Karim Dabbagh joins us from Second Genome, where he is the Chief Scientific Officer and head of Research and Development. He’s currently investigating what differentiates a healthy gut from an atypical gut (i.e. the absence of flora) -- and how these differences can be related to brain health. Integral to this type of research is the collection of longitudinal data and analysis of potential correlations between the microbiome, genotypes, and diet. Second Genome is currently recruiting for a clinical trial on the microbiome and autism with the Wall Lab at Stanford.
James Adams, Ph.D., directs the Autism/Asperger's Research Program at Arizona State University. He is also the president of the non-profit Autism Nutrition Research Center, www.AutismNRC.org, and president of Autism Society of Greater Phoenix. He is the father of an adult daughter with autism. More info on this talk and his recommendations for autism families are available at www.adamsautismresearch.com
We will begin with a review of GI problems and GI treatments for ASD. Next, we will discuss the results of our new Phase 1 clinical trial of an Investigational New Drug involving 2 weeks of oral vancomycin (to kill unhealthy gut bacteria), followed by a bowel cleanse and then standardized human gut microbiota to create a healthy GI microbiome. We used FMT to treat children ages 7-17 years who had ASD and moderate or severe gastrointestinal problems. We administered FMT in two stages: an oral or rectal dose, followed by 8 weeks of oral administration. We present data on GI and autism symptoms for 18 children.
This talk will explain the 20 biomedical treatments that have reasonable research supporting their use, and present the very positive results of a 12-month treatment study that involved a combination of 6 of them. Next, we will discuss the results of a national survey of 1200 autism families on the effectiveness and adverse effects of over 100 medications, nutritional supplements, diets, and therapies for autism.
Constance Finley, of Constance Therapeutics, will introduce her medicinal cannabis company and describe its exploratory product study that takes a step towards hard research on potential cannabis treatment programs for autism. The study will be overseen by clinicians; and metrics such as sleep, HRV, and seizures will be tracked. With appropriate and timely dosing, cannabis’s main non-psychoactive compound, cannabidiol or CBD, could help reduce inflammation, anxiety, and seizures. While anecdotal evidence abounds, quantitative measures could help move the needle.
Peter Sullivan is the founder and CEO of Clear Light Ventures, Inc., as well as an environmental health funder who focuses on toxins and wireless safety. He has spent the last 15 years successfully recovering his two sons from autism and sensory issues. Peter's work on detoxification and EMF have been featured in the book Toxin Toxout: Getting Harmful Chemicals Out of Our Bodies and Our World, the book The Out of Sync Child Grows Up: Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder in the Adolescent and Adult Years, and CNN's Morgan Spurlock: Inside Man. He serves on the board of directors of Pure Earth, and on the advisory board for the International Institute for Building-Biology & Ecology. He speaks about autism and environmental health at conferences throughout the United States and abroad. He has a B.A. in psychology from University of Detroit and an M.S. in computer science from Stanford University.
Peter will walk us through environmental factors in your home which have been shown to increase sensory stress and impede development and performance. He will also share why some individuals are more sensitive to environmental impacts than others, based on emerging evidence of biological differences found in people with autism. He will demonstrate how a wide range of different environmental factors can overload the body, preventing it from effectively detoxing. Peter will also provide a sequence of related action steps designed to yield the most benefit with the least cost and effort. Additionally, he'll describe the range of outcomes you can expect to experience, based on his 18 years of working toward sensory friendly and healthy homes, and watching his and his family’s symptoms diminish over time.
Dr. Ernesto Gutierrez’s training background includes an MD degree from Anáhuac University's Faculty of Medicine –the most prestigious private medical school in Latin America– as well as training in the US and abroad achieving additional degrees in Age Management and Regenerative Medicine.
He currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for World Stem Cells Clinic and Rehealth, the premier destinations for autologous and allogeneic stem cell therapies in the world. His passion towards the development of novel therapeutic approaches to treat previously untreatable conditions has driven the clinic’s team to develop a unique, safe and highly effective Advanced Stem Cell Therapy for Autism which has already changed the lives of hundreds of autistic patients and their families.
Dr. Gutierrez is a Faculty Member for the Metabolic Medical Institute’s Stem Cell Fellowship as well as a lecturer at the American Academy of Antiaging Medicine (A4M), Generation Rescue, and the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS). He also regularly participates in peer-led interviews, podcasts, webinars and in person seminars aimed at patients and stem cell advocates.
The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by dysfunctions in social interaction and communication skills, in addition to repetitive and stereotypic verbal and nonverbal behaviors. While we are still unclear about the disorder’s pathophysiology, it’s recently been shown that systemic chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, and increased gut permeability are important contributing factors which can be improved by stem cell therapy. Conventional therapeutic approaches are based on behavioral and dietary modifications but they often fail to provide significant improvements quick enough for parents to adhere to long term treatment protocols. For over 7 years, our work has provided a way to address the underlying causes of the clinical manifestations of autism. Our experience shows that patients get more significant improvements from the typical interventions in gastrointestinal function, cognition, and verbal and social skills after stem cell therapy than patients treated with conventional therapies alone. Considering how safe our approach is for the patients and the apparent lack of mid to long-term adverse effects, the therapy presented should become a standard component in the management of autism.
After the talk, participants will be able to:
Suzanne Goh, M.D., is a pediatric neurologist and neuroscience researcher. She has served as Associate Research Scientist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology in the Division of Child Psychiatry at Columbia University. She is former Co-Director of the Columbia University Developmental Neuropsychiatry Program for Autism and Related Disorders. Her research focuses on metabolic disturbances in autism and on the use of brain imaging to identify differences in brain circuits in autism. A Rhodes Scholar, she graduated from Harvard University, University of Oxford, and Harvard Medical School. She has published research articles in numerous journals, including Neurology, Annals of Neurology, Pediatric Neurology, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, and Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. In 2013 she co-founded MitoMedical LLC to create high quality, research-based nutritional supplements for children with autism. She is co-author of the book Spectacular Bond: Reaching the Child with Autism. Suzanne is the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Cortica.
What makes it possible for children to develop new abilities? During child development, brain networks form in specific patterns with an orchestrated sequence. It’s an extraordinary and intricate choreography of neurophysiological and biochemical events. How these networks develop and change over time is the basis for the Cortica Care Model, an evidence-based, neurological approach to autism treatment, developed by Dr. Suzanne Goh. The Cortica Care Model spans biomedical, behavioral, sensorimotor, and language domains. We develop customized, integrated treatment programs to target a child’s neurophysiology, biochemistry, sensorimotor integration, communication, cognition, and behavior. At this presentation, Dr. Goh will review this comprehensive, neuroscience-based treatment approach, the research that supports it, and the major diagnostic and treatment strategies.