Study: ADHD linked to pesticide exposure

From CNN.com:

Children exposed to higher levels of a type of pesticide found in trace amounts on commercially grown fruit and vegetables are more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than children with less exposure, a nationwide study suggests.

Researchers measured the levels of pesticide byproducts in the urine of 1,139 children from across the United States. Children with above-average levels of one common byproduct had roughly twice the odds of getting a diagnosis of ADHD, according to the study, which appears in the journal Pediatrics.

Exposure to the pesticides, known as organophosphates, has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems in children in the past, but previous studies have focused on communities of farm workers and other high-risk populations. This study is the first to examine the effects of exposure in the population at large.

Organophosphates are “designed” to have toxic effects on the nervous system, says the lead author of the study, Maryse Bouchard, Ph.D., a researcher in the department of environmental and occupational health at the University of Montreal. “That’s how they kill pests.”

The pesticides act on a set of brain chemicals closely related to those involved in ADHD, Bouchard explains, “so it seems plausible that exposure to organophosphates could be associated with ADHD-like symptoms.”

Environmental Protection Agency regulations have eliminated most residential uses for the pesticides (including lawn care and termite extermination), so the largest source of exposure for children is believed to be food, especially commercially grown produce. Adults are exposed to the pesticides as well, but young children appear to be especially sensitive to them, the researchers say.

Detectable levels of pesticides are present in a large number of fruits and vegetables sold in the U.S., according to a 2008 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited in the study. In a representative sample of produce tested by the agency, 28 percent of frozen blueberries, 20 percent of celery, and 25 percent of strawberries contained traces of one type of organophosphate. Other types of organophosphates were found in 27 percent of green beans, 17 percent of peaches, and 8 percent of broccoli.

Although kids should not stop eating fruits and vegetables, buying organic or local produce whenever possible is a good idea, says Bouchard.

“Organic fruits and vegetables contain much less pesticides, so I would certainly advise getting those for children,” she says. “National surveys have also shown that fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets contain less pesticides even if they’re not organic. If you can buy local and from farmers’ markets, that’s a good way to go.”

A direct cause-and-effect link between pesticides and ADHD “is really hard to establish,” says Dana Boyd Barr, Ph.D., a professor of environmental and occupational health at Emory University. However, she says, “There appears to be some relation between organophosphate pesticide exposure and the development of ADHD.”

This is the largest study of its kind to date, according to Barr, who researched pesticides for more than 20 years in her previous job with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but was not involved in the study.

Bouchard and her colleagues analyzed urine samples from children ages 8 to 15. The samples were collected during an annual, nationwide survey conducted by the CDC, known as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The researchers tested the samples for six chemical byproducts (known as metabolites) that result when the body breaks down more than 28 different pesticides. Nearly 95 percent of the children had at least one byproduct detected in their urine.

Just over 10 percent of the children in the study were diagnosed with ADHD. The kids were judged to have ADHD if their symptoms (as reported by parents) met established criteria for the disorder, or if they had taken ADHD medication regularly in the previous year.

Health.com: The link between drugs, alcohol and ADHD

One group of pesticide byproducts was associated with a substantially increased risk of ADHD. Compared with kids who had the lowest levels, the kids whose levels were 10 times higher were 55 percent more likely to have ADHD. (Another group of byproducts did not appear to be linked to the disorder.)

In addition, children with higher-than-average levels of the most commonly detected byproduct — found in roughly 6 in 10 kids — were nearly twice as likely to have ADHD.

“It’s not a small effect,” says Bouchard. “This is 100 percent more risk.”

To isolate the effect of the pesticide exposure on ADHD symptoms, the researchers controlled for a variety of health and demographic factors that could have skewed the results.

Still, the study had some limitations and is not definitive, Bouchard says. Most notably, she and her colleagues measured only one urine sample for each child, and therefore weren’t able to track whether the levels of pesticide byproducts were constant, or whether the association between exposure and ADHD changed over time.

Health.com: What if my child begins showing ADHD symptoms?

Long-term studies including multiple urine samples from the same children are needed, Bouchard says. She suspects such studies would show an even stronger link between pesticide byproducts and ADHD.

EPA spokesman Dale Kemery said in a statement that the agency routinely reviews the safety of all pesticides, including organophosphates. “We are currently developing a framework to incorporate data from studies similar to this one into our risk assessment,” Kemery said. “We will look at this study and use the framework to decide how it fits into our overall risk assessment.”

