Autism and the Immune System

August 12, 2016

twilightWhat causes autism? “It’s a mystery!” we are told. Something to do with genetics and brain wiring. (I’ve been wondering, what are the wires in our brains made of? Copper?) It’s a mystery, but the only thing they know for sure is this: It’s not the vaccines! What on earth could vaccines have to do with autism, anyway? Vaccines prevent illness! Vaccines are good! Vaccines stimulate the immune system, but obviously the immune system has nothing to do with the brain, right? The brain is an independent organ, probably made of plastic with some copper wires. If the genes build it right, it keeps humming along, working perfectly. If anything goes wrong, it’s either due to a bump on the head or defective genetic blueprints.

Pay no attention to those thousands of silly anecdotal accounts of regression into autism after vaccines. Pay no attention to the huge increase in autism over the past 30+ years, which coincidentally happened at the very same time as a huge increase in the number of vaccines given to infants and children.

And pay no attention to the growing body of science linking autism with immune system issues, and linking the immune and nervous systems. Seriously. Pay no attention to that. Everyone knows that ALL science disproves any vaccine-autism link. Because that’s what mass media, mainstream medicine, and government agencies keep telling us.

copperThis article will list some of the science that really should be ignored. Or, if we can’t ignore it, we may have to argue that vaccines have nothing to do with the immune system. We could do that, right?

Some of you may be used to reading scientific studies from start to finish, some of you may feel intimidated by science, and some of you may not have enough time and spare brain cells to focus in depth (because our lives demand a lot from us!) I’ve tried to simplify and summarize the main points, with links to sources for those who have time and interest. Feel free to just skim, or dive deeper.

1) IMMUNE SYSTEM VOCABULARY

Our immune systems are complex, and there is a lot that is not well understood. There are various components of the immune system, including soldiers, messengers, and record-keepers. Here is some vocabulary:

Cytokines are messengers which regulate the immune system’s response to inflammation and infection. Cytokines provide a mechanism for cells of the immune system to “talk” to one another to coordinate a response to infection and trauma. Cytokines may increase almost a thousandfold in response to an infection or inflammation. Cytokines also interact with neural systems and are involved in neural development and maintenance.

Antibodies (a.k.a. immunoglobulins) are created by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and toxins. Antibodies are manufactured by white blood cells called B-lymphocytes, or B-cells. Antibodies can bind directly to antigens, coating the surface of the invader, to prevent it from entering or damaging healthy body cells. Antibodies can also stimulate other parts of the immune system to destroy germs.

Mast cells release histamine and other substances during inflammatory and allergic reactions.

Microglia are the primary immune cells of the central nervous system. They are the main inflammatory cell type in the brain, and respond to pathogens and injury by becoming “activated,” rapidly proliferating and migrating to the site of infection or injury where they destroy pathogens and remove damaged cells. They secrete cytokines and other substances which help to elevate and direct the immune response. Then they help to resolve the inflammatory response by producing anti-inflammatory cytokines. Microglia have also been studied for their harmful roles in neurodegenerative diseases and brain injuries such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injuries.

2) SOME HISTORY ON IMMUNE SYSTEM/AUTISM RESEARCH

For years, scientists have been researching immune system issues in relation to autism. There’s a great paper from 2011 called, “The Immune System’s Role in the Biology of Autism” by Paula Goines and Judy Van de Water of UC Davis.

The following is a review of the most recent research concerning the potential role of immune system dysfunction in autism. This body of literature has expanded dramatically over the past few years as researchers continue to identify immune anomalies in individuals with autism.

Some of the findings, which are footnoted in the paper:

        • Altered Cytokine Profiles:
          • Levels of cytokines called Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-β) and macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) were found to be higher in individuals with autism – and those with the highest levels had the most severe behavioral symptoms.
          • TGF-β has been linked to ASD [Autism Spectrum Disorder] in multiple studies. It is involved in diverse aspects of development, cell migration, apoptosis (cell death), and regulation in both the immune system and central nervous system.
          • MIF is a pro-inflammatory immune regulator that has important influences on neural and endocrine systems.
        • Immunoglobulin Levels: Immunoglobulins such as IgG and IgM are proteins produced by B cells that specifically target invaders for destruction and removal.
          • Individuals with autism with the most severe behavioral symptom scores had the lowest IgG and IgM levels.
          • “While the relationship between reduced total Ig and behavior is unclear, it is possible that a defect in a shared signaling pathway leads to both altered neurodevelopment and immune function.”
        • Altered Cellular Immunity: “Alterations in various immune cells including Natural Killer Cells and Macrophages have been noted in individuals with autism.”
          • Differences in Natural Killer (NK) cell activity – “Natural killer (NK) cells are unique members of the immune system with roles in the viral response, pregnancy maintenance, tumor cytotoxicity, and autoimmunity . . . . NK cells are known to produce cytokines and cytotoxic substances that could impact the CNS [central nervous system].”
          • Monocyte Response to Toll-Like Receptors (TLR) stimulation – Given the integral role of monocytes in the direction of an immune response, altered response to TLR stimulation can have wide-ranging impacts.”
        • Neuroinflammation: “Some individuals with ASD demonstrate active inflammation in the CNS. Post-mortem brain and spinal cord samples from 11 individuals with ASD showed increased activation of astroglia and microglia; and increased levels of cytokines MCP-1 and TGF-β compared to control specimens. A more recent study of post-mortem brain tissues by Li et al further demonstrated CNS inflammation in persons with ASD . . . .  Specimens from persons with ASD demonstrated a significant increase in pro-inflammatory and Th1 cytokines . . . .”
        • Altered Sensitivity to Environmental Toxicants-PBDEs, immunity, and autism: “A complex interplay between immunological and environmental factors may have a role in autism . . . . These results suggest that individuals with ASD have different immune sensitivity to the environmental toxicant than neurotypical children. This may be indicative of differential genetic susceptibility to PBDEs and/or a breakdown of proper immune regulation in ASD.”
        • Autoimmunity in ASD: “Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system mistakenly targets the body’s own tissues. Various autoimmune phenomena have been described for decades among individuals with autism.”
          • Antibodies Directed towards Neural Antigen(s) in individuals with ASD – “Many studies have described circulating antibodies directed toward brain proteins in persons with ASD.”
          • Antinuclear antibodies in children with ASD – “Anti-nuclear antibodies are observed in autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Children with autism had a significantly higher frequency of anti-nuclear antibodies (20%) than the neurotypical children (2.5%).”
          • Behavior and autoimmunity: “Certain autoimmune disorders impact behavior . . . .  Antibodies directed towards the brain might interfere with development and function, or cause immune-mediated destruction.”
        • Immune findings in families of individuals with ASD: “Family members of individuals with autism also have various immune abnormalities. Examination of familial immunity in autism provides important insight into the disorder.”

Note the conclusion:

Decades of research links immunological abnormalities to ASD. In light of the extensive crosstalk between the immune and neural systems, which includes shared signaling and developmental pathways, this line of research can yield important insights in atypical brain development.

Brain-Inflammation3) RECENT STUDIES HAVE CONFIRMED THAT INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN IS A PRIMARY FACTOR IN AUTISM.

Autism, Genetics; New Study Shows Inflammation in Autism Brains is Universal

Neuroglial Activation and Neuroinflammation in the Brain of Patients with Autism.
“We demonstrate an active neuroinflammatory process in the cerebral cortex, white matter, and notably in cerebellum of autistic patients . . . .  CSF showed a unique proinflammatory profile of cytokines, including a marked increase in MCP-1. Our findings indicate that innate neuroimmune reactions play a pathogenic role in an undefined proportion of autistic patients, suggesting that future therapies might involve modifying neuroglial responses in the brain.”

Brain Inflammation a Hallmark of Autism, Large-Scale Analysis Shows
“In the autism brains, the microglia appeared to be perpetually activated, with their genes for inflammation responses turned on. ‘This type of inflammation is not well understood, but it highlights the lack of current understanding about how innate immunity controls neural circuits,’ says Andrew West, Ph.D., an associate professor of neurology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who was involved in the study.”

Brain Inflammation a Hallmark of Autism, Large-Scale Analysis Shows
“. . . brains affected by autism share a pattern of ramped-up immune responses, an analysis of data from autopsied human brains reveals.”

Brain Study Shows Inflammation Is a Marker of Autism
“‘There are many different ways of getting autism, but we found that they all have the same downstream effect,’ says Prof. Dan Arking regarding his research team’s finding that brains affected by autism share a pattern of inflammation as a result of increased immune responses.”

