Autism Rising - Are Grinker's Assumptions A Sufficient Explanation?

Autism diagnoses are rising, of that there is no dispute. In the United States the number, as estimated by the CDC, is now 1 in 150, where just 2 years ago it was lowered to 1 in 166 and it had been 1 in 250, 1 in 500 and so on. The debate is over why so many more children are being diagnosed with autism today.

There are those who argue that the causes are environmental, from pesticides to mercury based vaccine preservatives. Others argue that the increasing numbers of diagnosed autism cases are a product of changing of changing definitions, changing diagnostic criteria and increased public awareness. Roy Grinker, anthropologist, of Unstrange Minds fame, attributes the increasing numbers to these cultural factors. But what evidence are Grinker's conclusions based on?

While the factors cited by Grinker seem like probable contributors to the increases in autism cases do they provide a complete explanation? The newest genetic theories of autism causality are based on genetic mutations, leaving open the possibility of environmental triggers of such mutations. Grinker's assumptions may have to make room for these environmental considerations, in providing a complete understanding of the nature of autism. And some of the parents, physicians and other health care providers who actually work with autistic children in providing biomedical treatments may yet be proven right.

Fighting Autism

It is not often that I run across a useful autism site on the internet but I was pleasantly surprised to 'Stumble Upon' the Fighting Autism site which provides information concerning autism statistics, incidence and prevalence. The site features some handy tools such as prevalence maps, graphs, and reports and an autism clock an image of which I have copied on to my side panel. The information is provided for dissemination and visitors are free to use the maps and graphs and publish same to their own sites.

http://www.fightingautism.org/about/index.php#contact

The graph feature is particularly interesting. The site authors do not publish the data for adult autistic persons over 22 because they do not consider the available information reliable.
















Fighting Autism is a nonprofit organization based in Pennsylvania with a mission:

To improve the quality of life for children with autism through research, education, advocacy and treatment.

Research. Fostering scientific research to understand the underlying biological conditions of autism spectrum disorders.

Education and Advocacy. Educating parents, scientists and healthcare professionals about autism treatment strategies through conferences, seminars and community fundraising events.

Treatment. Creating a world-class autism treatment center in the greater Pittsburgh area encompassing biological and opportunities to participate in clinical research studies.

The Fighting Autism organization itself does not appear to have been active in organizing conferences since 2005 and at that time appeared to be focussed on dietary, gut brain information and ..... Dr. Andrew Wakefield. Regardless of Dr. Wakefield's current predicament or the generally low acceptance of his theories in the scientific community the statistical information tools provided on the Fighting Autism site are interesting.

Cure Autism Now & Autism Speaks Contributions to Autism Genome Project

Almost lost in all the recent excitement about the Autism Genome Project was the substantial contributions of Cure Autism Now and Autism Speaks which recently merged based on their mutual commitment to accelerate and fund biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism spectrum disorders; to increase awareness of the nation's fastest-growing developmental disorder; and to advocate for the needs of affected individuals and families. A gene bank created in 1997 by Cure Autism Now, later joined by UCLA was a precursor to the massive data bank assembled for the Autism Genome Project which kick started in 2002 with funding by Autism Speaks and the National Institute of Health.

"The UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior is among 13 centers in the world to discover two genetic links that cause autism, according to a school press release.

The five year study, which was published in the Feb. 18 online edition of the journal Nature Genetics, came from results from a scan of the world's largest collection of DNA samples from families affected by this disorder.

The study was led by the Autism Genome Project, an international consortium of scientists from 50 institutions in 19 countries. Founded in 2002 with funding from the nonprofit Autism Speaks and the National Institutes of Health, the group shared DNA samples, data and expertise in a coordinated effort to identify autism-susceptibility genes, according to the press release.

...

Results of the two-pronged approach implicated both a previously unidentified region of chromosome 11 and neurexin 1, a member of a gene family believed to play a key role in communication between brain cells. The neurexin finding highlighted a group of brain cells called glutamate neurons and the genes affecting their development and function, suggesting that they play a critical role in autism spectrum disorders, also according to the press release.

...

In 1997, the citizens group Cure Autism Now (CAN) created a gene bank in order to advance genetic research on autism. UCLA partnered with CAN to add more than 400 families to the bank, known as the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange.

Autism is a complex brain disorder that strikes in early childhood, often affecting children as young as 2 or 3. The condition disrupts a child's ability to communicate and develop social relationships and is often accompanied by acute behavioral challenges. While the cause remains unknown, scientists suspect the disease is highly hereditary."

http://www.canyon-news.com/artman/publish/article_5323.php