SCOPE OF HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT IN AUTISM

Dr Rangadhar Satapathy.
BHMS,D.Hon

E-mail: dr.rangadhar@yahoo.com
'Autistic Spectrum Disorder' is commonly known as 'autism' and a person suffering from this illness is
referred to as 'autistic'. It is a behavioral disorder with a number of symptoms that may range from mild to
severe. No two children with autism may have exactly the same symptoms or the same experience
SIGN AND SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM
There common signs and symptoms are little or no eye contact, facial expressions, and/or body language
unable to form friendships with their peers
not willing or able to share enjoyment or accomplishments with others
unable to relate or share emotions on a social level
doesnt talk or doesnt use language properly
doesnt respond to voices or other sounds
no attempt to replace language with another form of communication
unable to talk with another person even if they have the ability to talk
repeating words or having echolalia (echoing words without meaning)
no imaginative play (doesnt pretend or play make-believe games)
obsessed with a certain topic or object
focused on specific routines or rituals that have no practical function
repetitive actions or movements like flapping, spinning, and/or body movements
intense preoccupation with parts of objects
extra sensitive to certain sounds, smells, tastes, or textures
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Recent studies suggest that autism's mechanism includes alteration of brain development soon after
conception. Just after birth, the brains of autistic children tend to grow faster than usual, followed by
normal or relatively slower growth in childhood. It seems to be most prominent in brain areas underlying
the development of higher cognitive specialization.
The hypothetical causes of early overgrowth of brain areas occurs due to:

An excess of neurons that causes local overconnectivity in key brain regions.

Disturbed neuronal migration during early gestation. Neuronal migration is the method by which
neurons travel from their origin or birth place to their final position in the brain.

Unbalanced excitatoryinhibitory networks.

Abnormal formation of synapses and dendritic spines, for example, by modulation of the neurexin
neuroligin cell-adhesion system, or
by
poorly
regulated synthesis of
synaptic
proteins.
( A neurexin (NRXN) is a presynaptic protein that helps to glue together neurons at the synapse.
Neurexins are type I membrane proteins that can be classified into two types, -NRXNs and -NRXNs.
Neurexins mediate signaling across the synapse, and affect the properties of neural networks by
specifying synaptic functions)
Interactions between the immune system and the nervous system begin early during the embryonic
stage of life, and successful neurodevelopment depends on a balanced immune response. Aberrant
immune activity during critical periods of neurodevelopment is possibly part of the mechanism of some
forms of ASD. Although some abnormalities in the immune system have been found in specific
subgroups of autistic individuals, it is not known whether these abnormalities are relevant to or secondary
to autism's disease processes.
The mirror neuron system (MNS) theory of autism hypothesizes that distortion in the development of the
MNS interferes with imitation and leads to autism's core features of social impairment and communication
difficulties. The MNS operates when an animal performs an action or observes another animal perform
the same action. The MNS may contribute to an individual's understanding of other people by enabling
the modeling of their behavior via embodied simulation of their actions, intentions, and emotions. Several
studies have tested this hypothesis by demonstrating structural abnormalities in MNS regions of
individuals with ASD. However, individuals with autism also have abnormal brain activation in many
circuits outside the MNS. (Source-Wikipedia)
ASD-related patterns of low function and aberrant activation in the brain differ depending on whether the
brain is doing social or nonsocial tasks. In autism there is evidence for reduced functional connectivity of
the default network, a large-scale brain network involved in social and emotional processing, with intact
connectivity of the task-positive network, used in sustained attention and goal-directed thinking. In people
with autism the two networks are not negatively correlated in time, suggesting an imbalance in toggling
between the two networks, possibly reflecting a disturbance of self-referential thought.
.
SCOPE OF HOMEOPATHY TREATMENT IN AUTISM
The scope of homeopathy treatment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is very good. It is because
homeopathy treats the patient as a whole. The proper constitutional homeopathy treatment basing upon
the existing physical, mental, psychological and behavioral symptoms can cure the autistic spectrum
disorder successfully. No autism child is similar to another autism child in the symptoms or behavior wise.
Everyone has their own individualize characteristic symptoms and the homeopathy treatment also targets
the individual characteristic symptoms of every case of ASD child and treats accordingly. The success
rate is very good in ASD by proper homeopathy treatment.
There are some hypothetical pathophysiological explanation how homeopathy helps in ASD. After birth,
the brains of autistic children tend to grow faster than usual, followed by normal or relatively slower
growth in childhood. This is because abnormal formation of synapses and dendritic spines caused by
modulation of the neurexinneuroligin cell-adhesion system, or by poorly regulated synthesis of synaptic
proteins, neurexin (NRXN). A neurexin (NRXN) is a presynaptic protein that helps to glue
together neurons at the synapse. Neurexins mediate signaling across the synapse, and affect the
properties of neural networks by specifying synaptic functions. Thus in this stage the proper constitutional
homeopathy remedies help to maintain the normal NRXN level by enhancing its synthesis or fixing the
abnormalities in neurexinneuroligin cell-adhesion system, thus help normal synapse formation and
maintain normal signaling across the synapse. So helps in normal functioning of that part of brain by a
continue constitutional homeopathy treatment.
The immune system and nervous system are closely interrelated to each other. Any aberrant immune
activity during critical periods of neurodevelopment is possibly part of the mechanism of some forms of
ASD. Thus a successful neurodevelopment depends on a balanced immune response. A constitutional

homeopathy treatment modulates the body immune system as the minute dose of homeopathy works at
the dynamic level in the body. Thus it helps to keep a good link between immune system and nervous
system and helps in autism case for a normal development of brain.