Pediatric Bioscience Test To Predict Maternal Antibody Related Autism in 2012
Managing Editor's Note: I recently ran a post on TodayMoms blog about the study of sibling incidence of autism. Following that post, I received an email indicating a desire to share the information below from Pediatric Bioscience. As you will read, they offer a test to predict Maternal Antibody Related autism with 100% accuracy both pre- and post-natal. I personally am unfamiliar with the term "MAR" autism or that it related to 20% of diagnoses. According to the info below, the intial push will be for pre-natal testing. Followed by infant testing so that families can begin treatment early.
Science and commercialism find a need a fill it. We've had monumental advances in healthcare and quality of life because of capitalism. But is this a better mousetrap? Is it progress?
The autism community, from the curiest curebie to staunchest neurodiverse, have openly discussed the topic of prenatal testing and whether it could/would/should lead to eugenics/autbortion? It's a controversial question, just as amnio is/was controversial and yet now pretty readily accepted, and we bring it to all of you for open discussion. Thank you. KIM
Dear Kim:
Your article was very inspiring and a testimonial to the need for better ways to diagnose autism and predict whether or not a women is at risk for having an autistic child. We at Pediatric Bioscience (PSI) are dedicated to developing and commercializing products to improve the diagnosis of and treatment of children with autism and autism spectrum disorders. PSI is currently developing a commercial test for Maternal Antibody Related autism ( MAR test). The MAR test is comprised of a set of prognostic markers that identify women who may be at an increased risk of having a child with the MAR form of autism, which accounts for up to 20% of all cases (approximately 1 in 500 live births). To date, the test has demonstrated 100% accuracy—meaning that if a mother or prospective mother has developed the antibodies, then her child will be diagnosed with AU or ASD.
We would love the opportunity to share more details about the MAR test with you, and to get some feedback on how best to reach other mothers to tell them of the benefits of the test.
Another thing should be said. The idea that the maternal antibodies can't cause regression because they would act before birth seems very intuitive, but in biology, there are many examples of counter intutive processes. Life is often inherently weird. I don't know what the research is saying, but if you realize the developing brain goes through many stages which are programmed, such as apoptosis, then regression can be likely explained by failure of one of these processes. Something the maternal antibodies damage or destroy is needed later for a brain developmental change, the change does not happen or is flawed, and bingo, you've got autism. Don't think shallowly, if the answers were easy and straightforward more of them would have been found by now.
Posted by: Steve White | October 19, 2011 at 05:58 PM
I feel just the opposite of so many posters above. What a precious gift the scientists have given us to ensure our children are healthy. And it's not eugenic because the disease process is not genetic, and it's not about giving rid of people who are not perfect either. The people who developed this test are not Nazis, they are some of the best people I've met in my life, compassionate doctors, including the non-MDs, who are also doctors in they have given new medical technology to all mankind. furthermore, perhaps the MOST important, the research done to develop the test will likely also lead to treatment. The test is just the first part. Please people THINK about all this deeply.
Posted by: Steve White | October 19, 2011 at 05:49 PM
One voice....that is exactly what I have been thinking. The study of the offspring and their reaction to vaccines. I mean if it does set up autoimmunity in these children should we be vaccinating them? Especially with six or seven at a time?
Posted by: Twinrn29 | September 18, 2011 at 05:06 PM
oh, and to be more clear, presence of a lyme antibody is indicative of being infected...so baby is getting infected just like a syphilis bacterium does (a spirochete family)...and syphillis is known to cause autism, mmm? And let's not forget, it calls out the cytokine troops which causes brain inflammation...an inflammed brain being vaccinated at six house, great idea, NOT!
Posted by: kathy blanco | September 02, 2011 at 03:04 PM
it is interesting that they found the 37kda weighted protein as an antibody. You know what? That's a lyme bacteria outer surface protein, just sayin....sigh...
Posted by: kathy blanco | September 02, 2011 at 03:02 PM
I didn't vaccinate my 3 children when they were born in 1999, 2000 & 2002 because I was concerned about their becoming autistic. I myself was fully vaccinated, have a mouth full of mercury amalgams, and ate lots of tuna fish while pregnant with my first born. All three were born with autism and I still haven't vaccinated them as I believe they would get sicker.
Posted by: Karen G | September 01, 2011 at 10:09 AM
IgG is the only one that can cross the placenta, the only one and it is the IgGs.
