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Posted: 05-04-2011 09:28 Post subject:

Autistic brains "organised differently" say scientists
By Jane Hughes, Health correspondent, BBC News

People with autism use their brains differently from other people, which may explain why some have extraordinary abilities to remember and draw objects in detail, according to new research.
University of Montreal scientists say in autistic people, the brain areas that deal with visual information are highly developed.
Other brain areas are less active.
The National Autistic Society says the findings significantly increase understanding of the condition.

The research, published in the journal Human Brain Mapping, pulls together 15 years of data on the way the autistic brain works.
It suggests that the brains of autistic people are organised differently from those of other people; the area at the back of the brain, which processes visual information, is more highly developed.
That leaves less brain capacity in areas which deal with decision-making and planning.
That may be why people with autism can be better than others at carrying out some types of visual tasks.
For example, some are able to draw highly accurate and detailed images from memory.
However, they can find it difficult to interpret things like facial expressions.

The condition varies in severity, with some people functioning well, but others completely unable to take part in normal society.
The researchers believe their findings may lead towards new ways of helping people to live with the condition.
"For example, this may show a means to help people to literacy in a much more natural way than the usual methods of helping autistic people," said Dr Laurent Mottron from the University of Montreal.
"The natural tendency is to think that autism is a form of disorganisation. Here, what we see is that it is a reorganisation of the brain," he said.

Autism experts regard the research findings as significant.
"This review highlights that autism should not only be seen as a condition with behavioural difficulties, but should also be associated with particular skill," said Dr Christine Ecker from the Institute of Psychiatry at Kings College, London.
"It offers us unique insights into the way people with autism perceive their environment and helps us to understand some of their behaviour."
She said it added to the understanding of autism. "Knowing the strengths and difficulties of someone with autism may help to better understand their needs and help them maximize their potential."

Carol Povey of the National Autistic Society said: "This study is interesting as it begins to demonstrate why people with autism often show a strong single channel for focus and attention.
"Some adults with autism develop their own ways of coping with this experience, some seek out calm and quiet places, whilst others find creative outlets, like art, can help them both process the information as well as give others an insight into how they see the world.
"The more insight we have into the way autism affects sensory processing, the more people with autism, their families and professionals can develop strategies to make daily life easier."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12937009

Posted: 27-01-2012 08:39 Post subject:

Autism: Brainwaves 'show risk from age of six months'
By James Gallagher, Health and science reporter, BBC News

It may be possible to detect autism at a much earlier age than previously thought, according to an international team of researchers.
A study published in Current Biology identified differences in infants' brainwaves from as early as six months.
Behavioural symptoms of autism typically develop between a child's first and second birthdays.
Autism charities said identifying the disorder at an earlier stage could help with treatment.

It is thought that one in every 100 children has an autism spectrum disorder in the UK. It affects more boys than girls. While there is no "cure", education and behavioural programmes can help.

One of the researchers, Prof Mark Johnson from Birkbeck College, University of London, told the BBC: "The prevailing view is that if we are able to intervene before the onset of full symptoms, such as a training programme, at least in some cases we can maybe alleviate full symptoms."

His team looked for the earliest signs of autism in 104 children aged between six and 10 months. Half were known to be at risk of the disorder because they had on older sibling who had been diagnosed with autism. The rest were low risk.

Older children with autism can show a lack of eye contact, so the babies were shown pictures of people's faces that switched between looking at or away from the baby.
Sensors attached to the scalp looked for differences in brain activity.

In low-risk babies, or high-risk babies that did not develop autism, there was a large difference in the brainwaves when looking at each type of image.
There was a much smaller difference in the brainwaves of babies who developed autism.

Prof Johnson said: "It is important to note it is not a 100% predictor. We had babies who flagged up warning signs who did not develop autism."
There were also babies who did develop autism who had low-risk brainwaves. The test would need to be more accurate before it was used routinely.

Prof Tony Charman, Centre for Research in Autism and Education at the Institute of Education, said: "Differences in the use of eye gaze to regulate social interaction are already a well-recognised early feature in many children with autism from the second year of life.
"Future studies will be required to determine whether measurements of brain function such as those used in our study might one day play a role in helping to identify children at an even earlier age."

Christine Swabey from the charity Autistica said: "The hope is that this important research will lead to improved identification and access to services for future generations.
"Ultimately, the earlier we can identify autism and provide early intervention, the better the outcomes will be."

Dr Georgina Gomez-de-la-Cuesta from the National Autistic Society said: "Further research to investigate these differences will eventually lead to earlier recognition of the condition.
"Early intervention is very effective in supporting those with autism, so recognition in infancy can only be beneficial in helping individuals with autism reach their full potential.

"However, this important research is still in its early stages, and larger studies looking at several early markers of autism will be necessary before a robust clinical diagnosis could be possible at such a young age."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16740758

On R4 this morning, it was also pointed out that this reinforces findings that MMR vaccine does not cause autism, because these babies were much too young to have had the jab.

