Guest guest Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 This is one of the most promising things I have read in awhile! Thanks Doris! --- In , Doris and Steve <sjsmith@...> wrote: > > New Autism Gene Doubles Risk > > Finding Suggests Autism Is Disease of Brain and Body By DeNoon > WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD > on Monday, October 16, 2006 > > Oct. 16, 2006 -- A single gene mutation doubles a child's susceptibility > to autism, a Vanderbilt-led research team reports. > > It's a discovery with far-reaching implications. Why? It isn't > specifically a brain gene. In fact, it affects multiple systems in the > body, including immune function and gut repair. The gene in question is > a variant form of a gene called MET. > > This suggests that the complex set of behaviors and mental disabilities > we call autism may not, as previously thought, be solely a problem with > brain development. It may also be linked to subtle developmental > problems throughout the body. > > The study, which included Pat Levitt, PhD, of the Vanderbilt Kennedy > Center for Research on Human Development, appears in the early online > edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. > > " We hypothesize that the common, functionally disruptive [MET gene > variant] can, together with other vulnerability genes and [genetic] and > environmental factors, precipitate the onset of autism, " Levitt and > colleagues suggest. > > New Autism Gene Important > > Kids with autism usually seem normal at first. Then they seem to > backslide, losing abilities they once had and suddenly withdrawing into > their own world. > > There are many theories about why this happens. Clearly, something goes > wrong with normal development. > > The MET gene, Levitt and colleagues note, encodes an important enzyme > called the MET receptor. Among other things, the MET receptor sends out > signals important for brain growth, brain maturation, immune function, > and gut repair. > > Many parents of children with autism report that their kids have > digestive problems and haywire immune responses. It's never been clear > whether this is directly or indirectly linked to their autism. > > Linking the MET gene to autism opens the door to exciting new research, > notes W. State, MD, PhD, director of the neurogenetics program > at Yale University. State's editorial accompanies the Levitt team's report. > > " The possibility that a MET variant might lead to immune dysfunction and > gastrointestinal disturbance along with autism-spectrum disorders is an > important question to pursue and one that will likely lead to some > debate, " State writes. > > That's because the first theory to link autism, gut problems, and immune > dysfunction blamed these symptoms on childhood immunization with the > measlesmeasles/ > mumpsmumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine. > > That theory -- now rejected by all but one of the researchers who first > proposed it -- holds that kids who develop autism are particularly > sensitive to the toxic effects of thimerosol, a form of mercury used as > a vaccine preservative. > > The thimerosol theory was rejected by an Institute of Medicine panel of > experts. Now the MET gene may reopen investigation into the link between > autism and other developmental problems. > > " The very important question of whether and how gut disturbance, > regression, and immunological issues may be related has been, in part, > obscured by this [thimerosol] controversy, " State writes. " Hopefully, > the present study will lead to additional rigorous investigations of > these questions without fueling unnecessary concern regarding MMR. " > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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