NYT article on role of inflammation in autisim and other conditions

[Ocean]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/opinion/sunday/immune-disorders-and-autism.html?src=me&ref=general

I thought this was a really interesting article. I definitely have inflammation issues and believe that relates to my CFS also. There's a lot of interesting ideas in the piece.

 

[Sushi]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/opinion/sunday/immune-disorders-and-autism.html?src=me&ref=general

I thought this was a really interesting article. I definitely have inflammation issues and believe that relates to my CFS also. There's a lot of interesting ideas in the piece.

Very interesting!

A quote:

More recently, William Parker at Duke University has chimed in. He’s not, by training, an autism expert. But his work focuses on the immune system and its role in biology and disease, so he’s particularly qualified to point out the following: the immune system we consider normal is actually an evolutionary aberration.
Some years back, he began comparing wild sewer rats with clean lab rats. They were, in his words, “completely different organisms.” Wild rats tightly controlled inflammation. Not so the lab rats. Why? The wild rodents were rife with parasites. Parasites are famous for limiting inflammation.

 

[Ocean]

Yeah, I thought this was really interesting:

"For autoimmune and allergic diseases linked to autism, meanwhile, the evidence is compelling. In environments that resemble the world of yore, the immune system is much less prone to diseases of dysregulation. "

 

[Firestormm]

I skimmed this thinking it was a mainstream article, then I realised it was an opinion piece. Does anyone know the author? Thanks.

 

[Ocean]

I skimmed this thinking it was a mainstream article, then I realised it was an opinion piece. Does anyone know the author? Thanks.

NYT lists the author as Moises Velasquez-Manoff. Looks like he has a book coming out. When I have more time I'll have to read the summary and see if I want to read or skim it, could be interesting.
http://www.amazon.com/Epidemic-Absence-Understanding-Allergies-Autoimmune/dp/1439199388

ETA: I think his comment that certain illnesses are less common in places where life is more like it's historically been for mankind makes sense to me. But I'm not sure about the reason given with the parasites and such. If I had to make a guess without doing research, I'd think that lots of the issues in our environment, food, medicine, etc. in the modern world may somehow be connected to certain illnesses rather than lack of parasites and exposure to infections. But then I assume this guy has done the research and I haven't. But my first instinct would be to look to toxins in our diets, medications, furniture, clothing, air, etc. That combined with genetic factors.

 

[voner]

Here's a summary of that opinion piece in the New York Times. it is by Paul Whiteley, I find him to be knowledgeable and he doesn't mind exploring and speculating a bit on a topic. He on occasion ranges into me/cfs.

http://questioning-answers.blogspot.com/2012/08/autism-and-immune-dysfunction-dont.html

 

[Sparrow]

I saw this too, and thought it was interesting. There seems to be a lot of talk lately about virus-induced inflammation causing autoimmunity when it comes to MS, etc. too. ...Seems like something that could potentially be a good fit for ME as well.