Reply #5: Ataxia common in autistics and toxic metals/mercury usually involved- some doc. [View All]

[philb]

There was a strong association between learning disability* and autism spectrum disorder (often combined with hyperactivity disorder) on the one hand, and both simple and borderline 'ataxia' on the other

Ataxia, autism, and the cerebellum: a clinical study of 32 individuals with congenital ataxia. Ahsgren I, Baldwin I, Goetzinger-Falk C, Erikson A, Flodmark O, Gillberg C. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2005 Mar;47(3):193-8.


(Mercury causes ataxia) NIH Medline Items 1 - 20 of 76

Elemental mercury poisoning probably causes cortical myoclonus.
Mov Disord. 2007 Oct 15;22(13):1964-8.

Coordination deficits induced in young adult mice treated with methylmercury.
Int J Toxicol. 2007 Mar-Apr;26(2):115-21.

A meta-analysis epidemiological assessment of neurodevelopmental disorders following vaccines administered from 1994 through 2000 in the United States.
Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Aug;27(4):401-13.

Toxic effects seen in a herd of beef cattle following exposure to ash residues contaminated by lead and mercury.
Vet J. 2007 Jul;174(1):99-105. Epub 2006 Jun 5.

Dose-dependent effects of methylmercury administered during neonatal brain spurt in rats.
Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 2004 Sep 17;152(2):171-6.

Etc.

Those with autism and ataxia usually improve after metals detoxification, so you might do a test for toxic metal exposure. This could be a cofactor with the other circumstances and patient put over tipping point. See autism threads.