Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0004352 (autism)
 32,579 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In most cases symptoms of autism begin in early infancy. However, a subset of children appears to develop normally until a clear deterioration is observed. Many parents of children with "regressive"-onset autism have noted antecedent antibiotic exposure followed by chronic diarrhea. We speculated that, in a subgroup of children, disruption of indigenous gut flora might promote colonization by one or more neurotoxin-producing bacteria, contributing, at least in part, to their autistic symptomatology. To help test this hypothesis, 11 children with regressive-onset autism were recruited for an intervention trial using a minimally absorbed oral antibiotic. Entry criteria included antecedent broad-spectrum antimicrobial exposure followed by chronic persistent diarrhea, deterioration of previously acquired skills, and then autistic features. Short-term improvement was noted using multiple pre- and post-therapy evaluations. These included coded, paired videotapes scored by a clinical psychologist blinded to treatment status; these noted improvement in 8 of 10 children studied. Unfortunately, these gains had largely waned at follow-up. Although the protocol used is not suggested as useful therapy, these results indicate that a possible gut flora-brain connection warrants further investigation, as it might lead to greater pathophysiologic insight and meaningful prevention or treatment in a subset of children with autism.
 ...
PMID:Short-term benefit from oral vancomycin treatment of regressive-onset autism. 1139 29

The paper presents current views concerning childhood autism. The authors present the concepts of etiology of this disorder, emphasizing the role of negative psychical stimuli in early childhood and the role of mother's contact with the child. Organic factors, including genetic background, developmental abnormalities of the nervous system, teratogenic factors and perinatal traumas are also taken into consideration. The role of metabolic factors and enterohormones, particularly those belonging to the secretin group and their effect on the function of the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system is emphasized. We discuss signs which may be indicative of first symptoms of autism in different age groups. A typical symptom of autism is no development of speech, observed from infancy, taking the form of complete mutism at later stages. It has been emphasized that most pathologic symptoms result from altered perception of external stimuli, which arouse fear and anxiety. Autistic patients may suffer from gastrointestinal tract disturbances such as abdominal pains and diarrhea. Methods used hitherto in the therapy of childhood autism, mainly by psychologists and psychiatrists, as well as some attempts of pharmacological treatment, are presented. The structure and function of secretin, as well as its effects on the motor and secretory function of the stomach and the exocrine function of the pancreas are discussed. The role of secretin in diagnostic tests, among others in the diagnosis of gastrinoma, is emphasized. We also present the history of the application of secretin in the therapy of childhood autism.
 ...
PMID:Use of secretin in the treatment of childhood autism. 1178 69

Secretin, a gastrointestinal (GI) hormone, was reported in a preliminary study to improve language and behavior in children with autism/pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and chronic diarrhea. To determine the efficacy of secretin, we completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover (3 weeks) study in children with autism/PDD and various GI conditions using a single dose of intravenous porcine secretin. Children with chronic, active diarrhea showed a reduction in aberrant behaviors when treated with the secretin but not when treated with the placebo. Children with no GI problems are unaffected by either secretin or placebo. The improvement seen with secretin in children with autism/PDD and chronic diarrhea suggests that there may be a subtype of children with autism/PDD who respond to secretin.
J Autism Dev Disord 2002 Jun
PMID:Efficacy of porcine secretin in children with autism and pervasive developmental disorder. 1210 16

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms in a general population of children with autism or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The study site was a clinic specializing in ASD in a large pediatric medical center serving a 10 county area in the midwestern USA. In a sample of 137 children, age 24-96 months, classified as having autism or ASD by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic, 24 percent had a history of at least one chronic gastrointestinal symptom. The most common symptom was diarrhea, which occurred in 17 percent. There was no association between chronic gastrointestinal symptoms and a history of developmental regression. The potential phenotypic association between autism and gastrointestinal symptoms is discussed.
Autism 2003 Jun
PMID:Prevalence of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autism and autistic spectrum disorders. 1284 85

Previous trials of secretin for the treatment of autism have utilized a single or double dose administered intravenously. This is a report of a double-blind, randomized, controlled crossover trial of transdermally applied secretin in 15 children diagnosed with autism or pervasive developmental delay. Secretin or placebo was applied daily, in ointment form, to the backs of the children in randomized, successive 4 week periods with an intermediate 6 week washout period. Behavioral outcomes were measured by parents and teachers using the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences in speech, sociability, sensory, and health scores for treatment versus placebo periods. In addition, there were no differences in such scores for children with a history of diarrhea. Severity of autism was significantly greater at baseline in children receiving concomitant medications. Improvement in speech was found during the treatment phase of the trial (p=0.0479 for secretin versus placebo) only in children not using other medications.
Autism 2005 Jul
PMID:Randomized controlled trial of transdermal secretin on behavior of children with autism. 1593 41

