Groundbreaking Study by Dr. Robert Melillo and Dr. Gerry Leisman, Offers New Hope for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD and Dyslexia For The First Time, Researchers Propose a Universal Theory Of Autism; May Eventually Lead To Cure
NEW YORK, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ — Earlier today, promising new research findings that may help scientists and doctors better understand and treat Autism Spectrum Disorders, were released from a new study by Dr. Robert Melillo, a world-renowned neurologist, professor and author (Disconnected Kids, Penguin Books).
This possible medical breakthrough, follows on the heels of Monday’s harrowing announcement that two new government studies, including one by the Centers for Disease Control, estimate that 1 in every 100 American children has an autism based disorder. The new estimate would mean that about 673,000 American children have autism.
In the recently published study, Autistic Spectrum Disorders as Functional Disconnection Syndrome [Reviews in the Neurosciences, 2009, Freund Publishing], Dr. Robert Melillo and Dr. Gerry Leisman, offer, for the first time ever, a universal theory for understanding and treating Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD and Dyslexia. In the study, Dr. Melillo asserts that a disconnection between the left and right sides of the developing brain may lead to these kinds of neurological disorders.
“The problem known as a functional disconnection is a communication breakdown between large cortical networks in the developing brain. This leads to fewer connections between areas of the brain especially the two hemispheres. This imbalance explains the unevenness of skills and all of the other combination of symptoms we see in autism,” said Dr. Melillo.
Key study findings include:
— A possible treatment solution exists that has the potential of
correcting Autism, ADHD and Dyslexia permanently.
— How Functional Disconnection with reduced activity and coherence in
the right hemisphere would explain all of the symptoms of autistic
spectrum disorder as well as the observed increases in sympathetic
activation.
— Best way to address the symptoms of these disorders: improving brain
coordination through increasing right hemisphere activity to the level
that it becomes temporally coherent with the left hemisphere.
— The physical, immune, digestive, and biochemical issues, or the
sensory and motor issues, that previous papers do not address.
— An explanation of the neurological, cognitive, psychological, as well
as both the sensory and motor issues.
Hope abounds throughout the scientific community that this new theory might prove to be a significant breakthrough in understanding and treating one of the biggest social and medical issues of our time. President Barack Obama has identified autism as a national health priority and has earmarked Federal stimulus money for autism research, screening and treatment.
“For years, researchers have recognized that autism is a multimodal problem that affects multiple areas of the brain and multiple systems in the body. Although autistic children can vary in their combination of symptoms, there has also been the recognition that there seems to be a single unifying problem that may relate to other disorders like ADHD and Dyslexia,” said Dr. Melillo.
For the past 4 years Dr. Robert Melillo has served as an adjunct professor of functional neuroanatomy in a graduate doctoral program in neuropsychology at Touro College and Leeds Metropolitan University. He is also an associate professor of clinical neurology and childhood behavioral disorders with The Carrick Institute. Dr. Melillo is the executive director of the FR Carrick Research Institute, a University based research lab that focuses on translational research and development in the areas of neuroscience, brain development, ergonomics and rehabilitation. He is also the president of the Foundation for Cognitive Neuroscience.
