Re: Autism, Other Disorders Linked To Post-Natal Factors: Study

[Guest guest]

Thanks for posting this very interesting research

" When researchers removed the protein FKBP12, found in both humans

and mice, from studied mice, the animals demonstrated major

neurological and behavioral changes.

FKBP12 is known to regulate the activity of mTOR, an enzyme that

affects the ability to change behavior and regulates connections

between neurons, thus playing a key role in learning and

memorization. "

This protein FKBP12 regulates the activity of mTOR therefore

" Results showed an increase of mTOR signaling after removing the

protein from the brains of mice late in development. "

Perhaps this research could help to explain why curcumin is effective

in the treatment of autism because according to the research on

curcumin that I have read,... curcumin actually inhibits mTOR.

Eg.. " The inhibition of mTOR and PI3K subunits by curcumin "

http://www.ssat.com/cgi-bin/abstracts/08ddw/439094.cgi

Therefore perhaps curcumin actually helps to regulate[inhibit] the

activity of mTOR which would normally be regulated by FKBP12 ?

according to the research " results showed an increase of mTOR

signaling after removing the protein " [FKBP12]

Does anyone have any further thoughts or information on the function

or benefits of supplementing with curcumin and/or any further

information about the function of this mTOR enzyme in autism ?

Many Thanks

Rosemary

>

> Autism, Other Disorders Linked To Post-Natal Factors: Study

>

> http://is.gd/bgg1

>

> Washington (AFP) — Autism and obsessive-compulsive disorders

may

> be linked to factors other than genetics, despite widely held

beliefs

> otherwise, according to a study published Wednesday in the American

> journal Neuron.

> When researchers removed the protein FKBP12, found in both

> humans and mice, from studied mice, the animals demonstrated major

> neurological and behavioral changes.

> FKBP12 is known to regulate the activity of mTOR, an enzyme

that

> affects the ability to change behavior and regulates connections

> between neurons, thus playing a key role in learning and

memorization.

> The findings of the study, led by researchers at New York

> University's Center for Neural Science and the Baylor College of

> Medicine, may enhance scientific and medical understanding of

> disorders such as autism, which affects about one in 150 children in

> the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control

and

> Prevention.

> Results showed an increase of mTOR signaling after removing

the

> protein from the brains of mice late in development. The mice also

> demonstrated an enhanced ability to change connections between

> neurons, especially in those parts of the brain used for memory.

> Removing FKBP12 reduced the mice's capacity to analyze,

respond

> and adapt to new situations, according to the study.

> Once the mice learned a task, such as navigating a maze, they

> had difficulty learning how to travel through a different version of

> the maze. This type of enhanced perseveration, or pathological

> repetition, is often observed in individuals suffering from autism

or

> other neurological disorders.

> " Our results suggest that FKPB12 regulates neuron signaling

that

> curbs the manifestation of traits observed in several neurological

> disorders including autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder and

> schizophrenia, " said NYU neuroscientist Klann, the study's lead

> researcher.

> These disorders are widely believed to be " determined in utero

> by genetic hormonal and environmental factors, " he adds.

> But " because our study indicates that postnatal release of

mTOR

> activity can result in certain perseverative behaviors, it

challenges

> the idea that some aspects of these conditions are developmentally

> predetermined. "

>

[Guest guest]

Shouldn't this study be getting a huge amount of attention? I wonder

what if any relationship there is between KFPB12 and thimerosal or

other vaccine culprits.

>

> Autism, Other Disorders Linked To Post-Natal Factors: Study

>

> http://is.gd/bgg1

>

> Washington (AFP) — Autism and obsessive-compulsive disorders

may

> be linked to factors other than genetics, despite widely held

beliefs

> otherwise, according to a study published Wednesday in the American

> journal Neuron.

> When researchers removed the protein FKBP12, found in both

> humans and mice, from studied mice, the animals demonstrated major

> neurological and behavioral changes.

> FKBP12 is known to regulate the activity of mTOR, an enzyme

that

> affects the ability to change behavior and regulates connections

> between neurons, thus playing a key role in learning and

memorization.

> The findings of the study, led by researchers at New York

> University's Center for Neural Science and the Baylor College of

> Medicine, may enhance scientific and medical understanding of

> disorders such as autism, which affects about one in 150 children in

> the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control

and

> Prevention.

