Asperger Syndrome

Asperger syndrome is a condition on the autism spectrum, with generally higher functioning. People with this condition may be socially awkward and have an all-absorbing interest in specific topics. Communication training and behavioral therapy can help people with the syndrome learn to socialize more successfully.

Increased exposure to the causes of autism has been show to occur during “highly vulnerable” times in human development. Specifically, genetic impacts on children in utero can influence the potential for autism onset.

Toxic chemicals likely cause injury to the developing human brain either through direct toxicity or inter-actions with the genome. An expert committee convened by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) estimated that 3% of neuro-behavioral disorders are caused directly by toxic environ-mental exposures and that another 25% are caused by inter-actions between environmental factors, defined broadly, and inherited susceptibilities (National Research Council 2000)

This suggests a connection to modified or influenced DNA.  As we’ve already reported, concerns have been raised showing that environmental contamination can have lasting multi- generational effects through DNA damage.

According to an Environmental Health Perspectives Journal entry on the matter:

Unless studies specifically examine develop-mental consequences of early exposures to untested chemicals, sub-clinical dysfunction caused by these exposures can go unrecognized for years.

In addition, research also suggests that:

all Autism Spectrum Disorders have shared genetic mechanisms, but Aspergers syndrome may have a stronger genetic component than autism. – McPartland J, Klin A (2006). “Asperger’s syndrome”. Adolesc Med Clin 17 (3): 771–88. doi:10.1016/j.admecli.2006.06.010. PMID 17030291.

In a recent Adverse Birth Outcomes Study on Lejeune, the following effects were seen in births from 1968-1985 to women exposed to contaminated drinking water. These findings also apply to women who gave birth before 1968 if they were exposed to similar levels of VOCs-contaminated drinking water.

• Exposure to PCE in the womb was associated with preterm birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy).
  For PCE and preterm birth, the strongest association was seen for exposures during the 2nd trimester (4th to 6th months).
• Exposure to TCE in the womb was associated with small gestational age (SGA), term low birth weight (TLBW) and reduced mean birth weight (MBW). The risk of TLBW increased with increasing levels of exposure to TCE during the 2nd trimester. The finding for SGA is consistent with findings from a previous study conducted in Woburn, MA.
• Exposure to benzene in the womb was associated with TLBW. The risk of TLBW increased with increasing levels of exposure to benzene throughout the pregnancy.

Relevant Links

• http://bit.ly/civilian-exposure-resource-epa-neurodevelopmental
• http://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-069X-13-99
• http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/lejeune/AdverseBirthOutcomesStudy.html
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404655/
• http://www.autism-help.org/aspergers-syndrome-cause.htm
• http://www.military.com/daily-news/2012/09/03/lejeune-water-victim-speaks-out.html