Seems that researchers are closing in on a drug that can reduce or even eliminate autism traits.
UCLA scientists have come upon a drug that did this for mice that had autistic traits.
Researchers at UCLA Health found that mild inflammation during pregnancy caused lasting autism-like traits in mice.
The team discovered that a single dose of the drug rapamycin improved many of the problems (even in adult mice) within about two hours, but the effects faded quickly.
Such a discovery makes one wonder if a pill treatment for autism might not be as far into the future as once thought.
And if such a treatment ever were developed — how many Level 1 (low support needs) Autistics would take this pill?
Take with Water, Autism Be Gone
What if you, as an Autist, were told that if you swallow this little white pill at bedtime — you’ll awaken next morning a neurotypical?
Presumably, many, perhaps the vast majority, of Autistics would decline, even if they have neurodivergent traits that impair quality of life.
That’s because autistic people typically can’t imagine themselves any other way, not for a moment.
The prospect of waking up next morning “no longer being me” would be unthinkable.
“Autism makes me me,” is the sentiment. “I can’t wake up being someone else for the rest of my life.”
This is a great thought experiment, and seemingly that’s what it’ll be for a very long time, because rapamycin can be toxic with repeated use, and these findings came from mice, not people.
Past Research on Pregnancy Inflammation in Women
Earlier studies have linked inflammation during pregnancy to a higher chance of autism related traits in kids.
You may be wondering how a mouse could exhibit autistic traits. But in kids and adults with autism, the traits include difficulty navigating social environments, sensory issues, literal thinking, repetitive body movements, hyperfixations and feeling different from others from an early age.
Rapamycin has shown benefits in previous mouse research because it lowers activity in the mTOR pathway, which helps regulate cell growth.
Overactive mTOR signaling has been connected to several autism related conditions.
What the Researchers Did
The team exposed pregnant mice to a mild inflammatory trigger.
As adults, the offspring showed ongoing inflammation, overactive mTOR signaling, abnormal communication between brain regions, mild brain enlargement and behaviors associated with autism.
After receiving one dose of rapamycin, brain activity became more balanced.
The mice also had fewer repetitive behaviors, reduced sensory overreaction and healthier communication across brain networks.
Because the improvements appeared so quickly, the researchers believe the drug changed how brain circuits function rather than changing brain structure.
That finding raises the possibility that some autism traits could remain adjustable later in life, even if the brain has reached adulthood.
If such a drug is ever developed for people, would it have an “all or none” effect?
In other words, it’d wipe troublesome autism features but also the strengths that come with autism?
I’m not so sure I’d want to give up my amazing attention to detail and superb ability to think outside the box.
I don’t want to forego the intensely rich inner world that I often visit, or my natural ability to view the world through a lens of logic, science and facts rather than emotions, feelings and jumping on absurd bandwagons.
No thank you. I’ll stay autistic!
