Autism is the least in regions having the most sunshine (and vitamin D) – Nov 2017

A review of prevalence studies of Autism Spectrum Disorder by latitude and solar irradiance impact.

Med Hypotheses. 2017 Nov;109:19-24. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2017.09.012. Epub 2017 Sep 19.
Syed S1, Moore KA2, March E1.
1 School of Health Sciences & Psychology, Federation University Australia, Churchill 3842, Australia.
2 School of Health Sciences & Psychology, Federation University Australia, Churchill 3842, Australia;
School of Psychology, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst 2795, Aust.. k.moore@federation.edu.au.

VitaminDWiki

Autism treated by Vitamin D: Dr. Cannell - video June 2013 includes many reasons why he believes Autism is related to Vitamin D

Both have strong inheritance features – Vitamin D about 60%
Both have gotten substantially worse in last 30 years
Vitamin D is known to be involved in brain development
All autistic children are VitD deficient, but not all children who are deficient are autistic: genes are involved
When giving vitamin D to cure children of rickets “mental dullness” decreases as well
Children with genes which give them too much (Williams Syndrome) have to reverse of autism – too sociable
Mothers having lots of fish (and thus more vitamin D) give birth to kids with less autistic symptoms
Both associated with weak bones
Both worse around the age of weaning
Autism is more common in rich families – more likely to apply sun screen and stay indoors
Autism increases with drugs which lower levels of vitamin D
Seizures are common with Autism - Vitamin D has been shown to reduce seizures
Fewer autistic symptoms (such as sleep problems) during summer: when child gets more vitamin D from the sun
Both worse with latitude
Both vary with Ultraviolet light
Both vary with time of year (more birth of autistics in March in Northern hemisphere)
2X more urban autism – less UVB in urban environments
Both worse with pollution
Both worse with increased clouds and rain
Both worse with closely spaced pregnancies
Autistics have abnormal immune response – similar to that of vitamin D deficiency
Low levels of vitamin D in mother animals reduces brain function in offspring
Vitamin deficient rat pups have similar brain abnormalities to that of human autistic children
Autistic children get less vitamin D in their blood for the same amount of sun exposure
The 4 males/1 female ratio - Note estrogen increases vitamin D in the brain (testosterone does not)
Both worse in African Americans (A-A 2-3 increased autism rate)
Both worse in Dark-skinned immigrants in Europe

Note: All articles in Autism category 155 items

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong disability with no known cause or cure. Among the suggested etiologies, is Cannell's hypothesis of a deficiency in Vitamin D the main natural source of which is Solar Ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation. The aim in this paper is to build on this hypothesis and explore the relationship of solar irradiance of which UVB is a component, by latitude with the prevalence rates of ASD. Twenty-five reports published between 2011 and 2016 using comparable diagnostic criteria were reviewed. The results suggest a tendency for the prevalence rates of ASD to be lowest in countries near the equator and for this rate to increase as the latitude increases. These findings provide some support not just for the Vitamin D hypothesis, but also for a new proposition that along with UVB radiation, the entire solar radiation spectrum which reaches the earth, may play a role in ASD. While these results are both novel and encouraging in terms of the potential efficacy of exposure to natural sunlight, further research is warranted before results can be considered definitive, and before the implications of the findings can be implemented clinically.

PMID: 29150285 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2017.09.012

Download the PDF from SciHub via VitaminDWiki