THE AUTISM ENIGMA, THE STARTLING NEW DOCUMENTARY FROM COGENT/BENGER,
AIRS ON CBC's "THE NATURE OF THINGS"
THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 8 PM ET/PT.
THE AUTISM ENIGMA, the new documentary from the award-winning Cogent/Benger Productions, tackles one of the most contentious issues in medicine today: the various, and often conflicting, hypotheses about autism's cause.
It airs on CBC's "The Nature of Things" on Thursday December 8, 8 PM (ET/PT)(8:30 PM Nfld) with a second window on December 15 (10PM ET/PT. 10:30 Nfld.)
The film presents the fresh perspective of the "Bacterial Theory" of autism. Director Marion Gruner (a new mother who decided to investigate autism rather than just worry) along with co-director Christopher Sumpton, went beyond celebrity-endorsed theories and common assumptions to make new research accessible and understandable to all parents.
Narrated by David Suzuki, The Autism Enigma is written and directed by Marion Gruner (Pharma Sutra) and Christopher Sumpton (Pedal Power), produced by Christopher Sumpton, Robin Benger (Sex Scandals in Religion, Five Roads to Freedom), and Marion Gruner. Cinematography by Michael Grippo, csc, editing by Matthew Campea, and original music composed by Kevan Staples.
Autism is the fastest rising developmental disorder in the industrialized world. Even accounting for better diagnosis, its numbers have increased by an astounding 600% in the last twenty years. Even more disturbing is that science cannot say why. Research is inconclusive, but the emerging theme is that autism, while possibly stemming from genetic vulnerability, is triggered by environmental factors. Is something in our Western lifestyle proving too much for children to bear? Some say it's the canary in the coalmine. Many say it's an emergency.
Meanwhile, 70% of children with autism exhibit severe gastrointestinal symptoms, prompting some microbiologists to direct their research to an unexpected place - and ask whether autism actually begins in the gut.
The Autism Enigma looks at the progress of an international group of scientists examining the gut's amazingly diverse and powerful microbial ecosystem for clues to the baffling disorder, and the extraordinary efforts of parents who have been relentlessly pushing science forward in hopes of finding answers for their children's condition.
Published on December 8, 2012