Autism research group
Estimated to affect up to one in 160 Australian children, autism includes
a continuum of developmental conditions that, without accurate diagnosis and
effective intervention, can have a major impact upon a person’s ability to
communicate and socialise.
Founded in 2004, UniSA’s Autism Research Group (ARG) is a multidisciplinary
team of researchers involved in a range of activities aiming to better
understand autism and help develop more effective diagnostic techniques and
treatments.
Headed by senior research fellow Dr Manya Angley, the ARG is based in
UniSA’s School Pharmacy and Medical Sciences and includes members from a
variety of disciplines, including clinical psychology, chemistry, molecular
biology, pharmacy, occupational therapy, statistics and computer science.
People
ARG members include:
UniSA researchers
From the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences:
Dr Manya Angley
Professor Ross McKinnon
Dr Susan Semple
Dr Cobus Gerber
Dr Michael Sorich
Damien Abarno
Susan Gravier
From other Schools:
Professor Andy Koronios (School of Computing and Information Science)
John Petkov (Applied Statistics Unit, Whyalla campus)
Dr Natalie Sinn (Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, School of
Health Sciences)
Other members
David Ellis (Women’s and Children’s Hospital)
Associate Professor Robyn Young (School of Psychology, Flinders University)
Dr Alison Lane (University of Ohio)
Projects
The ARG is focussed on two broad areas of autism research: developing a
metabonomics-based approach to diagnosis, and investigating the quality use
of conventional and complementary medicines in the treatment of autism.
Developing a metabonomics-based approach to diagnose and phenotype autism
Researchers: Manya Angley, Ross McKinnon, Robyn Young, Michael Sorich,
Cobus Gerber, Damien Abarno, John Petkov, Susan Gravier, Alison Lane
Accurate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders can be problematic,
largely because without any laboratory-based test available, current
diagnostic
techniques rely on a less-than-definitive set of criteria based on the
presence of a cluster of behavioural characteristics. Profiling technologies
such as microarray technology, proteomics and in particular metabonomics
(which involves analysing biofluids such as urine and plasma) have the
potential to improve the diagnosis and subsequent management of autism. This
project is combining expertise in clinical psychology with the most recent
molecular profiling techniques (provided by the Sansom Institute’s CPR) to
develop a new, more effective diagnostic model for autism. Another aspect of
the project is developing an autism phenotyping instrument using clinical
and observational data from children with autism. Data in the phenotyping
instrument will be linked with biological data to form an ‘autism
bioresource’. This project will form the backbone of future autism research
with scope for applications in molecular determinants of drug response, drug
target identification and autism-specific drug development.
Quality use of conventional and complementary medicine in autism
Researchers: Manya Angley, Susan Semple, David Ellis, Andy Koronios,
Natalie Sinn
Both conventional and complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) are
widely used to treat autism, however there is a pressing need for more
specific research to provide evidence of the different medicines’ efficacy
and potential adverse effects.
In one project, the ARG has developed a printed and electronic chart to help
health care professionals monitor the use and effects of antipsychotic drugs
in the treating young people with autism, providing a safer framework for
the use of antipsychotic medications. Another project has involved a
thorough literature review to examine the rationale, safety and efficacy of
a range of CAMs commonly used to treat autism, including olive leaf extract,
vitamins A, B, C and E, dimethylglycine, calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium,
zinc, essential fatty acids, melatonin, colostrum, secretin, probiotics,
chalating agents, glutathione, glutamine and digestive enzymes. This work
has shown that the use of CAMs in autism is not risk-free and often lacks
sound critical evidence – however supplementation with omega 3-fatty acids,
melatonin and probiotics all hold promise as treatments, and the ARG is
planning randomised placebo-controlled trials to investigate their efficacy.
The ARG is also developing a resource to guide health care professionals and
caregivers when selecting CAMs for use in autism. Another project has
involved developing a chart for monitoring physical health and adverse
effects in young people prescribed antipsychotics, many of whom have autism.
Publications
Angley M, Young R, Ellis D, Chan W, McKinnon R, (2007)
‘Children and autism: Part 1 - recognition and pharmacological management’,
Australian Family Physician vol. 36 no. 9 pp. 741-744.
Angley M, Semple S, Paterson F, Hewton C, McKinnon R, (2007)
‘Children and autism: Part 2 - management with complementary medicines and
dietary interventions’, Australian Family Physician vol. 37 no. 10 pp.
827-830.
