Genetically Altered Mice May Provide a Clue for Autism Treatment
For years, actress Jenny McCarthy spoke publicly about her belief that routine
vaccinations were responsible for her son’s diagnosis of autism in 2005. Now she is backing away from her stance as it appears that her child, Evan, actually suffers from a condition known as Landau–Kleffner syndrome, which is a rare childhood disorder that can manifest in speech impairment and neurological damage.
Thankfully, Evan has made considerable progress. He can now talk, make eye contact, and is developing social skills where before these things didn’t exist for him. And though Ms. McCarthy has reversed her initial position that the MMR shots were responsible for Evan’s autism, she continues to push for more research on the safety and necessity of routine vaccinations. She emphatically states she will continue to be the voice of autism.
Hopeful news for children afflicted with autism.Jenny McCarthy may be able to lend her voice to some good news soon. Scientists state they may have uncovered the path that could lead to the development of drugs that could effectively treat autism. As of now, there are no effective drugs for the disorder (although there are some
alternative treatments that have been promising).
By mutating a single gene, researchers were able to produce mice that have two of the most common autism traits–compulsive repetitive behavior and the avoidance of social...
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