Autism - A Physiological Disorder

Autism is not a psychological, but a biological/physiological disorder. There is a growing body of scientific evidence in this regard. There is also evidence to support the use of a number of nutritional and biomedical interventions for individuals with autism.

The following index links to citations describing emerging findings in autism research. This section is under construction and will be updated regularly.
  • Viruses and Bacteria in Autism
  • ​Aluminum
  • Autism and the Gastrointestinal System
  • Autism and Biomedical Treatment
  • Nutritional Deficiencies, Supplements and Diet
  • Autism and Detoxification
  • Autism and the Neurological System
  • Biomarkers
  • Autism and the Environment​
  • Immune System Dysfunction and Treatment
  • Prevalence
  • Genetics and Autism
  • Autism and Mitochondria
  • Autism and Oxidative Stress

Viruses and Bacteria in Autism

This is very interesting reading. Many different infectious agents have been linked to both encephalitis and autism. I will create links to abstracts and/or full research if available over time. 
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Atladóttir HO, Thorsen P, Ostergaard L, Schendel DE, Lemcke S, Abdallah M, Parner ET. Maternal Infection Requiring Hospitalization During Pregnancy and Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2010 Apr 23. (The researchers found that maternal viral infection requiring hospitalization in the first trimester and bacterial infection in the second trimester was linked to an increased risk of autism.

Caruso JM et al. Persistent preceding focal neurologic deficits in children with chronic Epstein-Barr virus encephalitis. J Child Neurol.  2000 Dec;15(12):791-6. (The researchers identified five children with chronic EBV infection which expressed itself with many neurological symptoms.)

Chess S, Fernandez P, Korn S. Behavioral consequences of congenital rubella. J Pediatr. 1978 Oct;93(4):699-703.

DeLong GR, et al. Acquired reversible autistic syndrome in acute encephalopathic illness in children. Arch Neurol.  1981 Mar;38(3):191-4. (Very interesting: During an acute encephalopathic illness, a clinical picture developed in three children that was consistent with infantile autism. This development was reversible.)​

Dyken PR.      Neuroprogressive disease of post-infectious origin: a review of a resurging subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2001;7(3):217-25.

Ghaziuddin M et al. Autistic symptoms following herpes encephalitis. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002 Jun;11(3):142-6.

Gillberg IC. Autistic syndrome with onset at age 31 years: herpes encephalitis as a possible model for childhood autism. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1991 Oct;33(10):920-4.

Hornig M, Weissenbock H, Horscroft N, Lipkin WI. An infection-based model of neurodevelopmental damage. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1999 Oct 12; 96(21):12102-7.

Hornig M, Lipkin WI. Infectious and immune factors in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders: Epidemiology, hypotheses, and animal models. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev 2001; 7(3):200-10.


Ivarsson SA et al. Autism as one of several disabilities in two children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.Neuropediatrics. 1990 May;21(2):102-3.

Libbey JE, Sweeten TL, McMahon WM, Fujinami RS. Autistic disorder and viral infections. J Neurovirol. 2005 Feb;11(1):1-10.

Lintas C, et al. Association of autism with polyomavirus infection in postmortem brains. J Neurovirol. 2010 Apr;16(2):141-9.

Nicolson GL, Gan R, Nicolson NL, Haier J. Evidence for Mycoplasma ssp., Chlamydia pneunomiae, and human herpes virus-6 coinfections in the blood of patients with autistic spectrum disorders. J Neurosci Res. 2007 Apr;85(5):1143-8.

Singh VK, Jensen RL. Elevated levels of measles antibodies in children with autism. Pediatr Neurol. 2003 Apr;28(4):292-4.

Sweeten TL, Posey DJ, McDougle CJ. Brief report: autistic disorder in three children with cytomegalovirus infection. J Autism Dev Disord. 2004 Oct;34(5):583-6.

Aluminum

With gratitude to the Children's Medical Safety Research Institute for the collection of this research.​ Micro-organisms plus aluminum adjuvants - a prescription for inflammation and auto-immune disease.

Aluminum Exposure at Human Dietary Levels for 60 Days Reaches a Threshold Sufficient to Promote Memory Impairment in Rats
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Protective effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on aluminum-induced cerebral damage in Alzheimer’s disease rat model
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​Aluminum Vaccine Adjuvants: Are they Safe?

Mechanisms of aluminum adjuvant toxicity and autoimmunity in pediatric populations

​Aluminum hydroxide injections lead to motor deficits and motor neuron degeneration

​Long-term Persistence of Vaccine-Derived Aluminum Hydroxide is Associated with Chronic Cognitive Dysfunction

​Long-term follow-up of cognitive dysfunction in patients with aluminum hydroxideinduced macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF)

​Do aluminum vaccine adjuvants contribute to the rising prevalence of autism?

​Aluminum Adjuvant Linked to Gulf War Illness Induces Motor Neuron Death in Mice

​Human Exposure to Aluminum

​Aluminum in the central nervous system (CNS): toxicity in humans and animals, vaccine adjuvants, and autoimmunity.

​The immunobiology of aluminium adjuvants: how do they really work?

​Aluminum inclusion macrophagic myofasciitis: a recently identified condition

​Macrophagic myofasciitis lesions assess long-term persistence of vaccinederived aluminium hydroxide in muscle

​A role for the body burden of aluminium in vaccine-associated macrophagic myofasciitis and chronic fatigue syndrome

​Aluminum as an adjuvant in Crohn’s disease induction

​Aluminum is a potential environmental factor for Crohn’s disease induction: extended hypothesis

​DNA released from dying host cells mediates aluminum adjuvant activity

​Mechanisms of aluminum adjuvant toxicity and autoimmunity in pediatric populations

​Alum interaction with dendritic cell membrane lipids is essential for its adjuvanticity

​Crucial role for the Nalp3 inflammasome in the immunostimulatory properties of aluminium adjuvants

​Mechanisms of Stimulation of the Immune Response by Aluminum Adjuvants

​Alum adjuvant boosts adaptive immunity by inducing uric acid and activating inflammatory dendritic cells

​Formulation of a killed whole cell pneumococcus vaccine – effect of aluminum adjuvants on the antibody and IL-17 response

​Silica crystals and aluminum salts mediate NALP-3 inflammasome activation via phagosomal destabilization

​Cutting Edge: Inflammasome Activation by Alum and Alum’s Adjuvant Effect Are Mediated by NLRP31

​Cognitive Deterioration and Associated Pathology Induced by Chronic Low-Level Aluminum Ingestion in a Translational Rat

​Model Provides an Explanation of Alzheimer’s Disease, Tests for Susceptibility and Avenues for Treatment

​Macrophagic myofasciitis: characterization and pathophysiology

​A Role for the Body Burden of Aluminum in Vaccine Associated Macrophagic Myofasciitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

​Aluminum Phagocytosis in Quadriceps Muscle following Vaccination in Children: Relationship to Macrophagic Myofasciitis

​Aluminum Should Now be Considered a Primary Etiological Factor in Alzheimer’s Disease
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Lack of Folic Acid Supplements During Pregnancy Linked With Increased Autism Risk in Children Exposed to Seizure Drugs In Utero
Large study ties gut issues in autism to inflammation
Study Debunks Autism as a Primarily Genetic Disorder
Hiding Behind Genetics - article

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