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'I hope he doesn't feel too lonely' — COVID-19 hits people with intellectual disabilities hard
Prior to COVID-19, 45% of people with intellectual disabilities reported feeling lonely.
29 April, 2020
MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images
My brother was supposed to move into his first "independent" home in mid-March. In his late 20s, and a person with an intellectual disability, he had finally gathered up the courage and the will to move out of our family home and live in a group home.
<p>
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, my brother's move is now delayed indefinitely, and his world remains mostly his bedroom. He can't go to his part-time job, the library, or to church.
<br/>
</p><p>
My brother and many others with intellectual disabilities face the additional burden of increased loneliness during COVID-19. While many people are experiencing isolation, anxiety and loneliness during this challenging time, we know that prior to COVID-19,
<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29441708" target="_blank">45% of people with intellectual disabilities reported feeling lonely</a> (that's compared to only <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5359916/" target="_blank">10.5% of the general population</a>). The <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2020/04/04/how-will-humans-by-nature-social-animals-fare-when-isolated" target="_blank">increased pressures living in quarantine</a> can result in challenges to mental health, sleep disruptions and mood swings.
</p><p>
We know that
<a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/loneliness-has-same-risk-as-smoking-for-heart-disease" target="_blank">loneliness is correlated with serious health risks </a>such as heart disease, weakened immune systems and stroke. For people with intellectual disabilities who had already long experienced loneliness and social ostracization, what significant impacts might this have on their mental and physical health? <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/covid-19-prevents-people-mourning-lonely-deaths-surge-200407051334527.html" target="_blank">Many COVID-19 patients die alone</a>. For people with intellectual disabilities already experiencing severe loneliness, this fact seems particularly cruel.
</p><p>
People with intellectual disabilities often
<a href="https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2020/04/california-coronavirus-developmentally-disabled-covid-autism-social-services-safety-net/" target="_blank">utilize resources such as home health aides</a>, day programmes, drop-in centres, family respite services and group homes. For health and safety reasons, many of these services are now unavailable or closed, increasing the responsibility of family members, affecting the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewpulrang/2020/03/19/updates-on-coronavirus-and-the-disabled-community/#486be504187a" target="_blank">routine of people with intellectual disabilities and significantly impacting their independence</a>. My brother is not able to go to his state-funded part-time job, removing his interaction with others outside of our immediate family and taking away the sense of purpose he felt by doing work.</p>
<p>These COVID-19-related service changes also reveal the complex interdependencies with families, caregivers and staff that most people with intellectual disabilities depend on in their day-to-day lives. In China, <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3048208/left-home-six-days-disabled-chinese-boy-dies-after-carer-dad-and" target="_blank">a family made headlines when a teenager with cerebral palsy died</a> in Wuhan after his father and brother, diagnosed with coronavirus, were quarantined in a treatment facility and unable to care for him.</p><p>Some people with intellectual disabilities are not able to quarantine alone or stay with their families due to their enhanced medical or behavioural needs. Remaining in group homes or <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/groups-at-higher-risk.html" target="_blank">similar long-term care facilities can allow people with intellectual disabilities access to the care they need</a>, but may put them at a much greater risk of infection. For people with intellectual disabilities who live independently or semi-independently but rely on home health aides, they and their families <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/11/coronavirus-ill-disabled-people" target="_blank">weigh the risk of exposing themselves to infection or not receiving the daily life supports they need</a>.</p><p>In addition to all of the health and safety guidelines we all must decipher and follow, people with intellectual disabilities face increased challenges when it comes to staying safe during COVID-19. My brother and many like him have had their daily routine disrupted completely, a challenge for many people with intellectual disabilities. Understanding the rapidly changing information about COVID-19 or updates to public health guidance can be puzzling, and people with intellectual disabilities may struggle to communicate without non-verbal cues.</p>
