From DoctorsLounge.com/HealthDay News (2/26):
Babies born via C-section show higher obesity risk
Babies born via cesarean section were 26% more likely to be overweight
or obese later in life compared with babies delivered vaginally,
according to a study in the journal PLOS ONE. Researchers said the
reason behind the apparent association remains unclear and may be due to
other factors.
http://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/hd/44797
PANDAS in the news...
Dr. O'Hara is on the CT PANDAS Task Force referenced in the video below, making recommendations and raising awareness.
http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/on-air/as-seen-on/248442521.html
From Nutrition and Metabolism Center,
Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, California, USA
by authors Rhonda P. Patrick and Bruce N. Ames
Vitamin D hormone regulates serotonin synthesis. Part 1: relevance for autism
Abstract
Serotonin and vitamin D have been proposed to play a role in autism;
however, no causal mechanism has been established. Here, we present
evidence that vitamin D hormone (calcitriol) activates the transcription
of the serotonin-synthesizing gene tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) in
the brain at a vitamin D response element (VDRE) and represses the
transcription of TPH1 in tissues outside the blood-brain barrier at a
distinct VDRE. The proposed mechanism explains 4 major characteristics
associated with autism: the low concentrations of serotonin in the brain
and its elevated concentrations in tissues outside the blood-brain
barrier; the low concentrations of the vitamin D hormone precursor
25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D3]; the high male prevalence of autism; and
the presence of maternal antibodies against fetal brain tissue. Two
peptide hormones, oxytocin and vasopressin, are also associated with
autism and genes encoding the oxytocin-neurophysin I preproprotein, the
oxytocin receptor, and the arginine vasopressin receptor contain VDREs
for activation. Supplementation with vitamin D and tryptophan is a
practical and affordable solution to help prevent autism and possibly
ameliorate some symptoms of the disorder.—Patrick, R. P., Ames, B. N.
Vitamin D hormone regulates serotonin synthesis. Part 1: relevance for
autism
http://www.fasebj.org/content/early/2014/02/14/fj.13-246546.abstract
From The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (1/13):
Probiotics may protect infants from developing colic
Newborns who were given a daily dose of the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri during the first three months of life had reduced
time of inconsolable crying compared with the placebo group, an Italian
study showed. Early introduction to probiotics was also associated with
a lower incidence of gastrointestinal problems, including constipation
and regurgitation, researchers reported in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303819704579318703183361902?mod=dist_smartbrief
From Medscape (1/17/14):
FDA OKs Postnatal Blood Test for Intellectual Disabilities
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared for marketing the
CytoScan Dx Assay (Affymetrix), which detects chromosomal variations
that may underlie a child's developmental delay or intellectual
disability.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/819387
Mycoplasma Fermentans and deciliation as a precursor to Regressive Autism by Bill Welsh
The worldwide increase in the diagnosis of autism and autistic spectrum
disorder (ASD) together with increasing reports of a regressive onset
has caused many to argue that the condition should no longer be viewed
as solely, or even mainly, genetic in origin, environmental factors must
be implicated, particularly those of bacterial or viral genesis.
Pathogenic substances entering the bloodstream of developing children
merit consideration and investigation in the search for causation.
The witness and evidence of parents may provide persuasive clues...
Full article:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/albiggar/Bill%20Welsh.html
