While many people are aware of the behavioural symptoms associated with autism, probably not so many realize that autistics often also have gastrointestinal problems. With that in mind, scientists at the University of Arizona recently conducted a study in which a group of 18 autistic children received fecal transplants from donors with healthy gastrointestinal systems. Not only did the procedure help to "rebalance" their gut flora, but it also improved their behaviour.
First of all, a fecal transplant is just what it sounds like. Feces from one person are screened for disease-causing organisms, and then introduced into the recipient's digestive tract. In this case, the recipients first took antibiotics for two weeks, to wipe out their existing gut flora. They then received the fecal transplant initially in a high-dose liquid form, after which it was delivered in a lower-dose powder mixed into smoothies.
Of all the possible ways I could imagine to treat autism, that was not one of them...
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:03PM
Sorry, couldn't resist.
But in all seriousness, doesn't this point to at least some of autism being possibly an immune or inflamamtory issue? This is very very interesting...
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:11PM
Some parents of autistic children have reported that medication with cannadinoids improves their behavior. A theory that many subscribe to, but has yet to be scientifically validated, is that it dulls low-level pain that is constantly aggravating them - as in autism hurts and since they can't communicate their pain to get help it makes them easily irritated. This might be a different way of getting at the same problem.
(Score: 3, Funny) by jcross on Wednesday January 25 2017, @08:06PM
Cannadinoids... make you more polite? Side effects include an increased tolerance for cold weather.
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:27AM
Depending on the origin of the Cannadinoids, they also give you a French accent and a taste for exotic French cuisine..
They may even make you a **gasp** Socialist!!!
You may now safely turn off your snark filter....
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by dyingtolive on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:12PM
I read that with a shit eating grin. Beats taking the piss though.
Seriously though, something I read some time ago jumps to mind.
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/fake-feces-to-treat-deadly-disease-scientists-find-they-can-just-make-sht-up/ [scientificamerican.com]
Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:13PM
The Ministry of Truth may well have alternative facts that autism is in [alternative] fact caused by vaccinations.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:51PM
Maybe alternative vaccines?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @11:17PM
I sense an imminent ban on any further testing of the gut bacteria idea. Disgusting. Sad. #GetALifeStupidScientists.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by BenJeremy on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:14PM
More likely, gut flora has a lot more to do with health and long term effects on our bodies than science has previously given credit.
There was a recent story about how somebody "hacked" themselves with a fecal transplant and it relieved their bowel issues. There is also strong evidence that chronic obesity may be related to gut flora (we all know those skinny people who can eat a side of beef and three pizzas and never gain a pound).
It also speaks to recent revelations that what we think of as our "brain" may be much more involved in our central nervous system - that is, some of our cognitive and memory functionality is housed in the nerves surrounding our digestive system. This seems odd, at first, but considering our need to fuel ourselves and maintain proper (as in not killing us) nutrition depends a lot on that area of our bodies.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday January 25 2017, @08:08PM
Gut flora is acknowledged as a significant factor in overall health, but I don't think that modern medicine has nearly the handle on it as they do, say, cancer, heart disease, circulatory problems, etc. Back around 1990 they made the connection between h.pylori and ulcers, that took many years to roll out into practice and treatment, and that used the simple, traditional "kill 'em all with antibiotics" approach. Developing and maintaining a healthy gut flora community might be seen as more akin to fish farming in a river, with no nets - killing all the fish in the river is not usually a good start toward building a healthy community. The river analogy is also apt for modern life with all the pollution we send through our systems today - mass quantities of sugar that support population explosions in certain species, etc.
As for the autism link, gut health is a factor in autism symptom presentation (in our experience with two boys on the spectrum, plus ten years "in the community" of parents of children with autism,) but I don't think it's a primary causal factor, or a route to a "cure." It's just a common problem in the community, and something that makes life a little easier for everyone when it is treated properly.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Wednesday January 25 2017, @09:55PM
but I don't think it's a primary causal factor, or a route to a "cure."
Perhaps not, but there's an interesting correlation as you note. Perhaps if not a "primary causal factor," it might at least be contributory in some way, or perhaps make some problems worse. I don't have as much experience with autism as you do, but I have looked into this a bit (particularly because I have a friend who works a lot with autistic kids doing research). My sense is that there are lots of theories about possible causes and mechanisms, and given the diversity of symptoms, it's reasonable that there may be multiple contributory factors to the various symptoms/problems.