<p>In Saskatoon, Canada, <a href="https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/advocates-say-people-with-intellectual-disabilities-left-behind-in-covid-19-response/" target="_blank">some people with intellectual disabilities were so confused about the public health guidance to social distance that they went without groceries or other necessities</a>. It is unlikely that my brother really understands the importance of washing his hands or remembers how to do so correctly, even after seeing a video or reading a detailed pamphlet.</p><p>Organizations that support and advocate on behalf of people with intellectual disabilities are working hard to continue to provide services and resources, even amid reduced revenue and logistical challenges. <a href="https://www.inclusion-europe.eu/easy-to-read-information-about-coronavirus/" target="_blank">Inclusion Europe has produced an easy-to-read instructional guide about coronavirus</a>, designed for people with intellectual disabilities, available in several languages. The UN <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/03/COVID-19_CommunityEngagement_130320.pdf" target="_blank">has produced resources about how to include marginalized and vulnerable people</a>, including those with intellectual disabilities, in risk communication and community engagement. The International Disability Alliance has issued <a href="http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/sites/default/files/ida_recommendations_for_disability-inclusive_covid19_response_final.pdf" target="_blank">specific recommendations for a disability-inclusive COVID-19 response</a>.<br></p><p>People with intellectual disabilities face the prospect of navigating a healthcare system that is rationing care. During a time of resource scarcity, like the one many countries are experiencing during COVID-19, there simply aren't enough resources for every patient that needs them. When this occurs, <a href="https://www.vox.com/coronavirus-covid19/2020/3/31/21199721/coronavirus-covid-19-hospitals-triage-rationing-italy-new-york" target="_blank">medical professionals need to decide which patients receive these resources, </a>thus rationing out the care that is available.</p><p>In Italy, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/who-gets-hospital-bed/607807/" target="_blank">there are many stories of hospitals too overwhelmed with patients</a> to ventilate every person who needs it – medical professionals are forced to make heartbreaking choices about who receives care.</p>
<p>In the United States, the disability community, including the <a href="https://www.aapd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/COVID-19-Response-Package.pdf" target="_blank">American Association of People With Disabilities</a>, has advocated strongly against <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/04/people-disabilities-worry-they-wont-get-treatment/609355/" target="_blank">guidance in disaster preparedness plans such as those released by states</a> like Washington, Kansas, Tennessee and Alabama that recommend <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/us/coronavirus-washington-triage-disabled-handicapped.html" target="_blank">end-of-life decisions that could disadvantage people with disabilities</a>, including some that do not recommend providing ventilators to those with "severe mental retardation". Disability advocates assert that these policies directly impact civil rights. In response, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/us/coronavirus-disabilities-rationing-ventilators-triage.html" target="_blank">director of the federal health department's civil rights office has begun investigations</a>, and some of these states, including Washington and Kansas, are in the process of updating their guidelines to ensure they do not implicitly or explicitly condone discrimination.</p><p>Still, the fear and uncertainty associated with rationing of care is deeply disturbing to people with intellectual disabilities, who are worried that medical professionals, forced to make quick decisions and without a full understanding of their capacity and medical history, might prevent them from receiving medical resources.</p><p>People with disabilities and their advocates rightly point out that <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/04/people-disabilities-worry-they-wont-get-treatment/609355/" target="_blank">doctors may make assumptions about people with disabilities</a> based on bias. These fears are supported by <a href="https://www.thehastingscenter.org/confronting-disability-discrimination-during-the-pandemic/" target="_blank">research that ableism in medicine does exist</a>. People with intellectual disabilities and their family members remember unethical medical research done on people with intellectual disabilities in the name of science, like those experiments done on unwilling participants at <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/nyregion/coronavirus-disabilities-group-homes.html" target="_blank">Willowbrook State School in New York</a>. People with intellectual disabilities are still <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/11/10/sterilization-women-and-girls-disabilities" target="_blank">subject to forced sterilization</a> around the world.</p><p>For now, I am grateful that my brother doesn't seem to understand all the fuss around COVID-19 and I'm relieved that he's stuck at home. I hope that he doesn't feel too lonely. When I think of the inevitable time when we are allowed to return to our community, I wonder if my brother will follow hygiene guidelines. Will he stay away from people who are coughing? Will he tell us if he has a fever? For now, if he has to go to the hospital, I have to hope that his life is considered as valuable as someone without a disability.</p><p>Reprinted with permission of the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/covid19-coronavirus-intellectual-disabilities-loneliness/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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Scientists teach birds new songs by implanting them with false memories
Groundbreaking neurological research on songbirds provides insight on human learned behavior and speech.
