Comments on: Recent Vaccine-Autism Award Not the First

By: ptboya

ptboya — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 12:02:27 +0000

You are correct Irandall. Because various genetic causes can lead to similar symptoms — I use deafness as the model, with about 4 dozen known causative genes all having a similar end result — catch-all diagnoses, like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will eventually become clarified. In cancer genetics this phenomenon has become commonplace. Often, more than one gene in a biochemical pathway can cause a specific cancer. Sometimes genes in completely different pathways can have very similar phenotypic effects. About half of all genes are expressed in the brain, so I think that there's a good chance that soon, several dozen genetic mutation will be identified as causes of ASD. Among other genes already associated with ASD, are MECP2 (Rett syndrome), PRKCB1, DHCR7 (Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome), CSMD3, NLGN4 (Tourette syndrome), and NRXN1. Genomewide association studies are beginning to identify several other candidate genes. Until we begin to sort out whether some of these can impart a susceptibility to brain damage when triggered by vaccines, we have no way of determining if the children referred to in the 934 compensated families would have developed the symptoms of ASD with or without vaccines. So, to assume vaccines as the causative triggers in the cited cases should still be regarded as speculative.

By: ptboya

ptboya — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 12:02:27 +0000

By: lrandall

lrandall — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 10:38:58 +0000

It seems like this is an artifact of the ambiguity in whether something should be called autism if its cause is identifiable, like in fragile X syndrome or, apparently, mitochondrial disease or tuberous sclerosis complex. I would guess that these conditions would be considered part of the autism spectrum for therapeutic purposes but separated out for purposes of studies on etiology. Not a distinction that most people are prepared to appreciate, unfortunately.

By: ptboya

ptboya — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000

You are correct Irandall. Because various genetic causes can lead to similar symptoms — I use deafness as the model, with about 4 dozen known causative genes all having a similar end result — catch-all diagnoses, like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will eventually become clarified. In cancer genetics this phenomenon has become commonplace. Often, more than one gene in a biochemical pathway can cause a specific cancer. Sometimes genes in completely different pathways can have very similar phenotypic effects. About half of all genes are expressed in the brain, so I think that there’s a good chance that soon, several dozen genetic mutation will be identified as causes of ASD. Among other genes already associated with ASD, are MECP2 (Rett syndrome), PRKCB1, DHCR7 (Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome), CSMD3, NLGN4 (Tourette syndrome), and NRXN1. Genomewide association studies are beginning to identify several other candidate genes. Until we begin to sort out whether some of these can impart a susceptibility to brain damage when triggered by vaccines, we have no way of determining if the children referred to in the 934 compensated families would have developed the symptoms of ASD with or without vaccines. So, to assume vaccines as the causative triggers in the cited cases should still be regarded as speculative.

By: lrandall

lrandall — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000