Solving the Autism Puzzle – The Fatty Acid Question and “Big, Fat Neurons�!

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Solving the Autism Puzzle – The Fatty Acid Question and “Big, Fat

Neuronsâ€!

By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.

Let me be clear.  I hate the expression “autism puzzle.â€Â  The only time

I’ll have the slightest affection for it is when it’s used in a sentence

such as “The autism puzzle has been solved.â€

This article delves into theories which will hopefully bring that day closer. 

I don’t say the theory expressed here is true.  But it's interesting.  And I

believe it’s worth discussion.

In the recently published book, “Food and Nutrients in Disease Managementâ€,

($133 on Amazon) edited by Ingrid Kohlstadt is a chapter entitled “Autistic

Spectrum Disorder: Dynamic Intervention for Neuronal Membrane Stabilizationâ€

by Kane, Ph.D, Annette Cartaxo, M.D., and Deth, Ph.D. In the

chapter a number of interesting claims are made.  I believe they’re

consistent with the experiences of many people with autism, and if verified,

provide a clear picture of what has gone wrong with the disease, and more

importantly, the road out of autism and other neurological disorders.

The discussion begins with evidence of neuroinflammation discovered by Dr.

Zimmerman and his colleagues at s Hopkins in 2005.  This

neuroinflammation upsets the balance between excitatory and calming

neuro-transmitters, causing the glutamate system to become overexcited and GABA

production to be curtailed.  This results in the development of autistic

symptoms and other neurological disturbances such as seizures.

Two biomarkers of this glutatmate excitotoxicity are mitochondrial dysfunction

and the formation of swellings (dendritic beads) along the nerve dendrites. 

The authors assert that “the appearance of dendritic beads is indicative of

dysfunctional mitochondria due to toxic exposure.â€Â  They have also observed

that calcium disregulation is also an accompaniment to mitochondrial

dysfunction, leading inevitably to oxidative stress.

The authors have examined the red cell fatty acid analysis run on thousands of

children with autism and other disorders at the Peroxisomal Disease Laboratory

of the Kennedy-Krieger Institute at s Hopkins University and concluded

autism is the result of a disturbance in cellular function due to toxic

insult.  Specifically, there’s a build-up of very long chain fatty acids

(VLCFAs) which causes impairment in the functioning of the peroxisome.  The

peroxisome is a cellular organelle responsible for critical cellular functions

such as creating cellular fats (phospholipids), generating bile acids necessary

for digestion, and breaking down very long chain fatty acids.

In discussing the issue with me, Dr. Kane suggested I imagine the very long

chain fatty acids as prison bars, preventing the cell from obtaining vital

nutrients and minerals.  The cellular fats, or phospholipids are critical for

the integrity of the cellular membrane. The cellular membrane should be viewed

as something akin to a port, from which the cell receives material from the

outside world.  If the docks aren’t in good shape then the cell can’t get

the material it needs to function properly.  Because of the disruption in the

cellular membrane, the cell can be depleted of phosphatidylcholine, leading to a

swelling of the cell.  Disruption of the cellular membrane can also have an

effect on mitochondrial function.

The authors write, " Peroxisomal disorders are characterizes by an accumulation

in tissue and body fluids of renegade fatty  acids: saturated and

mono-unsaturated VLCFAs (very long chain fatty acids), odd chain fatty acids,

and branched chain fatty acids, pristanic and phytanic, which are normally

degraded within the peroxisome, but instead can accumulate and form lipid rafts,

or ceramides, which derange cell membrane structure.  The accumulation of

renegade or VLCFAs reflects blocked detoxification and methylation pathways, and

may be characteristic in autism, PDD, seizure disorders, stroke, neurological

disease and states of neurotoxicity. "

In 1996 Dr. Kane had proposed that autism " may be the aftermath of a toxic

insult (viral infection, acetimonophen overdose, heavy metal toxicity) evoking

hepatic encepahlopathy, resulting in hyperammonenemia and suppression of several

key enzymes, such as carbamylphosphate synthesase, glutamine synthesase and

ornithine transcarbamylase. "   The high levels of ammonia would cause an

" increase in brain water and a deterioration in neuropsychological function. "  

The ammonia would also cause abnormalities in neurotransmitters and induce

injury to astrocytes which are already under oxidative stress.  For this and a

number of other reasons, Kane believes the oxidative stress should be viewed as

the result of a toxic event, rather than the cause of autism.  Kane asserts

that because of this, treating a patient with anti-oxidants is a little like

pouring water on a house after it's already burned to the ground.  She suggests

" treatment should be centered on re-building membrane structure and thereby

stabilizing membrane function. "   This involves clearing the body of ammonia,

very long chain fatty acids, and giving the cells those building blocks which

they've long been denied.

Another problem which has attracted the authors’ attention is the finding of

increase in the white matter in the brains of children with autism.  The work

of Dr. Margaret Bauman of Harvard in this area led them to theorize that the

“most likely explanation for the increase in brain size is the presence of

improperly formed or chemically abnormal myelin.â€Â  Another researcher

suggested that this difference might be the result of abnormal “myelin

phospholipids.â€Â  Dr. Kane explained to me her opinion that these abnormal

myelin phospholipids were generated as a result of the poorly functioning

peroxisome.

