ASD jab: Chinese scientists reach milestone in revolutionary gene therapy for autism::undefined
when tested on mice
How do they know if a mouse is autistic?
I didn’t even know mice could be autistic.
You just look for the mice that are really into trains.
My Trains by Lemon Demon starts playing
Lots of animals can. I think they discovered dogs and cats can be in the 60’s or something?
The headline is so hyperbolic it’s basically a lie. It becomes a little tricky because autism spectrum disorder is kind of a broad category. There are certain diseases that have clear genetic causes, other features to their phenotype besides just autism like features, but may share some aspects of autism spectrum disorder symptoms. So often these get lumped in with autism and patients with those disorders also get a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. For instance people with fragile x syndrome commonly get an autism diagnosis, but there’s many other features to it as well.
This article stub if following a link at the end is referencing a gene called shank3. It’s not involved in most people classified as having autism spectrum disorder. Mutations in shank3 causes a distinct disorder called Phelan-McDermid syndrome that causes severe intellectual disability, dysmorphic features, autism like features, motor issues, and abnormalities across multiple body systems. Shank3 mutations have also been linked with some cases of schizophrenia. A small minority of people with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder have shank3 mutations that may be responsible or pre disposing. So they are testing a gene therapy in mice engineered to have shank3 mutations. Which in humans can have a broad array of phenotypes depending on the mutation, many devastating and severe, some phenotypes of which include autism like features. This will not be very applicable to the vast majority of people classified as having an autism spectrum disorder.
So essentially, similar to cancer cures that cure one specific type of cancer but not the rest. I suppose it’s still progress, one step at a time
Article above is paywalled. This seems to be word for word the same but isn’t paywalled (maybe):
Anyway. Quite impressive if true. So far this seems to have an effect on mice. But humans aren’t mice. We shall see if anything comes from this.
It’s really not cool, man.
Hello Genism my old friend
Do we really need to have the debate about ASD not needing to be “cured”, again ?
Do you include folks with level 3 non verbal autism with greater epilepsy frequency and self harm in the group that doesn’t need a therapy?
Imagine a world more inclusive, for them, first, then ask that question. Imagine if the world could be made more comfortable and less traumatic and painful, for them. And there are some who are of that category that do just fine. So do we force them to change too?
As a neuro-divergent person I have two words: fuck you.
I’d gladly take a shot to make my biochemistry change. It sucks. And my issues are trivial compared to autism.
Holy shit, for real.
If I could’ve taken a shot to make it go away and lead a healthy emotional life I would’ve done that in a heartbeat. It sucks so much to be around healthy people and know you’ll never be like them. I don’t resent them, in fact I’m happy for them, but holy shit the envy hurts so much.
I can imagine a world where technology eliminates the need for people to live with life-debilitating disorders.
Yes, let’s imagine a world less traumatic and painful, filled with people who don’t try to halt technological and medical progress because of personal beliefs.
They have right to choose for themselves.
What the actual fuck
Heads up, South China Morning post is an unreliable source for news.
X
If I’m not mistaken, this can already be detected before birth and the woman can have an abortion?
You’re thinking of downsyndrome, trisomy …somenumber. You can test for chromosomal abnormalities, but people with autism are often genetically normal. Just like someone with ADHD.
You’re right. Thanks for the correction.
You’re welcome. Now I should correct myself, and say “chomasomally” normal because that’s what those tests look for
This be end very bad
You know those vast cities in China full of brand-new, empty buildings that keep showing up in the news? They’re empty because China doesn’t have enough neurotypical people who could master the sales skills to fill them. This drug is a last-ditch attempt to fill that gap, at the potential expense of sacrificing some engineering capacity.
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