All of that said, this was a study done on 18 kids, and given the past pattern of autism research (where it's even more common than in most medical studies to see a claim, then see that claim disputed by the next study), I'd wait for future studies to sort this out.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:16PM
We don't need peer reviewed double blind placebo controlled studies to tell us that one of our children is gluten sensitive, has moderate to severe reactions when he ingests gluten, and the other child doesn't seem to have a problem with gluten. Gut flora and other things influence the level of sensitivity, it's not a yes/no binary testable condition.
So many things with autism are just the same as they are in the general population, but magnified. When people have pain, they get grumpy, hard to deal with, and they lose some ability to focus and comprehend what's going on around them. Most people can just shrug this off as "having a bad day," but having a bad day with autism can be a whole other level of intense.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Gaaark on Thursday January 26 2017, @12:53AM
As I've said before, here, I think the gut has lots to do with body problems:
-Our son has done amazingly better on a gluten free diet: he no longer acts high, he no longer regurgtates his meals, he can focus better and is more social and all round "less autsticky" than he was (took pretty much a year for it all to leave his system)
-i used to have major gut problems: they are much better on the same gluten free diet
-I used to have restless leg syndrome: I used to drink tonic water and take pain meds for it, but it has gone away with the gluten free diet.
Joke all you want about "gluten free freaks", but I think they've GM'd the gluten content up in wheat, and our bodies don't seem to be tolerating it now (I remember as a kid the wonderful new 'Wonderbread"... Maybe it started there, with that "lighter and fluffier" bread.
Who knows :(
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:29AM
You guys probably have undiagnosed Celiac Disease. Only about 1/3 of people in the USA with Celiac disease are diagnnosed, and about 1% of people of European ancestry have it, so that is a lot of people. For those with Celiac, giving up gluten can have the effects you described, and more. Giving up gluten is life changing for them. But for everyone else, giving up gluten does nothing.
My son has Celiac Disease. The rest of the family doesn't (we've all been tested). Giving up gluten was life changing for him. Hasn't changed anything for the rest of us.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 27 2017, @05:09PM
I've seen anecdotes of people being able to eat bread/pasta/pizza in other countries with no problems but when they can't eat the USA stuff.
https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/topic/96571-how-come-gluten-didnt-bother-me-in-italy/ [celiac.com]
I recently traveled to Italy, and although I've read they have many many gluten free options, I decided that I was going to eat whatever I wanted, even if it had gluten. When I mentioned this to my doctor, he said it actually may not bother me since the wheat outside of the US is typically less genetically modified and more "natural".
So after 2 weeks in Italy eating pasta daily, pizza, and all kinds of baked goods, I felt great. No headaches, upset stomach or any symptoms of gluten digestion.
I had a similar experience while traveling in Eastern Europe. I accidentally ate gluten three times while traveling and never had a reaction.
I assumed that my reaction to wheat is more than just gluten, and the protein makeup of wheat grown in Europe was sufficiently different that I didn't react to it.
it is curious for me, because in my case something similar happened, ie that I started having grain-related GI problems coming to the US from Italy. At first, when I went back, I, too, could eat those products without problems. But after some time, having returned to the US, and went back again, that changed, and those, too, made me react, even if less violently. This is why I would not experiment again, if I were you, if you know that what you have is celiac.
Of course there are people in Europe with similar problems with their local wheat/gluten products so go figure :).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:21PM
Yup. This idea of a gastrointestinal link to autism has been floating around for years. Too bad the autism research well has been poisoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:27PM
They also tend to be sensitive to metal on skin contact, ie jewelry. And food allergies as well. Wouldn't surprise me if there was a link with some sort of auto immune problem.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:49PM
of course it's autoimmune related! what do you think happened when they were shot up with a bunch of contaminated vaccines? mayhem, that's what!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @11:00PM
Others have been postulating that gut biome may have a non-casual relationship with depression, etc.
Got a sweet tooth? Could be your gut biome pumps out neuroregulatory compounds that help compel you to eat more sweets...
There's at least one case report that was publicized of a person who had C. dificile, and then got a fecal transplant. Before the procedure, he was normal weight. After the procedure, while the C. dificile did get knocked out, within like 3 months he'd put on quite a bit of weight. They looked back and the fecal donor, and that person was rather obese to begin with...
[sorry for "he". I remember the story being about a woman who got the treatment, but I am most likely recalling it badly]
scientists doing research in this can reproduce the above in their animal models (knock out biome in "normal" mice, fecal transplant from obese mice, and the treated mice get obese), and I believe they've also done it in reverse.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @05:00AM
:) I almost wrote "nervous shitstem."
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:38PM
I'd rather take the autism, thanks.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by mojo chan on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:28PM
When they start selling capsules on AliExpress I'll be their first customer.
