Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Two minute test may be able to diagnose autism

Scientists at Virginia Tech may have found a way to diagnose autism in two minutes with a brain imaging test. If this pans out, it could save families the hours of difficult work currently necessary to qualify for services with a diagnosis of autism. Read Montague, the researcher, uses an MRI to make the diagnosis. This sounds as if it could pose a problem who children who have difficulty remaining still but Montague recognized this potential downfall and has found a way to use a single image for the diagnosis. Additionally, this form of diagnosis could allow for earlier detection that is currently available.

Virginia Tech scientists developing two-minute test for autism spectrum disorder

19 January 2015 - 2am PST

AVirginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have developed a brain-imaging technique that may be able to identify children with autismspectrum disorder in just two minutes.

This test, while far from being used as the clinical standard of care, offers promising diagnostic potential once it undergoes more research and evaluation.

"Our brains have a perspective-tracking response that monitors, for example, whether it's your turn or my turn," said Read Montague, the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute professor who led the study.

"This response is removed from our emotional input, so it makes a great quantitative marker." he said. "We can use it to measure differences between people with and without autism spectrum disorder."

The finding, slated for online publication this week in Clinical Psychological Science, demonstrates that the perspective-tracking response can be used to determine whether someone has autism spectrum disorder.

Usually, diagnosis - an unquantifiable process based on clinical judgment - is time consuming and trying on children and their families. That may change with this new diagnostic test.

The path to this discovery has been a long, iterative one. In a 2006 study by Montague and others, pairs of subjects had their brains scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, as they played a game requiring them to take turns.

From those images, researchers found that the middle cingulate cortex became more active when it was the subject's turn.

"A response in that part of the brain is not an emotional response, and we found that intriguing," said Montague, who also directs the Computational Psychiatry Unit at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and is a professor of physics at Virginia Tech. "We realized the middle cingulate cortex is responsible for distinguishing between self and others, and that's how it was able to keep track of whose turn it was."

That realization led the scientists to investigate how the middle cingulate cortex response differs in individuals at different developmental levels. In a 2008 study, Montague and his colleagues asked athletes to watch a brief clip of a physical action, such as kicking a ball or dancing, while undergoing functional MRI.

The athletes were then asked either to replay the clips in their mind, like watching a movie, or to imagine themselves as participants in the clips.

"The athletes had the same responses as the game participants from our earlier study," Montague said. "The middle cingulate cortex was active when they imagined themselves dancing - in other words, when they needed to recognize themselves in the action."

In the 2008 study, the researchers also found that in subjects with autism spectrum disorder, the more subdued the response, the more severe the symptoms.

Montague and his team hypothesized that a clear biomarker for self-perspective exists and that they could track it using functional MRI. They also speculated that the biomarker could be used as a tool in the clinical diagnosis of people with autism spectrum disorder.

In 2012, the scientists designed another study to see whether they could elicit a brain response to help them compute the unquantifiable. And they could: By presenting self-images while scanning the brains of adults, they elicited the self-perspective response they had previously observed in social interaction games.

In the current study, with children, subjects were shown 15 images of themselves and 15 images of a child matched for age and gender for four seconds per image in a random order.

Like the control adults, the control children had a high response in the middle cingulate cortex when viewing their own pictures. In contrast, children with autism spectrum disorder had a significantly diminished response.

Importantly, Montague's team could detect this difference in individuals using only a single image.

Montague and his group realized they had developed a single-stimulus functional MRI diagnostic technique. The single-stimulus part is important, Montague points out, as it enables speed. Children with autism spectrum disorder cannot stay in the scanner for long, so the test must be quick.

"We went from a slow, average depiction of brain activity in a cognitive challenge to a quick test that is significantly easier for children to do than spend hours under observation," Montague said. "The single-stimulus functional MRI could also open the door to developing MRI-based applications for screening of other cognitive disorders."

By mapping psychological differences through brain scans, scientists are adding a critical component to the typical process of neuropsychiatric diagnosis - math.

