In a typical lung, the windpipe, or trachea, branches into two main stems. From there, airways branch off the stems much like tree branches in a random, asymmetrical pattern, said Stewart, a pediatric pulmonologist at Nemours Children's Clinic in Pensacola, Fla.
But in the autistic children, those branches were instead doubled up and symmetrical. And the branches were smaller -- whereas in a normal lung you might have one large branch jutting off, in the autistic child, she'd see two, smaller branches instead.The abstract of the presentation is below.
Can Bronchoscopic Airway Anatomy Be an Indicator of Autism?
Barbara Stewart, MD
Nemours Childrens Clinic, Pensacola, FL
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate possible correlation between certain airway anamolies and a definitive diagnosis of autism and/or autistic spectrum disorder.
METHODS: IRB approval was obtained for a restrospective study to evaluate 49 patients with a diagnosis of autism or autistic spectrum disorder. These patients were seen in the pulmonary clinic with a diagnosis of cough that was unresponsive to therapy and who required further pulmonary work-up. Bronchoscopic evaluation of the airway was included as part of that work-up.
RESULTS: Bronchoscopic evaluations revealed the presence of initial normal anatomy followed by double take-offs in the lower airway (or "doublets") in 100% of the autistic population studied.
CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be a correlation between autistic spectrum disorder and airway anatomy. This is a small study of 49 patients. More investigation is warranted.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: At present autism is diagnosed through subjective observation of "autistic behaviors." Autistic children with cough may be diagnosed objectively.
DISCLOSURE: The following authors have nothing to disclose: Barbara Stewart, Barbara Stewart
No Product/Research Disclosure Information
doi: 10.1378/chest.1120025
49 subjects at one local hospital/clinic? Darn tootin' more study is needed! I'll bet 100% of the subjects were human, too.
ReplyDeleteps - this is what you get with the "Dx du jour" factor: guaranteed funding/publication is you have Autism in you study title. Feh.
ReplyDeleteActually, if you read the US News blurb you would see that she said she looked at 300 typical kids as well and none of them had this abnormality -
ReplyDelete"Stewart went back and looked at the bronchoscopy results of 49 children with autism spectrum disorder and more than 300 kids without the condition. She found that all of the kids with autism had what she calls symmetrical "doublets" in their airways, while none of the normally developing kids did."
Clearly, more study (and replication) is needed but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this as someone who just wants to get published.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe study seems very significant to me because I've always wondered how my son's autism and his birth defect (tracheoesophagal fistula and esophageal atresia) were related. I know they must be connected in some way. I wish I could contact the researcher. What my son had isn't exactly like what she is describing but it is similar. I know that my son's birth defect had to have happened about 5 weeks in utero and perhaps that will help researchers discover the etiology of some types of autism. I believe there are many types with a variety of causes. If anyone has any more info or questions for me or a way to contact the doctor who did the study, please email me at qqlauraqq at gmail.com. Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteNow what?
ReplyDeleteShould we start HBOT?
DanK,
ReplyDeleteI don't think starting HBOT just because of this would be a good idea. As far as I understand it (which isn't that far), there is nothing in this finding that is suggesting that lung function is impaired.
Thinking critically what tells us this is actually a bad thing?
ReplyDeleteThey're symmetrical! In organisms symmetry=efficiency. This suggests this isn't an "abnormality" this is a lot like the special abilities autistic people have only with our lungs.
It makes sense they would be smaller. The mind and body are connected. I surmise that part of what makes me think so fast is that the brain somehow can tell subconsciously where to move air through those airways and coordinate the movement of the blood stream in order to help the brain think in real time.
I really think that's all there is to it. We're wired and structured so that energy/information passes through our bodies very fast so we wind up getting overwhelmed with information. But imagine trying to learn how to use your brain from homo erectus.
Those who are more ahead neurologically or in any trait are going to show some kind of functioning problem along with it since society is geared towards "normal", not towards "superb" not towards "excellent" but mediocre "normal" in spite of it collectively professing to all want more than that disagreements over what exactly that is causes stagnation.
I'm not saying we are more evolved than others, but that autism is an important trait in evolution like other important traits and we should allow it to evolve naturally and come together with complementary traits as it goes along.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI hope your comment was meant as a joke because it is wrong in just about every aspect. Autism is a developmental disorder and has nothing to do with evolution.
Just came back to change my contact info. I can be contacted at horizontalaura at gmail or twitter. The qqlauraqq is being used by someone else who I don't want to be confused with. :p
ReplyDeleteNice site, btw.
Laura