The IgA is waiting for the baby - in the breast milk.
And the mother's reaction to vaccines can last for years.
The mother is being vaccinated and her IgG and IgAs are going wild. They are lasting for years.
No longer will we have regressive autism, but autism from birth.
This is what this study is showing us.
Kawasakis with 105 temps are involved in this mess and thier treatment is a cotail of IgGs from 1000 patients. What does that tell us?
Posted by: Benedetta | August 31, 2011 at 06:06 PM
The Eugenics claims are overblown. THe maternal antibodies could suggest vaccine injury in the mother as they are against the fetal brain and fetal cells are used in vaccine production as EHG pointed out earlier.
Posted by: Cassandra | August 31, 2011 at 05:28 PM
The MAR test is based on Judy Wan De Water's research at the MIND Institute.
Posted by: Cassandra | August 31, 2011 at 05:21 PM
Precisely -Who are the people behind this supposed test for autism? Where is their data? Where are their studies? Isnt it a coincidence that they have suddenly popped up just at the time when research has shown that autism is caused by something in the environment and only to a much lesser extent genetically.
To Kristine- If your autistic child regressed after vaccines - that tells you that he regressed due to vaccines.If these maternal antibodies are truly a problem, then they would work against the child before birth and the child would be born autistic.
This would imply that your only worry is to reduce and delay vaccines and ensure that your child receives no mercury in vaccines. Also ensure that you accept no flu shots and do not eat fish or get dental work done during pregnancy. If you have peridontal disease, get that treated before. pregnancy. Study the vaccines one by one and you will see how little risk there is of most of the diseases which they purport to prevent- so why give those vaccines at all. They merely serve to put mercury, aluminum and other toxins into a child who was not meant to have those things in his or her body.
This MAR claim needs to be checked out before anyone pays it any attention. Im sure there are plenty of good questions that they need to answr, such as How did mothers suddenly develop MAR antibodies in the year 1985 ? (Beginning of the autism epidemic) What caused these antibodies to develop? If these antibodies exist and cause autism, then we should be seeing autism in unvaccinated kids, yet that is extremely rare. As pointed out by others, claims of unvaccinated kids having autism are rarely backed up by details and serious study (For example- checking for other sources of mercury in the child's environment)
I hope Jake Crosby is busy on his computer checking these MAR-promoters out !
Posted by: Cherry Sperlin Misra | August 31, 2011 at 04:30 PM
Just a quick note,please look up on the You tube what
Andrea Bocelli says when the doctors told his mother to abort him. Type in Andrea Bocelli tells a little story about
abortion and watch how his face lights up with a big smile
when his mother did not listen to the doctors. God's greatest gifts to humanity sometimes come with disability.
Posted by: oneVoice | August 31, 2011 at 08:02 AM
No test is 100% accurate.Even amniocentesis carries 0.5%
(1 out of 200)miscarriage. There are lot of false positive results where abnormalities showed up on the test and the mothers had delivered healthy babies.They were stressed out
emotionally worrying about test results in their pregnancy
and that 9 months of happiness was stolen from them.Here
we are with all these tests,trying to create the perfect
babies and children.Yes,Eugenics is written all over it.
It appears only the babies with the perfect genetics will be allowed to develop in the future.If you are pro-life and belive that every life is a precious gift from God then you
may want to reject all genetical testing.Also choose you
care provider with the greatest care.
Posted by: oneVoice | August 31, 2011 at 12:23 AM
There are basically four types of immunity.
The first type is B cells called B cells because they are made in the bone marrow.
the second type are the T cells called T cells because although they are made in the bone marrow too they migrate to the Thymus and mature there (thus T cells).
The other two types are basically macrophages and dendrites. Those are things that engulf pathogens or drag them along to the lymph nodes were the T cells are now waiting on any immune complex including the B cells to make more of the complex.
Going back up to the first immunity above; the B cells.
The B cells produce five different kinds of antibodies
IgG, IgE, IgA, IgM, IgD
Ig stands for immunoglobulin .
Breaking the Igs down a little further: There are four types of IgGs; four subtypes.
Back sometime ago an article in "Scientific American" had an article on autism and the researchers said they found lots of B cells circulating in the test subjects (kids with autism).
