Understanding the Biological Basis of Autism: Causes & Treatments | Karen Parker

Understanding the biological basis of social functioning, including the role of oxytocin and vasopressin, is crucial for advancing research and treatment for disorders like autism 

Questions to inspire discussion 

• What is the role of oxytocin and vasopressin in social functioning?

  —Oxytocin and vasopressin play a crucial role in social behavior, with oxytocin involved in mother-infant bonding and vasopressin in regulating urinary output and blood pressure.

• What are the potential treatments for autism?

  —Potential treatments for autism include oxytocin and vasopressin nasal inhalations, but further research is needed to determine their effectiveness and safety.

• How can animal models help understand autism?

  —Animal models, such as primate and mouse models, can help researchers better understand the biological basis of autism and potential treatments.

• What are the environmental and genetic factors in autism development?

  —Environmental risk factors and genetic background both play a significant role in the development of autism, and understanding these factors is crucial for effective treatment.

• What are the challenges in autism research and treatment?

  —Challenges in autism research and treatment include limited access to specialists, ethical implications of animal testing, and the need for prioritizing funding for critical windows of development.

Key Insights 

Biological Basis of Social Functioning and Autism

• 🔬 The goal of Dr. Parker's laboratory's research is to understand the biological basis of social functioning at every stage of the lifespan, including the bonds that form between infants and parents.
• 🧠 Understanding the biology of autism is crucial, as it is a behavioral diagnosis that is not biologically defined, leading to a lot of heterogeneity in diagnosis and treatment.
• 🧠 Oxytocin's role in social interactions and bonding is crucial for human survival and may be linked to disorders like autism and drug abuse.
• 🧪 The overlooked potential of vasopressin in influencing social behavior and pair bonding in males presents an intriguing area for further exploration in neuroscience and psychology.
• 🤯 The idea that brain circuitry is often sitting latent in the background, ready to be activated, challenges traditional views of neuroplasticity.
• 🧠 What if vasopressin is one of those pathways because it's so critically involved in Social functioning?
• 🧠 The next step in autism research should be to visualize the brain and identify the circuits involved in social cognition and sensory processing.
• 💩 The potential impact of the gut microbiome and fecal transplants on social deficits in autism, raising questions about the role of vasopressin in the gut.

Novel Approaches and Potential Treatments for Autism

• 🧠 Are there trials happening where people are exploring psilocybin, MDMA, and atypical anti-depressants in kids with autism, not because we think those kids are deficient in any neurochemicals, but because these drugs can help rewire the brain?
• 🌱 Persistence in pursuing challenging ideas: "If it's hard to do it doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. You just have to figure out how to do it."

