Autism-Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

Autism, Chemicals, Probable Cause and Mitigation: A New Examination

Keith Schofield

This extensive overview has addressed in a scientific manner the probable cause of autism. Although seemingly an impossible task, an important clue has always been autism’s triggered growth from the late 90s. This triggering eliminated genetics as a major cause and redirected it to changes in the anthropogenic environment. Global availability for ingestion by women of child-bearing years of all neurotoxic chemicals has been reviewed and potential changes examined. Surprisingly, these simple criteria eliminate almost everything except the neurotoxic metal elements. These are all present in recent blood analyses of pregnant women and also in the fetal cord with some at risk level concentrations. However, the two predominant neurotoxic elements that clearly stand out are Al and Hg. Furthermore, isotopically labeled experiments on animals coupled to fetal autopsies indicate that these in the forms of Al³⁺, HgCH₃⁺ and HgC₂H₅⁺ can penetrate the usually tight blood/brain barrier and enter the brain with now known half-lives. Normally, these elements are controlled and neutralized by brain seleno-cysteine proteins. However, an overloading burden has become plausible in current times and even a temporary failure leaves the fetal brain vulnerable. For the first time, the burden is seen to arise not from a single source, but from the combination of medicine and diet. If these neurological illnesses are to be controlled, the body-burden for these and all the other toxins that the body has to constantly manage has to be reduced. To begin with, this will have to involve modifying currently high inoculation rates and procedures particularly in the US, and minimizing risks from consuming fish especially in a Japanese sushi life-style. This is not only of importance for women of child-bearing ages but for the whole population considering the consequences of such body burdens throughout life.