Autism and environmental factors

331 Pages·2018·14.76 MB·English

by  Bagasra

Autism and Environmental Factors

Autism and Environmental Factors
Omar Bagasra
Claflin University, Orangeburg, South Carolina, USA
and
Cherilyn Heggen
Immunologist, Florida, USA
Illustrations by
Muhammad I. Hossain
Orangeburg, South Carolina, USA
This edition first published 2018
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Names: Bagasra, Omar, 1948– author. | Heggen, Cherilyn, 1973– author.
Title: Autism and environmental factors / by Omar Bagasra, Cherilyn Heggen ;
illustrations by Muhammad I. Hossain.
Description: Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2017056771 (print) | LCCN 2017059203 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119042266 (pdf) |
ISBN 9781119042273 (epub) | ISBN 9781119042259 (hardback)
Subjects: | MESH: Autism Spectrum Disorder–etiology | Environmental Exposure–adverse effects |
Gene-Environment Interaction
Classification: LCC RC553.A88 (ebook) | LCC RC553.A88 (print) | NLM WS 350.8.P4 |
DDC 616.85/882–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017056771
Cover Design: Wiley
Cover Image: Courtesy of Muhammad Hossain
Set in 10/12pt Warnock by SPi Global, Pondicherry, India
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
v
Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Prologue xiii
1 Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders 1
Smell of Autism 5
The Roundup™ Conundrum 7
Testosterone and Male Gender Bias 9
Connecting the Dots 12
Why Is There a “Spectrum” in Autism? 20
Are Genetic Mutations the Cause of Autism? 23
ASD Parent and Affected Child Exome Sequencing Display
De Novo Mutation 23
More Than 1,000 Genetic and Genomic Disorders and Still Counting 24
Why Do Certain Chemicals Induce Specific Depletions of 
Certain Brain Compartments? 30
Genesis of an ASD Brain 31
Pinpointing Critical Steps Where the Autistic Brain Emerges 32
Is Finding Mutations the Path to Discovering the Genesis of ASD? 34
Does Brain Size Matter? 36
How Autism Develops in a Fetal Brain 36
Why Is There a “Spectrum” in ASD? 39
ASD and Vaccines 41
Thimerosal Containing Mercury Stays in the Body and Is Very Toxic 42
Summary 43
References 43
2 What is Autism? 51
Legacy of Autism 51
A Short History of Autism 53
DSM‐5 and the ASD Spectrum 60
vi Contents
Changes in ASD diagnosis approved by the APA 61
The impact of the Recent DSM‐5 Changes on Diagnosis and 
Support Practices 61
A New ASD Diagnosis Category: Social Communication Disorder 62
ASD or a Giant Spectrum of Socioneuropsychological Disorders 62
Asperger Syndrome 63
Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified 63
Autistic Disorder 64
Rett Syndrome 64
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder 64
Is Autism a Genetic Disease? 65
Synthetic Chemicals Lack Coevolutionary Adaptation 66
Myth of the Genetic Origin of Autism 67
Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Autism 67
Why Fragile X Syndrome or Tuberous Sclerosis Should Not
Be Included in ASD 70
Tuberous Sclerosis 71
Is Finding Mutation the Path to Discovering the Origin of ASD? 72
How Quickly Does Human DNA Mutate? 73
What is the Mutation Rate in the Whole Human Genome? 74
Does Brain Size Matter? 74
Genetics versus Environment 75
References 77
3 Olfaction and Autism 83
How Do We Smell? 87
Summary and Conclusions 92
References 92
4 Oxytocin, Arginine Vasopressin and Autism Spectrum Disorder 97
Oxytocin 97
Why Oxytocin Therapy May be Important for ASD? 99
Hormones, Neuropeptide Arginine Vasopressin and 
Oxytocin in ASD 102
Development of Oxytocin and AVP Neurons in Various
Animals and in Man 103
Oxytocin and Social Experience in Development 104
