| Dr. Nelson Mañé Chiropractic Neurologist with | | | | these conditions were genetic then there is no |
| a sub specialty training in Childhood | | | | hope. But we believe they are not genetic but |
| Neuro-behavioral disorders who treats ADHD and | | | | epigenetic and there is hope. |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders in Tampa with a | | | | Let’s go to the scientific literature from Fred |
| sensory motor integration hemispheric approach | | | | Previc: |
| stated “Many parents are under the | | | | Med Hypotheses, 2007;68(1):46-60. Epub 2006 |
| impression that ASD are genetic and therefore to | | | | Sep 7. |
| expect improvement in the child is foolish and that | | | | Prenatal influences on brain dopamine and their |
| the situation is hopeless.” In Fact, much of | | | | relevance to the rising incidence of autism. |
| the current scientific literature points the cause of | | | | The incidence of autism has risen 10-fold since the |
| ASD toward Epigenetic and not Genetics. If | | | | early 1980s, with most of this rise not explainable |
| ASD were truly caused by genetics then there | | | | by changing diagnostic criteria. The rise in autism is |
| would not be any improvements in the patients. | | | | paradoxical in that autism is considered to be one |
| “I think we have all heard of an autistic child | | | | of the most genetically determined of the major |
| who improved with dietary changes, visual or | | | | neuro-developmental disorders and should |
| auditory programs, etc. How could this be | | | | accordingly either be stable or even declining. |
| possible if ASD are genetic?” The genetic | | | | Because a variety of epigenetic influences, |
| make up of a person can not be changed. An | | | | particularly those occurring during the prenatal |
| example of this would be that one can’t | | | | period, can override or masquerade as genetic |
| change the color of their eyes. Secondly, if | | | | influences, these should be considered as prime |
| autism is genetic and statistics show that those | | | | contributors to the recent increase of autism. |
| with autism rarely marry or reproduce (pass on | | | | Prenatal influences on dopamine activity are |
| their genes); how can these conditions increase in | | | | especially well-documented, including the effects of |
| epidemic proportions? There is no such thing as a | | | | maternal psychosocial stress, maternal fever, |
| genetic epidemic. In epigenetic the genes | | | | maternal genetic and hormonal status, use of |
| don’t change, but the switches on the genes | | | | certain medications, urban birth, and fetal hypoxia. |
| can be turned on or off. Wikipedia defines | | | | All of these factors have been implicated in the |
| epigenetic as follows: | | | | genesis of autism, which is characterized by a |
| In biology, the term epigenetic refers to | | | | "hyperdopaminergic" state based on evidence |
| changes in gene expression caused by | | | | from monkey and human behavioral studies, |
| mechanisms other than changes in the underlying | | | | pharmacological studies in humans, and a |
| DNA sequence. These changes may remain | | | | left-hemispheric predominance of both dopamine |
| through cell divisions for the remainder of the cell's | | | | and autistic-like symptoms. Chronically high |
| life and may also last for multiple generations. | | | | maternal levels of dopamine caused by the |
| However, there is no change in the underlying | | | | pressures of increasingly urbanized societies and |
| DNA sequence of the organism, instead, | | | | by changing maternal demographics such as |
| non-genetic factors cause the organism's genes to | | | | increased workforce participation, educational |
| behave differently. | | | | achievement level, and age at first birth, may be |
| In plain English, ADHD and Autism are not genetic | | | | especially significant epigenetic contributors to the |
| but epigenetic and therefore can be treated. If | | | | recent autism rise. |