We have recently funded a research project at the University of Birmingham that shows how infections can block the formation of a vital enzyme in the detoxification process in autism. This has unravelled a major piece of the autism puzzle.
Following on from this research, we have now funded another joint project with the University of Bristol and the University of Birmingham to investigate whether this enzyme has a genetic defect or whether it has been affected by an environmental insult.
At the start of the 90's, we funded a project at Birmingham University that found a deficit in sulphation, plus a low level of sulphate. We tested over 200 children, two-thirds of whom had this same deficit.
We are also trialling a different type of cow’s milk in a residential school for autism, to see if this makes any difference to both behaviour and physical symptoms in autism.
This type of research is vital, as it may lead to a treatment that could be implemented fairly easily and is, in some cases, very effective, for example, giving magnesium sulphate baths and removing foods that need sulphating from the diet or just something as simple as a change of milk type.
We have several more projects in the pipeline, so do check back to find out more...