In Kawasaki disease the main treatment is IVIG (Intravenous immunoglobulin ). It is made from the immunogobulins of a 1000 donors. It is suppose to have all four types of IgGs in it. Just IgGs, it's cost - 10,000 dollars.
From wiki it tells How IVIG works:
"The precise mechanism by which IVIG suppresses harmful inflammation has not been definitively established but is believed to involve the inhibitory Fc receptor.[2][3] The actual primary target(s) of IVIG in autoimmune disease are still unclear, however. IVIG may work via a multi-step model where the injected IVIG first forms a type of immune complex in the patient.[4] Once these immune complexes are formed, they interact with activating Fc receptors on dendritic cells[5] which then mediate anti-inflammatory effects helping to reduce the severity of the autoimmune disease or inflammatory state.
Additionally, the donor antibody may bind directly with the abnormal host antibody, stimulating its removal. Alternatively, the massive quantity of antibody may stimulate the host's complement system, leading to enhanced removal of all antibodies, including the harmful ones. IVIG also blocks the antibody receptors on immune cells (macrophages), leading to decreased damage by these cells, or regulation of macrophage phagocytosis.
IVIG may also regulate the immune response by reacting with a number of membrane receptors on T cells, B cells, and monocytes that are pertinent to autoreactivity and induction of tolerance to self.[6]
A recent report stated that IVIG application to activated T cells leads to their decreased ability to engage microglia. As a result of IVIG treatment of T cells, the findings showed reduced levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 in T cell-microglia co-culture. The results add to the understanding of how IVIG may affect inflammation of the central nervous system in autoimmune inflammatory diseases.[7]
[edit] IVIG notesIVIG is an infusion of IgG antibodies only. Therefore, peripheral tissues that are defended mainly by IgA antibodies, such as the eyes, lungs, gut and urinary tract are not fully protected by the IVIG treatment"
Additionally:
If the patient also has a lot of IgAs misbehaving which is usual in Kawasaki disease and the IgA are in the tears, saliva, colostrum and secretions from the genitourinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, prostate and respiratory epithelium, lungs, eyes so forth there could be a severe allergric reaction to the IVIGs. Not a treatment without a lot of risk. Plus the IVIG treatments cannot help those areas of the body.
IgG is the only one that can cross the placenta, the only one and it is the IgGs.
The IgA is waiting for the baby - in the breast milk.
And the mother's reaction to vaccines can last for years.
So what started out as vaccines reactions in a few kids years ago now means the ones that barely squeaked by will be caught in the next generation before their babies are even born - not to mention flu shots to pregnant women - not that it matters - just vaccines that have been given years ago or sometime in the woman's life. It also means that autism rates will continue to rise. It also means that someone did not do the first, second, third, fourth and fifth generation test on vaccines.
Generation test is something that is required by all the other industries. The EPA would be on top of and all over Dow Chemical, Dupont, BASF, if they even got a whiff they were not doing these generation guidelines; and so EPA should be too. But since it came under another federal agency it looks like to me they didn't do them. Does the - the EPA not monitor another federal agency? I don't know? Did the EPA assume that the NIH and the CDC know the guidelines? Maybe they did not test the immune system? But then again that is also something that the EPA requires from any chemical company. I don't understand?
Tereasa Conrick quotes the study
"Autism is a heterogeneous disorder with a poorly understood biological basis."
But how could they not know what to test for? It is in all the EPA guidelines? It is basic science?
The long term prognosis of Kawasakis is defects in the lipid metabolism - is that the same thing as the acquired mitochondrial cytopathy my family has? I think so.
Is that not the same thing that many here are finding? Is that not what Hannah Poling's father Jon Poling told the vaccine compensation Court and won his case? Is that not what the fishy language was all about - "the vaccine did not cause the mitrochondrial disease but made it worse"?
Is there anything out there on studies on the affects of vaccines on the generations of mice?
Posted by: Benedetta | August 30, 2011 at 11:07 PM
Adding in some other considerations:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2305723/
"Despite the beneficial nature of the majority of maternal IgG received by the fetus, a number of neonatal autoimmune diseases have been demonstrated to result from pathogenic maternal IgG. Notably, the presence of maternal anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibodies cause neonatal lupus syndrome, often leading to congenital heart block (Tincani et al., 2006) In addition, cases of neonatal anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS), mediated through maternal autoantibodies, have been observed in the newborn infants of mothers with primary APS (Soares Rolim et al., 2006). Finally, abnormal thyroid function is often noted in infants born to mother with Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease, caused by placental transfer of maternal anti-thyroid antibodies(Fu et al., 2005). Typically, symptoms of neonatal thyroiditis resolve as maternal antibodies are cleared from the circulation of the infant.
