"Environmental, State-Level Regulatory Factors Affect Incidence of Autism & Intellectual Disability"

[proverbialwisdom]

9. Discussion continued.

LOCKED: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014756282

olddad56
8. New study says _____ MAY be caused by _______________.

fill in the blanks. There are lots of studies that suggest lots of things.

This one is a good example. What it is saying is a condition may be caused by poison. You think?

REPLY: I wouldn't presume to vet the science a) myself or b) via anonymous posters on some internet forum.

This breakthrough publication by scientists from University of Chicago at Illinois, Stanford University, and the University of Chicago exploring environmental factors involved in the etiology of autism (by examining records of a population of 100,000,000) indicates a promising direction in research. Of course, some will oppose this on principle preferring exclusive focus on genetics, although that has not panned out particularly and cannot explain the dramatic increase in prevalence (wait for the April 2014 CDC update on NJ to 1:32, as described during the 1/2014 IACC meeting).

Coupled with absent US media coverage, these researchers are already being disparaged personally here: http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2014/03/14/autism-clusters-and-toxins/

OTOH, this great article by Katie Wright.

http://www.ageofautism.com/2014/01/katie-wright-on-autism-speaks-science-department-a-year-in-review.html

Katie Wright on Autism Speaks' Science Department: A Year in Review
By Katie Wright
Posted by Age of Autism at January 08, 2014

Part 1

Almost a year ago Dr. Rob Ring became Autism Speaks new Chief Scientific Officer. I was told that this would be a new era at AS science. Dr. Ring would be introducing more innovative, original research, reducing the amount of learn the signs studies and prioritizing underserved, severely affected people, biomedical interventions and meaningful here and now treatment for all. Sounds good right?

Well first the good news. AS funded an excellent $120,000 study on wandering prevention and another really terrific study on vocational training for young ASD adults. Earlier this year, thanks the very dedicated work of an AS board member, AS also funded a highly innovative study on $100,000 study on PANDAS. .

I allowed the entire year of 2013 to pass without any public comment because I wanted to give Dr. Ring the opportunity to follow through with his proposed reforms. However, we are now eight months into Dr. Ring’s tenure, looking at the most recent slate of grants, the third grant cycle under Dr. Ring’s authority. These grants are largely disappointing and so painfully conservative in nature that I cannot remain silent. I have tried, very hard, behind the scenes, for years, to lobby for better research. No one at AS science is listening. Our ASD children and young adults deserve so much better.

In 2013 virtually ALL the Weatherstone Predoctoral Fellowships were either genetic, early intervention or brain imaging in nature. It is my understanding that Weatherstone was intended to draw innovative young investigators into the field of autism, with special emphasis on the GAP areas in ASD research. AS has saturated the field early intervention and learn the signs research with money. There is absolutely no need to continue to subsidize growth in this area. To a large degree the same problem applies towards the fields of genetics and brain imaging.

Imagine if the NIH were to subsidize more research into the dangers of smoking cigarettes, which is what is happening here.

There are already 1,295 studies on autism and brain imaging/ fMRI and at least 1,000 more in the pipeline. Simons, Cold Springs Harbor and the NIH are MORE than happy to fund this area of research, AS needs to move on. Brain imaging is all about looking at brain inflammation, we need to know what environmental triggers are CAUSING this to happen. There are over 5,000 published studies on autism and genetics. Naturally some genetics research is indeed valuable but why are most AS grants still genetic in nature? Dr Ring knows this is NOT what AS families want. There are 11,000 published studies on the signs of autism. That is e-n-o-u-g-h; there are over 6,000 studies on early intervention. Additionally there are p-l-e-n-t-y of geneticists and brain imagers in the field or autism research. Weatherstone should be subsidizing predoctoral students in the biomedical and environmental sciences fields, neglected by AS and the NIH. Weatherstone could also be supporting researchers to study the biological functions of autism via GI, autoimmune and food allergies. How refreshing that would be!

Let’s take a look a the biggest Autism Speaks grants of 2013: MORE AT LINK.

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Katie Wright is Contributing Editor to Age of Autism. (Her parents founded Autism Speaks)

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