> Results showed an increase of mTOR signaling after removing

the

> protein from the brains of mice late in development. The mice also

> demonstrated an enhanced ability to change connections between

> neurons, especially in those parts of the brain used for memory.

> Removing FKBP12 reduced the mice's capacity to analyze,

respond

> and adapt to new situations, according to the study.

> Once the mice learned a task, such as navigating a maze, they

> had difficulty learning how to travel through a different version of

> the maze. This type of enhanced perseveration, or pathological

> repetition, is often observed in individuals suffering from autism

or

> other neurological disorders.

> " Our results suggest that FKPB12 regulates neuron signaling

that

> curbs the manifestation of traits observed in several neurological

> disorders including autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder and

> schizophrenia, " said NYU neuroscientist Klann, the study's lead

> researcher.

> These disorders are widely believed to be " determined in utero

> by genetic hormonal and environmental factors, " he adds.

> But " because our study indicates that postnatal release of

mTOR

> activity can result in certain perseverative behaviors, it

challenges

> the idea that some aspects of these conditions are developmentally

> predetermined. "

>

[Guest guest]

Jeez. Check out the google search page for " FKPB12 and Valproic

Acid " . http://tinyurl.com/5g544d Quite a few connections there,

though the most interesting article can't be opened. Depakote

(valproic acid or VPA) is a known cause of autism.

I'm pretty sure this is how the researchers knew to target FKPB12:

VPA had already been connected to destruction of FKPB12.

I'm still curious whether ethylmercury has similar inhibiting effects

on FKPB12 to VPA, particularly because ethylmercury has so many

similar effects on the brain as VPA. If someone finds out what in

vaccines does have such a similar effect, it would be pretty

explosive.

This is how the researchers knew to play with FKPB12 in the first

place: Valproic acid, aka, Depakote, is a known cause of autism.

>

>

> >

> > Autism, Other Disorders Linked To Post-Natal Factors: Study

> >

> > http://is.gd/bgg1

> >

> > Washington (AFP) — Autism and obsessive-compulsive

disorders

> may

> > be linked to factors other than genetics, despite widely held

> beliefs

> > otherwise, according to a study published Wednesday in the

American

> > journal Neuron.

> > When researchers removed the protein FKBP12, found in both

> > humans and mice, from studied mice, the animals demonstrated major

> > neurological and behavioral changes.

> > FKBP12 is known to regulate the activity of mTOR, an enzyme

> that

> > affects the ability to change behavior and regulates connections

> > between neurons, thus playing a key role in learning and

> memorization.

> > The findings of the study, led by researchers at New York

> > University's Center for Neural Science and the Baylor College of

> > Medicine, may enhance scientific and medical understanding of

> > disorders such as autism, which affects about one in 150 children

in

> > the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease

Control

> and

> > Prevention.

> > Results showed an increase of mTOR signaling after removing

> the

> > protein from the brains of mice late in development. The mice also

> > demonstrated an enhanced ability to change connections between

> > neurons, especially in those parts of the brain used for memory.

> > Removing FKBP12 reduced the mice's capacity to analyze,

> respond

> > and adapt to new situations, according to the study.

> > Once the mice learned a task, such as navigating a maze,

they

> > had difficulty learning how to travel through a different version

of

> > the maze. This type of enhanced perseveration, or pathological

> > repetition, is often observed in individuals suffering from

autism

> or

> > other neurological disorders.

> > " Our results suggest that FKPB12 regulates neuron signaling

> that

> > curbs the manifestation of traits observed in several neurological

> > disorders including autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder and

> > schizophrenia, " said NYU neuroscientist Klann, the study's

lead

> > researcher.

> > These disorders are widely believed to be " determined in

utero

> > by genetic hormonal and environmental factors, " he adds.

> > But " because our study indicates that postnatal release of

> mTOR

> > activity can result in certain perseverative behaviors, it

> challenges

> > the idea that some aspects of these conditions are developmentally

> > predetermined. "

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Is there anything that restores this function? My d went downhill

rapidly after a short[less than 5 wk] course of valproic acid.

Thanks,

> > >

> > > Autism, Other Disorders Linked To Post-Natal Factors: Study

> > >

> > > http://is.gd/bgg1

> > >

> > > Washington (AFP) — Autism and obsessive-compulsive

> disorders

> > may

> > > be linked to factors other than genetics, despite widely held

> > beliefs

> > > otherwise, according to a study published Wednesday in the

> American

> > > journal Neuron.

