Autism Studies and Related Medical Conditions, January 2009 - TACA

after administering 0.5 mg/kg naltrexone, mother-as well as light-related alpha blocking
appeared at occipital, occipitotemporal, and prefrontal sites. These effects were gone
24 h after dosing in one child, but persisted in the other. A parallel increase in visual
pursuit in a social context was observed. These results affirm that autistic gaze aversion
can be caused by excessive opioid activity interfering with corticothalamocortical
processing of visual stimuli.
Kurek M, Czerwionka-Szaflarska M, Doroszewska G: Pseudoallergic
skin reactions to opiate sequences of bovine casein in healthy
children. Rocz Akad Med Bialymst 1995;40(3):480-5.
Abstract: Department of Gastroenterology, Academy of Medicine, Gdansk.
Skin tests with opioid peptides naturally occurring in cow's milk: beta-casomorphin-7
and alpha-casein (90-95), were performed in 25 healthy children. Wheal and flare
reactions, similiar to histamine and codeine were observed in all children. The area of
these reactions was concentration dependent. Pretreatment with H1 antagonist--
cetirizine significantly inhibited the skin response to both peptides. Beta-casomorphin-7
and alpha-casein (90-95) are noncytotoxic histamine releasers in humans.
Knivbserg A.M., Reichelt K.L., Nodland M., Hoien T.: Autistic syndromes and diet.
A four year follow-up study. Scand J Educat. Res. 1995, 39: 223-236.
Abstract: Dietary intervention was applied to 15 subjects with autistic syndromes, with
pathological urine patterns, and increased levels of peptides found in their twenty-fourhour
urine samples. The peptides, some of which are probably derived from gluten and
casein, are thought to have a negative pharmacological effect on attention, brain
maturation, social interaction and learning. Our hypothesis was that a diet without
these proteins would facilitate learning. Social behaviour, as well as cognitive and
communicative skills, were assessed before diet. The subjects were closely followed for
a year, after which their urine was retested blind, and the assessment of behaviors and
skills was repeated. Further retesting was made four years after the onset of dietary
intervention. Normalization of urine patterns and peptide levels was found after one
year. Likewise, a decrease in odd behaviour and an improvement in the use of social,
cognitive and communicative skills were registered. This positive development
continued through the next three years, though at a lower rate. These promising results
encourage further research on the effect of dietary intervention.
Bouvard MP, Leboyer M, Launay JM, Recasens C, Plumet MH, Waller-Perotte
D, Tabuteau F, Bondoux D, Dugas M, Lensing P, et al: Low-dose naltrexone
effects on plasma chemistries and clinical symptoms in autism: a double-blind, placebocontrolled
study. Psychiatry Res 1995 Oct 16;58(3):191-201.
Autism Studies & Related Medical Conditions – TACA © Page 162