Subject: this is huge-not only autism




This is mutations that up to 40 % of caucasions have:
Gene flaw may link autism, vaccine additive



By Bob Miller ~ Southeast Missourian

A study released today by an environmental organization offers
support to the theory that a vaccine preservative called thimerosal
may contribute to the cause of autism.

The study has found a genetic flaw that sheds further light on how
autistic children are metabolically different from healthy children.
This may explain why autistic children may not be able to excrete
mercury and other heavy metals.

Because of this finding, some doctors also believe that a relatively
simple mixture of nutritional supplements may provide a dramatic
treatment for autistic children.

The new 18-month autism investigation was conducted by Dr. Jill
James, a former Food and Drug Administration research scientist who
now works at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Her report claims that autistic children have a severe deficiency in
glutathione, which James said is the body's most important
detoxifier.

The Environmental Working Group, a not-for-profit organization that
investigates toxicity in the environment, is using James' study as a
way to petition for further thimerosal research.

Many parents and several researchers have speculated that thimerosal,
which is 50 percent mercury by weight, is the culprit behind the
exponential increase in autism cases over the last decade. Ten years
ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics estimated an autism rate of
one in 2,500 in the United States. Today, the rate is estimated as
high as one in 166. As many as one in six children have neurological
disorders. Many believe the rise in autism and the corresponding
increase in the nation's vaccine schedule are not coincidental.

Pharmaceutical companies removed thimerosal from required vaccines in
2002, but it still exists in most of the recommended influenza shots.

Autism theorists have for several years hypothesized that certain
children are susceptible to heavy-metal toxicity, which poisons the
brain.

The reports shows that autistic children have 133 percent
more "inactive" glutathione in their bodies than healthy children and
68 percent less "active" glutathione.

The report also gives parents hope. Preliminary results have shown
that certain supplements -- folinic acid and methyl B12 -- can bring
glutathione back to normal levels.

Dr. Elizabeth Mumper, the CEO for Advocates for Children and
associate professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of
Virginia Medical School, said she has seen dramatic improvements in
some autistic children who have been taking the supplements.

"I don't mean to imply that we can cure autism," she said. "But in
this subset, some have moved out of the [autism] spectrum and gone to
kindergarten without aid."

She said the metabolic makeup of autistic adults will have to be
studied, but she sees no reason why the nutritional aids won't help
autistic adults as well.

'Closer and closer'

News of such a breakthrough is exciting for Dena Petzoldt of
Fruitland, whose son, Ben, is autistic. Tests have shown that Ben has
high levels of heavy metals, including mercury, in his blood. The
family has traveled to many states to try various remedies.

"We're just getting closer and closer," she said. "There have to be
answers out there because there are so many autistic kids out there.
I'll definitely check into this."

James studied the metabolism of 20 autistic children. In a conference
call with reporters, she explained she started with 10 plasma samples
from autistic children.

The results were "very, very striking," she said. They were so
consistently abnormal that she added 10 more samples to her study,
just to make sure they were accurate. They came back the same.

Autism is generally regarded as a genetic and environmental mixed
bag. James said the genetic causes are complex. There could be 10
genes that contribute to autism.

The new finding makes sense for a number of reasons, she said.

Glutathione levels are naturally lower in males, which could help
explain why 70 percent of autistic children are boys. Estrogen, found
more predominantly in females, is an antioxidant like glutathione, so
girls have more chemical weapons to fight against metal toxins.

The glutathione discovery may also explain why so many autistic
children have intestinal disorders.

Glutathione, according to the study, is vital to proper functioning
of the intestines.

The Environmental Working Group is waving James' study in the face of
the Institute of Medicine.

In May, the IOM -- an independent scientific group commissioned by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to delve into the
thimerosal issue -- released a report which said there is no evidence
suggesting a link between the preservative and autism. It based its
findings on five epidemiology studies, including one from Denmark,
which has a different vaccine schedule and thus different thimerosal
exposure than the United States.

Epidemiology is a mathematical approach to science based on
complicated statistics derived from medical databases.

The IOM heard but did not accept the biological evidence, which was
only theoretical, the committee said. The IOM also suggested
that "further research to find the cause of autism should be directed
toward other lines of inquiry."

Dr. David Weldon, a congressman from Florida, has been the leading
government anti-thimerosal spokesman.

"The work of Dr. James and other have continued with private
support," Weldon said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the National
Institutes of Health has not yet dedicated funding to better
understand and develop interventions for the epidemic of children
suffering from neurological development disorders, particularly those
that have resulted from mercury exposures from childhood vaccines.

"Today's study, along with several other recently published
scientific studies, demonstrate clearly that the IOM overstated their
conclusions."

'Didn't dismiss anything'

Dr. Steve Goodman of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in
Baltimore sat on the IOM committee that reviewed the evidence.

He told the Southeast Missourian he couldn't speak for the IOM
because the committee no longer exists, but he said there was a
general feeling that thimerosal would be unlikely to turn out to be
the cause of autism. However, he said some of the IOM's statements
were misconstrued at the time.

"First of all, we didn't dismiss anything," he said. "We simply
stated the epidemiology evidence favored no relationship, which is
true. At this point there is no increased risk to the general
population.

"What we did say is if you've got a fixed pot, don't spend huge
amounts more on epidemiology. What we said was that resources would
be better spent on understanding the biology."

For several years a certain segment of the scientific community has
suspected that autistic children have a genetic susceptibility to
mercury and that thimerosal could be the environmental trigger to
autism. So why base a national report on five studies that don't
address the theory?

"That's what we're saying," Goodman said.

He said unless the genetic flaws can be identified and a test group
can be formed with the same flaws, there is no use for more
epidemiology, which suggests no danger to the healthy population.

The anti-thimerosal groups have been making that same argument since
May when the IOM report was released.

The IOM did admit in its report that "the committee cannot rule out,
based on the epidemiological evidence, the possibility that vaccines
contribute to autism in some small subset or very unusual
circumstance."

Regardless, major television networks only reported the news of no
link, followed by quotes from board members saying funding should be
spent elsewhere. Many physicians at the time considered the
thimerosal issue a closed book. And, according to a U.S.
congressional source speaking on the condition of anonymity, perhaps
the National Institutes of Health did too.

The National Institutes of Health has cited the IOM report when it
has denied funding for biological research, the source said.

Shortly after the IOM report came out, Columbia University researcher
Dr. Mady Hornig published a study showing that mice with genetically
susceptible immune systems displayed autistic-like behaviors when
given thimerosal.

While the Environmental Working Group acknowledges that James'
research doesn't prove a link, the organization says the findings
should force the government to pick up the issue again. The
epidemiology studies the IOM based its report on assumed that the
children had equal toxin-fighting capabilities, the EWG says.

Goodman didn't want to comment specifically on the new study until he
reads it.

"This type of study could fit in a much bigger picture and enhance
the understanding of autism and the immune system," he said. "It's a
small piece of fabric of a theory which may or may not turn out to be
true. But it doesn't mean that thimerosal causes autism. There are
lots of fragments, pieces of biological evidence and theories. But
those theories are still incomplete."


bmiller@...

243-6635



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© 2004, Southeast Missourian. This story was posted on the site
Monday, December 13, 2004. Send a Speak Out comment or a Letter to
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