By Gary G. Kohls, MD

(Connecting Vaccine Adjuvants and Mitochondrial Injury with Autism, Alzheimer’s Dementia, Autoimmune Disorders, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Gulf War Syndrome, ASIA Syndrome, Schizophrenia, Diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, etc)

“…our current results are consistent with the existing evidence on the toxicology and pharmacokinetics of Al adjuvants which altogether strongly implicate these compounds as contributors to the rising prevalence of neurobehavioral disorders in children. Given that autism has devastating consequences in a life of a child, and that currently in the developed world over 1% of children suffer from some form of ASD, it would seem wise to make efforts towards reducing infant exposure to aluminum from vaccines.“ — C A Shaw, MD

“There is a serious problem with vaccine safety. Vaccine aluminum adjuvant has adverse neurological effects, at dosages that are recommended by the US CDC. Vaccine critics are supported by the science. Parents refusing to vaccinate according to the recommended CDC schedule are supported by the science. Use aluminum-containing vaccines with great caution, or not at all.” – Dr Shaw

In order to continue the revelations about mitochondrial disorders that were printed in last week’s Duty to Warn column, I submit another sampling of the many basic neuroscience journal articles which have been authored by un-conflicted research scientists who are neither on the payroll of the giant multinational pharmaceutical and vaccine corporations nor are they afraid for their jobs as physicians who rely on vaccine and “well baby visit” income for their medical clinics. These articles were also published in basic neuroscience journals that do not accept advertising money or grants from those two industries.

For the information from last week’s column go to: By Gary G. Kohls, MD

First published in Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry 128 (2013) 237–244

Administration of Aluminium to Neonatal Mice in Vaccine-Relevant Amounts is Associated with Adverse Long Term Neurological Outcomes

C. A. Shaw et.al.

Neural Dynamics Research Group, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, B. C. By Gary G. Kohls, MD

Abstract

Our previous ecological studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has demonstrated a correlation between increasing ASD rates and aluminium (Al) adjuvants in common use in paediatric vaccines in several Western countries. The correlation between ASD rate and Al adjuvant amounts appears to be dose-dependent and satisfies 8 of 9 Hill criteria for causality. We have now sought to provide an animal model to explore potential behavioural phenotypes and central nervous system (CNS) alterations using subcutaneous injections of Al hydroxide in early postnatal CD-1 mice of both sexes. Injections of a “high” and “low” Al adjuvant levels were designed to correlate to either the U.S. or Scandinavian paediatric vaccine schedules vs. control saline-injected mice. Both male and female mice in the “high Al” group showed significant weight gains following treatment up to sacrifice at 6 months of age. Male mice in the “high Al” group showed significant changes in light–dark box tests and in various measures of behaviour in an open field. Female mice showed significant changes in the light–dark box at both doses, but no significant changes in open field behaviours. These current data implicate Al injected in early postnatal life in some CNS alterations that may be relevant for a better understanding of the aetiology of ASD.

Introduction

Aluminium (Al) is the most abundant metal and third most common element in the Earth's crust. Normally chemically bound to other elements, Al is not typically bioavailable and indeed seems to play no role in any known biochemistry of plants, animals or humans. In the last 150 years, however, Al, through human activities has become much more prevalent in the human environment. Notably, Al is widely used in industrial and material applications, is widely found in processed foods, is contained in various medicinal compounds, and can be used as a flocculant in water treatment. Because of such ubiquity, it is increasingly found in our bodies. Overall, we now live in what has been termed “The Aluminium Age”.

For all of its positive properties as a material, Al is also demonstrably toxic to biological systems, an observation that has been in the scientific literature for at least a century. Although Al may deleteriously impact various organ systems, some of its worst impacts may be on the nervous system.