Kemery recommended that parents try other pest-control tactics before resorting to pesticide use in the home or garden. Washing and peeling fruits and vegetables and eating “a varied diet” will also help reduce potential exposure to pesticides, he said.

“I would hope that this study raises awareness as to the risk associated with pesticide exposure,” Bouchard says. “There’s really only a handful of studies on this subject out there, so there’s room for more awareness.”

The Autism Epidemic

Ten years ago Autism was considered a rare disorder that was diagnosed in approximately 1 in 10,000 children. Today the odds of a child receiving an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ADS) diagnosis are 1 in 91. In the 6-11 age group it is 1 in 63 and if it is a boy the chances climb to 1 in 38, or 2.6% of all male children in America! This represents a 7000% increase from the 1980’s till now.

Some critics would argue that the dramatic increase is because doctors are recognizing the condition earlier and they are better at diagnosing these conditions. A study done at the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute has found that the seven to eight fold increase in the number of children born in California with autism since 1990 cannot be explained by either changes in how the condition is diagnosed or counted and the trend shows no sign of abating.

The study was published in the January 2009 issue of the journal Epidemiology, results from the study also suggested that research should shift from genetics to the host of chemicals and infectious microbes in the environment that are likely at the root of changes in the neurodevelopment of California’s children.

The study also revealed that no more than 56% of the estimated 600-700% increase, that is, less than one-tenth of the increased number of reported autism cases, could be attributed to earlier age at diagnosis. Only 24% of the increase could be attributed to earlier age at diagnosis. In total only 200% of the 600-700% increase could be attributed to improved diagnosis.

So what exactly is causing this autism epidemic? Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of the National Institutes of Health and architect of the Human Genome project had told a Senate committee nearly 3 and a half years ago that the rise in autism was due to “changes in the environment.”

Dr. Collins also stated that, “Genes alone do not tell the whole story. Recent increases in chronic diseases like diabetes, childhood asthma, obesity or autism cannot be due to major shifts in the human gene pool as those changes take much more time to occur. They must be due to changes in the environment, including diet and physical activity, which may produce disease in genetically predisposed persons.”

These problems are NOT genetic. They are environmental or EPIGENETIC! (Melillo, 2010) What this means is that these problems are potentially correctable. You are not doomed if your child has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Just as you are not doomed if you have any of the above conditions listed.

Recent research has shown that ASD, ADHD, Dyslexia, LD, OCD, etc. are all the result of a common underlying problem. This problem is known as a Functional Disconnection Syndrome. Dr. Lauren Caffery is currently studying under Dr. Robert Melillio pursuing her specialty in Childhood Developmental and Neurobehavioral Disorders with the Carrick Institute. Both Dr. Chris Caffery and Dr. Lauren Caffery utilize a holistic approach that includes Hemispheric Integration TechniqueTM to treat patients with a variety of different neurodevelopmental or behavior disorders as well as neurodegenerative disorders. Please stay tuned for more information about Functional Disconnection Syndrome and the highly successful Hemispheric Integration TechniqueTM. If you would like more information about the treatment approaches at Functional Neurology Associates please contact us at 267-354-1734 or at DrCaffery@gmail.com.

Below you can find the link to the full text article about this ground breaking research done by Dr. Robert Melillo and Gerry Leisman.

http://files.meetup.com/1436730/Autistic%20Spectrum%20Disorders%20as%20Functional%20Disconnection%20Syndrome.pdf

Cell Phones and Brain Tumors

In September 2009 the journal of Surgical Neurology published a meta-analysis reviewing eleven long term studies on the effects of cell phone usage and brain tumors. The conclusion of the study was that utilizing a cell phone for greater than or equal to ten years roughly doubles one's risk of being diagnosed with a brain tumor on the side of usage.
Based upon this research I think it would be judicious to minimize cell phone usage and consider a blue tube headset. (http://products.mercola.com/blue-tube-headset/) Another consideration is the health of the individual utilizing the cell phone. Keeping one's antioxidant defenses high would theoretically provide some protection against this. Yours in health, Drs. Chris & Lauren Caffery

