Altered Homeostasis in Autism: Cl-, K+, Ca2+, and quite possibly Zn2+
Today’s post will highlight how, perhaps, in 50 years’ time, autism might be understood by the non-scientist. Sometimes it helps to oversimplify a complex problem in order not to get lost in all the complexities and see what underlying mechanisms may exist. Homeostasis Homeostasis is a fancy word for balance or equilibrium . It is the property of a system in which variables are regulated so that internal conditions remain stable and relatively constant. All living organisms depend on maintaining a complex set of interacting metabolic chemical reactions. From the simplest unicellular organisms to the most complex plants and animals, internal processes operate to keep the conditions within tight limits to allow these reactions to proceed. Homeostatic processes act at the level of the cell, the tissue, and the organ, as well as for the organism as a whole. Many diseases involve a disturbance of homeostasis. Autism is clearly a condition of altered homeostasis, but not sever...