tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545455552338745982.post7527381161218322804..comments2023-10-12T06:56:54.577-04:00Comments on Regarding Autism: From allergies to amygdala to asthma to ....Nyxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01274150882524269249noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545455552338745982.post-88284881200268998902010-08-26T18:19:45.555-04:002010-08-26T18:19:45.555-04:00Nyx, I came across this post from January as I sea...Nyx, I came across this post from January as I searched for terms like parasympathetic and autism (and also saw the presentation by Dr. Bradstreet in my searching). I agree that there is a connection between decreased parasympathetic activity and many of the collateral symptoms of autism. I've also seen it in my own medical history, as I was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome in my late 30s, several years after my son who was diagnosed at age 7. <br /><br />Just to address the pupil dilation - you are right that there's no direct connection between the vagus nerve and the eyes. However, both nerves emerge from the brain stem and are part of the parasympathetic nervous system. The vagus is also called cranial nerve X and the oculomotor nerve is cranial nerve III. Maybe you addressed this in a later post; I haven't read further. <br />In addition to nicotine, I found information on coffee stimulating vagal activity: http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/127/7/1422. The idea of having young children on coffee (or caffeine) probably isn't much more appealing than having them on nicotine, but I thought I'd mention it because I noticed a decrease in GI and other symptoms when I began using both drugs as an adult (fortunately I quit smoking many years ago.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com