<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> The following was posted on the AUTISM listserv, and may be of interest to those following the impact of gluten on developmental disorders: 1/5/95 12:15 PM Subject: Biochemical Research into Autism From: "Brenda O'Reilly" <[log in to unmask]> via [log in to unmask] ENZYME AND SULPHUR OXIDATION DEFICIENCIES IN AUTISTIC CHILDREN WITH KNOWN FOOD/CHEMICAL INTOLERANCES B. A. O'Reilly*. Director, Allergy-induced Autism Support and Research Network (UK), 3 Palmera Avenue, Calcot, Reading. Berkshire, RG3 7DZ, United Kingdom, and Dr R. H. Waring,Department of Biochemistry, Birmingham University, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom We are currently carrying out studies to determine whether children with autism and known food/chemical intolerances have a deficiency of phenol-sulphotransferase-P enzyme and/or a low capacity to oxidise sulphur compounds. On the results obtained so far, all 18 children have a low enzyme level, and some have a low capacity to oxidise sulphur compounds. This enzyme metabolises phenols and amines. Therefore with a reduced level, these children will be unable to fully metabolise foods and chemicals which contain phenols. Many drugs are metabolized on this pathway, and these children do have adverse reactions to various medications. Courses of antibiotics result in a worsening of autistic behaviour, sedatives have the reverse effect, and anaesthesia is known to cause difficulties. Amines are also metabolized with this enzyme, and a deficiency would cause a build-up of substances such as serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline. If, as a result of this build-up, serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, and other body chemicals are being further metabolised this will produce substances similar to phytotoxins, for example. This could happen due to phenolics competing for and inhibiting amine oxidase. Inert neurotransmitters could also be manufactured, such as octopamine, which is the phenol analogue of noradrenaline, as well as substances similar in structure to morphine or LSD, which may well explain the bizzare behaviour seen in autism. The majority of children in this category - autistic-like children who were perfectly normal up until a certain age (mainly between 18 months - two years, although this varies) - have allergy to or intolerance of many foods/chemicals, the main offenders being wheat, cow's milk and salicylates. Their family histories show asthma, eczema, migraine, hayfever, plus many other allergy-related conditions. Their siblings display learning difficulties, dyslexia, etc. and the affected children have a strong tendency towards being left-handed or ambidextrous, this mostly occurring when they transfer from their normal state to their autistic-like state.Many metabolic processes can be disturbed by phenolic compounds, and so cause many physical problems which are only slightly noticeable in childhood, such as excessive thirst, night sweats, facial flushing, increased pulse rate, abdominal disturbances, etc, but nevertheless are present, but not investigated as a part of their mental disturbance. The children display cravings for the very substances which do them damage, which are not only contained in foods, but also in the non-food items they mouth, suck, chew and ingest, eg. plastics, rubber, paper, metal, cement, soap, perfume, food colourings, and at the onset of autism, their diet changes completely. They become picky eaters, only eating very few foods, and start to eat non-foods to great excess. The results so far have proved that there is a metabolic disturbance in these children, and we now hope to carry out further studies on more children and different biochemical pathways to determine whether there may be other factors contributing to this condition. Any comments on this abstract or any other related topics that may be of interest to me, either post to the news group (quote Brenda O'Reilly), or e-mail me at: [log in to unmask]