Aspies For Freedom

According to this webpage, we may in fact be sharing more primitive Neanderthal genes?

http://www.rdos.net/eng/asperger.htm#Australopithecus

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How to prove or refute the theory

Any serious theory needs some ways of proving or refuting it. Since this theory is based on things that happened a long time ago, this is not very easy too do. However, genetics offer some promising possibilities.

Autism and psychiatric genes

The most important task is to identify autism genes. Without them, there is very little possibility to prove anything. David Comings is actually working on the genetic basic of Tourette (and therefore also autism and co morbid conditions). Essential for the validity of this theory, is that many genes are involved. This seems to be the case too, as David believes there are 600 genes behind.

Age of autism genes

Central to this theory, is that the majority of autism genes should be 30,000 to 50,000 years old when measured for diversity,  and many times older when comparing haplotype differences. This would be the effect of rare hybridization, and the following positive selection of Neanderthal genes. The diversity of these Neanderthal genes would be lost in the hybridization process, as well as any intermediate forms of them. The result is haplotypes that have many mutational differences, and no intermediates. The DRD4 7R gene fits this description, but more genes need to be researched.

Population distribution of autism genes

It's also essential for the validity of this theory that the majority of autism genes are most common in Caucasians, less common in Asians and Amerindians, and least common in black Africans.  

Prevalence studies of autism and other psychiatric conditions

Analogue with the gene argument, it would follow that autism, ADD, Tourette and other psychiatric "disorders" should be most common in Caucasians, less common in Asians and Amerinidians, and least common in black Africans. However, research on this must be made using population studies, and must include more than mentally disabled individuals.

Faceblindness and Neanderthal faces

A real possibility is to check if faceblind people with autistic traits can recognize Neanderthals faces better than modern human faces. This would refute or confirm that prosapagnosia is caused by hybrid genes from Neanderthals

Population based studies of late onset autoimmune disease

The idea of this theory is that autoimmune disease is caused by gene incompabilities, and that autistic individuals will get these more often than others, especially if one or both of the parents are non-autistic. Psychiatry claims autism is caused by autoimmune disease, while this theory claims autistic genes combined with non-autistic genes causes autoimmune disease. Which of these interpretations is correct can be verified by studying prevalence of late onset autoimmune disease in the autistic population. In this case, autoimmune disease cannot  cause autism, and if prevalence is significantly higher, this would tend to support this theory. Online survey's indicate prevalence is 5-10 times higher, but larger random-selection surveys are needed to confirm this finding.

Prevalence of known Neanderthal traits in the autistic population

Online surveys indicate that probable Neanderthal traits / genes like flat foot, crooked tooth / underbite, Rhesus factor, hair color, freckles, factor V leiden and hemochormatosis are several times more prevalent than in the non-autistic population. Random, controlled, survey's could confirm or reject these findings.

Animal domestication

Genetic studies could be used to date remains of wolves / dogs in Neanderthal settings. If it's found the genes of these animals are closer to today's dogs than to wolves, this would indicate dog domestication happened in Neanderthals. Similar procedures can be used with other now domestic species that can be found in Neanderthal "prey".

Here's an older thread on the subject, for those interested:
http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/showthre...355&page=1

I'm quite a fan of the theory personally, though I'll have to admit it's based on very tenuous research, and there's a few inconsistencies with the theory that haven't been worked out...

Interesting...my 9 year old AS son used to talk about the Australopithecus all the time.

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DITTO! I just feel in my BONES that the autism gene originated with the Neanderthals. Was reading just last night that the Neanderthals were the first hominids to bury their dead....

PS I am RH-, so is Hope, I have red hair and freckles, so does Hope, there are too many similarities for it to be a coincidence. The kicker (the one fact that convinced me) was when I read that Neanderthal man used to tackle and rock to kill prey. Sound like stimming anyone?

Also, look at their RANGE- it coincides with where autism is most prevalent today (mainly Europe and the US, the Baltic area also- the white race primarily). The rest is inbreeding, hence the slightly wider range today. (Today, we are a little of everything). Millions are related to Attila the Hun 'cause he raped so many women. Barack Obama is related (thru his white Mom, now deceased) to six past white Presidents and Brad Pitt of all people.

I need to check and see if our ancestry is northern Finnish.

