A researcher at the Imperial College in London says he may have found a "chemical fingerprint" in the urine of children with autism that can determine whether or not autism is truly present. His findings are based on the assumption that people with autism have gastrointestinal issues which change their digestive chemistry.
While the possibility of a simple, definitive test for autism is extraordinarily compelling, there are plenty of questions to raise about its validity. I've written the researcher with specific concerns, and hope to hear back from him soon. Most important, of course, is the very basic question: "do people with autism really have more GI issues than other people?" Quite a few studies have suggested that this IS the case -- but many other studies suggest that it is NOT the case. Just last week, a study came out which shows that special diets are NOT effective for autism, and last year a study from the Mayo Clinic showed that children with autism are not more likely to have GI issues than anyone else.
Bearing all these caveats in mind, here is a portion of the press release from the Imperial College:
People with autism are also known to suffer from gastrointestinal disorders and they have a different makeup of bacteria in their guts from non-autistic people.
Today's research shows that it is possible to distinguish between autistic and non-autistic children by looking at the by-products of gut bacteria and the body's metabolic processes in the children's urine. The exact biological significance of gastrointestinal disorders in the development of autism is unknown.
The distinctive urinary metabolic fingerprint for autism identified in today's study could form the basis of a non-invasive test that might help diagnose autism earlier.
I look forward to reporting more fully on this intriguing but problematic research.
It would be wonderful if it turns out to be that easily diagnosed but I’m skeptical. I’m looking forward to hearing more about this, of course, but it also makes me think, what if my son, diagnosed twice, independently, by top notch researchers, has no trace of autism in his urine? What then? He has no gut issues at all. Keep us informed please, Lisa. Thanks!
It could be something like celiac, and there’s been studies asking if the 2 are the same.
A good question is, a lot of kids with autism don’t have GI issues. What will this test do for those kids? Will it still detect what? It seems more like this is an early test for GI diseases than it is for autism, however this study is showing earlier than 6 months old this can be detected which sort of shows this finger print is there prior to the MMR.
Almost invariable, all kids with autism have GI issues. The fact that they have not been found is a different matter. And the reason why this is not detected by top-notch doctors is intestinal bacterial unbalancing – dysbiosis – is rarely tested, if ever. Yes, this has to be related to coealiac desease because the immune system is always compromised; in fact is the immune system the cause of this mess. Not much of news here, this is more of a mainstream confirmation of what many doctors in the are have been pointing out to.
Alejandro, I’m not sure where your certainty is coming from. So far as I am aware, there are no studies to confirm your statement – though I’d be glad to see links if you can provide them.
Lisa
Stress alone can cause GI issues and other medical conditions, that is a known fact. The stress of autism for a child can alone be the cause of GI issues than it being an actual disease.
I can say my child doesn’t have GI issues on a daily bases, if he’s had a stressful day I know I’ll find him on the toilet.
I know quite a few children personally with autism, and only mine has GI issues. So no, not all with autism have GI issues and I have never seen a study yet stating this nor could there ever be a study suggesting all, unless of course there’s a study we all we involved in.
This is interesting, and it will be interesting to see what can be gleaned from these tests — not only whether this can be a reliable test for autism (which is hard to believe since autism is apparently so varied, but I’m all ears so to speak) — but also to better understand why there is apparently this correlation between these blood test results and autism. What does this say about suscpetibility to autism and causes of autism and possible treatments? It’s very interesting that the non-autistic siblings had different test results both from those with autism and from the controls without autistic siblings.
Twyla – I agree that the sibling results are interesting… but baffling, based on current theories of autism causation. Is it genetic? If so, why two sets of “fingerprints?” Is there something special about the siblings of kids with autism? If so – what??
I’m not holding my breath for the answers lol!
Lisa
this sounds like an amazing study result. The press release doesn’t say anything about the kids with autism having GI problems, only that they have a different chemical fingerprint.
Even if it did not yield the promised results, it would be useful to have a test to see who could benefit from dietary intervention, including non-autistic siblings, and whether or not that intervention was effective. It would be interesting to see if kids who are on a special diet are categorized by the test results. Of course, a positive test results may not indicate that a currently known dietary intervention is necessary or helpful at all, but it does create some interesting questions, and possibly some very important information.
Hmm..if the path was correct..this is one of the studies referenced within that study..
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Medical+hypotheses%22%5BJour%5D+AND+133%5Bpage%5D+AND+1998%5Bpdat%5D&cmd=detailssearch
I’m getting concerned, are we being told of ten year old studies, or are they being “revisited”, reworked for some “reason”? Or is this ten year old study entirely different?
“The biochemical research undertaken at the Unit subscribes to the theory that autism is the consequence of a metabolic disorder, whereby certain biologically active peptides derived mainly from gluten and/or casein in the diet are not broken down correctly, and through problems with the permeability of the gut, are present in the blood in much greater quantities than would normally be expected. The presence of these compounds in the blood would mean that they would tend to be collected in the kidneys and dumped in the urine; hence, the peptide content of urine would be to some extent, reflective of the content of the blood.”
Autism Research Unit
Dr. Paul Shattock/ Paul Whitely
University of Sunderland
School of Health Sciences
Sunderland SR2 7EE, England
Tel:+44 0191 510 8922/ FAX: +44 0191 567 0420
Urine test for urinary peptides
http://osiris.sunderland.ac.uk/autism/index.html
email: aru@sunderland.ac.uk
My son’s teachers and therapists describe him as having “classical” autism (minimal speech, no social relationships outside of family, repetitive behavior, etc). His gastrointestinal system works perfectly. I wish mine worked as well.
Barbara – it’s a different researcher, and I believe that there’s some similarity but also significant differences in the theory and method used in the study.
