Sploo, what do you think about this?
http://www.nature.com/news/gut-brain-link-grabs-neuroscientists-1.16316 The immune system almost certainly plays a part, Mazmanian says, as does the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to the digestive tract. Bacterial waste products can also influence the brain — for example, at least two types of intestinal bacterium produce the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)2.
Were you born vaginally or by c-section? I was born by c-section, which is suboptimal and has numerous potentially negative effects. Lack of introduction with gut flora, interference with maternal bonding. I remember seeing some evidence for a link with autism, but that at most it could only explain a very small percentage of cases.
Remember hearing that the cord was wrapped around my neck. I should have asked more questions about my early childhood, my behavior, any health problems I may have had. On the latter, I also remember my father once mentioning that I used to get really sick when young. I don't, or hardly, have any memories before around kindergarten age. family history, my relatives and parents, how people generally turned out and whether there may be a history of mental illness.
Oi, bad from the start. I wonder how it may have effected me. Whether there was a lack of blood flow to the brain long enough to possibly cause damage, whether any early illnesses may have effected my development. I had terrible irrational anxiety even as a child.
I'd like to try a fecal transplant from the best donor I can find. Perfect health, highly intelligent, very happy, personality, athleticism, mental state, well adjusted, well off financially, successful and fulfilled etc. I'd need to think of all major variables. Unfortunately if it's a factor, it's already effected my development, although there is that drug that can return plasticity to a child-like state, but of course it would be foolish to believe it would change your brain to what it would have developed to if x had been different:
http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/2ltfrk/drug_can_return_adult_brain_to_childlike_learning/You know, I bet could pull off a scheme (fantasize about it, but never actually go outside) to meet my goals. Hand out surveys for false cause at UC Berkeley, follow best candidates around until they have to poop, when they do go in with them disguised as a janitor, knock on the stall door, and say "Hi, sorry, when you're done, don't flush. There's something wrong with the plumbing." Grab a sample and enema time. Or you could trick them into giving you a stool sample, possibly offer compensation. Just have them drop off the last bit in a suitable container, tell them there's been a breakthrough and it could help treat autism soon.
Maybe if the idea catches on one day we'll have a few companies similar to sperm banks.