Montague has been a pioneering figure in this field, which he coined computational psychiatry. The idea is that scientists can link the function of mental disorders to the disrupted mechanisms of neural tissue through mathematical approaches. Doctors then can use measurable data for earlier diagnosis and treatment.

An earlier diagnosis can also have a tremendous impact on the children and their families, Montague said.

"The younger children are at the time of diagnosis," Montague said, "the more they can benefit from a range of therapies that can transform their lives."

Adapted by MNT from original media release

References

Source: Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute

Additional information

Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our Autism category page for the latest news on this subject.

Citations

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA
Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institut. "Virginia Tech scientists developing two-minute test for autism spectrum disorder." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 19 Jan. 2015. Web.
20 Jan. 2015. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/288173.php>

APA
Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institut. (2015, January 19). "Virginia Tech scientists developing two-minute test for autism spectrum disorder." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/288173.php.

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Great article about dietary and nutritional treatments for ASD

The article in the link at the end of my post comes from the Autism/Aspergers Research Program at Arizona State University and is written by James B. Adams, Ph.D, the director of the program. He summarizes dietary and nutritional programs based on information from over 150 different research studies. So, he has done all of the research for you and collated it into one spot.

A brief summary in the article states that "Autism is a very complex disorder, and involves many genetic and environmental factors that are not well-understood. However, there are many biomedical abnormalities that have been identified, and most can be treated to some degree. By following the testing and treatments outlined above, many individuals will improve to some degree, usually slowly
and steadily over months and years. Sometimes one treatment shows great benefit, but it is more common that each treatment helps a small amount. However, the cumulative effect of multiple treatments can be substantial."

I am a firm believer in the power of change that a good diet can have. Both for neuro-typical people and people on the spectrum. If I get in a poor eating rut, I notice less energy, a lower tolerance for frustration and I will often catch whatever virus may be floating around at the time. I have seen diet and nutrition have an even greater impact on people on the spectrum. It can often have a significant impact on their behavior which can be a life changer for families.

Unfortunately, the majority of people in the states eat a diet rich in processed foods and added sugars. My current country, Saudi Arabia, and many other countries, don't have many of the same issues as they don't have the same availability of processed foods so tend to eat a more whole food rich diet. Any dietician, whether you visit for health or weight loss, will first and foremost tell you to cut out added sugars and processed foods. The nutritional benefits of these two changes can make a world of difference, especially for people with ASD.

To dig deeper, many people have intolerances to gluten and casein (essentially wheat and dairy products) and people on the spectrum tend to be more sensitive to these intolerances, thereby it effects their behavior. There are many more foods that cause allergic reactions or that people may be intolerant of and, on the flip side, there are many improtant nutrients that we can derive from food that can have beneficial effects on health and wellness, and for people on the spectrum, behavior.

While committing to a strict eating routine can be difficult, especially in the beginning, the benefits can be significant and well worth the investment of time and energy in the long run. That being said, there is an abundance of information out there and it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. The following article is one of the most comprehensive, yet simple to understand, ones that I have seen on the subject. It is directed specifically towards people on the spectrum and it covers the topic thoroughly and clearly. Additionally, it only covers treatments that have been backed by research.

Each "treatment" section starts with a rationale of why the treatment may be effective, then proceeds to an explanation of the treatment and how to implement it, the possible benefits, the testing, and finishes with the research behind the treatment.

I highly recommend this article if you are considering a nutritional treatment plan, as a reference for better understanding if you already involved in one or as worth a look if you haven't considered or heard of nutritional treatments. Click here for the article.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Possibility of a drug reversing symptoms of ASD

Ok, so it has only been tested on a mouse so far...but it is still pretty exciting news!

The premise is that cells shut down when exposed to "dangers," whether they be toxins, viruses or genetic mutations. The scientists are calling this "cellular danger response." When they shut down, ordinary activities, such as communication between cells, is reduced. This can interfere with brain development and functioning.