> > > When researchers removed the protein FKBP12, found in both

> > > humans and mice, from studied mice, the animals demonstrated

major

> > > neurological and behavioral changes.

> > > FKBP12 is known to regulate the activity of mTOR, an

enzyme

> > that

> > > affects the ability to change behavior and regulates connections

> > > between neurons, thus playing a key role in learning and

> > memorization.

> > > The findings of the study, led by researchers at New York

> > > University's Center for Neural Science and the Baylor College of

> > > Medicine, may enhance scientific and medical understanding of

> > > disorders such as autism, which affects about one in 150

children

> in

> > > the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease

> Control

> > and

> > > Prevention.

> > > Results showed an increase of mTOR signaling after

removing

> > the

> > > protein from the brains of mice late in development. The mice

also

> > > demonstrated an enhanced ability to change connections between

> > > neurons, especially in those parts of the brain used for memory.

> > > Removing FKBP12 reduced the mice's capacity to analyze,

> > respond

> > > and adapt to new situations, according to the study.

> > > Once the mice learned a task, such as navigating a maze,

> they

> > > had difficulty learning how to travel through a different

version

> of

> > > the maze. This type of enhanced perseveration, or pathological

> > > repetition, is often observed in individuals suffering from

> autism

> > or

> > > other neurological disorders.

> > > " Our results suggest that FKPB12 regulates neuron

signaling

> > that

> > > curbs the manifestation of traits observed in several

neurological

> > > disorders including autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder and

> > > schizophrenia, " said NYU neuroscientist Klann, the study's

> lead

> > > researcher.

> > > These disorders are widely believed to be " determined in

> utero

> > > by genetic hormonal and environmental factors, " he adds.

> > > But " because our study indicates that postnatal release

of

> > mTOR

> > > activity can result in certain perseverative behaviors, it

> > challenges

> > > the idea that some aspects of these conditions are

developmentally

> > > predetermined. "

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I wonder if the Mito Cocktail would help your son. Have you ever

tried it? Carnitor, Co Q10, Methyl B-12 as well as the other B-12's

It takes a while but I wonder if your son's has been teted for

Mitochondrial issues?

In EOHarm , " mbrookh " wrote:

>

> Is there anything that restores this function? My d went downhill

> rapidly after a short[less than 5 wk] course of valproic acid.

> Thanks,

>

>

> > > >

> > > > Autism, Other Disorders Linked To Post-Natal Factors: Study

> > > >

> > > > http://is.gd/bgg1

> > > >

> > > > Washington (AFP) — Autism and obsessive-compulsive

> > disorders

> > > may

> > > > be linked to factors other than genetics, despite widely held

> > > beliefs

> > > > otherwise, according to a study published Wednesday in the

> > American

> > > > journal Neuron.

> > > > When researchers removed the protein FKBP12, found in

both

> > > > humans and mice, from studied mice, the animals demonstrated

> major

> > > > neurological and behavioral changes.

> > > > FKBP12 is known to regulate the activity of mTOR, an

> enzyme

> > > that

> > > > affects the ability to change behavior and regulates

connections

> > > > between neurons, thus playing a key role in learning and

> > > memorization.

> > > > The findings of the study, led by researchers at New

York

> > > > University's Center for Neural Science and the Baylor College

of

> > > > Medicine, may enhance scientific and medical understanding of

> > > > disorders such as autism, which affects about one in 150

> children

> > in

> > > > the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease

> > Control

> > > and

> > > > Prevention.

> > > > Results showed an increase of mTOR signaling after

> removing

> > > the

> > > > protein from the brains of mice late in development. The mice

> also

> > > > demonstrated an enhanced ability to change connections between

> > > > neurons, especially in those parts of the brain used for

memory.

> > > > Removing FKBP12 reduced the mice's capacity to analyze,

> > > respond

> > > > and adapt to new situations, according to the study.

> > > > Once the mice learned a task, such as navigating a

maze,

> > they

> > > > had difficulty learning how to travel through a different

> version

> > of

> > > > the maze. This type of enhanced perseveration, or pathological

> > > > repetition, is often observed in individuals suffering from

> > autism

> > > or

> > > > other neurological disorders.

> > > > " Our results suggest that FKPB12 regulates neuron

> signaling

> > > that

> > > > curbs the manifestation of traits observed in several

> neurological

> > > > disorders including autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder and

> > > > schizophrenia, " said NYU neuroscientist Klann, the

study's

> > lead

> > > > researcher.