#MentalHealth #Autism #Aspbergers

Clips 

• 00:00 🧠 Autism diagnosis rates have increased, with a focus on early behavioral interventions and a correlation between autistic traits and STEM professions, while understanding the biological basis is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
  • Dr. Karen Parker discusses the biological basis and new research findings for autism, as well as a novel treatment, in the Huberman Lab podcast.
  • Electrolyte drink Element and coffee maker Aeropress are promoted before the discussion with Dr. Karen Parker on the causes and treatments for autism.
  • Autism diagnosis rates have increased due to improved detection methods, with behavioral interventions being introduced early, and studies showing a correlation between autistic traits and professions in STEM fields.
  • Autism is a complex condition with a wide spectrum of severity and genetic factors, and understanding the biological basis is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
  • Accessing brain tissue for research is difficult, and using animal models to study autism and its genetic and environmental influences can help understand the condition better.
  • Ultrasounds are important for pregnant women, but excessive exposure may be linked to developmental issues in children.
• 24:16 🧠 Understanding the role of environmental and genetic factors in autism, as well as the potential use of oxytocin and ketamine for treatment, is crucial for effective therapy.
  • Environmental risk factors and genetic background play a significant role in the development of autism, and understanding the diverse nature of the condition is crucial for effective treatment.
  • Oxytocin and vasopressin, two neuropeptides involved in social behavior, have similar effects and bind to four receptors, with oxytocin playing a role in mother-infant bonding and vasopressin in urinary output regulation and blood pressure.
  • The passage of the baby through the vaginal canal triggers the oxytocin pathway, leading to bonding with offspring, but it is species-specific and may not apply to all primate species.
  • Oxytocin plays a role in social interactions and bonding, and while it is often associated with the "love hormone," it has various other roles and effects in the human brain.
  • Autistic children may have different social behaviors, and studies have shown potential effectiveness of oxytocin as a therapy for autism.
  • Oxytocin and ketamine nasal inhalations are being used off-label for autism treatment, but currently there are only two FDA-approved medications for autism, both of which have side effects, and while autism can have lifelong impact, some people do outgrow their diagnosis.
• 54:12 🧠 Lower levels of oxytocin in the blood may be linked to social impairment in individuals with autism, and alternative approaches to inducing neuroplasticity, such as the use of medications like psilocybin and MDMA, are being explored for treatment.
  • Insid tracker is a personalized nutrition platform that analyzes data from blood and DNA to help understand the body and reach health goals.
  • Lower levels of oxytocin in the blood may be linked to social impairment in individuals with autism, and a study showed that those with lower baseline blood oxytocin levels benefited more from oxytocin intervention.
  • Oxytocin treatment for autism may be more effective for individuals with lower baseline levels of oxytocin, but there is controversy and difficulty in accurately measuring oxytocin levels, leading to uncertainty about its safety and effectiveness.
  • The speaker discusses the potential benefits of exploring alternative approaches to inducing neuroplasticity in autistic children, such as the use of medications like psilocybin and MDMA, and the potential effectiveness of oxytocin in younger children.
  • Early autism screening is crucial, but long clinic wait times and limited access to specialists are barriers, so developing a laboratory-based test for detection and clinical referral could help prioritize children for early intervention.
  • MDMA causes massive increases in serotonin and oxytocin release, and there is potential for a drug chemically similar to MDMA to be developed for autism treatment, while vasopressin is produced in the hypothalamus and has receptors all over the brain, playing a role in male social behavior.
• 01:19:11 🧠 Oxytocin and vasopressin play a crucial role in social behavior and potential treatments for autism, with research on voles providing valuable insights.
  • Prairie voles form monogamous pair bonds and participate in paternal care, while Mountain voles live separately and the males mate with multiple females without providing paternal care.
  • Vasopressin injections can induce bonding and paternal behavior in voles, and as a researcher, Dr. Karen Parker found the experience of doing the science to be the most interesting.
  • The speaker studied the behavior of meadow voles in relation to light and found that they exhibited unexpected monogamous behavior during winter, leading to further research on their reproductive patterns.
  • Oxytocin and vasopressin can activate brain circuitry and dramatically change behavior in male animals, showing the power of peptides and latent brain circuitry.
  • Research on vasopressin led Dr. Karen Parker to focus on autism, which was underfunded, but received support from dedicated parents and philanthropists.
  • The speaker discusses the role of neuropeptides, specifically oxytocin and vasopressin, in social functioning and potential treatments for autism.
• 01:34:43 🧠 The speaker discusses using primate models to understand autism, studying monkeys with social impairments, discovering biomarkers for social functioning, and overcoming obstacles in funding autism research.
  • The speaker discusses the development of a primate model for naturally occurring social impairments in monkeys as a potential tool for better understanding autism.
  • Monkeys at the UC Davis primate center were studied to validate a behavioral phenotype for autism, showing that monkeys with greater social isolation exhibit autistic-like traits, and the speaker emphasizes the importance of using primate models for autism research over rodent models.
  • Drug testing on animals can have significant implications for human health, but it is important to consider the ethical implications and choose the appropriate animal model for the specific research question.
  • The speaker discusses the study of monkeys with features resembling human autism and the discovery of biomarkers through blood and cerebral spinal fluid analysis.
  • Vasopressin levels in cerebral spinal fluid may be a biomarker for social functioning in both monkeys and potentially humans, with implications for understanding autism.
  • Grant applications for autism research were initially rejected due to being considered high risk, but the speaker persisted and found a way to fund the research.
• 01:54:00 🧠 Low levels of CSF vasopressin in children with autism may be a biomarker for the condition and could potentially be targeted for early intervention, with potential for vasopressin replacement therapy as a treatment.
  • The speaker discusses accessing spinal fluid for research purposes and obtaining consent from families for extra samples.
  • Children with autism have lower levels of CSF vasopressin, which is linked to greater social symptom severity, and this finding was replicated in a study of infants before the onset of behavioral symptoms.
  • Low levels of vasopressin in infants' spinal fluid may be a biomarker for autism and could potentially be targeted for early intervention.
  • There is a potential link between vasopressin deficiency and autism, and further research is needed to investigate the possibility of vasopressin replacement therapy as a treatment for some individuals with autism.
  • The speaker discusses the combination of GHB and vasopressin as sex drugs and the results of a clinical trial using vasopressin in children with autism, showing improvements in social abilities.
  • The speaker discusses the limitations of budget in conducting research and the history of self-experimentation in Psychiatry.
• 02:17:58 🧠 Oxytocin and vasopressin may impact social behavior in autism, with potential treatments including nasal spray medication and probiotics to normalize gut microbiome and increase hormone levels.
  • The effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on social behavior vary depending on the individual, with some not responding to the medication in a small pilot trial.
  • The nasal spray medication Vasa Presson showed positive anecdotal results in improving social behavior in individuals with autism, but further trials are needed to determine its effectiveness and specificity.
  • Vasopressin may impact social cognition and motivation in autism, but further research is needed to understand its effects on the brain.
  • The speaker discusses the urgency for parents to find solutions for their child's autism, the safety and potential impact of oxytocin and vasopressin treatments, and the potential role of the gut microbiome in autism.
  • The speaker discusses the importance of considering evolutionary perspectives and the use of mouse and primate models in studying autism, highlighting the significance of genetic syndromes in understanding social impairments.
  • Low oxytocin levels in Mouse models with abnormal gut microbiome were normalized and social functioning improved by giving a probiotic, which increased oxytocin and vasopressin levels in the hypothalamus through the vagus nerve pathway, suggesting a potential link between gut microbiome and oxytocin and vasopressin production.
• 02:33:20 🧠 Funding for autism treatment research is crucial, vasopressin shows promise, vaccines do not cause autism, and there is a need for evidence-based research and novel treatments.
  • Funding for research on autism treatment is necessary but not sufficient, and it is crucial to prioritize funding for hypothesis testing to treat autism in critical windows of development.
  • The speaker discusses the benefits of vasopressin administration for social functioning in children with autism, as well as the challenges and limitations of pharmaceutical company trials in developing medications for autism.
  • Vasopressin has been shown to have pro-social effects in animal studies, and there is evidence suggesting that it may be beneficial in treating autism, despite conflicting results from pharmaceutical trials.
  • The idea that vaccines cause autism was debunked due to fraudulent data, and multiple studies have shown no correlation between vaccines and autism, leading to changes in vaccine preservatives and ongoing discussions about the criticality of different vaccines.
  • Dr. Karen Parker discusses the challenges of studying immune system disregulation in autism, the need for evidence-based research, and the importance of addressing the biological mechanisms and novel treatments for autism.
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------------------------------------- 2:56:28 2023-12-18T00:08:39Z