Mast Cell Activation and Autism
“Increasing evidence indicates high brain expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the presence of circulating antibodies against brain proteins.”

Cytokine Aberrations in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
“The findings of our meta-analysis identified significantly altered concentrations of cytokines in ASD compared to HCs [healthy controls], strengthening evidence of an abnormal cytokine profile in ASD where inflammatory signals dominate.”

Meta-Analysing Cytokine Involvement in Autism

4) RECENT RESEARCH HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

Missing Link Found between Brain, Immune System
“In a stunning discovery that overturns decades of textbook teaching, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have determined that the brain is directly connected to the immune system by vessels previously thought not to exist.”

They’ll Have to Rewrite the Textbooks

microglia

5) MICROGLIA PLAY A ROLL IN SYNAPTIC NEURAL PRUNING.

Synapses are the connections between nerve cells. Specifically, synapses are the structure which permits one neuron to send electronic signals to another neuron.

What is synaptic pruning? I have a dim memory of reading a study that showed that children who take violin lessons develop more neural connections to their fingers. Our nervous systems are adaptable. Connections that are not used atrophy – as they should, because otherwise there would be an overwhelming number of connections.

Good development requires that good, necessary neural connections be stimulated and strengthened (with education, love, exercise – sometimes ABA or RDI . . .) and also that unneeded connections be “pruned.”

Beginning in the earliest embryonic stage and lasting until approximately 2 years of age, new neurons and synapses are formed at an amazing rate, at times reaching 40,000 new synapses formed per second. By the end of this process individuals are left with far more neurons and synapses than are functionally needed and/or preferred. Synaptic pruning is the process by which these extra synapses are eliminated thereby increasing the efficiency of the neural network. The entire process continues up until approximately 10 years of age by which time nearly 50% of the synapses present at 2 years of age have been eliminated. The pattern and timeline pruning follows varies based on brain region.

In other words, as we grow and experience, our brain and nerves and the connections (synapses) between nerves need to be simplified so that the brain is well organized and customized to our needs and environment.

Studies have found that autistic brains fail to trim synapses:

Study Finds that Brains with Autism Fail to Trim Synapses as They Develop

Children with Autism Have Extra Synapses in Brain
“Children and adolescents with autism have a surplus of synapses in the brain, and this excess is due to a slowdown in a normal brain ‘pruning’ process during development, according to a study by neuroscientists at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). Because synapses are the points where neurons connect and communicate with each other, the excessive synapses may have profound effects on how the brain functions.”

So you might think, well that shows that autism really is a brain defect caused by bad genes! And the remedy proposed is — drugs! But guess what? It turns out that the immune system plays a role in this pruning. So once again we are back to the deranged immune system as a cause.

Fine-Tuning the Central Nervous System: Microglial Modeling of Cells and Synapses
“Past studies have largely been dedicated to defining the complex immune functions of microglial cells. However, our understanding of the roles of microglia has expanded radically over the past years. It is now clear that microglia are critically involved in shaping neural circuits in both the developing and adult CNS, and in modulating synaptic transmission in the adult brain.”

Synaptic Pruning by Microglia Is Necessary for Normal Brain Development.
“Microglia are highly motile phagocytic cells that infiltrate and take up residence in the developing brain, where they are thought to provide a surveillance and scavenging function. However, although microglia have been shown to engulf and clear damaged cellular debris after brain insult, it remains less clear what role microglia play in the uninjured brain. Here, we show that microglia actively engulf synaptic material and play a major role in synaptic pruning during postnatal development in mice. These findings link microglia surveillance to synaptic maturation and suggest that deficits in microglia function may contribute to synaptic abnormalities seen in some neurodevelopmental disorders.”

People with autism often have difficulty organizing sensory input, and get overwhelmed by irrelevant sounds and sensations. Maybe lack of neural pruning helps explain that.

6) REMARKABLY, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM HAS BEEN FOUND TO PLAY A ROLL IN SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.

Shocking New Role Found for the Immune System: Controlling Social Interactions

“In a startling discovery that raises fundamental questions about human behavior, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have determined that the immune system directly affects – and even controls – creatures’ social behavior, such as their desire to interact with others.

“So could immune system problems contribute to an inability to have normal social interactions? The answer appears to be yes, and that finding could have significant implications for neurological diseases such as autism-spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.

