I am not sure what to think about this. FDA cites hair-based autism diagnostic aid as ‘breakthrough’ | Spectrum | Autism Research News
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Hair based Autism diagnostic aid?
- Thread starter Suzette
- Start date
Yeah, the links are the bolded words: some metals and predict autisim diagnoses.
I am generaly not smart enough to get the whole picture. But I have alarm bells going off in my head that this is junk science. Especially after reading this (from the same article)
"But it is unclear how hair could provide information about exposures that occurred prenatally, when autism is thought to develop, Miller says. The first centimeter or so of hair growing from a follicle generally reflects only the past 30 days of someone’s exposures, though it’s feasible signatures extending beyond the hair’s lifespan could be detected with more development, he says."
I am generaly not smart enough to get the whole picture. But I have alarm bells going off in my head that this is junk science. Especially after reading this (from the same article)
"But it is unclear how hair could provide information about exposures that occurred prenatally, when autism is thought to develop, Miller says. The first centimeter or so of hair growing from a follicle generally reflects only the past 30 days of someone’s exposures, though it’s feasible signatures extending beyond the hair’s lifespan could be detected with more development, he says."
How I read this is somebody looking to make big bucks off of still unproven science if you can call it that. I objected to the words "journey towards a healthier future", as if I am somehow diseased if I have any form of autism and am inherently unhealthy if I am on the spectrum.
Additionally, it is just fast tracked and not approved and I suspect the ambition of being able to diagnose a specific type through a strand of hair a complete overreach as their data, while possibly compelling, is most likely from much too small a sample to be of much significance.
Even if my view is wrong and there is something there, I would never pay to use it as it is one more potentially expensive test that still needs many more signposts and a trained professional to determine a diagnosis. Quite frankly. this does not excite me at all.
Additionally, it is just fast tracked and not approved and I suspect the ambition of being able to diagnose a specific type through a strand of hair a complete overreach as their data, while possibly compelling, is most likely from much too small a sample to be of much significance.
Even if my view is wrong and there is something there, I would never pay to use it as it is one more potentially expensive test that still needs many more signposts and a trained professional to determine a diagnosis. Quite frankly. this does not excite me at all.
Everyone: Go to Google Scholar. Type in the phrase "autism and hair analysis". You will see several studies from several researchers on the topic.
I don't have time read all these right now,...off to work,...but likely will when I can. From what I can gather quickly, though, it suggests that there may be altered heavy metal metabolism in autistics that lead to an accumulation of various heavy metals within the hair. I would have to further study whether or not heavy metal accumulation occurs within the tissues and predisposes autistics to cancers, and such,...which I am not aware of.
Keep in mind, autism starts prenatally,...so don't let this information suggest that it was the heavy metal accumulation that caused the autism,...but rather, autism, itself, is not just a condition of the brain, but other organs, as well,... altering certain metabolic pathways, and may result in this heavy metal accumulation.
To be continued....
I don't have time read all these right now,...off to work,...but likely will when I can. From what I can gather quickly, though, it suggests that there may be altered heavy metal metabolism in autistics that lead to an accumulation of various heavy metals within the hair. I would have to further study whether or not heavy metal accumulation occurs within the tissues and predisposes autistics to cancers, and such,...which I am not aware of.
Keep in mind, autism starts prenatally,...so don't let this information suggest that it was the heavy metal accumulation that caused the autism,...but rather, autism, itself, is not just a condition of the brain, but other organs, as well,... altering certain metabolic pathways, and may result in this heavy metal accumulation.
To be continued....
Ah big Pharma rubbing their hands in avarice, its a load crap ,a nt baby living in an area of badly filtered water supply ,could be off the scale for mercury etc
iamlindsaythatisall
Tomorrow's just your future yesterday
I haven’t looked at these studies, but I definitely found them on Google Scholar.
“heavy metal accumulation”
So, given that there are several researchers looking into this phenomenon,...which by all accounts looks to be true, that autistics, as compared to the general population, may be more likely to have this accumulation of metals,...it begs the questions as to why.
So, if you look into "autism and heavy metal detoxification" this is one of the articles posted. Comparing-the-Genetic-Detox-Ability-and-Heavy-Metal-Burden-in-a-Cohort-of-Samples-of-Egyptian-Children-and-those-with-Autistic-Spectrum-Disorder.pdf (researchgate.net)
Keep in mind, the statistics,...clearly, not all of the autistic children tested were positive. However, it was identified that there are genetic variants present in some of these children that can account for the altered detoxification. As such,...one may surmise that SOME autistics will have altered detoxification if they carry these specific genes,...and autism is NOT caused by altered detoxification of heavy metals, per se, but may exacerbate symptoms.
To be continued...