Posted: 05-04-2012 21:07 Post subject:

Posted: 05-04-2012 23:55 Post subject:

There are two possible reactions to this in the anti-vax movement.

One: Denying that thiomersal has actually been removed from the vaccines, and it's all a conspiracy by big pharma, the medical profession, the government, etc, or

Two: Claiming that it's the vaccine itself (or some other component) that causes autism.

I suppose they might conceivably admit they were wrong, and change their stance on vaccination, but I doubt that's terribly likely.

Posted: 06-04-2012 00:19 Post subject:

Posted: 16-06-2012 11:24 Post subject:

Uh oh...

MMR: A mother's victory. The vast majority of doctors say there is no link between the triple jab and autism, but could an Italian court case reignite this controversial debate?
By Sue Reid
PUBLISHED: 23:03, 15 June 2012 | UPDATED: 09:57, 16 June 2012

At nine months old, Valentino Bocca was as bright as a button. In a favourite family photo, taken by his father, the baby boy wriggles in his mother’s arms and laughs for the camera.

His parents look at the precious picture often these days. It is a reminder of their only son before they took him on a sunny morning to the local public health clinic for a routine childhood vaccination.

Valentino was never the same child after the jab in his arm. He developed autism and, in a landmark judgment, a judge has ruled that his devastating disability was provoked by the inoculation against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).

The judgment in a provincial Italian court challenges the settled view of the majority of the medical profession — and could have profound implications in Britain and across the world.
Valentino’s parents, Antonella, 44, and Maurizio, 43, have been awarded £140,000, to be paid by Italy’s Ministry of Health and they plan a civil action against the Italian government that may get them £800,000 more.

‘But, of course, the money will never bring back the perfect and beautiful child of 15 months that we had before the doctors gave him the inoculation,’ said his mother this week at the family’s small but beautifully designed flat near Rimini in northern Italy.
‘We have a different Valentino today. We love him just as much, but our lives will never be the same again.
‘He is nine, but cannot speak, and only sings a little to himself. He cannot hold a pencil. He has a special teacher at school to help him and finds it difficult to mix with other children. What the future holds for him, or for us, we do not know.’

The story of Valentino Bocca is a tragic one. His family have agreed to reveal their identity for the first time as the outcome of their case became public last week. They spoke exclusively to the Mail because they believe other parents all over the world should learn what has happened to their son.

Autism covers a huge range of developmental disorders which affect a child’s communication, social skills, and ability to lead a normal life.
Families caring for severely autistic children say their lives are blighted. Care of sufferers and related disorders costs the British state billions of pounds a year.

The number of autism cases has soared over the past four decades — at the last count researchers found one in 64 British children have some kind of autistic condition — and there has been widespread speculation over the cause of this widespread curse on so many families. In the Eighties, only four in every 10,000 children showed any signs of autism.

Suspicion has long been directed by some parents at the MMR vaccine, a triple cocktail of the measles, mumps and rubella viruses, although the Department of Health and NHS doctors have argued forcefully that better diagnosis of autism and environmental factors are responsible for the extraordinary rise in the number of cases.

In 1998, a highly controversial article in the medical journal The Lancet written by Dr Andrew Wakefield made a connection between the MMR jab and autism.

His research methods were later discredited, but as a result of the article countless numbers of parents in Britain refused to let their children have the jab, and cases of measles — which is very occasionally fatal — went up significantly.

In recent years, public confidence in the MMR inoculation has returned, but the Italian court’s judgment could reopen the controversy. This week, Luca Ventaloro, the Bocca family’s lawyer who specialises in helping families with vaccine-damaged children, proclaimed that the Rimini court judgment was the ‘first public admission’ that the MMR vaccine could, in some cases, lead to a healthy child developing autism.

Crucially, it came after Antonio Barboni, a doctor of forensic medicine and appointed by the judge to independently advise the court, wrote a report saying that ‘in the absence of any other pre-existing conditions’ it is a ‘reasonable scientific probability’ that Valentino’s autism can be ‘traced back to the administration of the MMR vaccine ... by the health authority’.
Dr Barboni’s findings were endorsed by two other eminent doctors who examined Valentino, investigated his medical background, and gave evidence to the court hearing.

Judge Lucio Ardigo, awarding compensation to the family, agreed. He said it was ‘conclusively established’ that Valentino had suffered from an ‘autistic disorder associated with medium cognitive delay’ and his illness, as Dr Barboni stated, was linked to receiving the jab.

Lawyer Mr Ventaloro explained yesterday: ‘This is very significant for Britain which uses, and has used, an MMR vaccine with the same components as the one given to Valentino.
‘It is wrong for governments and their health authorities to exert strong pressure on parents to take children for the MMR jab while ignoring that this vaccine can cause autism and linked conditions.’

