148 posts · 31,616 views
Autism research, research blogging and health science stuff (picture is accurate)
Questioning Answers
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- June 17, 2013
- 10:35 AM
- 33 views
Autoimmune disease as a risk factor for mood disorder?
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Autoimmunity, the process by which the immune system fails to recognise self as self and subsequently targets those self tissues and cells, is something talked about quite a lot on this blog with autism specifically in mind. Part of the very wide and diverse immune-related features which have been discussed with at least some of the autisms in mind, it's not yet altogether clear exactly how and why autoimmunity is linked to behaviour but the association is an interesting one.Sally? @ Wikipe........ Read more »
Benros ME, Waltoft BL, Nordentoft M, Ostergaard SD, Eaton WW, Krogh J, & Mortensen PB. (2013) Autoimmune Diseases and Severe Infections as Risk Factors for Mood Disorders: A Nationwide Study. JAMA psychiatry (Chicago, Ill.), 1-9. PMID: 23760347
- June 15, 2013
- 09:10 AM
- 148 views
Autism, fetal alcohol syndrome and thyroid hormone?
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Alcohol is the drug of choice for many people these days. For most, it's a case of the odd glass of wine here or there or a beer whilst sat outside in the garden during the summer we're supposed to be basking in at the moment.The grape @ Wikipedia But there is no getting away from the fact that alcohol is a drug, and by all accounts, a drug which very readily impacts on the lives of many, many people. Outside of all the social ills associated with excessive alcohol consumption, there i........ Read more »
Tunc-Ozcan E, Ullmann TM, Shukla PK, & Redei EE. (2013) Low-Dose Thyroxine Attenuates Autism-Associated Adverse Effects of Fetal Alcohol in Male Offspring's Social Behavior and Hippocampal Gene Expression. Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research. PMID: 23763370
- June 13, 2013
- 03:16 AM
- 65 views
The Autism Impact Measure and more
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
It's the usual excuse from me, "the dog ate my homework sir", no not that one, the one about me having a busy week so not being able to post a particularly detailed blog entry this time around. Indeed although there is the usual plethora of research material to pick from, only a few studies have really caught me eye so far this week. But those studies are pretty interesting....Must try harder @ Wikipedia I'm starting with the paper by Stephen Kanne and colleagues* and their descriptio........ Read more »
Kanne, S., Mazurek, M., Sikora, D., Bellando, J., Branum-Martin, L., Handen, B., Katz, T., Freedman, B., Powell, M., & Warren, Z. (2013) The Autism Impact Measure (AIM): Initial Development of a New Tool for Treatment Outcome Measurement. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-013-1862-3
- June 10, 2013
- 04:39 AM
- 54 views
Asthma increases risk of ADHD?
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Asthma increasing the risk of ADHD? With a title like that derived from the paper by Mu-Hong Chen and colleagues* I couldn't resist posting an entry about it. Indeed the paper has one or two of the elements that I've come to love over my couple of years of blogging; in that we have two seemingly disparate conditions - one physiological, one behavioural - yet within the confines of the old 'correlation does not equal causation' quote, some possibility of a connection.Breathe @ Wikipedia &nbs........ Read more »
Chen MH, Su TP, Chen YS, Hsu JW, Huang KL, Chang WH, Chen TJ, & Bai YM. (2013) Asthma and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide population-based prospective cohort study. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines. PMID: 23730913
- June 7, 2013
- 04:49 AM
- 51 views
Autism, the ketogenic diet and Dangermouse
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
I'm proud of my quite 'unusual' area of autism research interest focused primarily on whether diet might, in some way, shape or form, be linked to or impact on some cases of the autisms. It's not been a particularly popular area of research down the years it has to be said. Most of which I've put down to its links to areas far outside of the behavioural dyad (as its known these days). That and all the gastrointestinal (GI) baggage inevitably associated with diets like the gluten- and casein-free........ Read more »
