A Johns Hopkins study has found new evidence that the brains of some people with autism show clear signs of inflammation, suggesting that the disease may be associated with activation of the brain's immune system.

A Johns Hopkins study has found new evidence that the brains of some people with autism show clear signs of inflammation, suggesting that the disease may be associated with activation of the brain's immune system.

According to the American Neurological Association, it is estimated to afflict between two and five of every 1,000 children and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Researchers believe that there is a strong genetic component to autism, although studies are just beginning to seek out and find the genes related to autism. But this new research shows there’s something else going on, that in fact, there is inflammation of the brain. This raises the question, can medicines which stop inflammation help with the problem?

11 year old Ben Takanashi was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old. His dad Gaku says, “He doesn’t get along with his friends, he just plays with himself. And so everything is very selfish.” This trait is a classic sign of autism, along with problems in communication and repetitive behaviors. Why Ben has autism is still not completely understood. Scientists have found hints that the immune system may be involved in autism, but not all studies have confirmed this.

Johns Hopkins researchers examined tissue from three different regions of the brain in 11 people with autism. They also measured levels of two types of immune system proteins, called cytokines and chemokines, found in the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Compared with normal control brains, the brains of people with autism showed evidence of an ongoing inflammatory process in different regions of the brain.

Dr. Eric Hollander, a psychiatrist at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, says, “It actually shows evidence of immune abnormalities directly in the brains rather than just in the periphery, or the rest of the body. It could be of some evidence in terms of eventually maybe being a diagnostic test in a sub-group of individuals or perhaps a leading in new directions of treatment.”
These findings reinforce the theory that immune response in the brain is involved in autism, although it is not yet clear whether the inflammation is a consequence of disease or a cause of it, or both. However, the findings could mean a new target for autism diagnosis and treatment, although not in the immediate future.

“It does suggest that perhaps immunomodulatory treatments, treatments that can quiet down the immune system could be of benefit. But we really need more information to identify perhaps a subgroup that might have a good response,” states Dr. Hollander.
Some researchers have tried antiinflammatory approahces, including the drug gamma globulin, but they have not found them to be helpful.

However the researcher with whom we spoke says the study on gamma globulin was not conducted in those patients who were shown to have evidence of significant immune abnormalities at base line.

For patients like Ben, hopefully, it’s a significant finding that will one day lead to at least part of the solution to the incredibly puzzling problem called autism.

The researchers are now studying how the genetic background of patients and families, in New York and elsewhere, may influence immune system reactions in the brain associated with autism. Autism has a strong genetic component in some families, although other causes likely play a role, possibly including birth complications, diet or toxins.

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