So, if you look into "autism and heavy metal detoxification" this is one of the articles posted. Comparing-the-Genetic-Detox-Ability-and-Heavy-Metal-Burden-in-a-Cohort-of-Samples-of-Egyptian-Children-and-those-with-Autistic-Spectrum-Disorder.pdf (researchgate.net)
Keep in mind, the statistics,...clearly, not all of the autistic children tested were positive. However, it was identified that there are genetic variants present in some of these children that can account for the altered detoxification. As such,...one may surmise that SOME autistics will have altered detoxification if they carry these specific genes,...and autism is NOT caused by altered detoxification of heavy metals, per se, but may exacerbate symptoms.
To be continued...
If you dig into this further and ask "what detoxifies heavy metals in the body" then it comes back to antioxidants. Specifically, the ones that have been shown to improve autism symptoms,...the ones that cross the blood-brain barrier,...(1) resveratrol, (2) ubiquinol, and (3) N acetyl cysteine. I am on a daily dose of all three,...as each works on different pathways.
Statistically speaking, autistics tend to have an oxidant-to-antioxidant imbalance that can affect immune function, cerebral edema, alter methylation reactions (DNA, B12, folate, etc.) and neuronal functioning. It would appear that this same underlying condition also affects heavy metal detoxification. As such, the accumulation of heavy metals in the hair of some autistics suggests (1) an association with, but not causation of autism and (2) the importance of the oxidant-to-antioxidant balance in autism.
Diet, and in come cases, supplementation appears to be especially important for our overall health and brain function. Just like with any other condition affecting other organs, there may be things we can do to improve our overall functioning and health on a day-to-day basis.
Statistically speaking, autistics tend to have an oxidant-to-antioxidant imbalance that can affect immune function, cerebral edema, alter methylation reactions (DNA, B12, folate, etc.) and neuronal functioning. It would appear that this same underlying condition also affects heavy metal detoxification. As such, the accumulation of heavy metals in the hair of some autistics suggests (1) an association with, but not causation of autism and (2) the importance of the oxidant-to-antioxidant balance in autism.
Diet, and in come cases, supplementation appears to be especially important for our overall health and brain function. Just like with any other condition affecting other organs, there may be things we can do to improve our overall functioning and health on a day-to-day basis.
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Oh, right. When I had heavy metal testing from one dr, another dr smirked and ripped him a new one, telling me it was fake science and bogus data.
And NOW the FDA says it's good? Who is paying them now? Does Pfizer have a brand new test about to marketed, one that MUST be performed on all children, no all people, everyone! And now!!
And NOW the FDA says it's good? Who is paying them now? Does Pfizer have a brand new test about to marketed, one that MUST be performed on all children, no all people, everyone! And now!!
Although this test isn't an in utero test, it's simply a fact that an in utero autism test, if there is one, would result in an untold number of future autistics never being born (they'd be aborted in many cases). If that happens, good luck with the future of the world, World...
Similarly, I agree in regards to the test referenced in this thread or other such tests that they very likely could be damaging to autistic people.
Similarly, I agree in regards to the test referenced in this thread or other such tests that they very likely could be damaging to autistic people.
I think the great danger might be that it may convince diagnoticians too be too narrow in their focus and be dismissive of those who do not fit the StrandX mold.
Also the narrow focus on those before the age of 21 could lead to lazier types to ignore anyone older. But we know that would be a mistake as even kids today get missed.
Pull up the studies. They are from all over the world. Multiple researchers. But,...the bottom line is that this is an "associated" finding in a percentage of autistics. Two, there is simple treatment for heavy metal detoxification.
All the studies have shown is an "associated" finding in a percentage of autistics. Most likely to some individuals having either the missing genes and/or the metabolic redox status that results in an accumulation of heavy metals. Right now, there is no data to suggest, even in the most dystopian of societies, to consider abortion based upon some prenatal testing,...the statistics only show about 36% of autistics in their sampling to have these findings,...in other words, 64% do not. Besides, heavy metal detoxification is possible with simple treatments.
Aneka
Well-Known Member
This is like those facial maps that are supposed to "diagnose" organ diseases, analyzing pimple placement. According to those I should have died a long time ago.
I know. I ignored the second dr and did the treatments. It helped a lot and set me on a better path. I just found it very rich that some idiot degraded the first dr who was excellent.
Do you mean there's no data to suggest abortion based on some prenatal testing for autism or do you mean there's no data to suggest abortion based on some prenatal testing for other things as well? A big reason amnios are done is to identify abnormalities and then give the option (perhaps even subtly suggest?) to "terminate the pregnancy". Do mean we're not dystopian enough at this point in regards to autism (but are for other conditions such as Down Syndrome, etc).
Lets keep in mind correlation is not causation, lets not go down that slippery hill.
Context. For autism,...especially considering the rather broad presentation. At least in the US, perinatologists are far less likely to suggest these things now-a-days,...even within the context of Down's Syndrome (Trisomy 21),...even with things like Trisomy 18 which is known to be lethal. We get these babies in our NICU all the time, as we are a referral center.
Our perinatal medicine has changed significantly in the past 40 years. Most parents now-a-days have more access to the internet and statistics,...our societal values have changed,...and for the most part, even within the context of lethal conditions, the vast majority of parents in the US will deliver their babies, and choose to hold and love their baby until the end.
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