This drug, which in the past has been used to treat sleeping sickness, seems to shut down the "cellular danger response" and restore cell functioning. The tests have been done on a Fragile X genetic mouse model and the drug has reversed the ASD symptoms.

It still has a long way to go before a human application but I will be keeping a close eye on the research!

Century-old drug reverses autism-like symptoms in fragile X mouse model

Date: January 15, 2015

Source: University of California - San Diego

Summary: Researchers previously reported that a drug used for almost a century to treat trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, reversed environmental autism-like symptoms in mice. Now, a new study suggests that a genetic form of autism-like symptoms in mice are also corrected with the drug, even when treatment was started in young adult mice.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect 1 to 2 percent of children in the United States. Hundreds of genetic and environmental factors have been shown to increase the risk of ASD. Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine previously reported that a drug used for almost a century to treat trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, reversed environmental autism-like symptoms in mice.
Now, a new study published in this week's online issue of Molecular Autism, suggests that a genetic form of autism-like symptoms in mice are also corrected with the drug, even when treatment was started in young adult mice. The underlying mechanism, according to Robert K. Naviaux, MD, PhD, the new study's principal investigator and professor of medicine at UC San Diego, is a phenomenon he calls the cellular danger response (CDR). When cells are exposed to danger in the form of a virus, infection, toxin, or even certain genetic mutations, they react defensively, shutting down ordinary activities and erecting barriers against the perceived threat. One consequence is that communication between cells is reduced, which the scientists say may interfere with brain development and function, leading to ASD.

Researchers treated a Fragile X genetic mouse model, one of the most commonly studied mouse models of ASD, with suramin, a drug long used for sleeping sickness. The approach, called antipurinergic therapy or APT, blocked the CDR signal, allowing cells to restore normal communication and reversing ASD symptoms.

"Our data show that the efficacy of APT cuts across disease models in ASD. Both the environmental and genetic mouse models responded with a complete, or near complete, reversal of ASD symptoms," Naviaux said. "APT seems to be a common denominator in improving social behavior and brain synaptic abnormalities in these ASD models."

Weekly treatment with suramin in the Fragile X genetic mouse model was started at nine weeks of age, roughly equivalent to 18 years in humans. Metabolite analysis identified 20 biochemical pathways associated with symptom improvements, 17 of which have been reported in human ASD. The findings of the six-month study also support the hypothesis that disturbances in purinergic signaling -- a regulator of cellular functions, and mitochondria (prime regulators of the CDR) -- play a significant role in ASD.

Naviaux noted that suramin is not a drug that can be used for more than a few months without a risk of toxicity in humans. However, he said it is the first of its kind in a new class of drugs that may not need to be given chronically to produce beneficial effects. New antipurinergic medicines, he said, might be given once or intermittently to unblock metabolism, restore more normal neural network function, improve resilience and permit improved development in response to conventional, interdisciplinary therapies and natural play

"Correcting abnormalities in a mouse is a long way from a cure in humans," cautioned Naviaux, who is also co-director of the Mitochondrial and Metabolic Disease Center at UC San Diego, "but our study adds momentum to discoveries at the crossroads of genetics, metabolism, innate immunity, and the environment for several childhood chronic disorders. These crossroads represent new leads in our efforts to understand the origins of autism and to develop treatments for children and adults with ASD."

Co-authors include Jane C. Naviaux, Lin Wang, Kefeng Li, A. Taylor Bright, William A. Alaynick, Kenneth R. Williams and Susan B. Powell, all at UC San Diego

This study was supported, in part, by the Jane Botsford Johnson Foundation, the UC San Diego Christini Foundation, the UC San Diego Mitochondrial Research Fund, and the Wright Family Foundation.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of California - San Diego. The original article was written by Scott LaFee. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

1. Jane C Naviaux, Lin Wang, Kefeng Li, A Taylor Bright, William A Alaynick, Kenneth R Williams, Susan B Powell and Robert K Naviaux. Antipurinergic therapy corrects the autism-like features in the fragile X (Fmr1 knockout) mouse model. Molecular Autism, 2015 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-6-1

University of California - San Diego. "Century-old drug reverses autism-like symptoms in fragile X mouse model." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 January 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150115163535.htm>.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Blood test for detecting autism before birth

This new blood test can detect anti-bodies in a mother's blood that causes approximately 23 percent of autism cases. They hope to have it on the market in the third quarter of the year.

