The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

If there is a fundamental cause of autism, it has not been addressed by any of the theories and currently practiced treatment modalities.This presentation will report on the author’s more than 35 years of work and study in the field of autism. It includes a report on a preliminary clinical study and biochemical analysis. The results of that study supported the author’s hypothesis, presented in a previously published paper, that malfunctions in the pineal gland may be the underlying cause of autistic symptoms.

Presentation Overview

A presentation of practical treatment modalities, clinical observations, literature research and a small-scale laboratory research project will be given to support the hypothesis that basic problems of autism stem from the malfunctioning of the pineal gland.

In order to understand the role and functioning of the pineal gland in the body from a number of different points of view, the presenter has brought together the work and ideas of scientific researchers, clinical workers and people who work in the field of bio-energy, such as craniosacral therapists and polarity therapists.

Tables and chemical structures will be presented to illustrate the author’s view of possible links between symptoms of autism and the malfunctioning of the pineal gland.

On the basis of literature research and many years of work with children presenting with autistic symptoms, the author postulates that the pineal gland in these individuals is malfunctioning, with melatonin secretions being significantly lower than is normal while hallucinogenic indoleamines are created instead.

Because the pineal is the first gland to develop in the body, and because it monitors and regulates many systems, its malfunctioning in the fetus, neonate or at a later stage will have a profound effect on other systems in the body. The various conditions that could lead to the malfunctioning of the pineal gland, including problems in the efferent and afferent innervation systems, will be presented as well as additional possible disturbances in the melatonin-generating system.

The use of craniosacral therapy to improve the functioning of the pineal gland and the pathways of the melatonin-generating system will be explained, and the case histories of a few children will be presented.

It will be shown that hallucinogenic idoleamines, similar to those used by shamans to induce altered states of consciousness, can be formed in the pineal gland instead of melatonin.

The presenter will summarize promising preliminary results of the urinalysis of eight subjects that identified the presence of hallucinogenic substances in the subjects diagnosed as autistic while no such substances were present in the samples of the controls. Understanding the physiological processes at work in individuals exhibiting autism-related behaviors can clearly contribute to the development of effective means of early diagnosis and therapy. Identifying reliable markers by simple laboratory tests can be a first important step in that direction. Following confirmation of the presented preliminary findings, further research will focus on the development of a safe method to block the creation of hallucinogenic compounds while allowing the normal functioning of the melatonin-creation pathway. 

Session Content

1. Introduction (presenter’s long-time involvement with clinical work and research in autism)
2. The pineal gland and melatonin in children
3. Practical measures adopted by presenter in the treatment of individuals presenting with ASD

   Hands-on bodywork techniques:

   • Craniosacral therapy
   • Polarity therapy
   • Metamorphic technique
   Involvement of parents and caregivers
• Supplementary melatonin
• Case histories (DVD of craniosacral session with young children diagnosed as autistic)
4. Presentation of the postulated effects of a malfunctioning pineal gland
• Hallucinogenic compounds and their creation from melatonin or other compounds
• Chemical structures
5. Laboratory results of urinalyses for hallucinogenic compounds
6. Implications for future research and treatment