From: Kutch Science Foundation

Dear Docs and friends of medics and science,

Research suggests levels of autism have increased by ten-fold over the last
decade. But nobody really knows why there has been such a dramatic increase or
what causes it.
Is it linked to the MMR vaccine?

Concern over a link between the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine were raised
after a study by Dr Andrew Wakefield published in the Lancet in 1998 claimed MMR
might trigger autism. However, no research has ever proved a link, and the
overwhelming majority of experts believe the vaccine is safe. The latest
research from Japan studied autism rates in over 31,000 children up to the age
of seven, who were born before and after the withdrawal of the MMR jab in that
country. It was found that autism rates continued to rise after the triple
vaccine was withdrawn in 1993, whereas rates would have been expected to fall if
the jab was a major cause.

'Autistic' mice offer gene clue

The scientists were investigating what happens in brain cells



Scientists have created "autistic" mice by deleting a single gene in key parts
of the brain.

US researchers found the mice had traits such as poor social interaction and
high sensitivity. They say the findings, published in the Neuron, could point
the way to better One UK expert said the findings were interesting, but needed
much more work before they could be applied to humans.

It would be really exciting if it turned out that we've zeroed in on the
anatomical regions where things go wrong in autistic patients understanding
ofthe causes of autism. Dr Luis Parada, University of Texas

An autistic spectrum disorder is a developmental disability that affects the way
a person communicates and interacts with those around them. Such disorders tend
to emerge in childhood, and affect about 90 in 10,000 people. Boys tend to be
affected more often than girls.

Unsocial behaviour

The University of Texas team looked at mice where the Pten gene - which has
already been linked to other brain disorders - was deleted in the mature nerve
cells in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus areas of the brain. These regions
are associated with higher brain function such as learning and memory. The mice
behaved in a number of socially abnormal ways, compared to another group of mice
from the same litter.

The genetically altered mice were socially less skilled, being far less likely
to be curious about new animals coming into the cage. They also showed the same
level of interest in an empty cage and in one containing another mouse -
mirroring the behaviour of children with autistic spectrum disorders. The
genetically altered mice were also less likely to build nests or look after
their young, but were more sensitive to stressful stimuli, such as loud noises
or being picked up. An examination of their brains showed they also had the
increased brain volume and enlarged heads seen in people with autistic spectrum
disorders

'Intriguing'

Dr Luis Parada, director of the Centre for Developmental Biology at the
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, who led the study,
said: "It would be really exciting if it turned out that we've zeroed in on the
anatomical regions where things go wrong in autistic patients, regardless of how
the autism occurs." Anthony Wynshaw-Boris and Joy Greer from the University of
California San Diego School of Medicine in La Jolla, writing in the same
journal, say the findings are "intriguing". But they caution that the research
does provide the complete answer as there were other behaviours seen in people
with autistic spectrum disorders - such as repetitive behaviours - which were
not seen in the mice.

Professor Simon Baron Cohen, of the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge, added
that the research " may have some relevance to understanding the genetic basis
of autism spectrum conditions" because the mouse behaviour mirrored that of a
subgroup of people with autistic spectrum conditions. But he added: "Social
abnormalities in a mouse may be caused by very different factors to human social
abnormalities. "Further human, clinical studies will be needed to test if PTEN
is a susceptibility gene for autistic spectrum disorders.

"But this new study adds to our understanding of how genes expressed in the
brain may have specific functions related to neuroanatomy and behavior."



Forwarded By yours Dr.BHUDIA-Science Group Of INDIA.
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/venustransit_2004/
President:"Kutch Science Foundation".
Founder :"Kutch Amateurs Astronomers Club - Bhuj - Kutch".
Life Member:"kutch Itihaas Parishad".
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