Unexpected Discovery In The Brains of Autistic Children

[Turk.]

By Greg Miller 03.26.14 5:00 PM

A 3-D reconstruction showing a disrupted patch of cortex (blue and red area). Image: Stoner et al. NEJM

Nobody knows what causes autism, a condition that varies so widely in severity that some people on the spectrum achieve enviable fame and success while others require lifelong assistance due to severe problems with communication, cognition, and behavior. Scientists have found countless clues, but so far they don?t quite add up. The genetics is complicated. The neuroscience is conflicted.

Now, a new study adds an intriguing, unexpected, and sure-to-be controversial finding to the mix: It suggests the brains of children with autism contain small patches where the normally ordered arrangement of neurons in the cerebral cortex is disrupted. ?We?ve found locations where there appears to be a failure of normal development,? said Eric Courchesne, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Diego and an author of the study, which appears today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

?These kinds of changes in cellular architecture would happen during brain development, probably around the first part of the second trimester.?

?It?s been really difficult to identify a lesion or anything in the brain that?s specific and diagnostic of autism,? said Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, one of several agencies that funded the project. The new study is notable because it applies sophisticated molecular labeling methods to postmortem tissue from people with autism who died as children, which is incredibly hard to come by, Insel says.

?If it?s real, if it?s replicated and it?s a consistent finding, it?s more evidence that autism starts prenatally and only manifests itself when kids start to have trouble with language or social behavior around age two or three,? Insel said. ?These kinds of changes in cellular architecture would happen during brain development, probably around the first part of the second trimester.?

Colored ribbons indicate layers of cortex, and an abnormal disruption, in a person with autism. Image: Stoner et al. NEJM

Source
 

[spenser.d]

But vaccines...

 

Seriously though, this is pretty cool if it can be verified. Hopefully it will bring us closer to understanding the causes of autism.

[(Account no longer active)]

Don't forget Monsato products and cell phone/WiFi radiation too as possible causes.

[Xerino]

As a father of an autistic daughter I find this fascinating, if they can finally find the areas of the brain that are affected, maybe they can find a way to reactivated them somehow

[Raa]

I'm curious what they would classify as an "expected discovery" then...

 

At the moment it's like a big jigsaw puzzle, hopefully they can put it all together soon!

[shawnsdada]

Two big finds in a week. That's if you count the biochemist mother who stripped MSG from her child's diet and and said the child's Autism has nearly vanished.

 

I have a 4 year old Autistic son. They're saying it came form his mothers side, but I am leaning towards his being vaccine related. He was showing signs of being advanced at 5-6 months old. Got really sick when he was 10 months old and got some vaccines in that same period. Next thing you know he was acting completely different and very quiet. Exact opposite of how he usually was then it slowly got worse. He was finally diagnosed as being on the low level of the spectrum a little over a year ago.

 

Read a few articles last year on a group that was going after makers of the MMR vaccine saying it was causing Autism and the supreme court ruled in their favor. Forcing the MMR people to admit they had knowledge it causes Autism. Yet it is still being forced on children and barely a peep about that in the news. Try to stop your child from getting that and watch how fast they threaten to take your child. It's BS.

[DocM]

Two big finds in a week. That's if you count the biochemist mother who stripped MSG from her child's diet and and said the child's Autism has nearly vanished.

I have a 4 year old Autistic son. They're saying it came form his mothers side, but I am leaning towards his being vaccine related. He was showing signs of being advanced at 5-6 months old.from getting that and watch how fast they threaten to take your child. >

You really should get with the FACTS - the 1998 "study" linking autism to vaccines was an elaborate FRAUD. It has been retracted, the authors collaborators have disowned it and him, and he lost his medical license.

From 2011 but still true, regardless of the anti-vaccine cottage industry that has built up around that POS paper.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/05/autism.vaccines/

Retracted autism study an 'elaborate fraud,' British journal finds

(CNN) -- A now-retracted British study that linked autism to childhood vaccines was an "elaborate fraud" that has done long-lasting damage to public health, a leading medical publication reported Wednesday.