Ruskin, D., Svedova, J., Cote, J., Sandau, U., Rho, J., Kawamura, M., Boison, D., & Masino, S. (2013) Ketogenic Diet Improves Core Symptoms of Autism in BTBR Mice. PLoS ONE, 8(6). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065021
- June 4, 2013
- 04:34 AM
- 54 views
Toe walking and autism
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Whilst grazing, as one does, on the plains of the Internet savanna, I stumbled across an interesting article by Williams and colleagues* (open-access) describing a protocol for a study looking at toe walking. As what normally happens with me, memories of autism research times gone by started to flood back, culminating with the question: what ever happened to research looking at toe walking in cases of autism?En Pointe @ Wikipedia Going back quite a few years now, I remembered one occasion ........ Read more »
Barrow WJ, Jaworski M, & Accardo PJ. (2011) Persistent toe walking in autism. Journal of child neurology, 26(5), 619-21. PMID: 21285033
- June 1, 2013
- 04:34 AM
- 51 views
Epidermal growth factor and autism continued
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
I've talked before about epidermal growth factor (EGF) in relation to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) on this blog. In that entry (see here) the suggestion was that plasma levels of EGF were 'generally' (and I use the word very loosely) reported to be lower in grouped cases of ASD.Backing up a little, EGF is as its name suggests, a fairly abundant growth factor involved in various cell growth. Obviously that description of its function covers quite a lot of ground, so let me then focus your att........ Read more »
Russo AJ. (2013) Decreased Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Associated with HMGB1 and Increased Hyperactivity in Children with Autism. Biomarker insights, 35-41. PMID: 23645980
- May 29, 2013
- 03:57 AM
- 45 views
Impulsivity and uric acid
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
A few years back I posted about an interesting body of research on purine metabolism in relation to the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and how some work from the likes of Mary Coleman and Ted Page had reported high levels of uric acid to be coincidentally present in cases of ASD.The gout @ Wikipedia As with other research angles, the initial interest in this finding of hyperuricosuria - elevated urinary uric acid - and autism did not seem to last. Just like the dusty research d........ Read more »
Sutin AR, Cutler RG, Camandola S, Uda M, Feldman NH, Cucca F, Zonderman AB, Mattson MP, Ferrucci L, Schlessinger D.... (2013) Impulsivity is Associated with Uric Acid: Evidence from Humans and Mice. Biological psychiatry. PMID: 23582268
- May 26, 2013
- 04:27 AM
- 54 views
More on urinary metabolomics in autism research
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
The -omics. Y'know all those new-fangled disciplines which have sprung up to describe how sciences looks at genes, bacteria, etc. We used to call it plain old scientific analysis, but now depending on what your sample medium or technology or your target species is, its been rebranded and repackaged as an -omic.Shepherdess @ Wikipedia I've talked about a few of the -omics quite a bit on this blog and their relationship to systems biology; ranging from microbiomics (studying bacteria) to epi........ Read more »
Emond P, Mavel S, Aïdoud N, Nadal-Desbarats L, Montigny F, Bonnet-Brilhault F, Barthélémy C, Merten M, Sarda P, Laumonnier F.... (2013) GC-MS-based urine metabolic profiling of autism spectrum disorders. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry. PMID: 23571465
Mavel, S., Nadal-Desbarats, L., Blasco, H., Bonnet-Brilhault, F., Barthélémy, C., Montigny, F., Sarda, P., Laumonnier, F., Vourc′h, P., Andres, C.... (2013) 1H–13C NMR-based urine metabolic profiling in autism spectrum disorders. Talanta, 95-102. DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2013.03.064
- May 23, 2013
- 04:33 AM
- 54 views
Big data for autism and the promise of newborn bloodspots
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
An episode of the BBC program Horizon on 'Big Data' recently caught my attention. The content was a fascinating insight into how we are living in a data-rich age and how trawling/mining/dredging such data has the ability to advance medicine, predict crime and even make someone a few quid/dollars/euros on the stock market.Gone (data) fishing @ Wikipedia I'm a big believer in big data. In particular how, with the right sources, technology, techniques and people, big data might be able t........ Read more »