I find this theory quite interesting... even if I don't really understand it (university has hurt my brain irrepairably - I was more intelligent before I went to university ). My origins are that my mother's side are Irish (complete with the red hair, blue eyes, freckles and bad temper) and my dad's side are from somewhere in the Med (not sure where, don't know much about that side of my family). I'm my dad's daughter though - I'm the double of him, behave like him etc. I think my dad is on the spectrum too because he was extremely random, 'out there' and very much his own person - and now he has schizophrenia (I say that to local Aspies and they always say "oh is your dad an Aspie too?")... which is interesting because I read they want to change it to a schizophrenic spectrum... anyway I Aspgress

I do have a big nose though. And I do notice a lot of basic physical traits in me - as in, the awkwardness with the body. Sometimes it feels that my body is too small for me, as if I should be, I dunno, larger?

he Cro Magnon resembles my husband's body type (Polish I guess for want of a better word). He is actually of German and English ancestry.

I recently read Dr. Peter D'Adamo's book on the 7? genotypes (The GenoType Diet: Change Your Genetic Destiny to live the longest, fullest and healthiest life possible)based on skull, hand/finger, leg to core body measurements, blood type, etc. It took quite a while to go thru the different steps, but turns out I'm an "Explorer"- the type that lived during the tough ice age if I recall the book (or shortly thereafter, I forget). A common one is the "hunter" type- the original caveman genetic package, which ages faster than any other but which has an excellent immune system.  Here's what Amazon.com says about the book:

Broadening his approach to diet and health beyond the four blood types, naturopathic physician D'Adamo (Eat Right 4 Your Type) profiles six GenoTypes and explains how readers can reprogram gene responses to lose and maintain weight, repair cells, avoid illness and age well. D'Adamo draws on epigenetics, the study of the interaction between genes and environment, to argue that tailoring diet and lifestyle to GenoTypes (genetic survival strategies that predate ethnicity and race and correspond to such external traits as body type, jaw shape and teeth patterns) is the most effective means to achieve optimum health. While conditions in the prenatal environment—our own and our ancestors—have profound effects on our genes, D'Adamo contends, readers can take control of their inheritance by turning on positive genes and silencing negative ones through methylation, histone acetylation and other biological processes. He provides methods for readers to determine their types; these include body measurements, fingerprints, and personal and family history. D'Adamo's dietary recommendations are flexible and consist of lists of foods that enhance each GenoType and foods to limit or avoid, but readers can find meal plans and recipes on the author's Web site. D'Adamo's engaging writing style, enthusiasm for his subject and personalized advice will appeal to those who enjoy taking a hands-on approach to their health and exploring new theories.

If you are an explorer you can't drink for example (bummer!). Definitely not wine- that's worse than the hard stuff. Tomatoes, jalapenos are off-limits too and I used to eat quite a lot of them! You are supposed to get off the "toxic" foods for 3 months or so til your kidneys and liver can adjust then you can re-introduce some of these foods. After adjusting your metabolism apparently kicks into higher gear....

A lot of it made no sense to me though.

I will say that he is onto something when he talks about some people having sensitive livers- I have great liver function but always, always the minimum dose works just great with me- I halve pills all the time. I also knew instinctively to avoid acetominphen (poison for "Explorers"). I am an aspirin gal all the way! Nothing else works very well for me.

I also avoid the nightshade family (tomato, potato, chilli, eggplant, tobacco).
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I've read here and there that the above veggies are somehow a bit evil, esp. eggplant. Weird new age theories, probably garbage.

another new age one, that's probably true: meat carries the sanskaras of the animal. Probably why I don't like chicken all that much. Once a week, tops! Nervous little creatures, you know? Now cows- yum. Slow moving, dumb, gentle....

If you can't eat meat you for sure aren't a hunter!

Like your user name- I used to repeat that phrase (Sit-Chat-Anand) instinctively, rather like om namah shivaja or the "jewel in the lotus" one which I can't remember 'cause I have no f*&^988&&^ing estrogen today having been thru a rather nasty 24 hr. bug this week.

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you sound very intelligent.

Do you mean soy milk (not being rude, just not sure if there is another milk out there that is named soya)?  

I have to throw this in....soy milk is not milk.  You cannot milk a soybean!  LOL!  It is soy juice!  

I think that it is common to have included way more dairy than we should have in our diets.  It cannot be natural to have as much as I have, anyway...

So, do you think that the H/G diet provided the calcium we need?  Or do you think that the whole calcium needs thing is because we are living so much longer now?

See, interesting...

My hubby was the one that made that joke about soy.  He did the cutest little mime of someone milking a soy bean....LOL!

I have agreed with this  ever since I first heard about it

And this is why we have their genes

Sat_Chit_Anand - I'm a little confused as to the reason for all those pictures and the video.  The first two pictures and the video after appear to have nothing to do with the topic at all.

Your view of the human race needs an update.

Some of your nonsense is grating on this forum, especially when you start talking about specific racial/ethnic groupings having lesser cognitive ability than others.  Your controversial/divisive words are not worth the price of admission.