ASD jab: Chinese scientists reach milestone in revolutionary gene therapy for autism::undefined
The headline is so hyperbolic it’s basically a lie. It becomes a little tricky because autism spectrum disorder is kind of a broad category. There are certain diseases that have clear genetic causes, other features to their phenotype besides just autism like features, but may share some aspects of autism spectrum disorder symptoms. So often these get lumped in with autism and patients with those disorders also get a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. For instance people with fragile x syndrome commonly get an autism diagnosis, but there’s many other features to it as well.
This article stub if following a link at the end is referencing a gene called shank3. It’s not involved in most people classified as having autism spectrum disorder. Mutations in shank3 causes a distinct disorder called Phelan-McDermid syndrome that causes severe intellectual disability, dysmorphic features, autism like features, motor issues, and abnormalities across multiple body systems. Shank3 mutations have also been linked with some cases of schizophrenia. A small minority of people with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder have shank3 mutations that may be responsible or pre disposing. So they are testing a gene therapy in mice engineered to have shank3 mutations. Which in humans can have a broad array of phenotypes depending on the mutation, many devastating and severe, some phenotypes of which include autism like features. This will not be very applicable to the vast majority of people classified as having an autism spectrum disorder.
So essentially, similar to cancer cures that cure one specific type of cancer but not the rest. I suppose it’s still progress, one step at a time
Article above is paywalled. This seems to be word for word the same but isn’t paywalled (maybe):
Anyway. Quite impressive if true. So far this seems to have an effect on mice. But humans aren’t mice. We shall see if anything comes from this.
It’s really not cool, man.
I don’t see why not. Or is this an animal rights thing?
No, they mean that Autism shouldn’t be cured, which is a common Gen Z take because they see all nuerodivergence as positive and innately of value.
Oh that…
Yeah, I’ve seen that take before. Usually done by people who consider themselves “allies” or have a very mild and none disruptive autism.
I would happily make my “special neurodivergence” go away with a shot. And mine is trivial compared to autism.
Fuck anyone with the attitude you describe.
Autism isn’t just a condition, that’s the deal, Autism is a heavily different way of thinking. It shapes Autistic behavior and their viewpoint on life. To them, science has been dedicated to focusing on eradicating a component of their existence, one that a lot of them (definitely not all, there are a lot with your opinion, but I would say a majority) have embraced and wouldn’t want changed. Those Autistics are looking for acceptance, not erasure.
With an anti-Autism treatment available, neurotypical parents will just force it on their Autistic kids, deciding their fate for them, but would also open up an “out” for those who want it, so this isn’t a clear cut good-or-bad thing as one may think.
Technological and medical progress is not something to be halted based on your personal belief. If there is a way to eliminate a disability, it should be taken, both for the sake of the afflicted and for the entirety of society. You don’t have any right to ruin the lives of people that are born broken but can be repaired.
What if the disability was just neurodivergent people trying to make a livelihood in their way with their abilities, but doing so in a neurotypical world where neurotypicals make the rules and tell neurodivergents that they cannot participate because they act in ways that are not socially acceptable or require accomodation to adapt to enforced neurotypical norms?
Maybe we seem broken because we don’t behave the same way, and maybe the disability exists because we’re inconvenient to the neurotypicals running the show to accommodate
Maybe the lives are already being ruined due to societal policy and unwritten rules and a treatment won’t resolve the root cause of a problem that isn’t our fault to begin with.
tl;dr, no, you change
Blame DSM-5 for making the definition of autistic spectrum so broad as to be meaningless.
Tiktokers ran with it and basically defined every exaggerated personality trait as "autism’. Now everyone is autistic.Yes, I’m sure medical professionals the world over are gauging their assessment criteria on TikTok /s
Hello Genism my old friend
Do we really need to have the debate about ASD not needing to be “cured”, again ?
There shouldn’t be a debate. If it can be cured that’s great. You don’t need it don’t take it - but there are barely functioning people who can’t take care of themselves at all. They do need help.
Tho I honestly don’t think it can be cured.
Do you include folks with level 3 non verbal autism with greater epilepsy frequency and self harm in the group that doesn’t need a therapy?
Yes, because we still got things we wouldn’t have without those people. Because some are barely functioning doesn’t mean they don’t function. And they’re so different than most people than they bring entirely different things to humanity.
It is also an obvious slippery slope to Genism and don’t even try to tell me that humanity can control itself and that this won’t be used the wrong way.
Either you know it will, or you’re clueless about the horrors humanity exacts.
