Cerebral Folate Insufficiency: New Testing & Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders - Dr. Richard E. Frye

Cerebral Folate Insufficiency:  New Testing & Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Dr. Richard E. Frye

The Etiology of Autism:  More than Genetic Disorders

Cytogenetic Abnormalities - 5%

Fragile X - 5%

Rett SYndrome (females only) - 5% (1% overall)

Chromosomal Microarray - 10%

Total - 21%

This leave about 79% of children with ASD that are not genetically related.

Vitamin B9 (Folate)

• Water soluble vitamin
• Folate = occurs naturally in food
• Folic acid = synthetic form of folate used in supplementation and fortified foods, inactive and oxidized
• There are are over 100 folate analogues

Cerebral Folate Deficiency (CFD)

• Any neurological or psychiatric condition associated with lowered CSF 5MTHF in the presence of normal folate levels outside the CSF (a neuro metabolic syndrome)

Treatment for Cerebral Folate Abnormalities

• 5MTHF
• Folinic Acid

Milk free diet is recommended.  Milk might cause issues with the body processing Folate correctly.

Do not use Folic Acid

Folinic acid is prefered

Testing for Folate Insufficiency

CSF (Cerebral Spinal Fluid) is the gold standard - mean lumbar puncture