Angley M, Hewton C, Paterson F, Semple S, Ellis D, Chan W,
Grzeskowiak L, Shirzadi K, Phillips A, Stanek J (Aug/Sept 2007) ‘Quality use
of conventional and complementary medicines in autism’, In proceedings of
the 8th International Congress Autism – Europe.
Angley M, McKinnon R, Young R & Evans A, (2006) ‘Autism and
children: Can the pharmacist help?’ Australian Pharmacist vol. 25 no. 6 pp.
468-472.
Lim YZ, Angley M, Tait P, Young R. & McKinnon R. (2006).
‘Immunisation and autism: Sifting myth from reality?’ Australian Pharmacist
vol. 25 no. 7 pp. 554-558.
Published conference extracts
Ellis D, Shirzadi K & Angley M (2006) ‘Development of a package to
monitor physical health in children and adolescents using antipsychotics.’
In proceedings of the National Medicines Symposium Canberra.
Angley MT, Lim YZ, Tait PA, Young RL, Xia XA, Koronios A &
McKinnon RA (2006)‘ Autism and immunisation: What’s the story?’ In
proceedings of the National Medicines Symposium Canberra.
Hewton C, Paterson F, Semple S & Angley M (2006) ‘Autism and
complementary medicines: What is being used and why?’ In proceedings of the APSA Meeting Adelaide.
Paterson F, Hewton C, Angley M, Semple S (2006) ‘Autism and
complementary medicines: what is the evidence?’ In proceedings of the APSA
Meeting Adelaide.
Chan W, Ellis D, Jureidini J & Angley M (2006) ‘Auditing
antipsychotic prescribing in young people at the Women’s and Children’s
hospital’; Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service. In proceedings of the APSA Meeting Adelaide.
Grzeskowiak L, Ellis D, Phillips A & Angley M (2006) ‘Implementation
of a chart and guidelines for monitoring physical health in children and
adolescents using antipsychotics’. In proceedings of the APSA Meeting
Adelaide.
Wu A, Young R, Angley M, Petkov J, Johns C, Churches O & McKinnon R
(2005) ‘Establishing an autism database.’ ASCEPT and APSA Meeting Melbourne
(edited volume of conference proceedings).
Wu A, Chung WK, Young R, McKinnon R & Angley, M (2005). ‘Children and
Autism: Can the Pharmacist Help?’ ASCEPT and APSA Meeting Melbourne
(conference proceedings).
Wong YC, Gerber JP, Berryman MJ, Angley MT, Abarno DV, Young RL &
McKinnon RA (2005) ‘Discrimination of autistic children from healthy
controls using LCMS-based metabonomics: A pilot study’. ASCEPT and APSA
Meeting Melbourne (conference proceedings)
Lim YZ, Tait PA, Young RL, Xia XA, Koronios A & Angley MT (2005)
‘Autism and Immunisation: Sifting myth from reality’. ASCEPT and APSA
Meeting Melbourne (conference proceedings).
Shirzadi K, Ellis D & Angley M (2005) ‘Monitoring Physical Health in
Children and Adolescents using Antipsychotics’. ASCEPT and APSA Meeting
Melbourne (conference proceedings).
Invited presentations
Angley MT, Ellis D and McKinnon RA (May, 2005). ‘Autism
Research at the University of South Australia’ In Proceedings of the
Inaugural Autism SA State Conference. Adelaide.
Angley M, Ellis D, Chan W, Grzeskowiak L, Shirzadi K, Phillips A,
Stanek J
(Dec 2006) ‘Quality use of antipsychotic medications in children and
adolescents’ APSA New Investigator’s Symposia In proceedings of the APSA
Meeting Adelaide. P.15.
Angley M & Semple S, (May 2007) ‘Quality Use of Medicines in autism
and developing a metabonomic based laboratory test to diagnose autism’ In
proceedings of the Autism SA 2nd State Conference.
Booklet
Lim YZ, Young, R, Tait, P, McKinnon R & Angley M (2005) ‘Autism and
Immunisation: The story behind the controversy - A guide for parents’. A
deliverable from the honours thesis prepared by Yun Zi Lim. ISBN 1920927468
Contact
The Autism Research Group is based at the University of South Australia’s
City East campus in Adelaide. For more information on the group and its
activities, please contact Dr Manya Angley on:
Phone: +61 8 8302 1227
Fax: +61 8 8302 1087
Email: manya.angley@unisa.edu.au