What's more plausible? Did they cure low functioning autism in two years? Or did they simpily miscategorize the kids and the kids grew out of their diagnosis as they matured?

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freehorse 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

They say that they started a phase 2 trial with placebo control in 2022 and they see better outcome than placebo

> Our phase 2 study for adults with autism found that the treatment group improved more than placebo on the primary outcome (autism symptoms) and on a secondary outcome (daily stool record),

	▲	rzmmm 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Looks like this is the placebo-controlled trial https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03408886 I can't find full analysis but the primary autism-symptom outcome improved by 9% in treatment group and 4% in controls. I guess there is no statistical significance because that metric likely has high variance. In abnormal stools there was 42% improvement in treatment vs 23% in control. The combination of GI disorder and autism in these trials make blinding almost impossible. The patients will notice if the GI symptoms change. And the results seem to be that this fecal transplant has larger effect for the GI part anyway.

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leikarnes 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I'm guessing that the kids now have less stomachpain, constipation, and are feeling less bloated/nauseous. Thus have less voilent reactions

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rafram 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

No, there’s a clear link between gut microbiome and behavioral/mental issues that has nothing to do with physical digestive symptoms. It’s been seen with other disorders, like depression: https://hms.harvard.edu/news/drawing-line-gut-microbiome-inf...

	▲	rzmmm 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		It's a bit speculative. They need placebo-controlled trials and so far the results have not been very convincing for many psychiatric outcomes. There is exciting research around gut microbiota, but many of these studies which make rounds in HN and other online forums, seem to be mostly open-label or uncontrolled studies.

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geremiiah 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

That's what I'm saying. It's a misdiagnosis. Whether or not they have tantrums should not be a factor in whether or not they are high-functioning or low-functioning.

	▲	freehorse 5 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		It does not have to be misdiagnosis. If kid has both autism and gut issues, the gut issues could make the autistic symptoms worse, by causing distress to the kid, which could make the interactions with caregivers harder for both in a quite formative period. Treating the gut issues could help this way without gut being directly related to autism and without it being a misdiagnosis. It is telling that they report quite high (0.7) correlations between improvement in gut and autistic symptoms. However they say they also have an adult trial running that seems to show similar effects, so there might be something more into it.
	▲	wizzwizz4 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		"High-functioning" and "low-functioning" are not meaningful as permanent diagnoses, because how a person functions is heavily-dependent on their environment (social, physical, and societal), including stimulus and chemical signalling from their own body. An environment in which one person can thrive, labour, and enjoy life could be boring or incomprehensible or unduly stressful to another. I know people who would be diagnosed "low-functioning" if assessed in an everyday environment, but "high-functioning" if assessed in a clinical environment, and I know people who might not be diagnosed at all in an everyday environment but would be diagnosed with several seconds of acronyms in a clinical environment; and I know people who've been able to fight to get themselves an everyday environment that works for them, and I know people with vast potential who have conceded that fight and are rotting in the social care system. If you eliminate what "should not be a factor" from the diagnostic process, then you eliminate the high-functioning / low-functioning distinction entirely. But all models are wrong, and some models are useful: while I find this particular model distasteful, there are contexts where it is necessary to get people in an environment where they can thrive (which, for children, usually means getting their parents the support they need, and occasionally the education).

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roywiggins 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Their first study allegedly resulted in "44% were below the cut-off for mild ASD"- ie, practically cured, from a diagnostic point of view.

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inglor_cz 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

If it was anything else but gut bacteria, I would be inclined to agree with you, but gut microbiota is slowly turning out to be an extremely important factor in our health and it also turns out that modern highly processed diet tends to damage it and make it less diverse. Even higher frequency of Caesarian section seems to make gut microbiota less diverse and there seem to be some diseases downstream from that.

At the same time, gut microbiota is extremely complex to study.

So, this may be a plausible result. I cannot judge the plausibilities right away in the way you suggest it.

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Muromec 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Kids got into tech industry and now it’s their spouses that have to deal with their tism, instead of parents

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dacops 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Buzz off. If you were trying to make a joke, it didn't land. It scans as ableist twat.

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firstbabylonian 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Self-hatred is not a good look.

	▲	DaiPlusPlus 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Noe you’re making me self-conscious about when I get into a self-hating mood; unfortunately this gives me yet another new reason to hate myself: it’s not a good look.