An investigation published by the British medical journal BMJ concludes the study's author, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, misrepresented or altered the medical histories of all 12 of the patients whose cases formed the basis of the 1998 study -- and that there was "no doubt" Wakefield was responsible.

"It's one thing to have a bad study, a study full of error, and for the authors then to admit that they made errors," Fiona Godlee, BMJ's editor-in-chief, told CNN. "But in this case, we have a very different picture of what seems to be a deliberate attempt to create an impression that there was a link by falsifying the data."

Britain stripped Wakefield of his medical license in May. "Meanwhile, the damage to public health continues, fueled by unbalanced media reporting and an ineffective response from government, researchers, journals and the medical profession," BMJ states in an editorial accompanying the work.

Speaking to CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," Wakefield said his work has been "grossly distorted" and that he was the target of "a ruthless, pragmatic attempt to crush any attempt to investigate valid vaccine safety concerns."

The now-discredited paper panicked many parents and led to a sharp drop in the number of children getting the vaccine that prevents measles, mumps and rubella. Vaccination rates dropped sharply in Britain after its publication, falling as low as 80% by 2004. Measles cases have gone up sharply in the ensuing years.

In the United States, more cases of measles were reported in 2008 than in any other year since 1997, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 90% of those infected had not been vaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown, the CDC reported.

"But perhaps as important as the scare's effect on infectious disease is the energy, emotion and money that have been diverted away from efforts to understand the real causes of autism and how to help children and families who live with it," the BMJ editorial states.

Wakefield has been unable to reproduce his results in the face of criticism, and other researchers have been unable to match them. Most of his co-authors withdrew their names from the study in 2004 after learning he had had been paid by a law firm that intended to sue vaccine manufacturers -- a serious conflict of interest he failed to disclose. After years on controversy, the Lancet, the prestigious journal that originally published the research, retracted Wakefield's last February.

>

>

[shawnsdada]

No need for the attitude

The articles I read were of a completely different situation where the supreme court forced them to admit in court they knew of a link to Autism and the MMR vaccine. I'm referring to recent stuff from the last year. You're in a different decade altogether.

Again, no reason for the "in your face, I'm right and your wrong" attitude. Since you're so knowledgable then you can find the articles I'm referring to. Then come back with your apology for not knowing what YOU'RE talking about, buddy.

I know what I read and looked into. I'm not pulling crap out of thin air, BUDDY.

Back on topic. Will not be replying to you any further since it would derail the thread. As a matter of fact, I'll just put you on ignore. Would be much better than having to see your "holier than thou" attitude elsewhere on the forum.

[Turk.]

MMR may cause post vaccine SSPE, though very rare.

[Athernar]

No need for the attitude

The articles I read were of a completely different situation where the supreme court forced them to admit in court they knew of a link to Autism and the MMR vaccine. I'm referring to recent stuff from the last year. You're in a different decade altogether.

Again, no reason for the "in your face, I'm right and your wrong" attitude. Since you're so knowledgable then you can find the articles I'm referring to. Then come back with your apology for not knowing what YOU'RE talking about, buddy.

I know what I read and looked into. I'm not pulling crap out of thin air, BUDDY.

Back on topic. Will not be replying to you any further since it would derail the thread. As a matter of fact, I'll just put you on ignore. Would be much better than having to see your "holier than thou" attitude elsewhere on the forum.

 

There is every reason for the "attitude", the scaremongering around vaccines (Particularly MMR) has lead to a resurgence of the respective diseases.

 

People that perpetuate these lies are committing child abuse, simple as that. And all in the name of some silly conspiracy theory.

[Stokkolm]

There is every reason for the "attitude", the scaremongering around vaccines (Particularly MMR) has lead to a resurgence of the respective diseases.

People that perpetuate these lies are committing child abuse, simple as that. And all in the name of some silly conspiracy theory.

It's child abuse to not inject your child with man-made vaccines and remain in the natural state they were born in? What world do you live in? You can disagree with people not vaccinating their children, but to suggest it is child abuse is preposterous. Not everyone wants to fill their kids full of synthetic viruses and bull$%!# vaccines (like chickenpox).

[+DKAngel Subscriber²]

It's child abuse to not inject your child with man-made vaccines and remain in the natural state they were born in? What world do you live in? You can disagree with people not vaccinating their children, but to suggest it is child abuse is preposterous. Not everyone wants to fill their kids full of synthetic viruses and bull$%!# vaccines (like chickenpox).

the chicken pox vaccine isnt ######, seriously? what friggen planet do you live on?

hell im a parent of 2 kids are both vaccinated and its definatly helped them through.

[Sartoris]

No need for the attitude

The articles I read were of a completely different situation where the supreme court forced them to admit in court they knew of a link to Autism and the MMR vaccine. I'm referring to recent stuff from the last year. You're in a different decade altogether.

Again, no reason for the "in your face, I'm right and your wrong" attitude. Since you're so knowledgable then you can find the articles I'm referring to. Then come back with your apology for not knowing what YOU'RE talking about, buddy.

I know what I read and looked into. I'm not pulling crap out of thin air, BUDDY.

Back on topic. Will not be replying to you any further since it would derail the thread. As a matter of fact, I'll just put you on ignore. Would be much better than having to see your "holier than thou" attitude elsewhere on the forum.

 

You are pulling crap out of thin air. You don't have any sources to back up your claim other than "a few articles".

 

Autism becomes noticeable in children at around 18-24 months when language skills are developing. This is also, coincidentally, around the same time children get the MMR vaccine. My son had noticeable communication issues before he received his MMR vaccine, but that is usually not the case.

 

Please to not spread anti-vaccine FUD.

 

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/12/041203100809.htm

[Brendeth]

It's child abuse to not inject your child with man-made vaccines and remain in the natural state they were born in? What world do you live in? You can disagree with people not vaccinating their children, but to suggest it is child abuse is preposterous. Not everyone wants to fill their kids full of synthetic viruses and bull$%!# vaccines (like chickenpox).

While I probably wouldn't call it child abuse, it's not a stretch to go there. You are knowingly subjecting your children to a lower immune system and threatening their life with fatal diseases.I guess you'd probably just refer to it as neglect.

 

[Albert]

don't worry. eats lots and lots of msg to fill those gap.

 

https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1206153-chemist-claims-she-reversed-daughters-autism-symptoms/

[siah1214]

It's child abuse to not inject your child with man-made vaccines and remain in the natural state they were born in? What world do you live in? You can disagree with people not vaccinating their children, but to suggest it is child abuse is preposterous. Not everyone wants to fill their kids full of synthetic viruses and bull$%!# vaccines (like chickenpox).

The natural state, you mean the one where they are vulnerable to very painful and potentially deadly (yet completely preventable) diseases?

Why don't you ask this baby how it likes its natural state:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3oZrMGDMMw

 

What a stupid argument. An parent that refuses vaccinations should have their child taken away.

 

[Shiranui]

But I thought autism was caused by Jenny McCarthy?

Ah, silly me, she only causes chickenpox, diphtheria, measles, mumps, pertussis, rubella and polio.

Anyway, great news.

[Shiranui]

I have a 4 year old Autistic son. They're saying it came form his mothers side, but I am leaning towards his being vaccine related. He was showing signs of being advanced at 5-6 months old. Got really sick when he was 10 months old and got some vaccines in that same period. Next thing you know he was acting completely different and very quiet. Exact opposite of how he usually was then it slowly got worse. He was finally diagnosed as being on the low level of the spectrum a little over a year ago.

I sympathize with your family's situation, but you are clutching at straws.

