4 Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders
considered autistic [2]. This sudden rise in ASD, should it continue its rapid
increase, could potentially lead to even more devastating results [3,4]. Where
will it end: one child in five; one in two? The genes in humans, or any other
large living organism, do not change that rapidly!
It is illogical to believe that literally thousands of genes suddenly arose in the
human race to cause autism. In the cases of sickle cell anemia, lactose toler
ance, and human skin pigmentation, these are each determined by a different
single gene. But dozens or even hundreds of genes determine most of the traits
that make us who we are. Human behavior and communication abilities – the
majority of the traits that we perceive as causing differences among individuals
and among populations – are complex traits. It is against the laws of nature that
those genes involved in what “makes us a human” are developing mutations at
the speed of light, in evolutionary terms, so we must look for another cause or
causes of this disorder.
The obvious culprit is the environment. As is often quoted in computer pro
gramming circles: “garbage in, garbage out.” More elegantly, we are dealing
with the law of the harvest. Consider three basic elements that have changed in
the industrialized nations or so called developed world in the last 40–50 years.
The first and foremost is the introduction of synthetic fragrances that initially
were discovered by accident. For example, musk ketone was discovered by
Albert Baur in 1888 when he was making TNT explosive by condensing tolu
ene and isobutyl bromide in the presence of aluminum chloride [5]. Similarly,
artificial vanilla was synthetized by two German chemists, Ferdinand Tiemann
and Wilhelm Haarmann, in 1874 [6]. These were huge innovations for the flavor
industry which would grow into the multibillion dollar industry it is today.
Most of the synthetic chemicals are made from coal‐tar, petroleum by‐products
and deadly phenolic ring compounds. The next infringement on our naturally
adapted lives was the introduction of insecticides and herbicides that Rachel
Carson wrote about in her groundbreaking book Silent Spring. Introduction of
synthetic chemicals to kill insects and herbicides to kill unwanted weeds have
permeated into our lives. Many of these chemicals produce endocrine disturb
ing effects. They either mimic our own natural hormones or bind the receptors
found on our cells imitating the natural biochemical and physiological signal
ing processes. We will describe the effects of these chemicals in detail in
Chapter 7 and in other appropriate sections. We are well aware that the use of
these three elements has crept into our way of life, although this creeping has
been so silent, so gradual, that we hardly noticed the invasion, and largely over
looked the damage inflicted. Few pay even the slightest attention to these three
major shifts that have quietly invaded our lives in the Western World, and are
now quickly sweeping the rest of the developing and underdeveloped popula
tions as they imitate the economic and behavioral patterns that have brought
so much wealth, and so much anguish, to the developed world. The last
one is the introduction of vaccines that contain organic mercury, a known