“‘The brain and the adaptive immune system were thought to be isolated from each other, and any immune activity in the brain was perceived as sign of a pathology. And now, not only are we showing that they are closely interacting, but some of our behavior traits might have evolved because of our immune response to pathogens,’ explained Jonathan Kipnis, chair of UVA’s Department of Neuroscience.

“It was only last year that Kipnis, the director of UVA’s Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, and his team discovered that meningeal vessels directly link the brain with the lymphatic system. That overturned decades of textbook teaching that the brain was ‘immune privileged’, lacking a direct connection to the immune system. The discovery opened the door for entirely new ways of thinking about how the brain and the immune system interact . . . .

“The UVA researchers have shown that a specific immune molecule, interferon gamma, seems to be critical for social behavior and that a variety of creatures, such as flies, zebrafish, mice and rats, activate interferon gamma responses when they are social. Normally, this molecule is produced by the immune system in response to bacteria, viruses or parasites. Blocking the molecule in mice using genetic modification made regions of the brain hyperactive, causing the mice to become less social. Restoring the molecule restored the brain connectivity and behavior to normal. In a paper outlining their findings, the researchers note the immune molecule plays a ‘profound role in maintaining proper social function’ . . . .

“The researchers note that a malfunctioning immune system may be responsible for ‘social deficits in numerous neurological and psychiatric disorders.’ But exactly what this might mean for autism and other specific conditions requires further investigation . . . .”

7) IN CONCLUSION

It’s all about deranged immune systems. And what could possibly be throwing this generations’ immune systems off kilter? Surely not the dozens of vaccines received by babies and children, unprecedented in human history? After all, vaccines don’t stimulate the immune system, right? Oh, wait . . . I guess that is their purpose.

The CDC says that vaccines can cause febrile seizures, and the Gardasil vaccine can cause fainting, but any more serious brain conditions are just a coincidence. That’s hogwash.

The HRSA vaccine injury table says that vaccines can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and encephalopathy (disease/injury of the brain).

We know that inflammation of the brain is a hallmark of autism, and we know that many cases of brain inflammation that resulted in autism have been compensated by the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, yet we are told that vaccines don’t cause autism.

Finally, I will leave you with two articles by an anonymous blogger – I don’t know who she/he is, but the articles are chock-full of information and links to research.

The Interconnectedness of the Brain, Behavior, and Immunology . . .
A Brief Overview on Early Life Immune Challenges and Why They (Might) Matter

Among other things, the above article links to a study which says,

However, little is known about the general immune modulation induced by early vaccination . . . . These data demonstrate that the cytokine profile of 6-month-old infants is influenced by the type of formulation of the pertussis vaccine they received at 2, 3 and 4 months of life. Large prospective studies would be warranted to evaluate the possible long-term consequences of this early modulation of the cytokine responses in infants.

So, when people say that the science is settled, tell them that it clearly is not. And when people say that science has proven that there is no link between vaccines and autism, tell them that is false.

Clearly the many puzzle pieces described above fit into the shape of: “Vaccines can cause autism.”

Disclaimer: I have no idea what are the best vaccine decisions for anyone. Personally, I believe that many people do okay with a moderate amount of vaccines, but that our current schedule goes way overboard, and that a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t working. I believe in the right of parents and consumers to make fully informed choices on vaccines, and I believe in real study of adverse reactions, instead of sweeping these reactions under the rug. We cannot even evaluate the risks and benefits of vaccines if the risks are denied and the benefits exaggerated. I’m certainly not qualified to tell anyone whether or not they or their children should receive any vaccines.

The point of this article isn’t to end all vaccines, but to advocate for a better understanding of the collateral damage, as well as for personal choice as a human right. Many vaccine fanatics look at this as all-or-none, for-or-against. It’s not that simple. Science and medicine are not binary.

We who are skeptical of the vaccine program are the true skeptics. Those who call themselves skeptics – but deride us for not blindly accepting proclamations from the government/pharmaceutical/mainstream medicine complex – are not actually skeptics but faithful followers.

We are not science deniers. We want better science and medicine. And, clearly, existing science does point to a link between vaccines and autism.

~ Twilight

Twilight is the mother of an adult son with autism.

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42 Responses to Autism and the Immune System

  1. Milwauken says:

    I’d like to know more about the “huge increase in autism” since 1986. Which data are you using?

    • ProfessorTMR says:

      All of it. By every possible measure, autism prevalence has increased by several orders of magnitude at least since then.