Watch episode three of the new Cosmos series and you will see where this kind of thinking stems from.

For now, just remember this: correlation does not imply causation

[Athernar]

It's child abuse to not inject your child with man-made vaccines and remain in the natural state they were born in? What world do you live in? You can disagree with people not vaccinating their children, but to suggest it is child abuse is preposterous. Not everyone wants to fill their kids full of synthetic viruses and bull$%!# vaccines (like chickenpox).

 

Ah, where to begin with the multitude of errors in this post.

 

First off, vaccines are preparations derived from the disease intended to be inoculated against - this is usually done by utilising dead/dormant viral matter. So hilariously, these vaccines you love to spread FUD about are no less natural than the virii themselves.

 

Let's not also forget the invocation of the naturalistic fallacy. Do you know what else is natural? Snake venom.

 

But please, don't let me stop you from spreading lies, misinformation and conspiracies about a process that has saved countless lives. Let's just condemn helpless children to suffer and/or die.

[Turk.]

These posts show how widespread mis/disinformation is. There is no correlation between autism and vaccination. As a sidenote, Autisms, Asperger's and ADD are overdiagnosed overtreated medical conditions.

[RichardK]

What a stupid argument. An parent that refuses vaccinations should have their child taken away.

 

Yep, you prefaced the second sentence with a sentence that describes that second sentence perfectly.

[siah1214]

Yep, you prefaced the second sentence with a sentence that describes that second sentence perfectly.

Do you have a rebuttal or are you content to fail at being clever?

[blerk]

?It?s been really difficult to identify a lesion or anything in the brain that?s specific and diagnostic of autism,? said Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, one of several agencies that funded the project. The new study is notable because it applies sophisticated molecular labeling methods to postmortem tissue from people with autism who died as children, which is incredibly hard to come by, Insel says.

?If it?s real, if it?s replicated and it?s a consistent finding, it?s more evidence that autism starts prenatally and only manifests itself when kids start to have trouble with language or social behavior around age two or three,? Insel said. ?These kinds of changes in cellular architecture would happen during brain development, probably around the first part of the second trimester.?

Now this is cool, both the molecular imaging techniques, and the fact that autism may eventually be a clinically diagnosable disorder, based upon something more than just the judgement of a clinician, rather we may be able to scan for the associated lesions.

 

It's child abuse to not inject your child with man-made vaccines and remain in the natural state they were born in? What world do you live in? You can disagree with people not vaccinating their children, but to suggest it is child abuse is preposterous. Not everyone wants to fill their kids full of synthetic viruses and bull$%!# vaccines (like chickenpox).

 

I too, agree, with this notion. We should all endeavour to experience the full range of diseases out there in the natural world, as was intended by nature. Screw all this synthetic medicine, and especially screw the chickenpox vaccine; I want my full dose of shingles thanks. Post-herpetic neuralgia would be absolutely lovely as well. Also, antibiotics, antivirals and all those other nasty synthetic drugs should be banned. (I mean, who wants that poison chemotherapy stuff. It literally kills you. Not to mention radiation. Nuclear radiation. No thanks!!!) 

 

 

 

 

 

/s

[FloatingFatMan]

No need for the attitude

The articles I read were of a completely different situation where the supreme court forced them to admit in court they knew of a link to Autism and the MMR vaccine. I'm referring to recent stuff from the last year. You're in a different decade altogether.

Again, no reason for the "in your face, I'm right and your wrong" attitude. Since you're so knowledgable then you can find the articles I'm referring to. Then come back with your apology for not knowing what YOU'RE talking about, buddy.

I know what I read and looked into. I'm not pulling crap out of thin air, BUDDY.

Back on topic. Will not be replying to you any further since it would derail the thread. As a matter of fact, I'll just put you on ignore. Would be much better than having to see your "holier than thou" attitude elsewhere on the forum.