Mizejewski GJ, Lindau-Shepard B, & Pass KA. (2013) Newborn screening for autism: in search of candidate biomarkers. Biomarkers in medicine, 7(2), 247-60. PMID: 23547820
- May 20, 2013
- 03:59 AM
- 49 views
Autism, plasma cytokines and siblings
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
I'm gonna try and be fairly brief in this post on the paper by Valerio Napolioni and colleagues* (open-access) looking at plasma cytokine profiles in cases of autism and their asymptomatic siblings. Brief because (a) the paper is open-access and (b) the participant groups (autism: n=25; sibling controls n=25) were relatively small so one has to be quite careful in extrapolating the findings with any large degree of confidence.Siblings by Paul Klee @ WikiPaintings Just in case you are ........ Read more »
Napolioni V, Ober-Reynolds B, Szelinger S, Corneveaux JJ, Pawlowski T, Ober-Reynolds S, Kirwan J, Persico AM, Melmed RD, Craig DW.... (2013) Plasma cytokine profiling in sibling pairs discordant for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of neuroinflammation, 38. PMID: 23497090
- May 18, 2013
- 05:33 AM
- 54 views
Darth DSM-5 and autism
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Blue Harvest @ Wikipedia @ Family GuyI need to create a suitable atmosphere for this post, so try this music for size and think Blue Harvest...Right. The wait is over. The discussions / arguments / objections / agreements are all confined to history. Drum roll, spotlight centre-stage... enter DSM-5 and into unknown territory we all go, particularly with autism, sorry.. autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in mind.As you can see from the link above to the new diagnostic guidelines from the Ameri........ Read more »
Lai M-C, Lombardo MV, Chakrabarti B, & Baron-Cohen S. (2013) Subgrouping the Autism “Spectrum": Reflections on DSM-5. PLoS Biology. info:/
- May 16, 2013
- 04:00 AM
- 59 views
Meta-analysing MTHFR and autism
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
I told you so.I'm talking about the paper by Pu and colleagues* who meta-analysed the currently available literature looking at two SNPs in everyone's favourite Scrabble classic gene, MTHFR in relation to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Said gene controls production of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) which fits very snugly into the whole one carbon metabolism cycle (see here).Love at first sight? @ Wikipedia Regular readers might know that I have a bi........ Read more »
Pu D, Shen Y, & Wu J. (2013) Association between MTHFR Gene Polymorphisms and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Meta-Analysis. Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research. PMID: 23653228
- May 14, 2013
- 04:04 PM
- 79 views
RDoC and the cross-roads of psychiatry
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
The Irish poet Brendan Behan is, I think, credited with the phrase: "There's no bad publicity except an obituary". One wonders how appropriate this phrase might be to the 'diagnostic Bible' (except that it isn't) which is DSM-V which is poised to make its entrance into the World in the coming days.The real Homer @ Wikipedia Indeed, the story of DSM-V even before it hits the diagnostic shelves of all good psychiatric bookshops, has the makings of an epic piece of poetry or literature, o........ Read more »
Ian B Hickie1, Jan Scott, Daniel F Hermens, Elizabeth M Scott, Sharon L Naismith, Adam J Guastella, Nick Glozier, & Patrick D McGorry. (2013) Clinical classification in mental health at the cross-roads: which direction next?. BMC Medicine, 126. info:/
- May 12, 2013
- 06:51 AM
- 72 views
An interesting case report on autism and diet
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Nodding syndrome.Ever heard of it? Well, up until a few days ago I hadn't. That is before coming across articles on the topic by Richard Idro and colleagues* (open-access) and Angelina Kakooza-Mwesige and colleagues** (open-access). Whilst not specifically my line of expertise or interest, I was intrigued to read about how nodding and other symptoms of the epileptic variety, at least in some cases, seemed to be precipitated by food and showed a potential nutritional angle.Curving spacetime&........ Read more »
Herbert, M., & Buckley, J. (2013) Autism and Dietary Therapy: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Journal of Child Neurology. DOI: 10.1177/0883073813488668
- May 10, 2013
- 03:44 AM
- 71 views
Depression or antidepressant use linked to C.diff infection?
