity. Intestinal hyperpermeability manifests in autistic children as dysbiosis, food intolerances, and exorphin (opioid) intoxication, most frequently from casein and gluten. Immune system abnormalities encompass derangement of antibody production, skewing of T cell subsets, aberrant cytokine profiles, and other impairments consistent with chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. Coagulation abnormalities have been reported. Part 2 of this review will attempt to consolidate progress in integrative management of autism, aimed at improving independence and lifespan for people with the disorder.

PMID: 12197782



1: J Leukoc Biol. 2006 Jul;80(1):1-15. Epub 2006 May 12.Click here to read Links
The immune response in autism: a new frontier for autism research.

* Ashwood P,
* Wills S,
* Van de Water J.

Medical Microbiology and Immunology and the M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. [e-mail]

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are part of a broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders known as pervasive developmental disorders, which occur in childhood. They are characterized by impairments in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and the presence of restricted and repetitive stereotyped behaviors. At the present time, the etiology of ASD is largely unknown, but genetic, environmental, immunological, and neurological factors are thought to play a role in the development of ASD. Recently, increasing research has focused on the connections between the immune system and the nervous system, including its possible role in the development of ASD. These neuroimmune interactions begin early during embryogenesis and persist throughout an individual's lifetime, with successful neurodevelopment contingent upon a normal balanced immune response. Immune aberrations consistent with a dysregulated immune response, which so far, have been reported in autistic children, include abnormal or skewed T helper cell type 1 (T(H)1)/T(H)2 cytokine profiles, decreased lymphocyte numbers, decreased T cell mitogen response, and the imbalance of serum immunoglobulin levels. In addition, autism has been linked with autoimmunity and an association with immune-based genes including human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 and complement C4 alleles described. There is potential that such aberrant immune activity during vulnerable and critical periods of neurodevelopment could participate in the generation of neurological dysfunction characteristic of ASD. This review will examine the status of the research linking the immune response with ASD.

PMID: 16698940


1: Pathophysiology. 2006 Aug;13(3):171-81. Epub 2006 Jun 12.Click here to read Links
Oxidative stress in autism.

* Chauhan A,
* Chauhan V.

NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.

Autism is a severe developmental disorder with poorly understood etiology. Oxidative stress in autism has been studied at the membrane level and also by measuring products of lipid peroxidation, detoxifying agents (such as glutathione), and antioxidants involved in the defense system against reactive oxygen species (ROS). Lipid peroxidation markers are elevated in autism, indicating that oxidative stress is increased in this disease. Levels of major antioxidant serum proteins, namely transferrin (iron-binding protein) and ceruloplasmin (copper-binding protein), are decreased in children with autism. There is a positive correlation between reduced levels of these proteins and loss of previously acquired language skills in children with autism. The alterations in ceruloplasmin and transferrin levels may lead to abnormal iron and copper metabolism in autism. The membrane phospholipids, the prime target of ROS, are also altered in autism. The levels of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) are decreased, and phosphatidylserine (PS) levels are increased in the erythrocyte membrane of children with autism as compared to their unaffected siblings. Several studies have suggested alterations in the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase in autism. Additionally, altered glutathione levels and homocysteine/methionine metabolism, increased inflammation, excitotoxicity, as well as mitochondrial and immune dysfunction have been suggested in autism. Furthermore, environmental and genetic factors may increase vulnerability to oxidative stress in autism. Taken together, these studies suggest increased oxidative stress in autism that may contribute to the development of this disease. A mechanism linking oxidative stress with membrane lipid abnormalities, inflammation, aberrant immune response, impaired energy metabolism and excitotoxicity, leading to clinical symptoms and pathogenesis of autism is proposed.

PMID: 16766163





1: Hum Immunol. 2006 Apr-May;67(4-5):346-51. Epub 2006 Apr 3.Click here to read Links
The association and linkage of the HLA-A2 class I allele with autism.

* Torres AR,
* Sweeten TL,
* Cutler A,
* Bedke BJ,
* Fillmore M,
* Stubbs EG,
* Odell D.

Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-6895, USA. [e-mail]

Previous research has revealed associations between autism and immune genes located in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA). To better understand which HLA genetic loci may be associated with autism, we compared the class I HLA-A and -B alleles in autistic probands with case control subjects from Caucasian families. The frequency of HLA-A2 alleles was significantly increased in autistic subjects compared with normal allelic frequencies from the National Marrow Donors Program (NMDP) (p = 0.0043 after allelic correction). The transmission disequilibrium test for the A2 allele revealed an increased frequency of inheritance for autistic children (p = 0.033). There were no significant associations of autism with HLA-B alleles; however, the A2-B44 and A2-B51 haplotypes were two times more frequent in autistic subjects. The association and linkage of the class I HLA-A2 allele with autism suggests its involvement in the etiology of autism. Possible roles are discussed for the HLA-A2 association in the presentation of microbial antigen within the central nervous system and/or in the establishment of synaptic and neuronal circuits in the developing brain.

PMID: 16720216