    • Momo says:

      Check out the movie Vaxxed – they go over the statistics. 1 in 10,000 cases of autism when the people making the documentary were growing up; 1 in 35 at the time of the documentary.

      • ProfessorTMR says:

        Autism was so rare in the 1908s that when Rain Main came out few people had ever heard of it and the vast majority knew NO ONE with an autism diagnosis. Now? Few people can say they know no one.

  2. Amanda howley says:

    Please,notify me of new post by email
    Thank you

  3. Well researched and informative enough to initiate the thought process to see the other part of vaccination,
    we are aware about the hoax created by the drug manufacturers but helpless in front of their gimmick in absence of well documented and scientific system of social monitoring and audit.

  4. Ronald says:

    I think the following study, “Genome-wide, integrative analysis implicates microRNA dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder”, that was published on 29 August 2016 will be of special interest, seeing that it is a fact established by mainstream science in several peer reviewed studies that aluminum and formaldehyde are MicroRNA disruptors. http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nn.4373.html

    • Andrea says:

      This is also correct among other insults that are allowed in children’s development that went unchecked during the major insult of vaccine microglial activation in response to the inflammatory inducing assaults. Hmm what are the other mRNA disruptors? Is there too many too list, has mankind reached the brain injury tipping point or will we ever be around to find out?

  5. Jeff Craig says:

    Seek honest people. Don’t settle for less !

    Don’t give up.

    ten . xoc @ giarcffej

  6. Jeff Craig says:

    Autism is caused by childhood/infant immunizations.
    Period.
    This was known almost as soon as they started.
    All immunizations cause harm.
    This is absolutely true.
    It has always been known by the druglords(drug pushers/ manufacturers/ etc).
    They spend billions of dollars through the “autism network(s)” to say it doesn’t.
    So? You expect the foxes to let go of their chickens !?

  7. Hans Scholl says:

    wow , wow , wow , wow , wow

    get this :

    California bill trying to pass new law AB 1671 to ban the film VAXXED !!!!

    http://www.thelibertybeacon.com/film-vaxxed-outlawed-california-bill-passes/

    • Peter Morici says:

      I saw vaxxed last week
      A free copy was floating around for 24 hours before taking it down
      It’s also banned in the uk.
      Someone I council on ac chelation since I recovered my son from severe to very mild I sent it to uk and they put it on an uk autism site and many people got to see it.
      It’s well worth paying 4 bucks to see it
      U can download it.

  8. Hans Scholl says:

    Bravo
    Superb article , just what I asked for . More education , more science , more evidence .

    Encore

    More , more , more !

  9. Jeff Craig says:

    Yes, there are NOW several different causes of the trouble. Ever since the ‘diagnoses’ criteria was changed. That’s also why more are ‘cured’ than before – a lot of less severe troubles are now included in the same class. That may be one reason so many have been relieved by eliminating dairy products for 3 to 12 weeks(and STAY off them ever after, at least if they are pasteurized and homogenized; the world’s MOST congesting food or drink ) (The dairy diminishes everyone’s immune ability and strength).

    Find out NOW, while you can, if you’re reading this. Dozen’s of books are available at the health food stores/ probably on amazon/ ebay and so forth.
    They are CONSTANTLY being forced off the market, censored, and may totally disappear any day (just try to find anything by Antoine Bechamp, for terrible tragic loss to EVERYONE for their health; yes, EVERYONE lost tragically)….
    Copy, print, save, get copies or books , whatever you’ve found to be a good resource, get it safe OFF-line.

  10. Jeff Craig says:

    How was I one of the first to learn that the vaccines are all damaging to health?
    I went to a pharmacy school in the 80’s. Then worked in hospitals for years. Then , because I have a living, UN-seared conscience, and found out what they do,(phrmk),
    I had to ignore their bribes to stay in or at least stay quiet, and I got out and have never stayed quiet about it – I’ll broadcast as long as I’m alive — the phrmk LIES THROUGH ITS TEETH every day, every time they open their mouth. It is likely they have ‘volunteers’ searching internet websites every day to post “pro vx” and to note and bkmrk all the comments and posts and sites that publish the TRUTH.(to censor later , maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, but censor they have, and censor they will – it is ALL ABOUT GREED and POWER….
    Doctors as far back as the 1930’s or 1940’s REFUSED KNOWLEDGEABLY to allow ANY vax for themselves or their family. ZERO. ZIP. NADA. With good reason.
    See
    Andrew Moulden’s recent published book (if it is still available)… see online all the references to “ALL Vaccines Cause Harm” (i.e. not just a few, and NOT just a little).
    and “HOW TO Recognize Vaccine Damage” (this has been KNOWN for over 70 years; and published but overwhelmed by false phrmk propaganda countless times)

    I just did a quick search of the web. It is absolutely astonishing how many fake websites and false information with ‘GREAT’ Credentials are there now, as if to give credence to the druglords instead of allowing people to know the TRUTH simply.