Our data suggest that the presence of maternal autoantibodies to fetal brain proteins of approximately 37kDa and 73kDa molecular weight confers an elevated risk for autism....
...Maternal plasma collection for the current retrospective study occurred on average 3.5 years after the birth of the affected child, and approximately 18 months after a diagnosis of autism. As circulating antibody titers are known to vary over time based on the immunological state of the individual (Toptygina et al., 2005), the maternal antibody profile observed at the time of the registration of her child into the CHARGE study may be slightly different than during gestation. However, it has been demonstrated that antibodies, such as those generated in response to vaccination, can persist for many years due to the maintenance and subsequent polyclonal reactivation of memory B cells (Shinefield et al., 2002)."
Autoantibodies to cerebellum in children with autism associate with behavior
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159110005726
"Autism is a heterogeneous disorder with a poorly understood biological basis. Some children with autism harbor plasma autoantibodies that target brain proteins. Similarly, some mothers of children with autism produce antibodies specific to autism that target pairs of fetal brain proteins at 37/73 and 39/73 kDa. We explored the relationship between the presence of brain-specific autoantibodies and several behavioral characteristics of autism in 277 children with an autism spectrum disorder and 189 typically developing age-matched controls. Further, we used maternal autoantibody data to investigate potential familial relationships for the production of brain-directed autoantibodies. We demonstrated by Western blot that autoantibodies specific for a 45 kDa cerebellar protein in children were associated with a diagnosis of autism (p = 0.017) while autoantibodies directed towards a 62 kDa protein were associated with the broader diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (p = 0.043). Children with such autoantibodies had lower adaptive (p = 0.0008) and cognitive function (p = 0.005), as well as increased aberrant behaviors (p < 0.05) compared to children without these antibodies. No correlation was noted for those mothers with the most specific pattern of anti-fetal brain autoantibodies and children with the autoantibodies to either the 45 or 62 kDa bands. Collectively, these data suggest that antibodies towards brain proteins in children are associated with lower adaptive and cognitive function as well as core behaviors associated with autism. It is unclear whether these antibodies have direct pathologic significance, or if they are merely a response to previous injury. Future studies are needed to determine the identities of the protein targets and explore their significance in autism."
Caveats:
a-No correlation was noted for those mothers with the most specific pattern of anti-fetal brain autoantibodies and children with the autoantibodies to either the 45 or 62 kDa bands.
b-It is unclear whether these antibodies have direct pathologic significance, or if they are merely a response to previous injury.
Posted by: Teresa Conrick | August 30, 2011 at 07:55 PM
Even if the test showed that there was a particular pattern of antibodies- what then? They are NEVER going to recommend that the child not be vaccinated. It is great to have a way for parents to make an educated decision regarding a child with a compromised immune system, but I see this fueling the whole "preexisting condition" thing to a new level. The average Joe cannot distinguish between this and the whole genetic rapture that has captured the medical community- despite the SUPER OBVIOUS. It's parents that need these tests, but I fear that it will just become fuel for the fire with the whole gene thing and get thrown in with genetics’ "stuff" leaving us pointing out the glaring difference to no avail. What behavioral interventions are they referring to? The ones that they refuse to pay for now? I gotta tell you this has eugenics written all over it. I anticipate that there will be a flood of women that test positive for this since so many women are sick these days. What a way to fuel the abortion industry.
Posted by: Angie | August 30, 2011 at 06:23 PM
EHG
Thanks, that's helpful - the trawl came up with two studies:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18262386
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19431079
The first is certainly very suggestive but has it been replicated.
Posted by: John Stone | August 30, 2011 at 06:11 PM
For John Stone: if you google "MIND Institute fetal brain antibodies" you'll come up with lots of info on the association with autism and the studies that have been done.
Posted by: EHG | August 30, 2011 at 05:47 PM
Total hoax. Not buyig any of this.
Posted by: Mary | August 30, 2011 at 05:28 PM
I typed the term 'Maternal Antibody Related Autism' into Pubmed and came up with no studies in which it was mentioned.
