November 14, 2022
- A new case study examined the effect of fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) on the gut microbiome of a 19-year-old with autism and motor dyspraxia. Contents of the FMT were obtained from a sibling donor. After the procedure, researchers found significant decreases in harmful gut bacteria and increases in beneficial gut bacteria in the teen. Incredibly, the previously non-verbal young man spoke two words one month after receiving the FMT. Additionally, his toe fungus and severe aggression disappeared.
- Recent research from the UC Davis MIND Institute shows that prenatal exposure to phthalate mixtures is linked to changes in placental metabolism. This research determined that in the placenta, phthalates were negatively associated with 2-hydroxybutyrate, carnitine, glucitol, O-acetylcarnitine, and N-acetylneuraminate concentrations. The authors also observed that neurodevelopmental outcome was associated with the placental metabolome in male children. This research was conducted using MARBLES cohort data.
- The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments this week in matter known as Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County v. Talevski. This case will decide whether disabled individuals who receive services through programs like Medicaid have the right to sue state and local governments if their civil rights are violated.
- The disability community is mourning the loss of Lois Curtis, whose advocacy has allowed millions of people with disabilities to live in their own homes while fully participating in their communities. Lois Curtis was “L.C.” in the 1999 Olmstead v. L.C. Supreme Court decision that is often regarded as the Brown v. Board of Education of the disability rights movement. As a child, Lois was institutionalized. She fought for almost two decades to be allowed to return home. With help from the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Lois convinced the Supreme Court that her civil rights were being violated by being unnecessarily segregated in an institution.
- Contradicting previous research, a new study published in JAMA suggests that antidepressant use in pregnancy does not increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. However, the study concludes that given earlier associations, antidepressant exposure in pregnancy may be an important deciding factor for early screening and intervention in offspring.
- Don’t miss The Autism Community in Action’s (TACA) free online learning presentation about seizures and epilepsy featuring Dan Rossignol, David Millett, and Brad Levy. The lecture provides information about treating seizures and epilepsy for those on the spectrum. Specific topics will include: definitions of seizures and epilepsy, elements and role of EEG and other diagnostic tests in patients with autism, typical EEG findings in patients with autism and their implications, as well as the management of epilepsy with medications, diet, surgery, and neurostimulation. This free webinar is available now through November 30th.
- ARI is hosting a free webinar on pet ownership and autism this Wednesday, November 16th, at 1 p.m. EST. Gail Atherton, the lead author of the new pet research featured in this week’s SafeMinds Shares, delivers a lecture titled, “They ask no questions and pass no criticism: A mixed methods study exploring pet ownership.”