31 October, 2019
Photo credit: AlexandraPhotos / Moment via Getty Images
- Scientists recently implanted a false memory into the brains of young zebra finches, teaching them a melody they had never heard before.
- By stimulating certain neural circuits in the male birds' brains, researchers taught them courtship songs bypassing the lessons of an adult tutor.
- Scientists hope this research expands our knowledge of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
<p>"Monkey see, monkey do" has been the way we have historically understood the learning process for humans and animals. However, scientists at UT Southwestern recently implanted a false memory into the brains of young zebra finches, teaching them a melody they had never heard before.<br></p><p>The <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/366/6461/83" target="_blank">researchers</a> identified the two regions of the brain responsible for encoding the memories through which the finch learn song-element durations. They were then able to manipulate the interactions between those regions of the brain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4756725/" target="_blank">using optogenetics</a>, a method of manipulating living tissue with light to control neural function. This guided the birds in the development of courtship songs they had never heard.</p>When one learns from observation, the memory of another individual doing something correctly guides you in learning to perform the behavior. How those "behavior-goal" memories are formed has been a mystery. Dina Lipkind, a biologist at York College, told <a href="https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/researchers-implant-memories-in-zebra-finch-brains-66527" target="_blank"><em>The Scientist</em></a> that the authors in this study were able to crack the first part of the process by discovering how a memory is initially formed that guides an individual to performing that behavior later on.
The anatomy of bird 'inception'
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ec72f3a2e728a0ee4bbecd080ab5cc7f"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TaC6D1cW1Hs?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>To test whether manipulating certain neural circuits could implant behavioral-goal memories, the researchers raised young male birds without any social or auditory experience gained through adult song tutors. </p><p>Typically, young male zebra finches learn to sing a mating song from their father or another adult tutor. The finches use their song to court female birds in a behavior that is called "directed singing." Naturally, the birds spend a great deal of time practicing their song in private so they are ready to swoop in and serenade a female when the opportunity arises. </p><p>Researchers optically tutored the finches using light pulses that stimulated certain neural circuits, which were designed to mimic short song elements. This "opto-tutoring" in the young birds shaped the temporal structure of their mating song in adulthood by imprinting "memories" of the song into the birds' brain, bypassing the tutor's lessons. The finches sang the courtship songs that corresponded to the duration of time light had kept the neurons active. Birds that received shorter pulses sang songs with a shorter duration, and those that received extended pulses held their melodies longer. </p><p>Interestingly, the researchers found that opto-tutored male birds grasped the social norms of singing. Like regularly tutored birds, they practiced their mating song when alone and, when presented with a female finch to woo, they performed using the shorter and extended notes they learned through the false memory implantation.</p><p>While the researchers were able to imprint the duration of syllables in the birds' memories, that isn't everything that they need to learn in the song. There are other important characteristics that a zebra finch needs to nail, including pitch and correctly ordering the syllables. Next the researchers want to identify the circuits that carry that other information, and investigate the ways to encode those memories.</p>Human Implications
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjA2MTAyOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDc4ODI1M30.hOJ6Ss6B38RGFMbYZWptoBreY1byF93CgB64UCC9s6k/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=107%2C169%2C27%2C95&height=700" id="24b6c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d68b68b4f1722fbcb7b9eaf048b79baf" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
<p>The groundbreaking study could potentially serve as a blueprint for discovering how genetic and social environments influence neural circuits over time.</p><p>"This is the first time we have confirmed brain regions that encode behavioral-goal memories — those memories that guide us when we want to imitate anything from speech to learning the piano," said <a href="http://profiles.utsouthwestern.edu/profile/134757/todd-roberts.html" target="_blank">Dr. Todd Roberts</a>, a neuroscientist with UT Southwestern's <a href="https://utswmed.org/odonnell/" target="_blank">O'Donnell Brain Institute in a press release.</a> "The findings enabled us to implant these memories into the birds and guide the learning of their song."</p><p>Because the zebra finches vocal development process is similar to humans, this knowledge might help us better understand the mechanisms of human speech and language learning. The hope is that someday it will be used to target certain speech genes that are disrupted in people with neurological conditions that affect vocalization, such as autism. Not only that, but it could be used to help kids understand other social patterns and cues. </p><p>Of course, the neural pathways of the human mind are a great deal more complex than the circuitry of a songbird's brain. While this research points us in the right direction on where to look for more information on neurodevelopmental disorders, it will be a while before science can imprint the human mind with false memories via light pulse. </p>
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7 things everyone should know about autism
Autism is a widely misunderstood condition surrounded by falsehoods, half-truths, and cultural assumptions.
