Autism, measles vaccine linked

Campaigners were calling for more research, following new evidence from the United States suggesting a link between measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) and autism.
Scientists at Utah State University in Logan have found a strong association between the vaccine and an auto-immune reaction thought to play a role in autism.
David Potter, head of information and policy at the National Autistic Society (NAS), said: “The NAS would be keen to see further independent research to replicate these findings, which might provide a way forward in understanding and treating the condition.”
Keith Lovett, of Autism Independent U.K. said: “Parents have been suspecting this for many years now but research was needed in the area to back it up or put it to bed. It’s certainly not going to go away until it’s done properly.
Proper trials are needed. Supposed research has been done by the government but there are different weights of research.”
The team, led by Dr Vijendra Singh, analysed blood samples from 125 autistic children and 92 children who did not have the developmental disorder. The researchers found a ‘significant increase’ in the level of MMR antibodies in the autistic children.
Part of the measles component of the vaccine caused an unusual anti-measles response in 75 of the autistic children, but not in the normal children.
Over 90% of the autistic samples which showed an immune response to MMR were also positive for antibodies thought to be involved in autism.
The antibodies attack the brain by targeting basic building blocks of myelin, the insulating sheath that covers nerve fibres. Dr. Singh has suggested that this auto-immune response may be the cause of autism.
U.S. scientists, who report their findings in the latest issue of the Journal of Biomedical Science, concluded: “Stemming from this evidence, we suggest that an inappropriate antibody response to MMR, specifically the measles component thereof, might be related to pathogenesis of autism.”
Singh has published previous work indicating a link between MMR and autism. He has argued for years that autism can be traced to an auto-immune reaction centred on the brain.
David Potter said: “This current research offers a plausible explanation of underlying pathophysiology in some children with autism. Although the National Autistic Society has yet to see the full paper it welcomes such studies into the underlying pathophysiology in these children.”
The new study will fuel more controversy over MMR fears, which have been blamed for downturns in the number of children being vaccinated. MMR vaccine uptake in Britain for 16 month-old children dropped from 76.2 per cent to 70.1 per cent between December and March, but then rose to 72 per cent in April.

dpa