Seriously, there are lots of currently incurable medical problems that this might help with. Lots of auto-immune issues. I'm willing to be a human test subject.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
(Score: 5, Informative) by ikanreed on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:44PM
First you go the article, when is pretty sensationalist for N=18.
Then you get to the publicity page for the university research department. That includes a number of important points:
1. The study focused on children with both autism and severe gastrointestinal pain.
2. The improvement on autism reported on in the summary and news article is only discussed with respect to baseline initial symptoms. A wary mind might suspect that most autistic children would show improvement.
So then you have to go search for the journal article title, because they don't tell you or link you. It's "Microbiota Transfer Therapy alters gut ecosystem and improves gastrointestinal and autism symptoms: an open-label study".
And you go into that, and look at the comparison against controls, which surprise, surprise, the actual researchers do. And while there are differences between the experimental and control group on autism symptoms, they're genuinely hard to distinguish from noise, as both groups see very similar improvement curves over the course of the study. The only notable symptom for difference is irritability, which... like... duh?
(Score: 3, Informative) by nobu_the_bard on Wednesday January 25 2017, @07:49PM
http://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-016-0225-7 [biomedcentral.com]
Together, these findings suggest that MTT is safe and well-tolerated in children with ASD ages 7–16 years. MTT led to significant improvements in both GI- and ASD-related symptoms, and the improvements were sustained at least 8 weeks after treatment. Coincident with these clinical improvements, both microbiota and phage from the donors appear to have engrafted, at least partially, in the recipients. This shifted gut microbiota of children with ASD toward that of neurotypical children is consistent with the hypothesis that gut microbiota may be at least partially responsible for GI and ASD symptoms. While this study was an open-label trial that is subject to placebo effects, these results are promising and provide a crucial step for understanding the connection between the microbiome and ASD. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is the next step to investigate the value of MTT in treating children with ASD and GI problems.
This is more like preliminary research, then?
(Score: 2) by ikanreed on Wednesday January 25 2017, @08:10PM
That's the one. Sorry. Wasn't thinking when I posted. Shoul've linked.
(Score: 2) by PiMuNu on Thursday January 26 2017, @12:58PM
I didn't read the journal article. But TFA does not mention a control group with autism receiving a placebo. So likely just nonsense.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Snotnose on Wednesday January 25 2017, @09:26PM
Book has an entire chapter on fecal transplants. Rest of the book is a good read as well.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday January 25 2017, @09:43PM
Surely, the various critters living in the gut can be introduced some other way. I can see walking into a pharmacy, to get a prescription filled for a pound of poop. "Take before eating." Yuk . . .
Wonder if there is any correlation between autism and cleanliness fetishists. Mothers and fathers are so afraid the child might get a germ, they are constantly washing themselves and their child with anti-bacterial soap. The kid never gets a chance to ingest microbes, either good or bad.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @09:49PM
That could explain some of the increase in reported cases. But, then again, there's also been a massive increase in attention to the point where there's plenty of additional cases reported due to increased awareness and somewhat increased support.
It remains to be seen whether this will replicate, but it should already been known that excessive antibiotics are a serious problem and that we need to take the bacteria that live on and in us more seriously. They do a ton of useful things and yet, we allow doctors to kill them when in most cases they aren't the problem.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @10:18PM
You might think differently if you've ever tried by phone to convince a doctor to give you an antibiotic prescription. They feel like the guardians of our precious antibiotic supply, while farmers can use it indiscriminately. Next time I have a UTI, I'll just eat some chicken feed.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @11:53PM
I have the feeling that, like the Disney Movie effect and other things, it'll be a positive change for SOME ASD people, but not others.
And that should be OK, but it won't be. We [especially in the US] want ONE answer, ONE treatment, etc., and then try to come down on The System when a possible treatment protocol works only for a small subset of people with the "same" problem.
We see that with some genetics-based cancer therapy protocols already.
Got Cancer X? OK... well, you happen to have the mutation pattern where we don't have an effective treatment protocol for you, even though there's this drug that seems to make that cancer into a manageable, but chronic, condition for the 70% with this cancer who don't have the mutation pattern you have.
Throw insurance company money that actually pays for the treatments and procedures...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @09:50PM
Who knew you could get THAT add-in powder for your smoothie?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 25 2017, @11:57PM
"Soylent Brown is fecal!!!!"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @12:37AM
anyone who downvotes me is a DENIER!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:46AM
Terrible, terrible study design [biomedcentral.com]. Control group = children without any mental illness who were just monitored, not treated. THAT IS NOT A CONTROL GROUP. A control group would be children with autism who received a placebo. No wonder science is so fucked up nowadays.