Some of the toxic actions of Al on the nervous system include: disruption of synaptic activity, mis-folding of crucial proteins, promotion of oxidant stress, and increased permeability of the blood–brain barrier, to mention only a few of the more egregious impacts. In particular, Al has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease and animal models of the disease clearly demonstrate Al-induced cognitive deficits and pathologies. Al vaccine adjuvants, in use since the mid-1920s, have been shown to produce Lou Gehrig's-like motor phenotypes in mice and motor neuron degeneration. The neurotoxic effects of Al adjuvants have been discussed in previous publications by our group and by others. Additionally, Al in vaccines has been linked to the induction of autoimmune diseases. Recently, we compared the amount of Al in various national paediatric vaccine schedules with increasing rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and found a significant correlation that appeared to be dose dependent. These ecological data satisfied 8 or 9 so-called Hill criteria for causality. Similar conclusions about a potential role of Al adjuvants in ASD have been discussed by other investigators. The above results led us to attempt to create an animal model of ASD based on early life administration of Al adjuvants by injection. The current manuscript describes the behavioural outcomes of this study. A future publication will address central nervous system (CNS) alterations. <<>>

clusions

Al salts are the most widely used adjuvants today and have been since the 1920s. The fact that they can trigger pathological immunological responses and a cascade of unwanted health effects has been relatively under-appreciated to date. Nevertheless, it is clear that the problem with vaccine-derived Al is three-fold: 1) it can persist in the body,2) it can trigger pathological immunological responses and 3) it can make its way into the CNS where it can drive further deleterious immuno-inflammatory and excitotoxic processes.

This paper reports only preliminary data on the adverse neurodevelopmental effects of early Al exposure in paediatric vaccine-relevant doses in an animal model and hence does not provide conclusive evidence on the hypothesized causative role of Al in autism. However, our current results are consistent with the existing evidence on the toxicology and pharmacokinetics of Al adjuvants which altogether strongly implicate these compounds as contributors to the rising prevalence of neuro-behavioural disorders in children. Given that autism has devastating consequences in a life of a child, and that currently in the developed world over 1% of children suffer from some form of ASD], it would seem wise to make efforts towards reducing infant exposure to Al from vaccines.

References available at: By Gary G. Kohls, MD

----------

First published in Neuromolecular Med. 2007;9(1):83-100

Aluminum Adjuvant Linked to Gulf War Illness Induces Motor Neuron Death in Mice

Petrik MS, Wong MC, Tabata RC, Garry RF, Shaw CA.

Posted at: By Gary G. Kohls, MD

Abstract

Gulf War illness (GWI) affects a significant percentage of veterans of the 1991 conflict, but its origin remains unknown. Associated with some cases of GWI are increased incidences of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurological disorders. Whereas many environmental factors have been linked to GWI, the role of the anthrax vaccine has come under increasing scrutiny. Among the vaccine's potentially toxic components are the adjuvants aluminum hydroxide and squalene. To examine whether these compounds might contribute to neuronal deficits associated with GWI, an animal model for examining the potential neurological impact of aluminum hydroxide, squalene, or aluminum hydroxide combined with squalene was developed. Young, male colony CD-1 mice were injected with the adjuvants at doses equivalent to those given to US military service personnel. All mice were subjected to a battery of motor and cognitive-behavioral tests over a 6-mo period post-injections. Following sacrifice, central nervous system tissues were examined using immunohistochemistry for evidence of inflammation and cell death. Behavioral testing showed motor deficits in the aluminum treatment group that expressed as a progressive decrease in strength measured by the wire-mesh hang test (final deficit at 24 wk; about 50%). Significant cognitive deficits in water-maze learning were observed in the combined aluminum and squalene group (4.3 errors per trial) compared with the controls (0.2 errors per trial) after 20 wk. Apoptotic neurons were identified in aluminum-injected animals that showed significantly increased activated caspase-3 labeling in lumbar spinal cord (255%) and primary motor cortex (192%) compared with the controls. Aluminum-treated groups also showed significant motor neuron loss (35%) and increased numbers of astrocytes (350%) in the lumbar spinal cord. The findings suggest a possible role for the aluminum adjuvant in some neurological features associated with GWI and possibly an additional role for the combination of adjuvants.

