Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello all
I was musing the other day on the roots of autism and two things struck me:
So both are potentially controversial theories and please we are trying to only look at scientific information and not conspiracy theories, my reason for saying this will become very clear in a moment.
Looking at the first point, whilst it had been comprehensively shown scientifically in multiple studies that there is not a direct link between vaccines and autism, and the original "research" that started that whole controversy was unscientific and unethical, there are still some important questions that remain. Autistics for instance, are far more likely than the neurotypical population to have a range of autoimmune medical conditions, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, which is interesting as there is a small risk with every vaccination of an autoimmune reaction. Hence there is an interesting question as to why autistics are more autoimmune disease prone and does this make them more disposed to a vaccination reaction? So whilst they already had autism do the traits come out post vaccination due to an autoimmune reaction or is there not link or something more sinister?
As for two species, we know that all, but people of direct African decent, modern humans contain some neanderthal DNA. IS it possible though that autistics contain some other neanderthal DNA that makes them more neanderthal than human, hence two species in effect. We know that humans and neanderthals did copulate ad have cross-species babies, so its possible that they "live on". Think also what happens when one crosses a horse and a donkey, so what happens if one crosses a neanderthal and a human? Before dismissing it, think about it, think about the possibilities and what we could represent.
Cheers
Andy
We are evolution in process.
The best comparators lie in plants. NT=F1 ND=Landrace.
F1 plants are created to exclude diversity and create almost identical progeny, think of the rows of crops you see in fields all standing the same height, same branch structure giving the same yields in same environs. This is achieved by taking 2 plants with favourable traits you would like to retain, breeding them, collecting seeds then back crossing (backwards cross breeding, yes 'in breeding') the progeny with the parents, this then locks those traits into that line and provides homogeneity with succesive generations.
Landrace plants are more genetically diverse having grown wild and never gone through a selective breeding process, the progeny of these plants tend to throw up different cultivars (genetic variations that sometimes create unique traits just to one plant), because of this genetic diversity, evolution is speeded up in comparison to F1 who left to nature will get weaker and weaker as they in breed. Not all of these genetic variations are positive, but i'd say the vast majority are allowing the genus to thrive and adapt in its natural environment.
We (ASC folks) are not in our optimum natural environment generally, we are not delicate flowers, we are being suffocated by surroundings that are toxic to us.
Hi - my reply was for the op.
Hi Plastic, I wasn't sure whether your reply was intended for me or Handi-andis, so not sure whether a response was needed. I completely agree that the MMR connection with autism was a red herring, the Dr who put forward the idea has been totally discredited. It's just a shame that some believed it and a few still do.
As for my own idea that my son might have sustained some brain damage during a traumatic birth, I don't think that any more, but I was desperate for reasons why at the time and it was all that occurred to me. I now accept the cause is probably genetic, and quite likely through me.
I'm not sure about anything you state as facts. I believe human DNA and genetic make-up is very complex and mutations can be good or bad. In the natural world, the fittest survive, the faulty die out. The fact that there are common genetic problems means that the DNA molecule has common weak points.
My Asperger's means I can do things that NTs can't. My ability to see through complex problems and abilty to concentrate on fine details and my eidetic memory means that I make most NTs look totally incompetent and non-productive in comparison. I was lucky and found my 'place in the world' so I was successful. I consider myself a 'good' mutation. i'm also a non-identical twin and my brother is NT.
The whole MMR thing is a red-herring - there was no such thing as MMR when I was a kid - yet here I am. I have a serious auto-immune problem. I look back at my school days and there were loads of 'different' kids but they ended up in special schools or remedial classes so they were invisible to society. Today, they all go to mainstream schools so they stand out more.
My son has ASD, and did have the MMR vaccine, and during his assessment process I met other parents who were convinced that the vaccine caused their own child's autism. But I never believed that was the case with my son. He did show the classic loss of language skills at about 2 years of age, not long after the MMR, but prior to that he was slow to reach significant growth "milestones". There was no special recognition of us (as his parents) and little eye contact. He couldn't sit up unaided until nearly a year old, or walk until 18 months. At the time, I put it down to the fact that he was born by emergency caesarean because his heart beat was very irregular and dropped to 40 a minute at one stage. I thought there could have been some slight brain damage. It's only in the past year or two so that I've recognised my own autistic traits and realised it could be genetic.
As for the idea that there are 2 species of humans, it's an interesting idea, perhaps supported by the fact that MRI scans of autistic and non autistic brains show noticeable differences in activity.