 

I'm a parent of a teen with aspergers.  My kids were both vaccinated and said vaccines have absolutely NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with his condition. Any articles you've read have a base in the earlier fraudulent study and are nothing but FUD/lies spread by conspiracy theory nuts with an agenda.

 

Your "supreme court" articles are lies.  Vaccinate your kids or risk them getting seriously ill if they get exposed to these diseases which are coming back thanks to the conspiracy theorists scaring susceptible parents away from vaccinations.

[Stokkolm]

Ah, where to begin with the multitude of errors in this post.

 

First off, vaccines are preparations derived from the disease intended to be inoculated against - this is usually done by utilising dead/dormant viral matter. So hilariously, these vaccines you love to spread FUD about are no less natural than the virii themselves.

 

Let's not also forget the invocation of the naturalistic fallacy. Do you know what else is natural? Snake venom.

 

But please, don't let me stop you from spreading lies, misinformation and conspiracies about a process that has saved countless lives. Let's just condemn helpless children to suffer and/or die.

I didn't say anything in my original post to sway a person one way or another. I simply stated that if someone chooses not to vaccinate, that's their decision and it is most definitely NOT child abuse, neglect, or whatever other adjective you choose to use. There were no lies, misinformation, or conspiracies stated. 

 

Common substances found in vaccines include:

• Aluminum gels or salts of aluminum which are added as adjuvants to help the vaccine stimulate a better response. Adjuvants help promote an earlier, more potent response, and more persistent immune response to the vaccine. 

  See also: "Aluminum in Vaccines: What you should know  [2 pages]" Also available in Spanish  [2 pages]

• Antibiotics which are added to some vaccines to prevent the growth of germs (bacteria) during production and storage of the vaccine. No vaccine produced in the United States contains penicillin.
• Egg protein is found in influenza and yellow fever vaccines, which are prepared using chicken eggs. Ordinarily, persons who are able to eat eggs or egg products safely can receive these vaccines.
• Formaldehyde is used to inactivate bacterial products for toxoid vaccines, (these are vaccines that use an inactive bacterial toxin to produce immunity.) It is also used to kill unwanted viruses and bacteria that might contaminate the vaccine during production. Most formaldehyde is removed from the vaccine before it is packaged.
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and 2-phenoxy-ethanol which are used as stabilizers in a few vaccines to help the vaccine remain unchanged when the vaccine is exposed to heat, light, acidity, or humidity.
• Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative that is added to vials of vaccine that contain more than one dose to prevent contamination and growth of potentially harmful bacteria.

Source: CDC.gov

Formaldehyde is in almost every vaccine, you can see an ingredient breakdown on a vaccine by vaccine basis on the CDC website. Vaccines are not a simple as you make them out to be, there are a ton of other things aside from the virus/bacteria. I am not against all vaccination, what I am against is vaccinating just because the pharmaceuticals come out with a new vaccine to cure this or that. I am also against giving my children 5 vaccines in one visit, that's just crazy. I'm also very hesitant to vaccinate during the first year of life, it's a personal decision and one that my wife and I choose to make.

 

I too, agree, with this notion. We should all endeavour to experience the full range of diseases out there in the natural world, as was intended by nature. Screw all this synthetic medicine, and especially screw the chickenpox vaccine; I want my full dose of shingles thanks. Post-herpetic neuralgia would be absolutely lovely as well. Also, antibiotics, antivirals and all those other nasty synthetic drugs should be banned. (I mean, who wants that poison chemotherapy stuff. It literally kills you. Not to mention radiation. Nuclear radiation. No thanks!!!) /s

 

It's amazing, I had chicken pox as a child and have never had shingles...I must have an ultra super incredible immune system to be able to last so long without getting it. I never suggested not to vaccinate, but like I said above, vaccinating just to vaccinate is a personal decision which I choose not to make. But hey, keep insinuating that because people don't agree with the social norm of vaccinate or you'll die they are against all modern medicine...it makes you seem real smart. You are correct about chemotherapy though, that #### will kill you.