Lisa
Lisa Jo, I see , and you are quite correct, however, I have such little trust left, and this “study” seemed to “ring a bell”, I do think it’s being reworked ,packaged differently but the same “ole”. as for this “researcher” Nicholson he seems dangerously “connected”..I suggest it’s some more smoke and mirrors to take the heat off of the real issues.
“He is also a consultant to many pharmaceutical companies in the UK, Europe and the USA and is a founding director of Metabometrix Ltd, an Imperial College …
“
Sometimes we should stick with facts than what we think so others don’t get the wrong impression. If there’s smoke and mirrors, it has to be proven before some one suggests someone dangerously anything. That’s hardly fair at all.
I’ve gotta say, I do have a lot of questions about this study… and have not yet heard back from the researcher…
Lisa
We will see, however, I’m not sure the term “fair” plays into this one. Obviously, the finding is not new, urine peptides and metabolites have been studied for over thirty years in connection to autism, this guy could well be coming up with a marketing angle for a “special test”. It seems that way to me, I could be wrong. Those Brittish, gee, wouldn’t ya’ think they’d stop doing studies to promote their products.
A marketing angle? Isn’t everything an angle these days? Gotta be careful about what you say, I’m sure Lisa’s readers aren’t only in the USA.
IMO,That’s what it’s all about Sandy, he wants to market a test kit by 2015. I have to wonder, will he test these kids before or after their immunizations?and…since the study of tetanus persisting in the body, and wakefields study being a bit of backbone for his..won’t he have to make an admission of vaccine cause,first?
re: Lisa Jo’s comment # 7 — could be susceptibility factors in the autism siblings which did not develop into autism either due to less susceptibility or less exposure to environmental triggers. (I’m just speculating.)
At face value, accepting this as a true study, it would be such a major breakthrough, adding evidence that autism is a physical disease , that it is curable if caught early,and that,given the references noted, it has occured through two routes, genetics and exposures. Given the background provided by the tetanus study and Wakefield’s measle study, these two organisms may play a significant part . So far there is nothing I don’t like. I would think the recent information on cholinesterase inhibiting pesticides may come into this, as well as mitochondrial energy disrupting chemicals such as the chorinated phenols + dioxin (chlorophenoxy weed killers such as weed&feed). Not all mitochondrial disease is genetic, mitochondrial disease can be ACQUIRED. If this is real, who knows?..it may be the breakthrough to treatment, autism will not be a psychiatric disorder it will be a physical disease. Why will siblings be susceptible yet not autistic? The same exposures with something on their side, perhaps something as simple as an extra day in the sun .
Barbara, this study suggests that there are DIFFERENCES in the URINE of three groups (autistic, sibling of autistic person, non-autistic). That’s all.
We have no idea whether this study is based on good science (there’s good reason to believe it isn’t).
We don’t know whether it is replicable.
We don’t know why the differences exist if they really do exist.
We don’t know whether the differences are acquired or genetic or both or neither.
We don’t know whether findings from the tests would have any impact on “prevention,” since we don’t know what causes autism (nor do we know what causes the chemical differences found in the study, even if the study is accurate and replicated).
We don’t know whether the chemical differences are somehow related to psychiatric/developmental differences at all, or have some other source/outcome.
We don’t know why siblings would have different chemicals in their urine, or whether there is any connection between those chemicals and autism (or prevention of autism).
In short, the study isn’t telling us much at all, at this point.
Before we jump into extrapolating causes and cures, we need to see a whole heck of a lot more research!
Lisa
Absolutely, no one agrees more, that’s why I prefaced my comment..At face value..it would be..
I would like it to be “real”, yet, as I mentioned in an earlier post, this man is steeped into pharma. Not too many with his background have brought forth honest studies..we shall see.
I did find it interesting that the sibs didn’t have the same print as the sibs of non autistic..that leads me to believe there is something in common between the autistic/sibs prints.
My six year old son is autistic and he has gut problems, he is on a strict wheat and gluten free diet. Although we have never had to remove casein wheat and gluten do affect him, i do beleive gut problems are linked with autism. I had him tested by a natropath and he also has candida overgrowth in his gut which is linked with leaky gut, this is where they reckon the theroy is linked. Candida is caused through over use of antibiotics not just perscribed but its also found on the food we eat. The question as got to asked why is autism becoming an epademic? and i don’t think its through better diagonosis otherwise we would have a lot more autistic adults walking about. This is just my opinoin im not medically qualified just looking for answers like everyone else.
I am sure there are subgroups of children with autism, some of whom have significant phyiscal/biomedical issues and others who do not. Many kids I work with do have gut issues that very obviously affect their health and behavior. However, many do not – parents have tried the diets, etc. and have seen no result. My colleagues who specialize in biomedical treatment of autism see a vast majority of children in their practices who DO have gut issues – not just visible on medical tests; but obvious to parents and therapists – diarrhea, constipation, undigested food, etc. It makes sense to me that the makeup of children who are seen in any individual practitioner’s office would reflect the most pressing concern at that time for that individual. If gut issues are a primary concern, parents are going to the local biomedical physician, not me
I do recall reading a study many years ago that researchers found that the urine of children with autism had morphine-related compounds found only in nature in the poison dart frog – anyone remember this?
http://www.bbbautism.com/pdf/article_14_why_does_gfcf_work.pdf
mention of that poison dart frog
There have been many advanced studies on autism urine tests since the 1970s. It is often said that a psychedelic substance called bufotenin (dimethyl-serotonin or 5-HO-DMT) was present in urine samples of many people with autism and other mental conditions.
As a result, this seems to be absolutely true for many autistics. Set and setting plays an important role in their lives, causing them to have good trips and bad trips. They are capable of expanding their minds and taking on hallucinatory imagination.
The drug is currently a schedule I substance in the US. It can be found in a variety of different Amanita mushrooms.