Autism symptoms reversed in lab?

[kcredden]

Symptoms of mental retardation and autism have been reversed for the first time in laboratory mice.
US scientists created mice that showed symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome - a leading cause of mental retardation and autism in humans.

more here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6245742.stm)
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Take it with a BIG grain of sale - Say the size of a cattle salt lick, but if it's true...


- Kc

[Daphne]

That might be good news for those with Autism caused by Fragile X (1 out of 12 possible) but for the millions out there with Austism not caused by Fragile X, it doesn't help.

Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder of development that lasts throughout a person’s life.

Current evidence suggests that as many as 12 or more genes on different
chromosomes may be involved in autism to different degrees.

Because the disorder is so complex, and because no two people with autism are exactly alike, researchers may never know the actual cause of Autism.

[Chuck]

That might be good news for those with Autism caused by Fragile X (1 out of 12 possible) but for the millions out there with Autism not caused by Fragile X, it doesn't help.

Autism is a complex microbiological disorder of development that lasts throughout a person’s life.

Current evidence suggests that as many as 12 or more genes on different
chromosomes may be involved in autism to different degrees.

Because the disorder is so complex, and because no two people with autism are exactly alike, researchers may never know the actual cause of Autism.

WOW, you sound like an Autism Doctor. Have you done your homework?

[kcredden]

Thank you Daphne, for pointing that out. I hope it's true, and can lead to the cure for all forms of autism. I have two motherfriends who have boys with Aspergers. Both are remarkable women too.

- Kc

[Antonio'sgirl]

I, also, have a few friends with autistic children, although I think they have different degrees/types. I have actually taught two of them in Sunday school. I hope that this is a big step forward in finding some sort of cure or treatment, but such things generally do take a long time in development. FOr example, my grandmother was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease when she was 39 years old (she died from complications of it in 2002, at the age of 74) and I know the Michael J. Fox foundation and other organizations have been claiming for the last 7 years or so that they are only 10 years away from a cure, and we know that there have been great strides made in cancer treatment just in our lifetime.

So, although we shouldn't jump the gun and think that this means autism will be eliminated in our lifetime, I also don't think we should be totally pessimistic either. I think this is great news and hope that for our children's children, a diagnosis of autism will be different than it is for us.