22 July, 2019
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
- Autism-spectrum disorder covers a wide range of neurodevelopmental conditions that are highly individualized.
- The prevalence of autism continues to increase in the United States, not due to vaccines but increased awareness and improved diagnosis.
- Autism awareness is crucial as treatment strategies are more effective if accessed early.
<p><br></p></div>
<p><a href="https://bigthink.com/what-is-autism" target="_self">Autism</a> has captured headlines, and therefore an undue amount of cultural panic, for many years. Yet, many people remain befuddled regarding basic information of this developmental disorder.</p><p>They don't believe <a href="https://bigthink.com/do-people-with-autism-experience-emotions" target="_self">people with autism experience emotions</a>. (They do.) They fear that their child may catch autism from a classmate. (No, it's not contagious.) They wonder if the parents are to blame. (They aren't.) And they always want to know what an autistic person's savant talent is. (Autistic people certainly have talents, but movies have left us with the <a href="https://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/professional/savant-syndrome/resources/articles/the-autistic-savant/" target="_blank">false assumption that autism equals <em>Rain Man</em></a>.)</p><p>To help spread awareness — and cut through the falsehoods, half-truths, and misinformation — here are seven things everyone should know about autism.</p>
1) What is autism?
<p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html" target="_blank">Autism is a neurodevelopment disability</a>. People with autism have difficulty communicating or interacting socially and may engage in repetitive behaviors. They interact, behave, and learn in unique ways. Their behaviors may include avoiding eye contact, having trouble processing everyday sensory intake, showing no interest in make-believe games, and not enjoying physical contact such as hugging.</p><p>It's considered a <a href="https://www.autism-society.org/what-is/" target="_blank">spectrum condition</a> because it affects people differently (hence the phrase "on the spectrum"). No two people will display identical conditions nor require the same support. Some autistic people can live healthy, independent lives, while others require more extensive care and support.</p><p>Originally, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders categorized autism under the umbrella term "pervasive developmental disorder." But when the manual was updated to its fifth edition in 2013, it revised its criteria for autism. The category is now "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6UTUjoNDxA" target="_blank">autism-spectrum disorder</a>," and it combines conditions that used to be diagnosed separately. These include autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, and pervasive development disorders not otherwise specified (or PDD-NOS).</p><p>There is no lab test, like a blood test or genetic screening, available to determine if someone has an autistic-spectrum disorder. Medical professionals must make the determination based on behavior and development observations.</p>2) What causes autism?
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f2887a6319b5b5f8219d7e6bf258395c"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FHNwXicW3X0?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Scientists don't know what exactly causes autism. Current investigations suggest <a href="https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/autism-genetic-environmental" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a genetic origin</a>, though environmental factors have not been ruled out entirely.</p><p>While it's difficult to untangle the interplay between genes and the environment, a longitudinal cohort study published in <em><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2737582" target="_blank">JAMA Psychiatry</a></em> has provided the largest attempt so far. Researchers examined health data of more than 22,000 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from five countries. They estimated the <a href="https://bigthink.com/mind-brain/autism-genetics?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self">heritability of ASD to be approximately 80 percent</a>. They also found maternal effects — that is, the idea that the condition of the mother's body makes a child more likely to develop autism — to be insignificant. </p><p>"Although families are often most concerned about environmental risk factors for autism, the reality is that genetic factors play a much larger role overall," Andrew Adesman, director of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, told <em><a href="https://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/autism-news-51/autism-largely-caused-by-genetics-not-environment-study-748432.html" target="_blank">HealthDay News</a></em>. (Dr. Adesman was not involved in the study.)</p><p>It remains unclear how genes linked to autism are being activated, and researchers are quick to note that we can't altogether ignore potential environmental factors. After all, they are the ones we can potentially adjust or learn to avoid, and even if genes play the dominant role, the environment could still activate them.</p><p><a href="https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/autism/index.cfm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences</a> lists the following as associated with autism:</p> <ul> <li>advanced parental age at time of conception;</li> <li>prenatal exposure to air pollution or certain pesticides;</li> <li>maternal obesity, diabetes, or immune system disorders;</li> <li>extreme prematurity or very low birth weight; and</li> <li>any birth difficulty leading to periods of oxygen deprivation to the baby's brain.</li> </ul> <p>Other studies have found connections between autism and <a href="https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/autism-processed-foods?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self">high levels of processed foods</a> in maternal diets, as well as an absence of <a href="https://bigthink.com/philip-perry/researchers-may-have-found-what-causes-autism-and-even-how-to-prevent-it" target="_self">certain gut bacteria</a>.</p><p>Please note: No one claims these environmental factors cause autism, but they do appear to increase a child's risk of developing it when combined with unfavorable genetic factors.</p>3) Are rates of autism increasing?
