The dogma on oxytocin and vasopressin, both posterior pituitary hormones, is being challenged by the literature. Both hormones are proposed to be involved in improving social behavior in those with autism and other psychiatric disorders.
small study of oxytocin in children with autism. Shows that oxytocin provided benefit in social interaction/function. This study actually correlated MRI and salivary changes with the improve social function.
Study looked at serum and salivary obesity in women: found that low cortisol was found in anorexia and class I obese women compared to normal weight women and that class II obesity was associated with hypercortisolism.
Cerebrospinal fluid inositol has been reported as decreased in depression
hese results suggest that inositol has therapeutic effects in the spectrum of illness responsive to serotonin selective re-uptake inhibitors, including depression, panic and OCD, and is not beneficial in schizophrenia, Alzheimer's ADDH, autism or ECT-induced cognitive impairment.
children with autism had significantly lower baseline plasma concentrations of methionine, SAM, homocysteine, cystathionine, cysteine, and total glutathione and significantly higher concentrations of SAH, adenosine, and oxidized glutathione
This metabolic profile is consistent with impaired capacity for methylation (significantly lower ratio of SAM to SAH) and increased oxidative stress (significantly lower redox ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione) in children with autism
increased vulnerability to oxidative stress and a decreased capacity for methylation may contribute to the development and clinical manifestation of autism.
Worldwide, the rate of autism has been steadily rising.
Genetic polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 enzymes have also been linked to autism, specifically CYP27B1 that is essential for proper vitamin D metabolism
There are several environmental factors in concert with genetic susceptibilities that are contributing to this rise. Impaired methylation and mutations of mecp2 have been associated with autistic spectrum disorders, and related Rett syndrome.
Other factors that have been considered include: maternally derived antibodies, maternal infection, heavy metal exposure, folic acid supplementation, epigenetics, measles, mumps, rubella vaccination, and even electromagnetic radiation.
Genetic polymorphisms adversely affecting sulfur metabolism, methylation, detoxification, dopamine signaling and the formation of neuronal networks occur more frequently in autistic subjects.
a "redox/methylation hypothesis of autism" is described, in which oxidative stress, initiated by environment factors in genetically vulnerable individuals, leads to impaired methylation and neurological deficits secondary to reductions in the capacity for synchronizing neural networks.
there appears to be a positive correlation between serum testosterone levels and insulin sensitivity in men across the full spectrum of glucose tolerance (Pitteloud et al, 2005), and this relationship is at least partially direct and not fully dependent on (changes in) elements of the MetS
supervised D&E alone led to significant improvements in testosterone concentrations, glycemic control, and components of the MetS
diet control, exercise, and testosterone supplementation may be beneficial in the management of men with T2D
androgen-deprivation therapy in males with prostatic cancer may be associated with an increased risk for T2D, which may be caused by negative effects on insulin sensitivity
insulin sensitivity, measured by HOMA, improved in both groups and with a significantly greater degree when testosterone was added to supervised D&E
Fasting insulin concentrations, a good representative of insulin sensitivity, did show a significant correlation with changes in circulating androgen levels, an observation in support of Pitteloud et al (2005), who showed a direct relationship between insulin sensitivity and circulating testosterone concentrations using the hyper-insulinemic euglycemic clamp technique
52 weeks of testosterone treatment also significantly improved circulation levels of adiponectin and hsCRP, key serum markers of insulin sensitivity and hepatic steatosis
The changes in both adiponectin and hsCRP were significantly correlated with the therapy-induced changes in bioavailable testosterone
a negative correlation was found between hsCRP levels and bioavailable testosterone
serum PSA concentrations did not differ between the 2 treatment groups, indicating that short-term testosterone administration appears to be acceptably safe
Study of men with metabolic syndrome and type II Diabetes finds that diet and exercise alone improved glucose control and metabolic syndrome components by 31%. The addition of Testosterone therapy increased this % to 81%.