Apparant 'breakthrough' in autism research

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Have we found key to autism? Scientists hail 'monumental' breakthrough that could help millions

That is on the BBC webstite too.
Both of them seem to be talking about big leaps in autism research but I'm worried about exactly where the research is headed

I agree, it's definately worrying that they may try to 'cure' us. I like what they say in the last sentence about how much of a financial burden we are on society, will definately get us culled lol.

At least now people won't go on about vaccine's harming us anymore though I suppose.

It reads more like a PR piece for 3 autism research projects, the daily mail version.

I'm not sure what it means, the wording is unclear.

A quote from the BBC artical:

Fixing?

What does "fixing" involve? Because I can only think of two possibilities - eugenics, or, more likely, forcibly altering the genetic structure of anyone who has this gene.

Either method is absolutely horrific. As far as I am aware people don't talk about "fixing" the genes of other genetic conditions. So why autism?

edit: here is the original source of the information, from the journal Nature: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/va ... e07999.pdf

edit2: and this is the only bit of the entire article that talks about anything other than the causes of ASDs:

right at the end of the last page.

Well, maybe this will shut the vaccine blame bridge up for 2 mins.

Hah! As soon as I heard the announcement about this 'breakthrough' on the radio this morning I knew it'd be talked about on here. x3

@Basement: Oh, if only. Have you been reading the comments below the article? These parents are absolutely convinced that the vaccine is to blame and nothing in the world seems to persuade them otherwise. Listen to this one:

*sigh* 'Excuse', she says.

Just look at all these fools in the comments section. My faith in humanity just took a nosedive again.

From the article:
"Overall, more than 30 genes may linked to the condition, acting together to predispose a child to autism or even cause it." I hope that makes it difficult to add to the conditions screened for in the "triple screen" or "quad screen" (as it is called in the US), blood tests given to pregnant women that can lead to risky amniocentesis or selective abortions. Women choosing abortion rather than the possibility of having a kid with an ASD- that slays me (PUN!!)!

Also- "Particular combinations of the genes may also set the scene for the condition to be triggered by environmental factors such as pesticides and infections." Interesting- that sentence sounds like it came out of an oncology article.

Thanks for the interesting link, misswoofalot.

In all likelihood it will eventually be found that both genetics and vaccines (along with other toxins in the environment) play a role as the vaccines represent a trigger to an underlying genetic condition. Even though a direct link with autism has not been proven there is evidence that vaccines can cause brain damage I believe it would be imprudent to hold either side of the argument as being unarguable fact. Of course there are still some who deny that smoking causes cancer and who can blame them after decades of scientific proof that there is no link. At this stage the evidence is in my opinion inconclusive. I am also personally aware of a number of doctor's who are not giving their own children some of the vaccines that they are injecting others with on the basis that there is still insufficient data on the longterm effects.

As far as the threat of the diseases: I had both mumps and measles.
Some members of my family had scarlet fever and all my kids (including 2 year old) had whooping cough - we are all still alive. Still the worst illness situation we have had to face was my eldest son's reaction to a vaccine. In this case the doctor ordered an extensive scan of brain activity and this showed definite abnormalities. Of course it is possible (even likely - at least in my oppinion as we lack sufficient evidence) that the brain abnormality was there all along and that the vaccine simply acted as a catylist resulting in serious and life threatening symptoms.

Fortunately he did recover from this.

Of course a lot depends on what one means by "caused".
Does a bowl of sugar cause a coma? No, but it might if taken by a diabetic. Does this mean the bowl of sugar "caused" it?

Knowing researchers probably a theoretical magic wand that dosn't exist but is interesting to think about.

Why is it always, fixing us, why can't it be how to understand us? I'm not a danm broken peice of technology, im a human, stop tinkering with me and start trying to communicate?

I got a huge lump in my throat when I saw the "fix" word. And in the same article, quoting Simon Baron Cohen, who a few months ago warned of the dangers of trying to "fix" autistics!
I'm actually going to be glad when Autism Awareness Month is over, if it means lowering my blood pressure by not being exposed to as much curebie trash.

I just sent a comment, I don't know when it will show up. I was saying I do think it's genetic and why I don't think vaccines cause it etc.

Normaly I'd just shrug this off, as there'd be nothing they could do to prove/take action against it... but given that, from my understanding, multipule legit studies found this, it makes me both scared and angry.

I dont want to be "fixed". I like who I am, and given the POS government my country(US), along with the POS governments of other countries, it wouldnt supprise me if they started forcing people to get "fixed". Someone jokingly asked me if I wanted to move to the Philippine Islands... well, if what I think is going to happen, ends up happening, then I may seriously consider it or another "lesser developed" country when I become a legal adult.

Well, hopefully theoretical. A third possibility is that they try to trace out, however imperfectly, how the genes effect some aspect of the brain that is effected by drugs. I.e. Say, some of the genes imply altered neurotrasmitter activity or theoretical 'overactivity' so that someone starts suggesting Haldol® or Neurontin® (or Whatever®) as a 'treatment for autism.' Stranger uses of drugs on autistics have been justified on less. (Not that I think most adults have much to worry about, though.)