Autism blood test nears market

Pediatric Bioscience test detects maternal antibodies linked to autism

By Bradley J. Fikes 08:57a.m. Jan 15, 2015, updated 11:30a.m. Jan 17, 2015

In a potentially major advance in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder, San Diego's Pediatric Bioscience is preparing to sell a blood test later this year that would detect risk of one of its most common forms.

The company's test detects antibodies in a woman’s blood that can cause what it calls “maternal autoantibody-related” autism, which the company says, based on clinical studies, represents 23 percent of all autism cases.

The test delivers a false positive response just 1.3 percent of the time, said Jan D’Alvise, the company's president and chief executive.

If the test lives up to its billing, it could significantly improve care and prevention of autism spectrum disorder, which now occurs in 1 of 68 births. The disorder is treatable with therapy to encourage social skills. But therapy works best when started as early as possible, when the brain is still young and plastic.

"About 500,000 kids are born with developmental delays each year," she said. "Pediatricians say it can take six to 12 months to be referred to a specialist for diagnosis."

A positive test in mothers of infants or young children could expedite referral for assessment, she said. Also, if given before a planned pregnancy, the test could help women decide whether they should turn to parenting alternatives such as surrogate pregnancy or adoption.

Children of those who test positive would be sent to a specialist for a final diagnosis, expediting therapy.

Pediatric Bioscience plans to start selling the test in the third quarter of this year, D'Alvise said at the Biotech Showcase conference in San Francisco, an annual meeting of biotech investors and companies held concurrently with the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. The company is now raising funds for that launch.

The test will cost about $1,000, and the company will partially subsidize the test for the women who aren't able to pay. Insurers are expected to reimburse for the test once they're familiar with it and have received recommendations from clinicians.

The market for such a screening method could be worth $1.8 billion annually, D’Alvise said.

While the form of autism identified by the test represents less than a quarter of all cases, a positive response for a potential mother greatly increases the overall risk, D'Alvise said at the conference.

Women who have a child with a developmental delay already have a 12 percent chance of having an autistic child. But the chance rises to 64 percent chance for those who score positive on the test.

Women who already have an autistic child have an overall 17 percent risk of having another autistic child; that risk jumps to 72 percent for those who score positive.

Risk is also higher in general for women over the age of 35.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.2 million Americans younger than 21 have autism. That’s 30 percent higher than what the CDC reported two years ago, and more than double what the agency calculated in 2002.

Behavioral tests

No test now exists that reliably links autism to biological markers, said Eric Courchesne, a top autism researcher at UC San Diego. Genetic variants have been found that correlate with autism, but these represent only a "very, very tiny subset" of all autism cases, Courchesne said.

"For some of those genes, defects are found in non-autistic individuals as well," he said. "So the search for genetic markers of autism is ongoing."

Tests for autism all look for behavioral clues, said Courchesne, who recently published research pointing to structural abnormalities in the brains of autistic children. These abnormalities were found by examining postmortem brain tissue from children with and without autism, all between the ages of 2 and 15.

But such analysis can't be performed on the living, so assessments look at behavior.

In 2010, UC San Diego autism researcher Karen Pierce co-authored a study in the Archives of General Psychiatry showing that an autism diagnosis was foreshadowed for infants as young as 14 months if they preferred seeing movies of geometric shapes to children dancing or doing yoga.

And abnormalities in eye-tracking in 2-to-6-month-old infants correlate to later autism diagnosis. Research on the correlation was published by Emory University researchers in November, 2013 in the journal Nature.

These tests indicate that the attention of autistic children is fixated on objects instead of other people.