In essence, the peroxisome is generating these abnormal fats which are then used

in the creation of the myelin sheaths around the neurons.  Dr. Bauman and her

colleague Dr. Kemper have consistently found these enlarged neurons, which they

dubbed “big, fat neurons.â€Â  (The picture included with this article is of

normal neurons.) When electrical impulses are sent through these neurons they

don’t transmit as well as they should.  This can also explain why early in a

child’s life there appears to be this excessive growth in white matter, but it

diminishes in later years.  Although the neurons may appear to have a more

normal shape as time goes on, it’s simply that these abnormal fats have

atrophied over time, without any increase in function.

In their work Kane and Cartaxo have also noted that about one-third of the

autistic children tested have low cholesterol.  Low cholesterol is yet another

indicator of poor cell membrane integrity.  Because of my complete dedication

to you readers I had my daughter’s blood tested by the Peroxisomal Disease

Laboratory of the Kennedy-Krieger Institute of s Hopkins University for the

presence of abnormal fatty acids.   (Yes, you may address me by my Native

American name, “Don’t-have-a-buck†for my propensity to test all of these

various theories!)

She tested high for levels of certain very long chain fatty acids, and also low

in necessary short chain fatty acids.  The short chain fatty acids are vital

for the building of normal neurons.  In resolving these issues it’s Kane’s

approach to “burn†off the very long chain fatty acids, “build†by

supplementing the short chain fatty acids necessary for proper neuron

development, and “balance†the other fats.  This usually involves the

“intravenous administration of phosphatidylcholine (PC), folinic acid, reduced

glutathione and phenylbutyrate, appropriate co-enzymes, such as vitamins and

minerals, and balanced essential fatty acids (including oral supplementation

with evening primrose oil, egg yolk, meat fat, sunflower oil, flax oil, high EPA

fish oil, wild salmon, sardines) targeted to the patient’s individual

results.â€

In my discussions with Dr. Kane she was also able to relate these theories to

many other therapies which have been used in autism.  Hyper-baric oxygen

therapy (HBOT) for example is quite good for burning off the very long chain

fatty acids she’s seen in many autistic children.  However, it will also burn

off the short chain fatty acids as well.  Therefore, as a result, those

children most likely to benefit are those who already have a good supply of

short chain fatty acids so that they can handle the decrease. 

Children with seizures are more likely to have an exceptionally low amount of

short chain fatty acids, and thus HBOT treatment may increase their seizure

activity.  The low level of short chain fatty acids from my daughter’s test

also explains the failure of her stem cell treatments last year.  Her body

didn’t have enough short chain fatty acids to provide the raw materials

necessary for the stem cells to flourish.

In a similar vein, the ketogenic diet, which involves eating a great deal of

fat, causes the body to burn off long chain fatty acids, but may not fully

resolve the problem.  This may be why approximately one-third of the children

who have success on the diet have their seizures reappear after stopping the

diet.

The question of susceptibility genes for autism has also drawn a great deal of

attention from Dr. Kane, although she notes there has been a lack of consistent

findings.  She observes that certain genes can lead to an increased immune

reactivity due to the mother’s exposure to toxins.  She has had several

patients with exposure to arsenic from their city’s water supply, as well as

methylmercury during fetal development from the mother’s daily consumption of

white albacore tuna and swordfish.  These children had gross developmental

abnormalities which were resolved through the liberal administration of

essential fatty acids.  It is her opinion that “in-born†errors of

metabolism don’t present any greater challenges than those errors of

metabolism which are acquired later in life.

Dr. Kane’s lipid therapy treatment has also impacted her own life.  When her

son was 18 months old he had a severe stroke which left him in such a

debilitated state the doctors told her she should place him in an institution. 

She believes this happened as a result of her eating a great deal of tuna while

she was pregnant and while breast-feeding.  She started him on lipid therapy

and within a few months he had completely recovered.

But Dr. Kane is quick to observe that even though her son recovered, he still

had an underlying vulnerability to environmental insults.  When he went away to

Syracuse University he started working with lead-based paints and also got a

meningitis vaccination at the local clinic.  He had what appeared to be another

stroke, and began exhibiting autistic symptoms.  In a panic she called her

long-time friend Dr. Bernie Rimland and asked if he’d ever heard of

adult-onset autism.  Eventually she found cases of what looked like adult-onset

autism from the cluster of cases in Minamata Bay, Japan in the 1950s. 

(There’s also a report in Medline of adult-onset autism in a 31 year-old man

from infection by the herpes virus.)  For the second time in his life, Dr.

Kane’s son started on lipid therapy and he again recovered.

In Dr. Kane’s view autism is best described as a disruption of cellular lipid

metabolism.  This disruption can be caused by heavy metals such as lead,

mercury, or cadmium, pesticides, and also by viral infections.  Each one of

these environmental insults on its own, or in combination, can disrupt lipid

metabolism.

Personally, I believe Dr. Kane’s work to be an important contribution to

addressing autism.  She has presented her work at Columbia University, as well

as many medical facilities.  This work seems to be well-known, as I had no

difficulty in getting my regular pediatrician to sign off on these tests. 

After having so many tests done at labs of unknown quality it was refreshing to

see this last set being sent off to s Hopkins.

I’ll keep you posted as to what happens next.

Kent Heckenlively is Legal Editor of Age of Autism

P.S. Lipid Detox Therapy:

http://www.colecenter.com/therapies/LIPIDDETOXTHERAPY.pdf

Love, Gabby. :0)

http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

 

" I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had

some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin. " ~ Jerry Newport