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTk0OTkyNC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5OTkyNzUxNX0.MvXCxIDmT00JMMxb0-rMfpmY7CV-F-eDdmKDBx6qD9U/img.png?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C335%2C0%2C152&height=700" id="db369" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b0337dbec02e9616c4a78cafaea17afe" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />A graph showing the number of people with autistic-spectrum disorder in the world. (Source: IHME/Our World in Data)
<p>Yes, they are.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/ss/ss6706a1.htm" target="_blank">CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network</a> estimates the prevalence of autism among 8-year-old children in the U.S. Its estimates are based on more than 300,000 children across the U.S., with updates released every two years. </p><p>In 2016, the CDC estimated the prevalence of autism to be 1 in 68 children. By 2018, about 1 in 59 children were identified as autistic. That's a rate <a href="https://www.autism-society.org/what-is/" target="_blank">twice as high as 2004</a> (1 in 125).</p><p>Worldwide, the trend is similar. According to <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/neurodevelopmental-disorders" target="_blank">the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation</a>, in 2014 17.92 million people were estimated to have autism. By 2016, the number had grown to 18.30. As in the United States, <a href="https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-facts-and-figures" target="_blank">boys are four times more likely than girls to be diagnosed as autistic</a>.</p>4) What is causing this rising prevalence?
<p>Scientists aren't sure why the numbers keep climbing, but they know it's not something we <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/science-says-fluoride-water-good-kids-so-why-are-these-n920851" target="_blank">added to the water</a>. The likely answer is increased awareness and improved diagnosis.</p><p>For example, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/addm-community-report/differences-in-children.html" target="_blank">white children are identified as autistic</a> more often than black or Hispanic children, but the reason for this is not genetic. Rather, income, a lack of healthcare access, and non-English primary language are all cited reasons for the discrepancy. As these barriers are reduced, the gap has shrunk.</p><p>"Autism prevalence among black and Hispanic children is approaching that of white children," Stuart Shapira, associate director for science at CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Development Disabilities, said in <a href="https://www.autism-society.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-CDC-Update-Press-Release.pdf" target="_blank">a release</a>. "The higher number of black and Hispanic children now being identified with autism could be due to more effective outreach in minority communities and increased efforts to have all children screened for autism so they can get the services they need."</p><p>States with more extensive outreach services report <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-real-reasons-autism-rates-are-up-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank">higher a prevalence of autism among children</a>, too. New Jersey has the highest reported prevalence, but it furnishes extensive resources for professionals and support services. Conversely, the rural state of Alabama reports the lowest prevalence in the nation.</p><p>And let's remember that Asperger's syndrome and other disorders on the spectrum have been folded into a single diagnosis. As such, the number of children being diagnosed under a more cohesive criteria may bolster numbers previously spread out over distinct conditions.</p>5) Do vaccines cause autism?
