thought this is worth a read

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Errant Protein Could Solve The Riddle Of Autism

http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/research/2001/05/item20010511035526_1.

htm

A malfunctioning protein that regulates metal metabolism could be

the cause of autism, a debilitating developmental condition that afflicts

thousands of children, a study released Thursday said.

US researchers reported that a staggering 99 per cent of the

autistic children they studied showed a chemical imbalance in blood

levels of copper and zinc, suggesting that the protein family that regulates

the use of these two metals is malfunctioning.

The suspect metallothionein (MT) proteins control brain cell

development and are essential for ridding the body of certain toxins.

Their impairment could account for the stunted cognitive development and

gastrointestinal problems commonly seen in autistic children.

The study's author, Bill Walsh of the Pfeiffer Treatment

Center, in Naperville, Illinois, said the findings were so " extraordinarily

abnormal " that they immediately struck him.

Walsh presented his findings to the American Psychiatric

Association's annual conference in New Orleans.

If further research substantiated the theory, it could lead to

a quantum leap forward in our understanding of the disorder, he said.

" This might be central to the cause of autism, " explained Walsh.

" I think it will lead right to the autism gene and give us a roadmap for

therapy. " To date, the medical community has not been able to arrive at a

consensus on the cause or best treatments for the condition, which

typically affects children under three, impairing their language and social

skills and often associated with a host of gastrointestinal problems.

Much of the debate has focused on the question of whether the

measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination may trigger the

devastating condition, which in some cases robs children of the linguistic

and

social progress they have already made.

But recent studies, including one in March by the California

Department of Health Services which reviewed the data on all the autism

cases seen in the state over 14 years, appear to discredit that theory.

The question now is to determine whether the MT proteins are

genetically defective or disabled by a biochemical abnormality, which

may stem in part from environmental factors such as toxin poisoning, said

Walsh. In either case, doctors hope to stimulate the protein's

production and functioning by giving autistic children nutritional

supplements.

But in any event, if the further studies planned by Walsh and

his colleagues confirm their theory, their work could lead to an early

infant screening-test for autism predisposition, and advanced treatments to

correct the metal-metabolism disorder.

The study of 503 autistic children was conducted at the

Pfeiffer Center, an institute which leads the field in research into

biochemical

therapies for behavioural problems and mental conditions.

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