Immune research

Pediatric Bioscience chief executive D'Alvise said the company started developing its test several years ago, based on studies led by UC Davis researcher Judy Van de Water, an immunologist who has long been investigating how the immune system is involved with autism.

Pediatric Bioscience's blood test for autism is based on studies led by UC Davis researcher Judy Van de Water.

Scientists traditionally assumed that immune activity was reduced in pregnant women to allow the mother to tolerate the developing baby. However, recent research has found that the immune system becomes hyperactive.

For example, a study by Stanford University researchers found that the immune cells of pregnant women over-react to flu viruses. The research, led by Dr. Catherine Blish, was published Sept. 22, 2014 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Because of this hyperactivity, the test isn't appropriate for pregnant women, D'Alvise said.

In autism, the theory is that in some women, antibodies attack certain proteins important to the fetal brain, impairing its normal development.

Van de Water and colleagues have so far identified seven antibodies involved in autism. They expect to find more as research continues.

In their most recent study, published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, the scientists tested the effect of human maternal autoantibodies on fetal mice. They found that the antibodies affect glial brain cells in the ventricular zone of the developing mouse brain. This provides a mechanism to explain development of autism, the study concluded.

Elizabeth Thomas, a scientist who studies autism and other neurological disorders at The Scripps Research Institute, commended Van de Water and colleagues as "pioneers in this provocative area of research." However, Thomas, who was sent the Cerebral Cortex study for review, said the research isn't quite at the stage where an autism spectrum disorder test should be marketed.

"While these studies are compelling to provide a pathogenic mechanism for how maternal antibodies may cause ASD symptoms, it is still not clear that the implicated proteins are the most relevant ones for ASD; hence it seems a bit premature to be marketing a diagnostic test for ASD based on these proteins," Thomas said by email.

"Antibodies often bind to many possible targets. A more convincing study would employ the use of individual antibodies purified against each of the proteins making up the diagnostic screen, and studying their effects on mouse neurodevelopment and behavior," Thomas wrote.

D'Alvise replied that she is aware of the criticism among researchers, but is confident the test will pass regulatory muster and be clinically useful. The test is now being examined for certification for use in a lab certified under CLIA standards.

"We have a team who has done this so many times, who have launched literally hundreds of clinical diagnostic tests," D'Alvise said. "We know what is required, and we all wouldn't be so dedicated and committed to this if we didn't believe that this test is going to meet all the standards with flying colors."

While more research is needed and ongoing, D'Alvise said the set of autoantibodies used in the test functions as a "very specific set of biomarkers for a major subtype of ASD."

The test will go through a large, blinded clinical validation study, which the company plans to complete this spring, D'Alvise said. The results will then be presented to CLIA. The company expects CLIA will then certify the Pediatric Bioscience testing laboratory, allowing it to market the test.

Van de Water also replied in an emailed response, stating that the research on the maternal autoantibodies extends far beyond the Cerebral Cortex article and even autism itself.

"The notion that an autoantibody can be a useful biomarker of disease risk, even when the role of those autoantibodies in disease pathogenies remains unclear, has precedence in several autoimmune disorders including those associated with SLE (anti-Ro/SSA, anti-La/SSB, anti-snRNP, and anti-Sm, and anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA))," van de Water wrote.

"While detection of autoantibodies to these nuclear antigens have been used for the diagnosis and monitoring of SLE for decades, their specific role in the pathology of this disorder are still largely unknown. This is the case for several, but not all, autoantibody associated autoimmune disordersm" Van de Water wrote.

"While it is hoped that in the future we might be able to use our knowledge regarding the identity of these autoantigens to explore possible therapeutic avenues, there is still a great deal of research to be done regarding which of the autoantibodies are most relevant to the changes in brain development."

From research to test

As one part of getting the findings from research to clinical use, Pediatric Bioscience had to calibrate how to interpret the presence or absence of the maternal antibodies to make the test reliable, with a special emphasis on reducing false positives. This is important to avoid providing false alarms.

At the same time, a positive result must predict a significant enough increase in risk to make it worthwhile.