<div id="ca4b1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="QBI0F81580924614"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="449525268529815552" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Healthy young child goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shot of many vaccines, doesn't feel good and changes - AUTISM. Many such cases!</div> — Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/statuses/449525268529815552">1396010150.0</a></blockquote></div><p>No, they do not.</p><p>This isn't news, but there remains a lot of doubt and confusion. To pick one notable <a href="https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/anti-vaccination?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self">anti-vaxxer</a>, President Donald Trump recently walked back this <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-26/trump-backs-vaccines-amid-measles-outbreak-drops-autism-claims" target="_blank">2014 tweet linking autism to vaccines</a> but still claims that too many vaccines in too short a time frame could have caused the rise in autism rates. He has also considered establishing a special autism commission to investigate this thoroughly-vetted practice.</p><p><a href="https://bigthink.com/politics-current-affairs/vaccines-autism?rebelltitem=2#rebelltitem2" target="_self">A 2019 Danish cohort study</a> look at the medical histories of more than half a million children born between 1999 and 2010. The researchers found no link between autism and the MMR vaccine (a vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella). They also found no increased risk of the vaccine triggering autism in susceptible subgroups.</p><p>This is just one of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/autism.html" target="_blank">many such studies</a> that have failed to link the two. So again: Vaccines do not cause autism.</p>6) Is there a cure for autism?
<p>No, there is no cure for autism, but the question — often phrased in this manner — is misleading. </p><p>Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, not a disease. It seems unlikely that we'll ever cure it with a pill; however, therapies and interventions have been developed to assist individuals and families addressing the challenges of living with autism.</p><p>"Intervention can help to lessen disruptive behaviors, and education can teach self-help skills for greater independence," writes <a href="https://www.autism-society.org/living-with-autism/treatment-options/" target="_blank">the Autism Society</a>. "<em>But just as there is no one symptom or behavior that identifies people with autism, there is no single treatment that will be effective for everyone on the spectrum.</em>" [Emphasis original.]</p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/can-autism-be-cured#current-treatments" target="_blank">Treatment strategies</a> can include social skills training, speech therapy, cognitive behavioral therapies, occupational therapy, family service plans, and individualized education plans. Which psychosocial interventions are selected will depend on the individual's strengths and weaknesses. </p><p>Biomedical interventions have been proposed and utilized, but <a href="https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/media-centre/position-statements/interventions.aspx" target="_blank">the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence</a> has ruled out many of them. In children, for example, they recommend never using chelation, secretin, or hyperbaric-oxygen therapies.</p><p>While treatment strategies will vary based on the individual's needs, they are all most effective if they are accessed as soon as possible.</p><p>"The earlier a child with autism is diagnosed and connected to services, the better," Coleen Boyle, director of the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, told <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/spike-in-autism-numbers-might-reflect-rise-in-awareness/" target="_blank"><em>Scientific American</em></a>. "Our message to parents is, if you have a concern about how your child learns, plays, speaks, acts or moves, take action. Don't wait."</p>7) What does the future hold for autism?
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ecaa911f242aaadacd388715f73fb244"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hjeBM95Nft0?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>The future looks bright. A drive toward autism awareness means more children are more likely to be diagnosed younger so they can begin therapies sooner. More communities are developing the resources necessary to support individuals and families living with autism. And a cultural shift toward neurodiversity has begun to lessen the stigma surrounding autism-spectrum disorders and other mental health conditions.</p><p>Even the increased prevalence of autism, which seems scary as a raw number, is ultimately a positive trend. The more young children diagnosed, the sooner their families can connect with the support and resources they need.</p><p>Researchers continue to look into the genetic causes of autism, too. They have begun to <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/discovery-of-18-new-autism-linked-genes-may-point-to-new-treatments/" target="_blank">identify the genes linked to autism</a> and to understand the relationship between autism, hereditable genes and <em>de novo</em> mutations. Revelations that may lead to new treatments and advancements in personalized medicine.</p><p>"In essence, that is personalized medicine, that is taking the genetic finding and determining what is the logical treatment and matching that patient up with an appropriate drug," <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjeBM95Nft0" target="_blank">said Jonathan Sebat</a>, chief of the Beyster Center for Molecular Genomics of Neuropsychiatric Diseases. "If we can find a few compounds that modulate neurodevelopment in the way that we want it to, and we can understand real disease mutations and how they respond to these drugs, then that's the beginning of precision medicine."</p><p>With improved awareness, dispelled half-truths, and scientists working toward new treatment options, the future may be very bright indeed.</p>
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The risk of developing autism is 80% genetic, researchers now say
The study — which involved more than 2 million children — is the largest of its kind.
