PLT Test Blog

  Our reader in Canada, AJ, did highlight a case series from Norway that showed that high dose Betaine/TMG was effective in improving functioning in people with autism due to creatine transporter deficiency.   The use of Betaine/TMG was really just stumbled upon and the authors considered what the beneficial possible mode of action could be.   Betaine (TMG) and Gene Therapy as potential alternatives to Bumetanide Treatment in Autism?   The effect was only present at high dose (7-10 g a day) not the much lower dose used by some DAN/MAPS doctors, who do prescribe TMG and the closely related DMG. The paper suggested that one possible effect might have been lowering chloride levels within neurons.   This is also the effect of Bumetanide. AJ suggested that Betaine/TMG might be an alternative to Bumetanide and one that does not need a prescription. Our reader Nancy reported a benefit in her adult son. The question is not whether or not high dose TMG is a useful ...

  Stop the Noise!   Conventional wisdom, even among enlightened neurologists like Manuel Casanova, is that you cannot medically treat the sensory issues that occur in neurological conditions like autism, bipolar and schizophrenia. This blog is very much driven by the peer-reviewed literature, but very often seems to comes up with alternative interpretations to what the doctors will say.   Today is another of those days. I do tell people that you can very easily get things 100% back to front when developing personalized/precision medicine.   The general idea was correct, but the effect was the exact opposite to what was hoped for.   This is not a failure; this is a learning experience.   Today we see that what works in schizophrenia is the exact opposite of what works in bipolar.   I do like to include schizophrenia and bipolar in my autism posts, because there is a big overlap between them and the broad umbrella of dysfunctions found in autism. Se...