With special permission from their families, extensive examinations and research were carried out through brain autopsies and biopsies taken from various parts of the brain (cerebellum, frontal cortex, etc.) from both the white and gray matter in people of different ages who passed away while being diagnosed with autism. These studies were carried out at Johns Hopkins University in the USA, the University of Tokyo in Japan, and in England. The pathological findings obtained from these studies were compared with the findings from a healthy control group using statistical methods, and the results were published in highly prestigious international journals.

In these studies, the following main findings were reached;

1. Widespread inflammation in the brain has been identified in all brains diagnosed with autism.

2. Statistically significant increase in the number of microglia cells in the brain (they are responsible for regulating signal transmission between nerve cells, synapses, myelin sheaths, and the production and function of nerve cells, as well as the brain’s immune response).

3. The presence of increased function (expression) of genes that control the production of specific proteins (IBA-1, CD68, CX3CR1) shown by microglia cells.

4. Presence of myelitis with inflammation in the myelin sheaths of nerve cells

5. Increase in the number of CD8+ T lymphocytes with cytotoxic capability (CTL; Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte; T lymphocyte with cytotoxic capability)

6. Increase in the number of astrocyte cells and increase and disruption in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier

Results and Commentary:

1. Autism has a medical-biological aspect.

2. The cause and manifestation of autism may differ, but the main pathology is in the brain.

3. Controlling inflammation in the brain is critically important.