----------

First published in Immunol Res. 2013 Jul;56(2-3):304-16

Aluminum in the Central Nervous System (CNS): Toxicity in Humans and Animals, Vaccine Adjuvants, and Autoimmunity

Shaw CA, Tomljenovic L.

Neural Dynamics Research Group, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia (UBC), 828 W. 10th Ave., Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L8, Canada.

Posted at: By Gary G. Kohls, MD

Abstract

We have examined the neurotoxicity of aluminum in humans and animals under various conditions, following different routes of administration, and provide an overview of the various associated disease states. The literature demonstrates clearly negative impacts of aluminum on the nervous system across the age span. In adults, aluminum exposure can lead to apparently age-related neurological deficits resembling Alzheimer's and has been linked to this disease and to the Guamanian variant, ALS-PDC. Similar outcomes have been found in animal models. In addition, injection of aluminum adjuvants in an attempt to model Gulf War syndrome and associated neurological deficits leads to an ALS phenotype in young male mice. In young children, a highly significant correlation exists between the number of pediatric aluminum-adjuvanted vaccines administered and the rate of autism spectrum disorders. Many of the features of aluminum-induced neurotoxicity may arise, in part, from autoimmune reactions, as part of the ASIA syndrome.

________________________________________________________________________

First published in J Autoimmun 2011; 36: 4–8

The Spectrum of ASIA: “Autoimmune (Auto-inflammatory) Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants”

Y Shoenfeld et al

The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer 52621, Israel.

http://lup.sagepub.com/content/21/2/118.short?rss=1&ssource=mfr

Abstract

Physicians are often puzzled by enigmatic medical conditions or the abrupt appearance of an immune-mediated disease. Such a story was recently presented to us by a young Saudi Sheikh, who suffered at the age of 27 from joints pains, rash and serological evidence of anti-Ro antibodies (probable systemic lupus erythematosus {SLE]).. He was treated with Plaquenil for a year, but as no signs of SLE were apparent, treatment was stopped and he remained disease free for the next 12 years.

At the age of 39 years, 2 weeks after immunization with the flu vaccine, his disease reemerged. This time he presented with severe arthritis and pericarditis, which required treatment with high doses of steroids.

This patient’s story illustrates the acceleration of an autoimmune or immune-mediated condition following exposure to external stimuli. During the past year a new syndrome was introduced and termed ASIA, ‘Autoimmune (Auto-inflammatory) Syndrome induced by Adjuvants’. This syndrome assembles a spectrum of immune-mediated diseases triggered by an adjuvant stimulus The use of medical adjuvants has become common practice and substances such as aluminum adjuvant are added to most human and animal vaccines, while the adjuvant silicone is extensively used for breast implants and cosmetic procedures. Furthermore, ‘hidden adjuvants’ such as infectious material or household molds have also been associated with different immune mediated conditions. The adjuvant effect has been recognized for years.

----------

Appendix: Maximum ranges of aluminum content in various childhood vaccines:

Birth (Hep B): 147 mcg/kg (500 mcg for 3.4 kg infant)
2 month: 295 mcg/kg (1475 mcg for 5 kg infant)
4 month: 118 mcg/kg (772 mcg for 6.5 kg infant)
6 month: 184 mcg/kg (1475 mcg for 8 kg infant)
15 month 131 mcg/kg (1350 mcg for 10.3 kg infant)
24 month 18 mcg/kg (225mcg for 12.2 kg infant)
4-6 years 20 mcg/kg (500mcg for 25 kg child)

Total: 913mcg/kg 6297mcg aluminum

-###-

Dr Kohls now writes a weekly column for the Reader Weekly, an alternative newsweekly published in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. The last three years of Dr Kohls’ Duty to Warn columns are archived at http://duluthreader.com/articles/categories/200_Duty_to_Warn.