Feeling way out of my league biochemically, I waded in the research on why some doctors are prescribing Actos, a popular medication for treating Type II diabetes, to patients with autoimmune disorders. And ultimately, why our DAN! Doctor prescribed this for LuLu (and why we are seeing improvements.)

If you understand the rest of this blog, it means I’ve figured it out…or at least partially.

DAN! Doctors operate from the theory that autism (and other neurologically-based disorders – like ADHD, and perhaps Tourettes and Bipolar) are greatly impacted by the brain’s biochemistry. And that biochemistry is greatly impacted by the body’s immune system and its gastro-intestinal system…which is where much of the hormones affecting the brain are actual made.

So, if a child with one of these neurological disorders has a compromised immune system, this can cause inflammation in a number of places, including areas of the brain. Symptoms of this inflammation can be certain behaviors.

Given this, doctors are looking at ways to boost (and heal) these children’s immune systems and reduce inflammation. Enter Actos.

What I learned from listening to a presentation by Dr. Marvin Boris from a recent DAN! Conference is that Actos and other PPARS (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors) are being used by doctors to regulate the immune response in a number of disorders, including things like MS, Alzheimer’s, and Colitis.

Dr. Boris has been researching the use of Actos with autistic children. His findings have been remarkable. Here’s a bit more of the science:

Cytokines are proteins produced that regulate the immune system. In autistic children there appears to be an excess of TH2 cells and too many cytokines in that area. (This is way more complex than I’m presenting it.) Other researchers have found that the use of these PPARS decreases the cytokine levels, and the inflammation.

But the PPARS appear to do even more. Using Actos with MS patients has shown that their cells have been able to re-myelinate over the period of 18 months. Myelin is the electrical insulating layer that surrounds many cells. And further research has shown that the anti-inflammatory results occur on a cellular level –within the brain glial cells, which are the cells that nourish the brain and form the myelin. Demyelination (or the loss of this myelin sheath) is a huge factor in MS and other neurodegenerative diseases. Autistic children have been shown to have abnormal brain glial cells.

Now that you know all this…so what? Well Dr. Boris’ research showed that in the vast majority of the children in his study, the cytokine levels dropped significantly. And this corresponded to increases in cognition, calmness, verbalizations, socialization – and a decrease in diarrhea and aggression. At our house the cognition and verbal skills are definitely on the rise. (Is it Actos or Fast ForWord…or, as I suspect, both?) And the calmness. What can I say? Monday and Tuesday were LuLu’s calmest days ever. Yesterday, she had some squirrely moments working with the new education consultant. But they were just anxiety-based behaviors that needed a little extra effort to control. She did not dysregulate or decompose. This is huge!

And the positive self-talk coming out of those lips. As she advances in levels of Fast ForWord I hear her actually say to herself, “You can do it!” “Good job. Keep trying.” I also heard her ask me to open a bottle while I was driving yesterday, and then tell herself outloud (before I had a chance to respond at all). “I need to ask Mom at a stoplight. It’s too dangerous for her to help me right now.” This regulation of impulsivity is HUGE!

Meanwhile, we are continuing to explore the state of her immune system. Something is awry there. After all, she gets facial tics with strep and still rarely runs a fever.


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