Claudio Simion, a leading member of the lobby group Association for Freedom of Choice in Vaccination (Comilva), adds: ‘The Rimini judgment is vitally important for children everywhere. The numbers with autism are growing. It is a terrible thing that the authorities turn a blind eye to the connection between the MMR vaccination and this illness.’

Long, complex article....

Most doctors continue to argue that this is merely coincidence and that no convincing mechanism to explain a link has been set out.
The Department of Health has insisted: ‘MMR remains the best protection against measles, mumps and rubella. It is recognised by the World Health Organisation as having an outstanding safety record and there is a wealth of evidence showing children who receive the MMR vaccine are no more at risk of autism than those who don’t.’

However, the Italian judgment clearly suggests this important debate is far from over.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2160054/MMR-A-mothers-victory-The-vast-majority-doctors-say-link-triple-jab-autism-Italian-court-case-reignite-controversial-debate.html

Posted: 16-06-2012 11:41 Post subject:

A happier autism story:

How love of Billy the stray cat has finally brought four-year-old autistic boy out of his shell
By Liz Hull
PUBLISHED: 00:04, 16 June 2012

Even simple tasks used to be fraught with difficulty for Fraser Booth.
The four-year-old, who is autistic, easily became overwhelmed by everyday events, resulting in tears and temper tantrums.

Then Billy the stray cat came along. Abandoned by his previous owner and rescued from a boarded-up council house by a charity, he had not had the easiest start to life.

But since their first meeting, Fraser and Billy have been inseparable – and the moggy has helped bring the little boy out of his shell.
Now, whether it’s playtime, storytime or bedtime, Billy is there to offer a reassuring paw.
And he is the first to sense when Fraser is getting frustrated, calming him down with a cuddle or comforting purr.

Fraser’s mother Louise said: ‘If Fraser is around or playing in the garden, Billy is never far away. It is like he is watching Fraser and calming his behaviour.

etc... (with pics)

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2160079/How-love-Billy-stray-cat-finally-brought-year-old-autistic-boy-shell.html#ixzz1xx3Xo5yN

Posted: 16-06-2012 13:45 Post subject:

To which I say 'awwww'. Smile

Posted: 16-06-2012 20:26 Post subject:

Posted: 19-06-2012 07:55 Post subject:

A fascinating article.

Autism photographic competition winner

...

The competition shows how photography can be used to do far more than simply record a moment. "Judging this photo competition gave us an incredibly valuable glimpse of some of those special experiences and unique moments in time that mean so much to families whose lives are touched by autism," says photographer John Swannell, one of the judges. "I was delighted by the real feeling of positivity and hope that shone through in so many of the entries."

Another judge, Jay Blue, an amateur photographer and autistic writer and poet adds, "I am really pleased that so many of the entries in this competition challenged some of the common misconceptions that go with autism. These photos will strike a chord with so many people whose lives are touched by autism. The entries illustrate emotion, friendship, joy and, ultimately, humanity, it its many guises."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-18489694

Posted: 19-06-2012 20:56 Post subject:

The prevailing consensus in this thread bothers me and I've been meaning to post here for a long time.

I don't pretend to understand the merits or deficiencies of Dr. Wakefield's work. But after hanging out at Fortean Times and on Bill Corliss's site for a few years, it makes me very uneasy when a lone researcher arrives at an unpopular finding and is then completely pilloried by the scientific establishment. When he remains entirely unrepentant. Then the accusations of fraud and malfeasance start. History is littered with the ruined careers of people who turned out to be right, and anyone who thinks that the scientific establishment acts in a fair and balanced way to discern the truth is completely naive.

I work in the public health field and am not anti-vaccine by any stretch of the imagination. I dont work directly with vaccine programs or vaccine safety issues but I first became aware of concerns about MMR, Pertussis, and other vaccines back in the 80s and have been peripherally involved in a few meetings where the national level big wigs were holding forth. Vaccine safety issues are more complicated and nuanced than might be gleaned from information available in mainstream media.

There is long-standing medical consensus that MMR and some other vaccines do at least very occasionally cause neurological damage to both children and adults. I think it is fair to say that public health, clinical care-givers, the medical scientific establishment, the pharma industry, and the government have a huge interest in maintaining the status quo and mediating publicly available discussion about childhood immunization programs. There are of course a lot of nut job alarmists out there as well.

Given all that, I for one continue to withhold judgement on Dr. Wakefield. I think this is the only appropriate attitude for a Fortean to take. His conclusions may be entirely wrong, and I hope that they are, but it is not at all inconceivable that he is on to something.

Posted: 08-08-2012 12:44 Post subject:

Posted: 06-11-2012 13:25 Post subject:

Has it been mentioned on here how there appears to be links between the swine flu vaccine Pandemrix and narcolepsy? In Sweden a number of people who claim to have gotten narcolepsy from this, have recently reached a settlement with something similar to the Swedish national board of health.

Posted: 06-11-2012 13:39 Post subject:

Posted: 11-10-2013 23:25 Post subject: