Want info on possible cures for autism/AS?

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Haha that makes me shudder too! Have you seen I Am Legend? The film is about that concept and it's absolutely terrifying. (Fantastic film though, worth seeing).

LeKiwi wrote:

Thanks for the offer but I'll have to pass... I abhor horror movies, and I read the original book more than once. That was enough for me. The book had nothing to do with genetic engineering though, it was written back in the '50s... wait, 1954 according to a posting on google. It's been years, but if it was referred to at all I think he just called it a plague. The concept's been repeated many times, a disease, natural or manufactured gets out of hand and wipes out most or all of humanity. If you thought the movie was scary, check into the poor security the former USSR countries keep on some of the old biowar labs. And then think about how many crazy people there are in the world...

I know, it's awful. I didn't realise it was based on a book. In the film it goes that they've taken the measles virus and changed part of its DNA so that it works to kill cancer, and has had a 100% success rate in all 10,000 people tested on. But then they turn into light-fearing zombie mutant things that eat people, or just kills them... guess you know the rest. But it's a great film, just very atmospheric and very harrowing to watch. Will Smith is fantastic in it.
(I guess a similar one if you can get hold of it is an old New Zealand film from the 1980's called The Quiet Earth... it's a bit dated now but absolutely brilliant if you can find it).


Edit: url added

Zendell is correct, some viruses (temperate phages) can alter genes by coding it's own genetic code onto the host cell's chromosome (the lysogenic cycle). This way, it allows itself to be subtly reproduced with the host reproduction without having to destroy the host cell (the lytic cycle).



I disagree. Why should we as a species hold ourselves back based on vague notions of morality? If we have the intellectual ability and capacity to do great things, I feel that it's not only not "playing God," but our duty as a species. Gene therapy and genetic modification is fascinating. Research in these areas have the potential to really advance humanity.

At what cost?

In the words of Kahlil Gibran,

"Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too self-ful to seek other than itself".

If we are kind, responsible and ethical, why would their be a cost? Why does every genetic researcher have to be a mad scientist?

To paraphrase Carl Sagan, science is only dangerous when we accept it's products but neglect it's methods.

Because playing God with DNA IS mad science.

That's your opinion, but mark my words, this research will lead to great things. Lives could be saved by making people less prone to genetic deficits. It could help a lot of people.

Well, that's just my opinion, as you say. But it won't change, no matter how well you mean.

I believe nature is perfect; there's no need to change things.

I see both sides... I see the promise, and I see the commitment and the basic honor of many people involved in the search...

And I see the stupidity at the highest levels of government, and worse, the deliberate misuse of governmental powers. What can be used to heal, can be used to destroy. THAT is the fear. If we don't act, we could be consigning millions... possibly billions over the next 100 years to unnecessary death and disease. If we do act we could be placing the single greatest weapon in the history of our species into the hands of madmen.

So what do you do?

But nature isn't perfect! Evolution is slow and gradual, there are parts of our body that are unused, leftovers from a previous stage. One neuroscientist has even scoffed at the notion that our brain is "elegant" in construct, considering it instead a "kludge," a functional mishmash of different pieces.

I'm not trying to change your mind, I respect your opinion. I just think it's neat.

This reminds me of something I read awhile ago. I read that some genetic disorders can be greatly reduced with nutrition. I think it's done in animals but not in humans because it would eliminate too many profitable diseases. The only example I remember is taking folic acid during pregnancy greatly reduces the chance of spina bifida. Anyone know if it's true that taking nutrients during pregnancy reduces genetic disorders?

You've got chart after chart after chart to support your position on vaccines and you don't have that material?

Yes taking prenatal vitamins including folate reduces birth defects, such as spina bifida. And breastfeeding is very very VERY good for the baby. Not bad for the Dad either....

Anyone knowledgeable in biology knows that is a load of crap. life is full of Rude Goldberg machines that are only there because living creatures were evolved, not engineered. living things can be greatly improved with good engineering.

If Lyme disease is diagnosed, it takes out half that criteria because another cause has been proven - which PREVENTS an AS diagnosis. As I said - it's one or the other, and they have nothing to do with each other.



No, it caused a lazy diagnosis by a quack. THAT is fact, and if anyone hates being hit with facts it's you. You haven't hit me with one fact yet.



That's wrong. If you are diagnosed with Lyme disease, the neurological symptoms take precedence. The behaviour issues are linked automatically to the Lyme Disease - and Autism has absolutely nothing to do with it. A doctor who DX's both is ignoring the effects of Lyme disease, and therefore is not doing their job properly. Autism is a primary condition, not a secondary one (which is how you are treating it in that scenario).

The Autistic Spectrum is genetic at it's base. Medical fact - and there's no way you can argue around that. Your reliance on quackery and propoganda is frankly disturbing.



You won't get it as long as you treat the Spectrum as a bad thing. Start treating it as a good thing instead, and demand that those around you adjust. You have a basic human right to do that. If you don't then you only have one person to blame for your problems - you.

And to finish, I agree with Odin - nature is an unending process of evolution. And there is no such thing as perfection, especially in nature. If there was there would be no such things as hurricanes, tornadoes, monsoons, erupting volcanoes, cyclones and bushfires (the ones started naturally I mean).

See, but I think evolution is beautiful. Really beautiful. And yes, I do know biology. So that's your opinion, whereas my opinion is different. We aren't God, we should stop messing around with it... again, humans looking at the short rather than long-term consequences.



And yes Zendell, nutrition can play a HUGE role in reducing the effects of so many different diseases. That's half our problem; people these days have generally strayed so far from our natural diet we were designed to eat that they don't get the right nutrients in the right proportions, then when something goes wrong want a band-aid pill to fix it rather than considering that perhaps if they ate the right foods instead of all this processed rubbish most people primarily eat they could start healing the root cause of things...