Autism Science Month - Week 3: Immune Issues in Autism | | |
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Emerging research continually adds evidence to the complex, multifaceted relationship between immune dysfunction and autism. ARI has sponsored research and offered free online education on the co-occurrence of immune issues, including pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS), immunological dysregulation during gestation, and Ehlers-Danlos (EDS), and related hypermobility syndromes, and optimizing immunity with nutrition. | |
Read More about Immune Issues | |
Dr. Edelson's Editorial:
Large-Scale Studies in Autism: What do They Show?
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Over the past decade, many studies have documented substantial impairments in the gastrointestinal (GI), immunological, and metabolic systems of individuals with autism. Although this is well known among researchers in the autism biomedical field, many other professionals have yet to acknowledge the high rate of these medical comorbidities.
The lack of awareness of medical symptoms associated with autism is partly due to the poor lines of communication among researchers, clinicians, and therapists in the autism and general medical communities. Another reason for it, which is the theme of this editorial, is that many professionals are unaware of the findings of large-scale research studies, which are a core component of scientific investigation.
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The Immune System & Autism
What is the Connection Between the Immune System and Autism?
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The ideal immune system will:
- Recognize all foreign organisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, worms).
- Efficiently and rapidly destroy invaders.
- Prevent a second infection with the same microbe (have a good memory).
- Never cause damage to self.
Things that can go wrong:
- Immune deficiency/dysfunction: defective or ineffective response.
- Hypersensitivity: Over-reaction to innocuous foreign material, out of proportion to potential damage (allergy).
- Autoimmunity: Inappropriate reaction towards self, loss of self-recognition.
- Inflammation: Too-vigorous attack against invaders with “bystander” damage to normal tissue.
Dysregulation of immunity in people with autism can lead to any of these four problems.
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#WebinarWednesdays - Research Making a Difference | |
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Systemic Inflammatory & Autoimmune Diseases—PANS
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Jennifer Frankovich MD MS, clinical professor at Stanford University/Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, discusses the co-occurrence of systemic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases – including the overlap between pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and autism.
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Research Updates on Maternal Autoantibodies and Autism | Judy Van de Water, Ph.D., discusses current machine learning research used to identify several patterns of maternal autoantibodies associated with the diagnosis and severity of autism. She outlines the history of autoantibody research related to autism, defines a new subtype, and details animal model development. | |
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Eating Well for Immune Health -
Research
| Alan Gutierrez, MS, RD, LD, presents on optimizing immunity with nutrition and lifestyle. Gutierrez advises on nutrient-rich foods, their benefits to the immune system, and how to prepare them. The speaker touches on the importance of lifestyle in long-term immune health, especially sleep, hygiene, physical activity, and stress. | |
ARI Research Grant Closeup: Immune Issues | |
ARI conducts, sponsors, and supports research on the underlying causes of and appropriate medical care for autism. | | |
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Recent ARI grant recipients researching immune issues:
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Anna Maria Tartaglione, Ph.D., Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Italy. Testing cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2R) as a potential therapeutic target in ASD: a pilot study on a mouse model of maternal immune activation
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Suhas Kallapur, MD, University of California, Los Angeles. Discovery of ASD-related pathways in a novel preterm Rhesus macaque maternal immune activation model.
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Autism Science Month News | | |
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Understanding and Treating Self-Injurious Behavior Survey Tool
Research points to numerous reasons for self-injurious behavior (SIB). This new tool is designed to assist professionals and parents in identifying treatments that may reduce or eliminate SIB in clients or children. Responses to the survey questions may provide insight into one or more possible reasons why an individual engages in SIB. Links to published studies on causes and appropriate interventions are also provided based on responses to survey question answers.
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ARI's Impact Report is online now | | |
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Your Gift Matters:
April is Autism Science Month.
If you plan to give, thank you for keeping ARI on your list.
Earlier this year, we paused and examined the impact ARI is working to provide the autism community, allowing us to take stock of last year's initiatives and share our progress. Our latest impact report illustrates what we are doing to bring our mission to life.
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