Listen in as Dr. Mike provides the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions. Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans. Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know:With April being National Autism Month, are there any new theories on Autism?Life Extension has hundreds of protocols that are constantly updated. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neuro-developmental disorder that is characterized by repetitive behavior, difficulty in social situations, trouble communicating verbally and non-verbally, and motor coordination.One of the new theories is about inflammation, which occurs when the baby is still being developed inside your womb. Several researchers are looking at the certain effects of inflammatory proteins, one in particular, NF-kB. When that is high in the mom, it does cross into the developing embryo and has been shown to increase the risk of autism.Another theory suggests genetics could play a role in developing autism as well. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at 25 genes (some associated with autism, and some that were not) of brain tissue in deceased children with or without autism. Researchers found that the brains of deceased children that were autistic were missing key genetic markers across multiple layers of brain cells.A third theory suggest that women who have autoimmune diseases have a higher risk of having a child with autism. Studies have shown that women with autoimmune diseases are more likely to produce a kind of antibody that attacks the brain of the developing fetus.If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.