Summary of Dr Frye's lecture. 

In this presentation, Dr. Richard Frye discusses the importance of treating folate metabolism problems in children with autism. Folate is an essential vitamin and is important for many bodily functions, including mitochondrial function and neurotransmitter production. Dr. Frye also explains how folate is transported to the brain and the two main mechanisms that transport molecules from the blood to the brain.

Dr. Frye mentions that the prevalence of autism has increased dramatically over the years and there are no effective treatments for it. However, he believes that correcting folate metabolism problems could help improve symptoms in children with autism.

Dr. Frye discusses the discovery of brain folate deficiency (CFD) and its potential link to autism. CFD is caused by the inability of folate to be transported to the brain due to the presence of antibodies that block and bind to the folate receptor alpha. Treatment involves the use of folate-reduced carriers, such as Leucovorin, in high doses. Studies have shown that a significant proportion of children with autism also have these antibodies and Leucovorin treatment has led to improvements in language and communication. The positive effects of treatment were more pronounced in children who tested positive for the folate autoantibody test. 

Dr. Frye provides an example of a child with Down syndrome who showed significant improvement in speech and motor function after being treated for CFD with glucovorin and mitochondrial supplementation.

In this talk, Dr. Richard Frye discusses the potential role of folate receptor antibodies in autism and the use of a new form of folinic acid, Leucovorin, to treat the disorder. He explains that the antibodies block the transport of folate across the blood-brain barrier and the placenta, leading to a deficiency in the developing brain. An animal model showed that treatment of the mother with Leucovorin can rescue deficits in the offspring. Dr. Frye also presents data showing that autism is associated with a higher prevalence of folate receptor antibodies in family members. Discusses ongoing Phase II clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of Leucovorin in improving language and social interactions in children with autism. The potential market for this treatment is significant given the high prevalence of autism and the associated cost of care.

In summary, folate metabolism problems may play an important role in the development of autism and treatment with Leucovorin may help improve symptoms. It is important that parents of children with autism are aware of these findings and discuss available treatment options with their doctor.

Symptoms of brain folate deficiency

Cerebral folate deficiency can cause various symptoms and neurodevelopmental disorders, especially in children.

The most common symptoms include:

• Communication and language problems,
• changes in behavior,
• Lack of attention and concentration,
• Delayed motor and cognitive development,
• Sleep and mood disorders, as well as
• Gastrointestinal and feeding problems.

In some cases:

• Children may have delayed growth and maturation,
• Weightloss,
• Muscular weakness,
• Seizures and other serious neurological disorders.

Brain folate deficiency has also been linked to disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

It is important to note that these symptoms can vary depending on the age of the patient and the severity of the brain folate deficiency. Therefore, it is essential that parents and caregivers are alert to any signs that indicate a possible neurodevelopmental disorder in their children and go to the doctor to receive an appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

If you suspect that your son or daughter may have a brain folate deficiency or neurodevelopmental disorder, the FRAT Test it can be a useful tool to obtain an accurate and rapid assessment of folate receptor antibody levels. At Enevia Health, we have this test available so that you can accurately know your child's health status and obtain personalized and effective treatment.

Why is it important to get the FRAT test?

Brain folate deficiency (CFD) is a metabolic problem that has been linked to autism. CFD occurs when folate cannot be transported to the brain due to the presence of antibodies that block and bind to the folate receptor alpha. Folate is essential for many bodily functions, including mitochondrial function and neurotransmitter production. When there is a deficiency of folate in the brain, this can lead to problems in brain development and function.

That is why it is important to have the FRAT test, which detects the presence of antibodies to folate receptors in the serum. If the presence of these antibodies is detected, this may indicate possible folate deficiency in the brain, which could contribute to autism symptoms in some cases.

The good news is that CFD can be treated with glucovorin therapy, which is a reduced folate transporter used in high doses. Studies have shown that a significant percentage of children with autism have these antibodies, and glucovorin treatment has shown improvements in language and communication. The positive effects of treatment were more pronounced in children who tested positive for folate autoantibodies.

Enevia Health has an agreement with the Illiad Neuroscience laboratory and with Synlab to carry out the test in Spain, it also has agreements to carry out the FRAT in Peru and Argentina, in the 3 countries Enevia offers a significant reduction in the price of test FRAT to all its neurodevelopmental members.

If you suspect that your child might be experiencing brain folate problems, we recommend that you consider taking the FRAT test. At Enevia Health we are committed to helping people improve their health and well-being.

This conference by Dr. Richard Frye has been part of the SYNCHRONY Congress in October 2022, you can see it in full at https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=RCUss_uW5SM