Gluten Myths

Philadelphia New 6 ABC aired a segment entitled, “Can going Gluten-free make you fat?” I wanted to take a moment to address some of the misinformation presented. The following is a statement taken from the segment, “If you have no intolerance symptoms such as stomach pain and bloating after eating gluten, then despite some of the buzz experts say going gluten free isn't worth the hassle or the money.” This statement implies that gluten intolerance symptoms only present as gut symptoms. This is GROSSLY incorrect. In fact, gluten sensitivity being regarded as principally a disease of the small bowel is a historical misconception. (J. Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2002) The majority of patients with Celiac disease have NO gastrointestinal symptoms. For every one person with gastrointestinal symptoms there are eight people without gastrointestinal symptoms. (BMJ 1999) Undiagnosed/non compliant patients with Celiac have an increased risk of dying from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma times 11.4, cancer of small intestine times 17.3, inflammatory bowel disease times 70.9, disorders of immune deficiency times 20.9, etc. (Arch Intern Med 2003). I hope this segment does not mislead any viewers not to seek appropriate medical advice for a suspected problem, that mistake could be fatal. Going gluten-free is not about weight loss, it is about health. If you would like more information, visit us at www.functionalneuro.com or email at drcaffery@gmail.com

Yours in health,

Drs. Chris & Lauren Caffery

Mirror therapy and limb pain

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine 2007 demonstrates the benefit of mirror therapy in the treatment of phantom limb pain. Mirror therapy simply involves moving the intact limb on the opposite side of the body, and viewing the reflection of the limb in the mirror. This gives the perception of moving the amputated limb. In the study, 100% of the subjects utilizing mirror therapy had a decrease in their pain.

We utilize mirror therapy in our practice in the treatment of patients with phantom limb pain, complex regional pain syndrome (RSD), and post strokes. The reason it is effective is due to the fact that it creates the cortical perception of moving the injured or amputated limb. The movement stimulation of the limb serves to activate areas of the brain that will inhibit pain. With regular practice this will create “plasticity” in these cortical neurons. Plasticity is an increased level of efficiency. If you know anyone with these aforementioned conditions please share this information will them as it can be life changing. If you would like more information about of approach to patient care please visit www.functionalneuro.com

Yours in health,

Drs. Chris & Lauren Caffery

Belly Fat and Dementia Risk

First, we would like to say Happy New Year to everyone, and hope that you all enjoyed the holiday season. Many people indulge themselves during the holidays and find that they have put on some extra pounds the past few weeks. If you are one of the many Americans that have made New Year's resolutions to lose weight this year, this article might prove to be another motivating factor.

The Journal of Neurology 2009 reported that a high midlife waist to hip ratio (greater than .80) more than doubled the risk of developing dementia. So what does this mean to you? A high waist to hip ratio would be caused by an increase in belly fat (measuring around waist) relative to hip circumference (measuring around the hips). So look at yourself in the mirror and ask the question, “Is my waist bigger than my hips?” If they are the same size, then this would be a waist to hip ratio of 1.0. Now you must understand that belly fat accumulation is associated with insulin resistance and hypercortisolemia.

Insulin is the hormone that facilitates glucose to get into your cells. If you have elevations in insulin due to poor lifestyle then your cells can become resistant to the effects of insulin. When they become resistant to insulin, glucose is less efficient at getting into your cells. If your fasting glucose rises to 126 then you are referred to as “diabetic”, if it reaches 115 you are referred to as “prediabetic”. Optimally your fasting glucose should not be over 100. If it is, then this is a sign of insulin resistance, and needs to be addressed.

Hypercortisolemia means high cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone made in your adrenal glands. Stress can come in the form of emotional stress, underlying food sensitivities, chronic gut infections, inflammatory conditions, dysglycemias (unstable blood sugar), etc. One of the most common forms of stress is from unstable blood sugar. Cortisol levels can be evaluated very simply with a four point salivary cortisol test. Not only is it important to look for quantity of cortisol, but also cortisol rhythm. Cortisol levels change throughout the day and four samples allow this “rhythm” to be evaluated. If this rhythm is lost then it is a sign of hippocampal degeneration (the area in the brain lost with dementia).

We routinely look at fasting glucose and four point cortisol testing, and it is rare that we do not find a problem here. If you would like more information about our approach to patient care please visit www.functionalneuro.com.

Yours in health, Drs. Chris & Lauren Caffery

Please stay tuned

Functional Neurology Associates is coming soon.