The "children of the stars" are not hopeless, and cutting-edge technology will be a boon for people with autism
According to statistics, in mainland China, the incidence of autism is 0.7%-1.0%, and there are more than 14 million people with autism spectrum disorder in the country. Among them, about 3 million children between the ages of 0 and 14 are on the rise.
Autism was once thought to be incurable, bringing a heavy burden to patients, families and society. On the occasion of Autism Day in 2024, Yangcheng Evening News reporters learned from many parties that with the development of a series of cutting-edge technologies such as biomedicine and brain-computer interfaces, "autism is incurable" is becoming history, and it is no longer a dream for human beings to finally overcome autism.
Status: Rehabilitation treatment is the main intervention
At this year's National People's Political Consultative Conference, Zhang Junping, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and full-time deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Kangcheng Community, Xinzhuang Town, Minhang District, Shanghai, proposed to improve the construction of a life-cycle assistance and care system for children with autism, and help children and their families solve many problems such as diagnosis, rehabilitation, treatment, and social acceptance.
The reporter learned that at present, the field of rehabilitation of children with autism has become a business opportunity itself, and a variety of institutions have emerged. However, these institutions are not treatment institutions in nature, but intervention institutions based on the traditional medical rehabilitation treatment model, through rehabilitation training, to alleviate children's emotional disorders, enhance their social communication, communication skills and other abilities. That is, "treating the symptoms but not the root cause".
However, with the development of science and technology, the status quo of "treating the symptoms but not the root cause" is undergoing subversive changes.
Brain-computer interface: changes behavior by regulating neuronal firing
Not long ago, the first case of human implantation of a brain chip caused a sensation in the world. Brain-computer interfaces can also be used to treat autism.
According to the reporter's understanding, brain-computer interfaces are divided into two paths: invasive and non-invasive. Invasive, i.e. surgically implanted with a brain chip.
The "implantable brain-computer interface system" self-developed by Wuhan Xinhua Brain-Computer Integration Technology Development Co., Ltd. is the first in the world to create "two-way reading and writing" of EEG signals, which is in a leading position in the industry.
Its person in charge, Zhou Yu, told the Yangcheng Evening News reporter that in principle, human brain nerve activity is a neuronal discharge phenomenon, and autism and other neurological disorders, its discharge phenomenon is different from ordinary people, so through implantable brain-computer interface technology, the brain discharge situation can be monitored, and its discharge frequency and other artificial regulation, so as to change the excitability of neurons, adjust the EEG to a near-normal state, thereby changing human behavior.
However, Zhou Yu also said that the use of invasive brain-computer interface technology to treat autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders still faces many difficulties. First of all, because the pathogenesis is unknown, the treatment is in the exploratory and preliminary trial stage, and because the onset is in young children, it is difficult and risky to carry out implant surgery at this stage. More importantly, at present, the country has not yet issued implementation standards and policies for implantable brain-computer interface technology, and it faces policy barriers in practice.
As a result, non-invasive modalities progress more quickly.
Zhou Yu said that non-invasive brain-computer interface technology can currently be used as an adjunct to the treatment of autism, by monitoring the patient's brain wave data, early diagnosis and intervention can be realized, and targeted counseling for patients can be carried out according to the data.
Biotechnology: Stem cell therapy has been effective
"Autism is certainly not incurable. In an interview with reporters, Li Zhiyuan, a researcher at the Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, gave such an optimistic response.
According to him, as a neurodevelopmental disorder, the cause of which is so far unknown, may be caused by polygenic mutations, and it is presumed that it is mainly genetically related.
At present, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is a popular research direction.
Li Zhiyuan said that the scientific community has found that whether it is for neurodegenerative diseases or neurodevelopmental diseases such as autism, the treatment and intervention through stem cells will have good results.
"From a clinical point of view, the effect is still good, and some children's social skills can be significantly improved. ”
In addition to umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) technology has also been found to be useful in the treatment of autism, and the effect may be better.
It is understood that up to now, Li Zhiyuan's team has cooperated with some hospitals to carry out 5 cases of treatment using iPS differentiation MSC therapy, and the treatment effect is quite obvious.
In addition to stem cell therapy, gene therapy is also a therapeutic pathway.
Li Zhiyuan said that if gene therapy and stem cell therapy are combined, there may be an additive effect. The gene editing model can adapt the damaged or mutated genes to a normal state, but autism is produced by multiple gene mutations, so it needs to be targeted for multiple genes when correcting or editing.
Text | Reporter Li Gang