Harvard researchers confirm Gl/autism link

[Guest guest]

This REALLY points to SCD being a good idea, even though they don't say it!

http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/2006/05/harvard-researchers-

confirm-giautism.html

Harvard researchers confirm Gl/autism link

AUTISM RESEARCH REVIEW INTERNATIONAL

Vol. 20, No.1, 2006

Page 4

Biomedical Update:

Harvard physician Buie recently reported that biopsies performed by

him revealed the presence of chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal

tract, as well as the presence oflymphoid nodular hyperplasia, in 15 of 89

autistic children. The findings parallel those of Wakefield, the

researcher who first identified the presence of a unique type of

gastrointestinal disorder in children with autism spectrum disorders. Buie

told

a conference in December, " These children are ill, in distress and pain, and

not just mentally, neurologically dysfunctional. "

Buie, Rafail Kushak, and colleagues also have measured the activity of

dissaccharidases (enzymes that break down carbohydrates in the intestine) in

tissues obtained from duodenal biopsies from 308 autistic individuals,

comparing them to samples from 206 non-autistic controls. All of the

subjects

underwent endoscopy for suspected gastrointestinal problems. The

researchers report, " Autistic individuals with diarrhea [206 individuals]

demonstrated significantly lower maltase activity than non-autistic

individuals

with diarrhea. Frequency of lactase deficiency in autistic individuals with

failure to thrive [five individuals] was significantly higher (80% vs. 25%)

than

in non-autistic individuals with failure to thrive, and frequency of

palatinase

deficiency in autistic individuals with diarrhea was significantly higher

than in

nonautistic individuals with the same gastrointestinal problem. " Autistic

and

non-autistic individuals with other gastrointestinal problems exhibited

similar

frequencies of disaccharidase deficiencies.

These findings further support the link between autism and a novel form of

gastrointestinal disease, and are consistent with clinical evidence that

many

autistic children improve physically and behaviorally when they are placed

on

gluten- and casein-free diets and receive supplements of disaccharidase

enzymes.

- - -

" Gastrointestinal symptoms and intestinal disaccharidase activities in

children

with autism, " Rafail Kushak, Harland Winter, Farber, and

Buie, Abstract of presentation to the North American Society of Pediatric

Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Annual Meeting, October 20-22,

2005, Salt Lake City, Utah.

" Gastrointestinal symptoms and intestinal disaccharidase activities in

children

with autism, " Rafail Kushak, Harland Winter, Farber, and

Buie, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Vol. 41, No.4,

October 2005.

" Harvard Clinic scientist finds gut/autism link, like Wakefield findings, "

FEAT

Newsletter, December 2005. Address: Rafail I. Kushak, Pediatric GI/Nu-

trition, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02l14

[Guest guest]

This REALLY points to SCD being a good idea, even though they don't say it!

http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/2006/05/harvard-researchers-

confirm-giautism.html

Harvard researchers confirm Gl/autism link

AUTISM RESEARCH REVIEW INTERNATIONAL

Vol. 20, No.1, 2006

Page 4

Biomedical Update:

Harvard physician Buie recently reported that biopsies performed by

him revealed the presence of chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal

tract, as well as the presence oflymphoid nodular hyperplasia, in 15 of 89

autistic children. The findings parallel those of Wakefield, the

researcher who first identified the presence of a unique type of

gastrointestinal disorder in children with autism spectrum disorders. Buie

told

a conference in December, " These children are ill, in distress and pain, and

not just mentally, neurologically dysfunctional. "

Buie, Rafail Kushak, and colleagues also have measured the activity of

dissaccharidases (enzymes that break down carbohydrates in the intestine) in

tissues obtained from duodenal biopsies from 308 autistic individuals,

comparing them to samples from 206 non-autistic controls. All of the

subjects

underwent endoscopy for suspected gastrointestinal problems. The

researchers report, " Autistic individuals with diarrhea [206 individuals]

demonstrated significantly lower maltase activity than non-autistic

individuals

with diarrhea. Frequency of lactase deficiency in autistic individuals with

failure to thrive [five individuals] was significantly higher (80% vs. 25%)

than

in non-autistic individuals with failure to thrive, and frequency of

palatinase

deficiency in autistic individuals with diarrhea was significantly higher

than in

nonautistic individuals with the same gastrointestinal problem. " Autistic

and

non-autistic individuals with other gastrointestinal problems exhibited

similar

frequencies of disaccharidase deficiencies.

These findings further support the link between autism and a novel form of

gastrointestinal disease, and are consistent with clinical evidence that

many

autistic children improve physically and behaviorally when they are placed

on

gluten- and casein-free diets and receive supplements of disaccharidase

enzymes.

- - -

" Gastrointestinal symptoms and intestinal disaccharidase activities in

children

with autism, " Rafail Kushak, Harland Winter, Farber, and

Buie, Abstract of presentation to the North American Society of Pediatric

Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Annual Meeting, October 20-22,

2005, Salt Lake City, Utah.

" Gastrointestinal symptoms and intestinal disaccharidase activities in

children

with autism, " Rafail Kushak, Harland Winter, Farber, and

Buie, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Vol. 41, No.4,

October 2005.

" Harvard Clinic scientist finds gut/autism link, like Wakefield findings, "

FEAT

Newsletter, December 2005. Address: Rafail I. Kushak, Pediatric GI/Nu-

trition, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02l14