Dr. Richard E. Frye walks through a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of a mitochondrial supplement in children with autism. Paper: Hill et al., "A Mitochondrial Supplement Improves Function and Mitochondrial Activity in Autism," IJMS 2025.
Dr. Richard E. Frye walks through a new review of how gut bacteria affect mitochondria, the structures that make energy inside nearly every cell. Paper: Frye & Rossignol, "Mechanistic Pathways Linking Gut Microbial Metabolites, Microbial Structural Products, and Host-Microbe Co-Metabolites to Mitochondrial Function," Gut Microbes 2026.
Dr. Richard E. Frye walks through research that reads a pregnancy out of a baby tooth, showing atypical fetal inflammatory regulation in autism. Paper: Dumitriu et al., "Deciduous Tooth Biomarkers Reveal Atypical Fetal Inflammatory Regulation in Autism Spectrum Disorder," iScience 2023.
Dr. Richard E. Frye walks through new research on de novo mutations in autism: genetic changes present in a child but in neither parent. Paper: Boles et al., "De Novo Variants Predominate in Autism Spectrum Disorder," Genes 2025.
Dr. Richard E. Frye walks through new research on folate receptor alpha autoantibodies and how they appear to build from one generation to the next. Paper: Frye et al., "Transgenerational Effects and Heritability of Folate Receptor Alpha Autoantibodies in Autism Spectrum Disorder," IJMS 2025.
Dr. Richard E. Frye walks through a new systematic review of how gut bacteria make and consume folate, and what happens to health when that balance breaks down. Paper: Khanduja & Frye, "A Systematic Review of Folate and the Human Enteric Microbiome," IJMS 2026.
Demystifying PANS/PANDAS Podcast
Nancy O'Hara MD
By McKenzie Beard
Published March 19, 2025, 6:00 a.m. ET
There is new hope regarding a possible treatment for autism, and it is being spearheaded by a doctor in the Phoenix area.
Child Neurologist Richard Frye has been testing the generic drug Leucovorin as a way of helping folic acid get through to the brain. Folic acid is essential for brain development. Dr. Frye said many patients saw significant improvements in their language skills.
"It's not just talking, but, what we found in our testing is that they were able to understand language in a more complicated fashion and understand the social nuances of language," Dr. Frye said.
Dr. Frye has published his findings in a book, as well as in peer-reviewed studies, and he hopes for additional outside research to confirm and expand on what may be a promising new treatment. FOX 10's Ellen McNamara has more.
(This video is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.)
A neurologist in Arizona says the generic drug leucovorin help children with autism absorb folic acid, allowing their brains to develop in a more neuro-typical way. The FDA has not approved the drug for this purpose though.
By Dr. Céline Gounder
Updated on: September 24, 2025 / 7:50 PM EDT / CBS News
Interview with Dr. Richard Frye, a pediatric neurologist and internationally recognized autism researcher, about Folinic Acid, Leucovorin and Autism. Dr. Frye focuses on the biological aspects of autism, including folate pathways, the immune system, metabolism, and mitochondrial function.
Posted by: Potomac Psychiatry
Posted on: April 13, 2023
Frye, RE. The Autism File: Biomedical Update. 2015. pp. 28-34.
Frye, RE, Casanova M, Brown GL, Martin V, Edelson S, Coben R, Lewine J, Rossignol D, MacFabe D, Slattery J, Adams JB. Autism Science Digest: The Journal of Autismone. Issue 5. pp. 4-10.
Frye, RE, Slattery J, Adams JB. The Autism File: Biomedical Update. pp. 24-29.
Frye, RE, Rossignol D. Autism Science Digest: The Journal of Autismone. Issue 2. pp. 9-15.
Frye, RE. Autism File: Autism & Treatments. 2017. pp. 25-29.
Posted by: TACA Now Blog
Posted on: March 29, 2023
Rossignol, DA, Frye, RE. Autism Science Digest: The Journal of Autismone. 2011. pp. 21-27.
Frye, RE, Rose S. Autism File. June-July 2017. pp. 18-21.
The Autism Discovery and Treatment Foundation (ADTF) is a 501c3 organization dedicated to solving complex medical problems. The overall aim of ADTF is to improve the lives of individuals and families living with chronic diseases which have been difficult to treat and/or cure. Our focus is on autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.