Facing such a dramatic reality, researchers are hard at work trying to understand this brain development disorder. As AutismSpeaks.org points out, there is no one cause of autism just as there is no one type of autism.
Scientific advances over the past decade have shown us that most cases arise from a complex combination of genetics and environmental influences. A small number are associated with a single rare gene mutation, but, in general, there is a genetic predisposition arising from the combinations of thousands of genes, which is acted upon by environmental factors.
Comment: Don't discount the link between vaccines and the development of autism and neurological disorders.
New research suggests that one of those environmental factors may be a commonly used pain medication taken during pregnancy.
If further research confirms this to be the case, it would be a shocking development, as Tylenol (acetaminophen) is the most commonly used medication during pregnancy."A new study has found that paracetamol (acetaminophen), which is used extensively during pregnancy, has a strong association with autism spectrum symptoms in boys and for both genders in relation to attention-related and hyperactivity symptoms."
The findings were published this week in the International Journal of Epidemiology. This is the first study of its kind to report an independent association between the use of this drug in pregnancy and autism spectrum symptoms in children. It is also the first study to report different effects on boys and girls. Comparing persistently to nonexposed children, the study has found an increase of 30 per cent in the risk of detriment to some attention functions, and an increase of two clinical symptoms of autism spectrum symptoms in boys."
BabyCenter.com acknowledges that the "drug hasn't been well studied in pregnant women," but also notes that extensive use, especially in the later months of pregnancy, is possibly linked to behavioral problems.
The website also notes that fevers during pregnancy can cause risks to the developing baby, so there is a careful balance between controlling fevers and minimizing over-the-counter pain relief/fever reduction medications.
The researchers note that more studies should be conducted to better understand the risks of acetaminophen use during pregnancy and brain development risks."Co-author Dr. Jordi Júlvez, also a researcher at CREAL, commented on the possible reasoning for the effects of paracetamol on neurodevelopment: "Paracetamol could be harmful to neurodevelopment for several reasons. First of all, it relieves pain by acting on cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Since these receptors normally help determine how neurons mature and connect with one another, paracetamol could alter these important processes. It can also affect the development of the immune system, or be directly toxic to some fetuses that may not have the same capacity as an adult to metabolize this drug, or by creating oxidative stress."
Regarding the factor of genetic predisposition to ASD among populations, recent research has revealed that autism genes actually exist in all of us.
"With recent advances in genome sequencing and analysis, a picture of ASD's genetic landscape has started to take shape. Research has shown that most ASD risk is polygenic (stemming from the combined small effects of thousands of genetic differences, distributed across the genome). Some cases are also associated with rare genetic variants of large effect, which are usually de novo.
"There has been a lot of strong but indirect evidence that has suggested these findings," said Dr Mark Daly, co-director of the Broad Institute's Medical and Population Genetics (MPG) Program and senior author of the study.
"Once we had measurable genetic signals in hand — both polygenic risk and specific de novo mutations known to contribute to ASD — we were able to make an incontrovertible case that the genetic risk contributing to autism is genetic risk that exists in all of us, and influences our behavior and social communication."
So far there are 5 Possible causes of Autism as dictated by the medical community. Here is the list for the last 3 years of causes. Notice none of them mention vaccines.
Science Autism Research Causes: 2016
1. Paracetamol during pregnancy may up ADHD, autism risk in kids
Researchers at Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) in Spain
[Link]
2.Too Much Folate in Pregnant Women Increases Risk for Autism, Study Suggests
[Link]
3.Viral infection during pregnancy causes autism-like behaviors in mice by triggering key immune reaction: [Link]
4. Variety of Genetic Mutations Can Cause Autism: [Link]
5. *********Prenatal exposure to acetaminophen may increase autism spectrum and hyperactivity symptoms in children: [Link] Current cause.
Here's a look at everything science has linked to autism in 2015:
1. Low levels of vitamin D -Molecular Autism in January
2. Pre-eclampsia -(JAMA) Pediatrics in february 2015
3. Exposure to BPA -Autism Research
4. Dad's DNA -International Journal of Epidemiology
5. Mom's DNA-presented at the 2015 International Meeting for Autism Research May 2015
6. Teen moms and advanced parental age -Molecular Psychiatry,
7. Gestational diabetes -JAMA in May 2015
8. Maternal hormones - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders in September 2015
9. Maternal antibodies Neuroscience '15, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience-presentation.
10. Being born prematurely -researchers from the Washington University School Medicine, Neuroscience '15, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience,
11. Smoking -A study published in Environmental Research
12. Polycystic ovarian syndrome -Swedish study published in Molecular Psychology-December 2015.
13. Taking antidepressants while pregnant -JAMA Pediatrics in December
Top Ten Autism Research Stories of 2014.
Here's a look at everything science has linked to autism in 2014:
#10 Autism and GI Disorders: Largest-Ever Analysis Confirms Strong Link-Pediatrics.
#9 Autism ‘Baby Sibs’ Study Identifies Another Early Red Flag- Biological Psychiatry.
#7 Study Links Specific Gene to Autism Subtype-published in Cell
#6 Brain Study Suggests that Autism Involves Too Many Synapses- Report, by neuroscientists at Columbia University Medical Center, appears in the journal Neuron.
#5 Studies Implicate Early Injury to Cerebellum as Major Cause of Autism-Journal Neuron
#4 Broccoli-Sprout Extract Shows Promise for Easing Autism Symptoms-The report appears online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
#3 MSSNG: Changing the Future of Autism with Open Science-
#2 Physical Evidence that Autism Starts During Prenatal Development-The research, supported in part by Autism Speaks, appears online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
#1 New Meta-analysis Affirms No Association Between Vaccines and Autism-The report appears online in the journal Vaccine