    (oh, btw, across the board, back when ONLY 8 vax were ‘required’ for those who didn’t know better, the most common harm done to everyone was an average DROP IN IQ by 10 to 20 points (no matter if any other damage was noted ever or not).

    The remedy is simple. NO MORE VAX. Remember they all cause harm. And there is ALWAYS a better, simple , non-toxic way to accomplish what is needed.
    The exceptions are so rare, if there are any, it’s not worth poisoning a million more children and ruining the lives of so many harmed to keep sticking anyone without certain verified accountability and full disclosure of all this and more regarding KNOWN DANGERS of all vax…..

    Signed, “saved from the death industry” THANK GOD !

  11. There is no one single factor that explains the autism epidemic. If vaccines cause autism how do we explain children that developed autism but were never immunized? If Wakefield was right why has his work never been duplicated? Vaccine causation simply can’t be proven and attempting to do so is a waste of time and money that could be put to better use treating those who have been afflicted and preventing more from suffering the same fate.

    Autism is a disease of toxic overload. There are many children who are able to process vaccines but the difference in children who develop autism is that they are born with a genetic susceptibility and develop autism when the body can no longer process the toxic insults. This happens at different times for different children, depending on several variables. Chemicals, antibiotics, medications and synthetic hormones all destroy healthy gut flora, which regulates the immune system, and since the 1960’s more and more mothers began passing depleted microbiomes on to their babies. This situation has worsened with each passing generation and we are now seeing children born with not enough healthy gut bacteria to process toxins, heavy metals and pathogens. And the blame falls on society itself.

    http://armimovement.com/what-is-autism-page/theres-no-smoking-gun/

    • ProfessorTMR says:

      There is nothing in this piece that implies vaccines are the ONLY trigger for autism. We’re well aware that there is a small segment of the autism population that has never been vaccinated. We’re also well aware that toxic overload (including vaccines) is the key concept for many. You can find many articles on our site discussing that particular concept. However, that doesn’t in any way exonerate the immune activation directly caused by vaccination. And I beg to differ on the “can’t be proven” angle. It CAN be proven, and indeed probably already has been by people who are connecting the dots. We’ll be posting a paper shortly that explains the science in further depth.

      • Thanks, Prof. We appreciate all your hard work but I am at a loss as to how it can be proven since vaccines do not cause autism. Do they elicit an immune response? Of course. We all know this but the cause of most cases of autism is immune dysfunction. Similarly, it would be difficult to prove a property owner responsible for autism when the mold he or she refused to address became the tipping point and overwhelmed a child’s immune system.

        The rise in autism correlates with the increase in vaccines but also correlates with the proliferation of the Standard American Diet, the use of oral contraceptives, the over-use or increased use of antibiotics, prescription and OTC meds, endocrine disruptors, glyphosate and the “chemicalism” of Western society. ALL of these practices are hazardous the microbiome, which regulates the immune response. The simple fact of the matter is that if our children were healthy they would be able to process the vaccinations like most other kids can. Even if the people who are connecting the dots can put together a plausible argument for vaccine causation, who will listen?

        We love the work Team TMR does and we all share the same pain but trying to prove vaccine causation leaves children who did not develop autism following a vaccination, and their families, in a very precarious situation. Claims that autism is an “iatrogenic illness” has only infuriated the very professionals that we need to help our children. Are you willing to sacrifice all our children for the sake of the ones who have vaccine-induced autism?

        The 1960’s marked the beginning of microbiome depletion, a situation that has worsened with each passing generation. We are now in crisis and we are all to blame for the state of our children’s health. And it is only together that all of us can change our destiny.

