Mother’s Antibodies May Explain a Quarter of Autism Cases

[Schafer Autism Report]

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RESEARCH Mother’s Antibodies May Explain a Quarter of Autism Cases       By Maia Szalavitz. Time Magazine. Linda Epstein / Getty Images             A test for six antibodies in an expectant mom’s blood may predict with more than 99% certainty which children are at highest risk of developing autism.       In a study published in Translational Psychiatry, researchers report that 23% of all cases of autism may result from the presence of maternal antibodies that interfere with fetal brain development during pregnancy. The work builds on a 2008 study from the same scientists that first described the group of antibodies in mothers-to-be. The latest paper describes the specific antibodies and provides more detail on what they do.       “It’s very exciting,” says Alycia Halladay, Senior Director of Environmental and Clinical Sciences for Autism Speaks, who was not associated with the research.       The research is already leading to what could be the first biological test for autism; the antibodies are found almost exclusively in mothers of autistic children, and not in children with other types of disorders or in mothers of non-autistic children. Only 1% of mothers whose children were not affected by autism had the antibodies in their blood, compared to 23% of mothers of autistic children. Judith Van de Water, an immunologist and professor of internal medicine at the University of California Davis MIND Institute and the study’s lead author, has consulted for a company, Pediatric Bioscience, that is developing a commercial version of the test, but the research was not funded by that organization and was supported primarily by the National Institute on Environmental Health Sciences.       “We haven’t found any [mothers] who have these antibodies and don’t have children with some sort of developmental disability issue,” says Van de Water. “We feel this really identifies a subtype of autism." For rest of today's SAR click here: www.sarnet.org/frm/forsar.htm Today's SAR newslist is human compiled and provided through the support of paid subscriptions.                    - THANK YOU - $35 for 1 year - or free! www.sarnet.org

In This Issue: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • RESEARCH Mother’s Antibodies May Explain a Quarter of Autism Cases Autism Symptoms Not Explained by Impaired Attention Asperger's and Autism: Brain Differences Found Addictive Gaming More Common With Autism And ADHD Study Shows Job Training Results In Competitive Employment For Youth With Autism Discovery of Brain Chemical Changes in Autism Could One Day Be Used to Reverse Process MEDIA Anti-Jenny McCarthy 'The View' Campaign Orchestrated By Pharmaceutical Intrests The United States of Autism: Film Review Brain Chemistry in Autism Changes with Age NEWS Autism Outreach: Pilot Program Enhances Military Special-Needs Care FDA Defining What "Gluten Free" Means On Packages Autism Ontario’s Ottawa Chapter Manager Resigns After Budget Shortfall Of $50,000 Is Discovered    PEOPLE South Florida Man With Autism Was Being Kept in "Dungeon-Like Conditions" Autistic Man Breaks Through The Silence Slain Autistic Teen's Parents Sue Sheriff's Office   'Schafer Autism Report' Now an App on iPhone, iPad and Droid!     DO SOMETHING • ABOUT AUTISM NOW . . . Read, then Forward the Schafer Autism Report. $35 for 1 year - or free! www.sarnet.org Hundreds of Local Autism Events Web / Everywhere Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Web / Everywhere Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Web / Everywhere Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Web / Everywhere Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Web / Everywhere Now's the perfect time to order your free Puzzle Piece kits and launch an autism awareness campaign in your community. When we raise the funding necessary, ARI will see that important research is done, including the large-scale, independent study of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated children Click here. SAR Back Issues The Autism Community Supports the Schafer Autism Report . . . Read, then Forward the Schafer Autism Report. $35 for 1 year - or free! www.sarnet.org Biomedical Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorders Scientific References and Abstracts www.autismbiomed.com

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