Chronic fatigue syndrome and autism

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Oct, 2006 by Richard A. Van Konynenburg

There is also a major difference in the sex ratio between autism and CFS. In Autism: Effective Biomedical Treatments, author Dr. Jon Pangborn discusses possible reasons why autism is more prevalent in boys. In the paper I presented to the AACFS, I suggested a hypothesis to explain the female dominance in the prevalence of CFS in adults. I think that the reason why the people who have developed CFS as adults did not develop autism as children (even though I suspect that they have the same or a similar genetic predisposition) is that fewer vaccinations were required when these patients were children. The schedule of vaccinations required for children in the US has grown substantially over the past two or three decades, as has the incidence of autism. This is also true in the UK.

Shortly after attending the DAN! conference, I also learned of the work of Dr. Amy Yasko, primarily in autism but extending to a number of other disorders as well. Working independently of the DAN! project, Dr. Yasko develops her treatment recommendations by analyzing the specific gene variations in each patient. In addition to studying effects on the methylation cycle, Dr. Yasko has considered the effects on associated biochemistry, including folate metabolism, biopterin, the urea cycle, and the synthesis of neurotransmitters.

My main message here is that ... the CFS community would benefit greatly by looking carefully at the conclusions reached both by Dr. Yasko and the autism researchers and clinicians associated with the Defeat Autism Now! project. The doctors associated with the DAN! project treat autism with nutritional supplements that compensate for genetic mutations in the sulfur metabolism. These include such supplements like magnesium sulfate, taurine, molybdenum, vitamin B6 and its active form P5P, magnesium, methylcobalamin, folinic acid, trimethylglycine, and dimethylglycine. These practitioners also use certain diets, and they perform chelation treatments to remove heavy metals. The results in many autistic children have been astounding. (Visit http://www.danwebcast.com to view interviews with children undergoing this treatment.) Dr. Yasko, in cooperation with Dr. Garry Gordon, also uses many of the same supplements used by the DAN! project doctors as well as some additional ones, including RNA supplements, and she is also reporting great success.

Although I have been suggesting consideration of the DAN! treatments and the Yasko testing to people with CFS for only a short time (and it is too soon to draw conclusions), early feedback is very encouraging. Of course, we should all keep in mind that, within the current case definition of CFS, we have a heterogeneous population, and the autism treatments will very likely not help everyone who has CFS. Nonetheless, I am convinced that these treatments could help a substantial subset, and I want to strongly encourage everyone who has an interest in CFS to look at the work of the DAN! project and Dr. Amy Yasko. Their work and treatment protocols could provide answers for many CFS patients.