The test was originally scheduled to launch late last year. During that time, the company changed how it performs the screening — from a complicated manual process that takes highly trained personnel to run -- to a more automated system that can scale to to the volume expected. D'Alvise said the automated system provides results as good or probably better than the original method.

“That gave us the confidence to move into full-stage development,” she added.

The company, which now has about 7 full-time employees, is preparing to expand with the introduction of the test. The company expects to have about 18 employees by the end of 2015, D'Alvise said.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Another argument against Monsanto

There appears to be a correlation between the use of Roundup (Monsanto's weed killer of choice) and Autism. Researcher Stephanie Senoff states that “At today’s rate, by 2025, one in two children will be autistic.”

Despite the higher cost of organic produce, research is continually supporting the importance of eating organic. Before purchasing, do your research to better understand what produce is the most impacted by pesticides. These are the ones that you should prioritize if buying all organic isn't in your grocery budget. For a simple reference on the products that should top your organic list, click here

MIT Researcher’s New Warning: At Today’s Rate, Half Of All U.S. Children Will Be Autistic By 2025
THE MIND UNLEASHED
on 28 October, 2014 at 07:51

Nick Meyer, althealthworks.com

Research scientist Stephanie Seneff of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a widely published author on topics ranging from Azlheimer’s Disease to autism and cardiovascular disease, raised plenty of eyebrows recently with a bold proclamation on autism at a special panel in Massachusetts about genetically modified organisms and other topics. “At today’s rate, by 2025, one in two children will be autistic,” Seneff said last Thursday in Groton, MA at an event sponsored by the holistic-focused Groton Wellness organization.

Seneff presented slides showing a remarkably consistent correlation between the rising use of Roundup (with its active ingredient glyphosate) on crops and the rising rates of autism; while it doesn’t show a direct correlation it does give researchers plenty to think about, especially considering Seneff’s research into the side effects of autism that mimic glyphosate toxicity and deficiencies.

The slide notes that the heaviest use of Roundup, Monsanto’s flagship weedkiller, began in 1990 and continued to rise since. Meanwhile, the number of kids with autism has gone from 1 in 5,000 in 1975 to 1 in 68 today, a puzzling and frustrating stat that shows no signs of slowing down and one that correlates strongly with the rise in glyphosate use. Of course, autism is a complex problem with many potential causes, but the numbers are particularly of note considering how close the correlation is, and Seneff’s credentials. Dr. Seneff has written 10 papers (7 as the first author) in various medical and health journals on modern diseases as well as drug side effects, nutritional deficiencies and the impacts of environmental toxins on our health. She also worked as a Senior Research Scientist at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory before turning to biology, as her official biography notes. You can read more about her presentation on the website The Complete Patient by clicking here and you can also check out the full versions of her slides on glyphosate and autism by clicking here.

EPA DEBATING ROUNDUP BAN OR RESTRICTIONS, ARE THEY BEING OBJECTIVE?
Recently, the group Moms Across America visited with officials from the EPA to discuss a potential ban or restrictions on Roundup, especially in light of recent findings that the active ingredient glyphosate is found in the breast milk of American mothers at levels that are a dangerous 760 to 1600 times higher than allowable limits in European drinking water.
While the group made its point loud and clear, it is well worth noting than many of the 100 studies provided for the EPA’s review were actually provided by the chemical companies themselves.
Urine testing has also shown that Americans have 10 times the glyphosate accumulation in their urine than Europeans, and children with autism have many biomarkers indicating excessive glyphosate in their systems including key mineral deficiencies, seizures and mitochondrial (the cell’s power center) disorders.

SENEFF RESPONDS TO MONSANTO’S KEY ARGUMENT
While Monsanto claims that Roundup is harmless because humans don’t have a shikimate pathway, which it inhibits, Seneff notes that our gut bacteria do have this pathway, and that’s crucial because these bacteria supply our body with crucial amino acids. She also says that most studies are too short to show Roundup’s oft-studied effects as a cumulative toxin, one that builds up both in the environment and in our bodies over time.