19 July, 2019
Photo credit: MEHDI FEDOUACH / AFP / Getty Image
- The study involved more than 2 million children born in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Israel, and Western Australia.
- The results indicated that inherited genes accounted for about 80 percent of the risk of developing autism spectrum disorder.
- Still, it remains unclear which genes are at play in contributing to autism, and also how environmental risk factors contribute to the disorder.
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<p>Autism is primarily caused by inherited genes, says a new study that tracked the development of more than 2 million children over 16 years.</p><p>Published in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2737582" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>JAMA Psychiatry</em></a> on July 17, the study — the largest of its kind — examined health data of children born in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Israel, and Western Australia. About 22,000 of the children in the study developed autism spectrum disorder. The study found that 81.2 percent of the risk of developing autism was due to genetics, while environmental factors played a much lesser role. </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"What's immense about this study is the number of children across the world that were [included] — two million in the study population — and the large span of time, of a 16-year follow-up," Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, a pediatrician with Seattle Children's who did not work on the study, told <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/autism-genetics-risk_l_5d2f51aee4b0a873f645a519" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>HuffPost</em></a>. "It's hard to argue with the kind of tonnage of that number."</p><p>The findings line up with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26709141" target="_blank">past research</a> suggesting that genetics — not environment — is the major contributor to autism. </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Although families are often most concerned about environmental risk factors for autism, the reality is that genetic factors play a much larger role overall," Dr. Andrew Adesman, director of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, who was not involved in the study, told <em><a href="https://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/autism-news-51/autism-largely-caused-by-genetics-not-environment-study-748432.html" target="_blank">HealthDay News</a>.</em> </p><p>Adesman said environmental factors are still worth examining. "This does not mean that we can completely ignore the environmental risk factors and their interaction with the genetic risk factors," he added.</p><p>A trio of autism experts echoed a similar sentiment in an <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2737579" target="_blank">opinion piece</a> published by <em>JAMA Psychiatry</em>: </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">". . . potential environmental risk factors often receive disproportionate attention from the public and the media, even when (as in the case of vaccine fears) they are debunked. Even with a smaller contribution to risk, it is worthwhile to enrich understanding of environmental risk factors, which remain relatively understudied."</p><p>It's important to identify potential environmental risk factors because they could be modified, in theory. But scientists don't yet have a complete understanding of what those environmental factors are.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Some identified risk factors, such as preterm birth or birth complications, are already targets of public health efforts for other reasons," the authors wrote in the editorial. "Others, such as a shortened interpregnancy interval or an infection during pregnancy, may also be modifiable if the underlying risk mechanisms can be better understood."</p><p>Although the new study shows that genes are the primary contributor to autism, it remains unclear which genes are at play, and what exactly those genes are doing. What's more, it's possible that environmental factors could be interacting with genes in a way that increases the risk of autism. So, though the researchers are confident that genes account for 80 percent of the risk of developing autism, the other 20 percent remains a mystery. </p><p>But that might not be unwelcome news for parents. "On some level, I feel like we should feel comforted by [these findings]. Because it's almost like autism is explained . . . it's not because of what a parent is doing right or wrong," Swanson told <em>HuffPost</em>. "It is largely based on a child's genetic makeup."</p>
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New research sheds light on a possible cause of autism: processed foods
The more we learn about the microbiome, the more the pieces are fitting together.
24 June, 2019
Photo: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
- A new study from the University of Central Florida makes the case for the emerging connection of autism and the human microbiome.
- High levels of Propionic Acid (PPA), used in processed foods to extend shelf life, reduces neuronal development in fetal brains.
- While more research is needed, this is another step in fully understanding the consequences of poor nutrition.