> > > > These disorders are widely believed to be " determined

in

> > utero

> > > > by genetic hormonal and environmental factors, " he adds.

> > > > But " because our study indicates that postnatal release

> of

> > > mTOR

> > > > activity can result in certain perseverative behaviors, it

> > > challenges

> > > > the idea that some aspects of these conditions are

> developmentally

> > > > predetermined. "

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Further Information about the use of Rapamycin to treat learning

disorders caused by Autism.

[i have read that Rapamycin was initially used as an antifungal]

June 25, 2008 in Mind & Brain

Existing Drug Reverses a Form of Mental Retardation in Mice

Scientists hope medication could treat learning disorders caused by

autism

By Nikhil Swaminathan

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=existing-drug-reverses-a & sc=rss

A drug already on the market for a completely unrelated condition

could be used to treat a form of mental retardation linked to autism—

if the results of a study in mice hold up, researchers report.

Scientists used rapamycin—a medication doctors prescribe to patients

who have had transplants to prevent their bodies from rejecting the

new organs—to treat learning disorders associated with a disease

called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in mice. TSC is a rare

genetic disorder that causes brain tumors, seizures, learning

disabilities, skin lesions and kidney tumors in the 50,000 Americans

and one million people worldwide who have the disease.

Half of those with TSC are autistic, and as many as one in five

people with the condition also suffer from mental retardation, so the

hope is that rapamycin may be used to treat learning disabilities and

short-term memory deficits in all kinds of autism as well, says

neurobiologist and co-author of a study in Nature Medicine, Alcino

Silva of the Geffen School of Medicine at the University of

California, Los Angeles.

Silva and his colleagues created mice with TSC by removing one copy

of the gene TSC2. (If researchers delete both copies of the gene, the

resulting mice die shortly after birth.) When the both copies of the

gene are turned on in either mice and humans, they produce and

regulate proteins that help strengthen connections between nerve

cells, which the brain needs to remember and learn.

The TSC mice performed poorly in various learning tests, such as

recalling where a platform was in a pool of water and distinguishing

between cages based on what was inside them. In the mice, Silva

says, " learning and memory are disrupted just like they [are]

affected in most patients with tuberous sclerosis. "

So why try rapamycin? The team got the idea, Silva says, after they

realized the drug regulates one of the proteins that the TSC gene

does, just in different parts of the body. When they tried the

experiment in animals three to six months of age—well into adulthood

for mice, according to Silva—rapamycin leveled the playing field

between normal and TSC mice in as little as three days.

" What was surprising is that we could give rapamycin to adult mice

and reverse their condition, " Silva explains. " We did not know…that

this drug would be equally effective for the learning disabilities "

as it is for tissue rejection.

Rapamycin costs about $1,000 per month for transplant recipients. It

suppresses the immune system in the body—which is necessary to thwart

tissue rejection. There are, however, the expected side effects from

a drug that suppresses the immune system: impaired wound healing,

infections, mouth sores and, in rare instances, skin cancer.

In addition to the learning deficits, Silva says his team has " early,

positive signs " from mouse models that rapamycin may also be able to

treat the kidney tumors, skin lesions, brain tumors and epilepsy

associated with TSC. Franz, director of the Tuberous Sclerosis

Clinic at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, adds that

the drug reduced kidney and brain tumors in small clinical trials he

has conducted.

The results of the new work are similar to findings in two other

diseases related to autism—fragile X syndrome and Rett syndrome.

Scientists were able to reverse mental retardation in mice suffering

both of those illnesses, as well. Put together, Silva says, these

results suggest that researchers are beginning to find brain

malfunctions that cause autism—and may be possible to reverse.

These studies " suggest that we're about to have a paradigm shift in

how we look at developmental disorders, like autism, " he explains.

These illnesses should no longer be viewed as something a person is

born with, according to Silva, who believes these disorders can be

eliminated by altering the brain's biochemistry.

Franz agrees that rapamycin can modify TSC. He thinks, however, that

Silva may be overreaching in extending its benefit to all autism

sufferers. " You might make them better, " he says, " but I don't think

you're going to normalize them. "

The next step, Silva says, is a clinical trial of rapamycin in humans

with TSC. That study is already underway at the University of

Cambridge in England.

> > Is there anything that restores this function? My d went downhill

> > rapidly after a short[less than 5 wk] course of valproic acid.

> > Thanks,

> >

>