Posted by: John Stone | August 30, 2011 at 05:16 PM
Of course they claim the idea of this test is not to suggest abortions, but in reality we all know that's exactly where this is leading. If 80-90% of parents carrying a Down Syndrome child choose to abort, what will stop 80-90% of potentially autistic children from being aborted? How ironic that vaccines cultured on aborted fetal cell lines have brought us to this.
Posted by: Patricia Costello | August 30, 2011 at 04:49 PM
@Tara, The idea of this test is not to suggest abortions. People often misunderstand that.
We know that autism is not purely genetic and we can do a lot to minimize the environmental risks - but we first have to study them.
If we knew that mothers had these antibodies, we might be able to come up with better ways of prevention. If these antibodies point to a vaccine origin as EHG suggests than we can suggest that future Moms-to-be undergo a detox plan (remove amalgam fillings, take probiotics, start prenatal vitamins prior to conception, remove toxic substances from home, etc.). Even better, limit the vaccines pre- and post natal.
Posted by: Cassandra | August 30, 2011 at 12:16 PM
So I guess that means if all the mothers of children (no matter the child's age) with an ASD diagnosis today were tested for MAR, 20% would test positive on this test?
Posted by: Donna K | August 30, 2011 at 12:07 PM
Even if 100% of these kids have an ASD, what percentage are Asperger's or HFA out of that?
I have a friend who is an EXCELLENT producer of ASD children. Her daughter is Asperger's, her older son is ADHD, and her youngest son is HFA. If this test had been in place, it is likely that two of her three kids would have been aborted. The Aspie kid is doing well in college. The HFA kid is mainstreamed without an aide in 2nd grade, although he does spend time in the Learning Disabled Resource Room for reading comprehension and writing. He showers independently, and is nearly age-appropriate in self-help skills. Of course, what 7-year-old boy do you know who likes to brush his teeth, gets all of his hair when shampooing, and remembers to wipe after every number 2? Seriously, having worked in schools, I've seen plenty of typical kids that age who don't do those things either.
The ADHD boy, who is college age, is not in school, umemployed, and is completely reliant upon his mother.
So, this test would potentially have left her with the child who may be "most normal" but has (probably) the least in life skills. How pathetic is that?
Posted by: Tara Marshall | August 30, 2011 at 11:42 AM
And let us all ask, how is it that women today have developed antibodies to human fetuses?
Perhaps it is a long term side effect of their own vaccinations (RA 27/3 strand of rubella and MMR vaccines specifically) that were and still are contaminated with human fetus proteins derived from the human fetal cell cultures known as WI-38 and MRC-5 that are used to grow the live viruses used in these vaccines.
Vaccines induce immunity (antibody development) to the foreign proteins contained in the vax and the commercial existence of immuno-contraceptive vaccines proves that it is very bad to inject women with vaccines that contain human fetal proteins unless of course they consent to it as a pregnancy prevention measure.
Posted by: EHG | August 30, 2011 at 10:03 AM
Very interesting. Would like to see their initial study test results...to really see if there are holes.
A lot of the board/management seems to come from UC Davis which is encouraging.
Posted by: Kevin | August 30, 2011 at 09:41 AM
I think this test is based on Dr. Judy Van der Water's research who found maternal antibodies against the fetal brain. 100% accuracy is unlikely. Women with autoimmune history should get tested and/or with an older child with autism.
Posted by: Cassandra | August 30, 2011 at 08:56 AM
I don't get it. That sounds perfectly reasonable to me. In fact, I'm pretty certain at Autism One that Rossignol or Bradstreet talked about something similar, but I don't recall it being 100% accuracy (much lower actually). Was it maternal fetal brain antibodies? something like that, I'd have to look it up. And the notion certainly supports the idea that autism is autoimmune. I know I have a strong family history of autoimmune disorders and would not be surprised at all if this contributed to my son having autism (brain damage).
My husband and I are thinking of having another child and I would definitely take such a test if it was available, especially given that we are high risk of having another child with autism.
Posted by: Kristine | August 30, 2011 at 08:29 AM
How can they possibly know that approximately 20 percent of our kids have this type of autism when they have never studied our kids? Would also like to know what would make a woman at risk so she can be tested?
Then "so they can begin behavioral intrvenjtion early? How about bio-med intervention early? Thanks, Kim
Maurine
Posted by: Maurine Meleck | August 30, 2011 at 08:25 AM