        The CDC will not admit any wrongdoing and the vaccine debate only convolutes the bigger picture. We have too many sick children out there and they are depending on us to help them. Vaccines are not responsible for the epidemic increase in chronic pediatric illnesses and they are not responsible for autism. How much longer are we going to fight THIS fight before we realize it is futile?

        The only way to get our children the help they need is to stop blaming and stand united in our message that autism is a set of symptoms of immune dysfunction, and that it is treatable and preventable. We can stop this epidemic of pediatric illness in its tracks by keeping environmental triggers away from our children and by focusing our efforts on treatment and recovery, prevention and proper research. Many of us are doing this already but we can’t do it alone. We Need you to join us. PLEASE reconsider your stance.

        Lisa Stephenson
        Principal & Executive Director
        Autism Revolution for Medical Intervention (ARMI)

      • ProfessorTMR says:

        Hi Lisa,

        Sorry for the delay in responding to your comment. I was away on vacation and had a pile of work on my desk when I came back.

        I understand where you are coming from, but I cannot agree with you on a number of points. First off, the immune activation caused (deliberately) by vaccines DOES cause autism, and I think it has essentially been proven as we shall show with some blogs that we will host that come from vaccinepapers.com. Are vaccines the ONLY cause of autism? Certainly not, but that doesn’t in any way let them off the hook. To imply that it does is comparable to saying “Well, not all people who get lung cancer are smokers so therefore we shouldn’t try to prove that smoking causes lung cancer because that would be ‘sacrificing’ all the people with lung cancer for the sake of the ones who have smoking-induced lung cancer.” To say that about autism is equally ridiculous. If we can prevent many cases of autism by making people aware of the connection between the immune activation from vaccines and autism, it would be criminal NOT to do so. Please read the review of the new book “The Vaccine Friendly Plan” that we posted earlier this week for an idea of what can be accomplished by knowledge of this sort.

        It is possible to go after ALL causes of toxicity (and chronic neurological conditions like autism) without “sacrificing” anything, and we do it every day. And, sorry, but the professionals who are “infuriated” by the idea of iatrogenic autism are not the ones who are helping our children in the first place.

        By the way, how do you plan to keep children away from toxic triggers if you don’t even acknowledge one of the biggest ones there is or that many of the others are iatrogenic as well (antibiotics, general anesthesia, ultrasounds, Tylenol use before and after vaccination, etc.)?

    • nhokkanen says:

      Failure to study vaccine/autism causation could amount to near genocide for some family lineages.

      One family I know has two of three biological grandsons on the autism spectrum; out of three great-grandsons, one is on the spectrum and another died of “SIDS.”

      As long as naive and grieving parents believe their child’s death was “God’s will,” the biological cause of that mystery death will not be studied — a knowledge gap that perpetuates the deaths of future children.

  12. We have a detailed series of articles on autism and immune activation, starting here:

    http://vaccinepapers.org/part-1-immune-activation-autism/

    There are rational objections to connecting vaccines with brain inflammation. Brain inflammation in autism does not necessarily implicate vaccines; it is merely suggestive. It is only when a much larger scope of evidence is considered that the link to autism becomes clear and irrefutable.

    • ProfessorTMR says:

      Oh, absolutely agreed! This is just the first, MAJOR step in putting that together. It is not “proof,” but it is supportive evidence. Brain inflammation IS a known side effect of vaccines (that HRSA injury table lists encephalopathy and encephalitis for a few vaccines). There have been over 1300 cases of brain inflammation that were compensated by the VICP, and when researchers contacted about a sixth of them, they found that 40% had autism diagnoses. That is not coincidental.

    • ProfessorTMR says:

      Thanks for the link. Those studies are fascinating, and the handling of the “obections” is very well done.

  13. Laura says:

    I’m not sure about the conclusions of this paper.
    Autism is likely increasing mostly because it is being more readily diagnosed.
    The immune system could be involved but point 7 states “it’s all about the immune system”, this is an over simplification and even if it were true, a vaccine isn’t necessarily the trigger. Your research points towards a link between a deranged immune system and autism rather than a link between vaccines and autism. This is a possibly dangerous leap to a conclusion which is nowhere near fact yet. And never become fact.