Oxytocin and Developmental Neurological Disorders 106
Exogenous Oxytocin Treatments in Humans 108
Intranasal and Intravenous Oxytocin Studies in ASD 109
Oxytocin Trials in ASD: Beyond the Hype and Hope 110
Summary and Conclusions 112
References 113
Contents vii
5 Male Gender Bias and Levels of Male Hormones During Fetal
Development 123
Association between 2D:4D Ratio and Brain Connection
Development 129
Male and Female Estrogen and Testosterone Hormone Regulations 130
Are there Synthetic Chemicals that Humans Are Not Evolutionarily
Exposed To? 130
Why Male Gender Bias? 131
Male and Female Brains in a Test Tube 132
Effects of Three Different Levels of Testosterone
on Neuronal Morphology 133
Molecular Basis of Gender Bias in ASD 134
References 136
6 Maternal Twins and Male Gender Bias in Autism Spectrum Disorders 143
The Conundrum of ASD Discordance in Maternal Twins 146
Role of Environment in Maternal Twins revealed by Numerous
Methods under Many Conditions 149
What Types of Discordance are Observed in Maternal Twins? 149
Differences in Frontal and Limbic Brain Activation in Monozygotic
Twin Pairs Discordant for Severe Stressful Life Events 150
Structural Connectivity of the Brain of a Child with ASD and That
of the Unaffected Identical Twin 150
Differences in Genomic and Epigenomic Expression in Monozygotic
Twins Discordant for Rett Syndrome 150
Differences in CNV between Discordant Monozygotic Twins
with Congenital Heart Defects 151
History of Autism Becoming a Genetic Disease 151
Many Diseases That Were Considered Genetic are Being Reassessed 152
De Novo Mutations 156
To find a Scientific Analysis of ASD Genesis 158
What are Neuroblastomas? 159
What Method Did We Use? 160
Possible Etiologies of Autism 160
Epigenetic Explained 160
Epigenetic Changes and the Environment: How Lifestyle Can Influence
Epigenetic Change from One Generation to the Next 161
Factors Other Than Environment That May Be Contributing
to ASD 161
Older Age of Mother and Increased Risk 161
Conclusion and Summary 163
References 163
viii Contents
7 Autism and Exposure to Environmental Chemicals 169
Contribution of Fragrances to ASD 178
Effects of Fragrances on Male Oxytocin‐Receptor Positive Neurons 184
Effects of Fragrances on Female Oxytocin‐Receptor Positive
Neurons 186
How Synthetic Chemicals in Fragrances Affect Fetal Brain
Development 186
Synthetic Musks 186
How Do Synthetic Musks Get Into the Food Chain? 189
How Are People Exposed to Synthetic Musks? 189
Musks in Food 191
Diethyl Phthalate 191
Octinoxate 193
Benzyl Benzoate and Benzyl Salicylate 194
d‐Limonene 194
α‐Pinene 195
Synthetic EDCs 195
Why Is It Important To Look at EDCs and Their Potential Effects
on Our Next Generations? 196
Where in Fetal Life Are Androgen Receptors Expressed? 199
Why Testosterone is Essential for Engineering a Male Brain 200
Spatial Memory 207
Anxiety‐Related Behavior 207
Play Fighting and Aggression 208
Adverse Effects of EDCs and Their Mechanisms of Action 208
Effects of Testosterone or AR Mimicking EDCs 211
Early Puberty in Males 214
Change in Sex Ratio 215
Effects of EDCs on Neurodevelopmental and Neuroendocrine Systems 215
EDC Effects on Steroid Hormone Receptors in the Brain 217
Are the EDCs and other Synthetic Chemicals Depopulating the 
Human Race? 219
Summary 223
References 224
8 Maternal Antibodies to Fetal Brain Neurons and Autism 235
Link between Damage to the Fetal Brain and Maternal Antibodies:
A Double Jeopardy 235
Are there Examples of Such an Immune Mechanism? 236
Rh Incompatibility 236
ABO Incompatibility 237
Why are Fetal Neuroantigens Immunogenic to the Maternal
Immune System? 238
Is There Any Evidence of a Link Between Synthetic Chemicals Exposure,
Neurotoxicity, and Autoimmunity? 241