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<p>A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-45348-z" target="_blank">new study</a> from the University of Central Florida, published in <em>Scientific Reports</em> on June 19, makes the case for the emerging connection of autism and the human microbiome. High levels of Propionic Acid (PPA), which is used in processed foods to extend shelf life and inhibit the growth of mold, appears to reduce neuronal development in fetal brains.<br></p><p>Turning to diet to better understand autism is not new. This new study implicates the mother's diet in the onset of autism in the developing fetus. Such a finding, if proven true, could have important consequences for prenatal care moving forward.</p><p>As the team comprised of Latifa S. Abdelli, Aseela Samsam, and Saleh A. Naser writes, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is marked by neuro-inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms. The spectrum includes varying levels of impaired social communication, as well as repetitive behaviors that impede a child's learning progress and ability to relate to others. </p><p>The number of children diagnosed with ASD has been ticking up by the year, though as Silberman writes, the spectrum is not new. Still, something is changing in societies causing this surge. In 2000, the CDC observed one out of every 150 children exhibiting such behaviors; by 2018, that number climbed to one of out every 59. </p>
Could Autism Be Caused by Gut Microbes? | Dr. Emeran Mayer
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="51dee99c5c7dea7b751e3cf672a32f93"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hczbp0-v4kI?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>The research team notes that thousands of genes are associated with ASD. While there is no singular likely culprit — they believe it is an interplay between genetic and environmental forces — they focused on maternal immune system abnormalities. Naser, who specializes in gastroenterology research, homed in on PPA as he had previously observed high levels of this carboxylic acid in stool samples of children with autism. </p><p>Excessive PPA reduces the number of neurons in the brain while simultaneously overproducing glial cells, resulting in inflammation, a marker of autism. Increased amounts of PPA damage neuronal pathways that allow the brain to communicate with the body. This toxic cocktail matches the symptoms of autism: repetitive behaviors, mobility issues, trouble communicating with others. </p><p>PPA naturally occurs in the human microbiome. Increased amounts of the acid, consumed by mothers by way of processed foods, appears to have a negative effect on their children. Increased PPA crosses into the fetus, potentially stunting neuronal development, which could aid in triggering the cascading effects that lead to the spectrum. </p><p>The acid was first discovered in 1844 by Austrian chemist, Johann Gottlieb, who noticed it in degraded sugar products. Isolated, it gives off the scent of unpleasant body odor. Manufactured, however, it is used to stop molding in animal feed, as well as human food products, <a href="http://msdssearch.dow.com/PublishedLiteratureDOWCOM/dh_096d/0901b8038096db9e.pdf?filepath%20=productsafety/pdfs/noreg/233-00419.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc" target="_blank">including</a> grains, baked goods, and cheese. It is approved for usage in the EU, USA, Australia, and New Zealand.</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTYxOTMzNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNDg5NzUwNH0.aGU8MCcgUfHqEN-1lrw3nkUQfAQ2exCNfhKdp_pgwik/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=74%2C9%2C217%2C261&height=700" id="80ba9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="518a862683ae1dcc81e0855b3c1b8439" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Autistic child attends the World Autism Awareness Day 2019 celebrations on April 2, 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo credit: Mohd Samsul Mohd Said / Getty Images
<p>Previous research has linked too much PPA with everything from nose and throat irritation to birth defects and cancer (in rats). While it is generally considered low in toxicity if swallowed, this study from UCF suggests that its effects on the maternal microbiome is far greater than previously imagined. It is, according to the researchers, only a first step, but an important one:</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"This research is only the first step towards better understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder. But we have confidence we are on the right track to finally uncovering autism etiology."</p><p>There is no benefit without cost. The low health cost of vaccines, for example — some injuries compared to untold millions of lives saved — seems a worthwhile tradeoff.</p><p>The high cost of processed foods does not seem to be worth the tradeoff, however. Convenience food is a market creation, not an evolution in good nutrition. Bread should not last for weeks on a shelf. Animals should not be fattened with low-nutrition foodstuffs, especially if the chemistry involved in producing it is ultimately harming our species.</p><p>These are the real costs of our agricultural system, which is having a direct, negative impact on our microbiomes. The research might not provide the answers that we're predisposed to believing, but science is not about popularity of responses. PPA might not be <em>the</em> cause of autism, and this research requires follow-up studies, but still, it's pointing to one potentially important marker. </p><p>--</p><p><em>Stay in touch with Derek on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/derekberes" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DerekBeresdotcom" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</em></p>
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