AUTISM: Public Funding Will Expand Research Program

      State lawmakers, concerned about the increasing number of children with autism, have awarded $34 million to UC-Davis' Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute to study the disorder, the Contra Costa Times reports. The money will also be used to research causes and treatments for other neurodevelopmental disorders, including Tourette's syndrome, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Asperger syndrome. Senate Pro Tem John Burton (D-San Francisco) said Friday, "Putting this kind of money in to jump-start the institute could lead to some great scientific discoveries. Nobody's ever studied in this way the mind and its problems." State figures suggest a rapid increase in the number of autism cases. Last year the number of cases in California increased by 19% -- adding to a 273% jump between 1987 and 1999. The total now stands at 13,054. "It's very frightening. When this gets plotted out on a graph, it's horrifying," Rick Rollens, one of the institute's four founding fathers, said. Researchers have determined that autism is caused by a severe malfunction in the brain, but the precise cause remains unknown. Possibilities include brain damage, genetics, vaccinations, or gastrointestinal or endocrine problems. "We're going to whittle this down until we find out what it is," Chuck Gardner, one of the founders of the institute, said, adding, "We all feel the clock is ticking. Every day our children aren't made better is a day we lose." In addition to the $34 million donation, UC-Davis plans to build the institute a $25 million state-of-the-art complex, complete with a pilot school and high tech equipment. The money will also be used to research causes and treatments for other neurodevelopmental disorders, including Tourette's syndrome, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Asperger syndrome (Kleffman, 7/23).