    • ProfessorTMR says:

      *sigh* Autism isn’t just “increasing because it is more readily diagnosed.” Study after study (and rational thought taking into account change points in diagnostic criteria) make it CRYSTAL clear that the actual rate of incidence of autism, particularly severe autism (the kind that makes people incapable of talking as well as so many other things) is rising exponentially. Yes, there is a wider variety of behavior define as “autistic” these days, but the DSM IV was published in 1994 and people have been talking about the “autism spectrum” since that time. The widening of the criteria can only account for about about half of the rise we are seeing. http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/welcome/features/20090218_autism_environment/

      And no, it’s not ALL about the immune system: there are genetic susceptibilities to immune system damage; there are imbalances in gut flora and leaky gut linings (which by the way is where much of the immune system is located); there are heavy metal encounters with brain cells (often ushered beyond the blood-brain barrier accompanied by a substance such as polysorbate 80 that makes the BBB more permeable); there are abnormalities caused by excessive ultrasound in pregnancy. But there is no question that the immune system plays a HUGE role in autism, and there is no question that the purpose of vaccines is to hyperstimulate the immune system. Does this blog “prove” that vaccines are causing ALL the immune system aberrations found in people with autism? Fuck, no! (To connect those dots confidently, you have to read much more. This is just a primer to get you going.) But it would be insane to dismiss the huge likelihood that they are playing a large part in the development of autism, especially when coupled with the fact that SO MANY parents have witnessed the development of autism immediately after a large round of vaccines, especially when combined with antibiotics, a viral illess, and/or Tylenol use.

  14. Erin VanDordrecht says:

    Well done. Thank you!

  15. Peter Morici says:

    I recovered my son who had mercury from mothers amalgams
    Andrew cutler chelation think tank On fb

  16. Tracy says:

    Very well written – thanks for the thorough research and organized data!
    I concur: http://www.healourlittleones.com/?p=553

  17. Tim Lundeen says:

    Great article, thanks!

  18. Linda Baker says:

    Wonderful article. Thank you so much for your research and painstaking explanations. Again, wonderful.

  19. Nicole says:

    Next thing I’m doing is watching vaxxed. Also, please people don’t underestimate the power of prayer over you children that have been vaccine harmed. It works wonders! Detoxing is essential as well, along with an organic diet.

  20. Jeff Craig says:

    This is a grand scientific proof/ analysis that’s been available but not public for a (relatively) long time. The truth it reveals in detail, was known for over half a century.
    Remember that by 1955 no honest AND knowledgeable doctor would give an immunization to anyone in their own family.(realize the medical schools were already owned lock stock and barrel ; no longer to heal people, no, but for profit; so few doctors learned the truth IN MED SCHOOL)
    (I learned this while IN PHarmacy School in the 80’s and working in 4 hospitals as a pharm tech preparing in house ivs and outpatient drugs for about 4 years).
    The “FOR PROFIT” motive was purposefully planned, orchestrated, and published in 1902 ! Yes, no longer “first of all do no harm” – instead since then “make ’em sick; we get more money” OFFICIALLY endorsed and approved and ‘forced’ legally – with most all the drugs, not only immunizations. And more insidiously, with the whole food supply from soil toxicity , soil deprivation, nutrient destruction (including replacing needed nutrients with poisons via fertilizers! ) at every step in the food process from farm to dinner table. Less than 80% of the food at the local grocery store is edible in terms of producing life and health and well being! (estimate, probably LOW! 90% in many stores is evident) ….. so yes,
    take warning, as early as possible DO SOMETHING (start shopping smart and DEtoxing food, air, water, and body and mind and home; one step at a time at least, for the rest of life…)
    shalom (peace joy righteousness and healing in Jesus) to all who seek truth.
    ( ten . xoc @ giarcffej ) email in reverse
    to avoid the sphyders and physhers and other bad trollers (information spammers)

  21. Luz María says:

    What an excellent article! Thanks so much for gathering up all this information and saving us (lots of parents of autistic children) time surfing the web. I have celiac disease and my eight year old son has mild to moderate autism so this obviously caught my eye:
    Immune findings in families of individuals with ASD: “Family members of individuals with autism also have various immune abnormalities. Examination of familial immunity in autism provides important insight into the disorder.”

  22. As John Cleese succinctly and brilliantly said, “I would like 2016 to be the year when people remembered that science is a method of investigation,and NOT a belief system.”

    https://twitter.com/johncleese/status/683681888687538177

    Indeed.

    Excellent post.

  23. Peter Morici says:

    dont say vaccines cause autism unitl u see Vaxxed

    proof positive govt deleted data showing just that

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