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
"There's no mystical energy field that controls my destiny". So said a very sceptical Han Solo.Regular readers might know that I'm a bit of fan of the whole gut-brain axis; indeed other kinds of axes too. I know that to some it might sound a bit daft that what goes on in our deepest, darkest bowels might actually have some important effects on the operations of the grey-pinkish matter floating around in skull central - and vice-versa - but nonetheless it interests me. The gastrointestinal ........ Read more »
Rogers, M., Greene, M., Young, V., Saint, S., Langa, K., Kao, J., & Aronoff, D. (2013) Depression, antidepressant medications, and risk of Clostridium difficile infection. BMC Medicine, 11(1), 121. DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-11-121
- May 8, 2013
- 04:35 AM
- 62 views
Does melatonin affect leaky gut? Relevance to autism
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Shocker alert: medicines might have more effects than those listed on the patient information leaflet.I like being surprised. I particularly like being surprised about medicines and health, and how many of the medicines which even reside in the typical household medicines cabinet* might carry the potential to do so much more than that listed on the package insert. Leaking? @ Wikipedia Take for example the recent paper I bumped into by Sommansson and colleagues** continuing their ........ Read more »
Sommansson A, Wan Saudi WS, Nylander O, & Sjöblom M. (2013) Melatonin inhibits alcohol-induced increases in duodenal mucosal permeability in rats in vivo. American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology. PMID: 23639810
- May 6, 2013
- 04:36 AM
- 78 views
The ESSENCE of autism comorbidity?
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Like Charlie Bucket looking through the sweet shop window at the delicious chocolates produced by the workforce of a certain Mr Willy Wonka (the candyman no less), I am always quite interested in the goings-on at the IMFAR autism research conference. The candyman can... @ Wikipedia This year (2013) proved to be a bit of a vintage, as once again the great and the good presented their Wonka bars of autism research; thus hinting at the direction of future autism research and what y........ Read more »
Höglund Carlsson, L., Norrelgen, F., Kjellmer, L., Westerlund, J., Gillberg, C., & Fernell, E. (2013) Coexisting Disorders and Problems in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The Scientific World Journal, 1-6. DOI: 10.1155/2013/213979
- May 4, 2013
- 03:30 AM
- 76 views
Surgery following self-injurious behaviour
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Discussions on self-injurious behaviour (SIB) or auto-aggression are not normally for the faint-hearted.Indeed, as I intimated on a previous post on SIB and autism, when such behaviours are witnessed in children and young adults - even older adults, one does wonder what the effects might be not only on the person themselves but also on a parent or a sibling as they watch their own flesh and blood banging their head on a wall or pulling their hair out or trying to gouge their eyes out. I can't pu........ Read more »
Sisk RA, Motley WW 3rd, Yang MB, & West CE. (2013) Surgical outcomes following repair of traumatic retinal detachments in cognitively impaired adolescents with self-injurious behavior. Journal of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, 50(1), 20-6. PMID: 23061560
- April 30, 2013
- 06:05 PM
- 83 views
Lyme and soda: hold the autism risk?
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
I've talked about the mighty tick previously on this blog and some speculation on how a tick harbouring the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi (or a close relation) bites and transmits said bacteria to humans which can lead to Lyme disease and whether this might be implicated in some cases of autism. Tickety boo @ Wikipedia The suggestion from that post was that whilst the data was speculative and relatively sparse at that time on whether Lyme disease is common in cases of autism........ Read more »
Mary Ajamian, Barry E. Kosofsky, Gary P. Wormser, Anjali M. Rajadhyaksha, & Armin Alaedini. (2013) Serologic Markers of Lyme Disease in Children With Autism. JAMA, 309(17), 1771-1773. info:/
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