On 2014 Jan 02, Paul Whiteley commented:

The authors are to be applauded for looking at this potentially important area of autism research. Combined with other research similarly indicating that a proportion of children on the autism spectrum may present with gut hyperpermeability: de Magistris and colleagues (2010): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20683204 and de Magistris and colleagues (2013): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23984403 an interesting pattern of gut-related pathology is emerging for at least some cases of autism (or should that be the autisms).

Given that this cohort was (I think) drawn from the same participant group as that investigated by the same authors in other study: Chandler and colleagues (2013): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23371507 it is a pity that similar values related to intestinal permeability were not reported for an asymptomatic (typically developing) control group as a comparator. Whilst the authors note that their special educational needs (SEN) group did not present with autism (I assume as reaching the diagnostic threshold for a diagnosis of autism) one wonders whether specific behaviours forming the diagnostic triad (or dyad depending on the criteria applied) may overlap and in turn, link autism and SEN participants?

That also de Magistris and colleagues (2010) noted that use of a gluten- and casein-free (GFCF) diet seemed to affect intestinal permeability measurements also brings into play the question of whether similar dietary measures were included in any of the participant group of the current study and exerted an effect on the results obtained.

Those issues aside, the emerging picture of gut hyperpermeability combined with features of a non-coeliac gluten 'sensitivity' in cases of autism as per Lau and colleagues (2013): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23823064 and Ludvigsson and colleagues (2013): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24068245 offers some new directions for autism research and practice.

On 2014 Jan 02, Paul Whiteley commented:

The authors are to be applauded for looking at this potentially important area of autism research. Combined with other research similarly indicating that a proportion of children on the autism spectrum may present with gut hyperpermeability: de Magistris and colleagues (2010): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20683204 and de Magistris and colleagues (2013): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23984403 an interesting pattern of gut-related pathology is emerging for at least some cases of autism (or should that be the autisms).

Given that this cohort was (I think) drawn from the same participant group as that investigated by the same authors in other study: Chandler and colleagues (2013): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23371507 it is a pity that similar values related to intestinal permeability were not reported for an asymptomatic (typically developing) control group as a comparator. Whilst the authors note that their special educational needs (SEN) group did not present with autism (I assume as reaching the diagnostic threshold for a diagnosis of autism) one wonders whether specific behaviours forming the diagnostic triad (or dyad depending on the criteria applied) may overlap and in turn, link autism and SEN participants?

That also de Magistris and colleagues (2010) noted that use of a gluten- and casein-free (GFCF) diet seemed to affect intestinal permeability measurements also brings into play the question of whether similar dietary measures were included in any of the participant group of the current study and exerted an effect on the results obtained.

Those issues aside, the emerging picture of gut hyperpermeability combined with features of a non-coeliac gluten 'sensitivity' in cases of autism as per Lau and colleagues (2013): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23823064 and Ludvigsson and colleagues (2013): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24068245 offers some new directions for autism research and practice.