Interest in the gastrointestinal (GI) factors of autistic disorder (autism) has developed from descriptions of symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea in autistic children and advanced towards more detailed studies of GI histopathology and treatment modalities. This review attempts to critically and comprehensively analyze the literature as it applies to all aspects of GI factors in autism, including discussion of symptoms, pathology, nutrition, and treatment. While much literature is available on this topic, a dearth of rigorous study was found to validate GI factors specific to children with autism.
J Autism Dev Disord 2005 Dec
PMID:Gastrointestinal factors in autistic disorder: a critical review. 1626 42

Child mortality has declined remarkably during the last decades. While neonatal disorders, diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malaria as well as being underweight account for most of the child deaths worldwide, children's health discussions in Europe and the USA focus on other issues such as asthma, neurodevelopmental disorders, male genital malformations, and childhood cancer. There is clear evidence of increasing rates of asthma in various countries during the last decades, although rates in some countries may now have stabilised or even decline as recent UK data indicate. Although an increase in the frequency of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and attention deficit disorder has frequently been discussed, the limited data in this field does not justify such a conclusion. While geographic heterogeneity regarding reproductive outcomes is apparent, global trends have not been identified. Interpretation of the available information on asthma, neurodevelopmental disorders and reproductive outcomes is hampered by inconstant diagnostic criteria over place and time and the lack of good and comprehensive population-based surveillance data, which makes it impossible to ascertain trends in actual disease frequency. Data indicate that developed countries have a gradually increasing incidence in leukaemia with a corresponding drop in the incidence of lymphoma. Increases in brain tumour frequency may be related to the development and wide application of new diagnostic capabilities, rather than a true change in the incidence of malignant disease. With a better prognosis for childhood cancer survival, secondary cancers following chemotherapy appear to be increasing. A wide range of environmental factors is thought to have an impact on children's health. These factors include nutrition (protein, vitamins, antioxidants), lifestyle and behaviour choices such as tobacco and alcohol use, parental health, socio-economic status, choice of living environment (urban versus rural, etc.), and parent-sibling behaviour. From the available data, no general conclusions on the contribution of specific chemicals can be drawn.
 ...
PMID:Trends in childhood disease. 1685 14

Objective To evaluate gastrointestinal (GI) problems in a large, well-characterized sample of children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). Methods One hundred seventy two children entering one of two trials conducted by the Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) Autism Network were assessed comprehensively prior to starting treatment and classified with regard to GI symptoms. Results Thirty nine (22.7%) were positive for GI problems, primarily constipation and diarrhea. Those with GI problems were no different from subjects without GI problems in demographic characteristics, measures of adaptive functioning, or autism symptom severity. Compared to children without GI problems, those with GI problems showed greater symptom severity on measures of irritability, anxiety, and social withdrawal. Those with GI problems were also less likely to respond to treatment.
J Autism Dev Disord 2009 Mar
PMID:Gastrointestinal symptoms in a sample of children with pervasive developmental disorders. 1879 17

There is considerable controversy as to whether there is an association between bowel disorders and autism. Using a bowel symptom questionnaire we compared 51 children with autism spectrum disorder with control groups of 35 children from special school and 112 from mainstream school. There was a significant difference in the reporting of certain bowel symptoms (constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence) and food faddiness between the autism group and the mainstream school control group. There was no significant difference between the autism group and children in the special schools except for faddiness, which is an autism specific symptom and not a bowel symptom. This study confirms previously reported findings of an increase in bowel symptoms in children with autism. It would appear, however, that this is not specifically associated with autism as bowel symptoms were reported in similar frequency to a comparison group of children with other developmental and neurological disorders.
Autism 2009 Jul
PMID:Are there more bowel symptoms in children with autism compared to normal children and children with other developmental and neurological disorders?: A case control study. 1953 65

The autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by socially aloof behavior and impairment of language and social interaction. This paper is a review of literature on gastrointestinal problems in children with ASD. Gastrointestinal symptoms are described in 9-54% of autistic children, among which most common are: constipation, diarrhea and abdominal distension. The gastro-intestinal abnormalities reported in autism include: inflammation (esophagitis, gastritis, duodenitis, enterocolitis) with or without autoimmunity, lymphoid nodular hyperplasia, increased intestinal permeability, low activities of disaccharidase enzymes, impairment of detoxification (e.g. defective sulfation of ingested phenolic amines), dysbiosis with bacterial overgrowth, food intolerance or exorphin intoxication (by opioid derived from casein and gluten). A beneficial effect of dietary intervention on behavior and cognition of some autistic children indicates a functional relationship between the alimentary tract and the central nervous system. There are no epidemiologic data concerning the incidence or prevalence of gastrointestinal problems within the population of children with ASD in comparison to the population of non-ASD children.
 ...
PMID:[Gastrointestinal abnormalities in children with autism]. 1965 Apr 28


1 2 3 4 5 Next >>