What they bring is suffering. No one ever wishes for a non responsible child. No one wants their child to be the “special one”. No one wants all the hardship it brings. Even the proxy Munchausen prefers to have a functioning level so they don’t have to do the work. No one wants to be tested by a “greater power” (random gene selection) especially not the sick little being that Teoretically Could be cured but there are people like you who like to decide stuff for OTHERS. How much time do you spend at orphanage with special needs? How much contact do you have to sit on the high horse and try to be god? How much time and money do you spend on personally helping the kids? How many diapers did you change to get to this opinion?
Gene thereapy has a right to exist. And with everything else as humans, we will abuse it to the limit. The problem is not the cure but the mindset. And your pretentious preaching won’t bring conversation only suffering. You are not helping.
You recognize humans will abuse it and then say I’m not helping. I was gonna say that you’re missing the point but as I read more and more, I see you just choose to ignore it, great cognitive dissonance here.
Let me guess you are anti abortion too.
That doesn’t relate in any way and no. Try again to have a point to make.
It is the exact argument. You are holding up potential cure because it can be used for evil. While preaching that your way is the only way.
Imagine a world more inclusive, for them, first, then ask that question. Imagine if the world could be made more comfortable and less traumatic and painful, for them. And there are some who are of that category that do just fine. So do we force them to change too?
As a neuro-divergent person I have two words: fuck you.
I’d gladly take a shot to make my biochemistry change. It sucks. And my issues are trivial compared to autism.
Holy shit, for real.
If I could’ve taken a shot to make it go away and lead a healthy emotional life I would’ve done that in a heartbeat. It sucks so much to be around healthy people and know you’ll never be like them. I don’t resent them, in fact I’m happy for them, but holy shit the envy hurts so much.
I can imagine a world where technology eliminates the need for people to live with life-debilitating disorders.
Yes, let’s imagine a world less traumatic and painful, filled with people who don’t try to halt technological and medical progress because of personal beliefs.
They have right to choose for themselves.
What the actual fuck
Gene therapy … 🥳👍!
Why are you asking ?
Heads up, South China Morning post is an unreliable source for news.
X
If I’m not mistaken, this can already be detected before birth and the woman can have an abortion?
You’re thinking of downsyndrome, trisomy …somenumber. You can test for chromosomal abnormalities, but people with autism are often genetically normal. Just like someone with ADHD.
You’re right. Thanks for the correction.
You’re welcome. Now I should correct myself, and say “chomasomally” normal because that’s what those tests look for
This be end very bad
You mean to say : “This will end very badly”. How do you say it in your native language ?
Esto terminara muy mal.
in French I would answer : Qui vivra verra.
(roughly meaning : Future will tell )
Mujico sounds spanish to me, using an app though so can’t actually visit that instance to have a look…
Hi lemann,
I am reading your answer to my comment and I am wondering if maybe you are trying to answer to someone else’s comment (?).
(thanks to @[email protected] …now I get lemann’s meaning)They’re trying to guess what pilo’s native language might be
You know those vast cities in China full of brand-new, empty buildings that keep showing up in the news? They’re empty because China doesn’t have enough neurotypical people who could master the sales skills to fill them. This drug is a last-ditch attempt to fill that gap, at the potential expense of sacrificing some engineering capacity.
wtf is this comment 😅
it’s a good joke.
I like your ideas since it’s the type I need for my writing of fantasy stories. I have quite many wild ideas myself and try to push them to the limit. But, in this area, it’s hard to fend off the disbelief of the reader.
Or fend off the ablism of trying to eradicate autism, instead of just forming a more inclusive world.
ableism : Discrimination against persons with disabilities or in favour of those without.
Hum, right, I get what you are saying here.
I believe it’s a gray area. And it is hard to draw the line of what’s a disease and what’s diversity.
For instance, we heard the same speech from deaf people not wanting their deaf kids to wear cochlear thingnies. I say it’s for the kids to make the choice.If a deaf person decides to get an implant, or their (hearing?) parents decide for them, and later decides they no longer want it then it’s pretty much reversible, right? They can just not turn it on, or perhaps even have it removed again?
This article is talking about gene therapy, not an assistive device. It’s probably a much more permanent decision.
I want to believe !
This new thing “gene therapy” has nice potential …of course there will be (also) extremely bad cases, but overall I decide stubbornly to believe that the positive will outweigh the negative.Please down-vote my comment here since I am not trying to see your point (which is a fair point by the way 👍).
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