3dT4E4Rnm

in this pathway will develop autism; problems with the methylation pathway may
be a necessary but not a sufficient condition for autism.
What I refer to throughout this book as the methylation cycle is actually a combination
of four interrelated biochemical cycles, including:
• The methionine cycle
• The folate cycle
• The BH4 (biopterin) cycle
• The urea cycle
To my knowledge, no other clinician has traced the interactivity of these four
cycles or emphasized their function for clinical practice as much as I have, although
the folate and methionine cycles are widely regarded as interactive. To
describe and evolve a program based on what I am calling the methylation cycle
required combining divergent pieces of information not previously connected in
order to recognize and find approaches to address the synergistic functioning of
these four cycles. It’s by considering them all together as the “methylation cycle”
that we create a solid foundation for addressing critical dysfunction.
22 Autism: Pathways to Recovery