01-21-2005, 11:26 PM
01-24-2005, 05:37 PM
It is possible that protein misfolding could be involved in ASDs, but it is unlikely, since protein misfolding often involves the formation of large plaques, which, being easy to spot, would have been noted as being related to ASDs long ago if they were present. Also, if you look at the list of known diseases involving folding you will notice that they tend to have effects a bit more severe than your average ASD, they tend to be much more destructive than Autism, and more degenerative. Aspies and Autists become more funtional over time, rather than less, and while I am by no means certain of the effects possible for a folding malfunction, i do not think that ASDs fit the bill.