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PRESS RELEASE: "Documenting Hope" Medical Director Publishes Important New Study in Autism
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Harvard Scientist and Documenting Hope Project Medical Director Publishes Groundbreaking Research in Autism
WEST SIMSBURY, CT, April 8, 2016
A team led by Harvard Medical School scientist and Documenting Hope Medical Director, Martha Herbert PhD, MD have identified key underlying biological processes from the hundreds of genes now known to be involved in autism.
In a scientific paper published yesterday in PLOS ONE entitled, "Pathway Network Analyses for Autism Reveal Multisystem Involvement, Major Overlaps with Other Diseases and Convergence upon MAPK and Calcium Signaling," Dr. Herbert and colleagues from the Massachusetts General Hospital Neurology Department analyzed gene pathway networks in an effort to better understand the pathophysiology of autism. Although autism is commonly thought of as a genetic condition that affects the brain, the results suggested that autism genes affect many systems of the whole body. Top functional contributors to the network were cell signaling and metabolic processes, with neural pathways following behind. Disease conditions as diverse as cancer, metabolic, neurodegenerative and heart diseases also had genetic overlaps with autism. "We suspect that these very different diseases may be linked by shared disturbances in the same core biological processes," said Dr. Herbert, senior author on the paper. While many present treatments attempt to control or reduce autism's symptoms, this study suggests that targeting core biological processes may be a more efficient and leveraged treatment strategy.
To build on this research and test the validity of these initial findings, Dr. Herbert has designed a clinical case registry study that will track and document common underlying core biological processes in children diagnosed with a variety of conditions including autism, ADHD, idiopathic juvenile arthritis, and asthma, among others. This research is being performed as part of a broader science and media initiative aimed at improving health outcomes for children with chronic illnesses and creating prevention-based models of care. "The initiative is known as the 'Documenting Hope Project,' said its founder and Executive Director, Beth Lambert, "because we aim to 'document hope,' that is, to document scientifically that chronically ill children can get better by addressing core biological processes. The project will study a small pilot group of children and their families as they commit to lifestyle changes and targeted therapeutics that support core biological processes.
Dr. Herbert and colleagues' gene pathway networks publication provides important scientific rationale for greater exploration into the common biological underpinnings of all major chronic inflammatory and environmentally influenced conditions. The research component of the Documenting Hope Project is the first study of its kind, and promises to provide greater insight into how chronic illnesses in children develop and what treatment strategies may be most effective.
About The Documenting Hope Project
The Documenting Hope Project will study and track the core biological processes in children undergoing an intensive healing program. The study will begin with a small pilot group of chronically ill children and run for 18 months. It is hoped that the documentation of each child's healing process through film and the capture of clinical data will enhance our current understanding of chronic illness in children as well as gene-environment interactions - and raise the standard of care from control of symptoms to full recovery. The project is currently raising funds to support this comprehensive effort.
For more information see: http://documentinghope.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Harvard Scientist and Documenting Hope Project Medical Director Publishes Groundbreaking Research in Autism
WEST SIMSBURY, CT, April 8, 2016
A team led by Harvard Medical School scientist and Documenting Hope Medical Director, Martha Herbert PhD, MD have identified key underlying biological processes from the hundreds of genes now known to be involved in autism.
In a scientific paper published yesterday in PLOS ONE entitled, "Pathway Network Analyses for Autism Reveal Multisystem Involvement, Major Overlaps with Other Diseases and Convergence upon MAPK and Calcium Signaling," Dr. Herbert and colleagues from the Massachusetts General Hospital Neurology Department analyzed gene pathway networks in an effort to better understand the pathophysiology of autism. Although autism is commonly thought of as a genetic condition that affects the brain, the results suggested that autism genes affect many systems of the whole body. Top functional contributors to the network were cell signaling and metabolic processes, with neural pathways following behind. Disease conditions as diverse as cancer, metabolic, neurodegenerative and heart diseases also had genetic overlaps with autism. "We suspect that these very different diseases may be linked by shared disturbances in the same core biological processes," said Dr. Herbert, senior author on the paper. While many present treatments attempt to control or reduce autism's symptoms, this study suggests that targeting core biological processes may be a more efficient and leveraged treatment strategy.
To build on this research and test the validity of these initial findings, Dr. Herbert has designed a clinical case registry study that will track and document common underlying core biological processes in children diagnosed with a variety of conditions including autism, ADHD, idiopathic juvenile arthritis, and asthma, among others. This research is being performed as part of a broader science and media initiative aimed at improving health outcomes for children with chronic illnesses and creating prevention-based models of care. "The initiative is known as the 'Documenting Hope Project,' said its founder and Executive Director, Beth Lambert, "because we aim to 'document hope,' that is, to document scientifically that chronically ill children can get better by addressing core biological processes. The project will study a small pilot group of children and their families as they commit to lifestyle changes and targeted therapeutics that support core biological processes.
Dr. Herbert and colleagues' gene pathway networks publication provides important scientific rationale for greater exploration into the common biological underpinnings of all major chronic inflammatory and environmentally influenced conditions. The research component of the Documenting Hope Project is the first study of its kind, and promises to provide greater insight into how chronic illnesses in children develop and what treatment strategies may be most effective.
About The Documenting Hope Project
The Documenting Hope Project will study and track the core biological processes in children undergoing an intensive healing program. The study will begin with a small pilot group of chronically ill children and run for 18 months. It is hoped that the documentation of each child's healing process through film and the capture of clinical data will enhance our current understanding of chronic illness in children as well as gene-environment interactions - and raise the standard of care from control of symptoms to full recovery. The project is currently raising funds to support this comprehensive effort.
For more information see: http://documentinghope.com
LINK: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0153329
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