Re: (article) Researchers find further evidence of disturbed immune system in autism

[Guest guest]

Thanks, CJ... I DO happen to be a scientist and this is one of the journals I

take, so I recently read this study. I found it particularly interesting because

I have been avidly following the research efforts at the MIND Institute and the

medical miocrobiology/immunology departments at UC in the area of

cytokines. While this study at KU found lower levels of cytokines, a recent

study from UC found just the opposite - highly elevated cytokines. This

elevation in cytokines was particularly prevalent in children with regressive

autism, the type responsible for the exponentially increasing numbers of

children being diagnosed with autism. Elevated cytokines indicate chronic

inflammation and immune dysregulation, most likely from ongoing insults to the

immune system from multiple environmental sources.

Here is the abstract to that paper:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20705131

Either way, the immune system of children diagnosed with autism is compromised.

Genes are only relevant when they are switched on or off. The cellular

environment is key. It stands to reason that children in the same family will be

subjected to similar environments, where they live, the food and water they

consume, the medical interventions they receive, etc. so it's very hard to draw

conclusions about genetic expression when the environments are nearly identical.

>

> I'm not a scientist, so I have no informed opinion on this one. Shared

> FYI only....

>

> Enjoy (or not),

> ~CJ

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

>

> Researchers find further evidence of disturbed immune system in autism

>

> April 17, 2012

>

> (Medical Xpress) -- A University of Kansas Medical Center study found

> significantly lower levels of several cytokines, the immune system’s

> messengers and regulators, in the plasma of children with autism

> disorder (AD) compared to that of unrelated healthy siblings from other

> families who had members with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The study

> was published in the April 2012 International Journal of Developmental

> Neuroscience.

>

> more...

>

> http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-evidence-disturbed-immune-autism.html

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> The Power Pumper makes physical therapy fun! Plus, funding sources are

available to provide a free Power Pumper to anyone who needs it.

> ------------------------

> http://www.powerpumper.com/friends/jrox.php?uid=bridalsh

> ------------------------

> Autism_in_Girls_and_Women-subscribe

> ------------------------

> Autism_in_Girls_and_Women-unsubscribe@...! Groups Links

>

>

>