According to Seneff, Roundup has the following side effects: it kills beneficial gut bacteria, allowing pathogens to grow; interferes with the synthesis of amino acids and methionine which leads to shortages in critical neurotransmitters and folate; chelates (removes) important minerals like iron, cobalt and manganese, and much more. Additional chemicals in Roundup are untested because they’re classified as “inert,”she notes in her presentation, but according to a 2014 study in BioMed Research International they are capable of amplifying the ill effects of Roundup hundreds of times over.

To learn more about Seneff’s warning over autism and Roundup accumulation, you can view her slideshow on the topic. Until then, it’s best to exercise caution, and to buy and grow organic food whenever possible.

Dr. Stephanie Seneff, senior researcher at MIT, speaking at this year’s Autism One conference:

No iPads before bed

I know that iPads, computers and tvs are often a lifesaver for parents. Especially in the evenings. Everyone is tired and,often, putting a screen in front of a child is one of the few breaks that a parent gets. But, the effects on sleep can be devastating. This is also of note to adults who unwind in front of the TV or check email in the evenings from phones or computers.

Reading On A Screen Before Bed Might Be Killing You
The Huffington Post | By Damon Beres

Posted: 12/23/2014 12:18 pm EST Updated: 12/31/2014 9:59 am EST

You've heard that using screens before bedtime can mess with your sleep, but new research suggests the problem is even more serious. Reading from an iPad before bed not only makes it harder to fall asleep, but also impacts how sleepy and alert you are the next day, according to new research fromBrigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, said the findings could impact anyone who uses an eReader, laptop, smartphone, or certain TVs before bed.

The new research supports conclusions from older studies, which have also found that screen time before sleep can be detrimental. "We know from previous work that light from screens in the evening alters sleepiness and alertness, and suppresses melatonin levels," Dr. Anne-Marie Chang, an associate neuroscientist in BWH’s Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders who was a co-author on the study, told The Huffington Post via email. "This study shows comprehensive results of a direct comparison between reading with a light-emitting device and reading a printed book and the consequences on sleep."

If you don't want to feel like a zombie during the day, the findings are clear: Read an actual, printed book if you must stimulate your mind before bed, and avoid screens like your life depends on it, because it actually might. Chang said that sleep deficiency -- not getting enough sleep or obtaining poor quality sleep -- has been linked to other health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Chronic suppression of melatonin has also been associated with increased risk of certain cancers, she said. Needless to say, sleep has its own innate benefits, so cutting it short is a bad idea anyway.

The study ran for two weeks and included 12 participants who read on an iPad for four hours before bed for five days straight, a process that was repeated with printed books. For some, the order was reversed: They started with printed books and moved to iPads.
iPad readers took longer to fall asleep, felt less sleepy at night and had shorter REM sleep compared to the book readers, researchers found. The iPad readers also secreted less melatonin, which helps regulate your sleep. They were also more tired than book readers the following day, even if both got a full eight hours of sleep.

The real-world effects may be even worse than what researchers observed over the course of their study, however. Chang told HuffPost that because iPad users were found to be more alert, people who look at screens before bed may stay up later than the study participants were allowed to, wrecking their sleep even more.

If you absolutely, positively must be on your tablet, phone, or computer before bed for whatever reason, there may be a way to make it safer. Try a filter that blocks blue light -- there's an app for Android that produces this effect, though you'll have topurchase a physical filter for your iOS device. Try F.lux if you're using a computer. Research has shown that blue light makes you more alert and suppresses your melatonin, thus hurting your quality of sleep. "The best recommendation (although not the most popular) would be to avoid use of light-emitting screens before bedtime," Dr. Chang told HuffPost. "For those who must use computers or other light-emitting devices in the evening, software or other technology that filters out the blue light may help."

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Study linking chemicals to autism

Worth a look. We all are surrounded by, and ingest, so many chemicals every day.

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/05/11/new-study-links-autism-to-toxin-exposure/