1. El-Ansary A, Al-Daihan S, Al-Dbass A, Al-Ayadhi L. {{Measurement of selected ions related to oxidative stress and energy metabolism in Saudi autistic children}}. {Clin Biochem};2009 (Sep 22)
Objectives: Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by social and emotional deficits, language impairments and stereotyped behaviors that manifest in early postnatal life. This study aims to clarify the role of selected ions related to energy metabolism as a consequence of oxidative stress in the deterioration accompanied autism. Material and methods: Malonaldehyde as measure of lipid peroxidation, Na(+)/ K(+)ion pump (ATPase), together with the concentrations of Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+)and Pb(2+)were determined in plasma of 30 Saudi autistic patients and compared to 30 age-matching control samples. Results: The obtained data recorded that Saudi autistic patients have a remarkable higher activities of Na(+)/ K(+)ATPase and high levels of lipid peroxidation compared to control. In addition, they have significantly elevated levels of K(+)and Pb(2+)while Ca(2+)recorded a significantly lower level compared to age-matching control subjects. On the other hand both Mg(2+)and Na(+)were non-significantly changed in autistic patients. Conclusion: Alteration of the selected measured ions confirms that oxidative stress and defective mitochondrial energy production could represents the primary causative factor in the pathogenesis of autism.
2. Grether JK, Anderson MC, Croen LA, Smith D, Windham GC. {{Risk of Autism and Increasing Maternal and Paternal Age in a Large North American Population}}. {Am J Epidemiol};2009 (Sep 25)
Previous studies are inconsistent regarding whether there are independent effects of maternal and paternal age on the risk of autism. Different biologic mechanisms are suggested by maternal and paternal age effects. The study population included all California singletons born in 1989-2002 (n = 7,550,026). Children with autism (n = 23,311) were identified through the California Department of Developmental Services and compared with the remainder of the study population, with parental ages and covariates obtained from birth certificates. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to evaluate the risk of autism associated with increasing maternal and paternal age. In adjusted models that included age of the other parent and demographic covariates, a 10-year increase in maternal age was associated with a 38% increase in the odds ratio for autism (odds ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval: 1.32, 1.44), and a 10-year increase in paternal age was associated with a 22% increase (odds ratio = 1.22, 95% confidence interval: 1.18, 1.26). Maternal and paternal age effects were seen in subgroups defined by race/ethnicity and other covariates and were of greater magnitude among first-born compared with later-born children. Further studies are needed to help clarify the biologic mechanisms involved in the independent association of autism risk with increasing maternal and paternal age.
3. Hardan AY, Pabalan M, Gupta N, Bansal R, Melhem NM, Fedorov S, Keshavan MS, Minshew NJ. {{Corpus callosum volume in children with autism}}. {Psychiatry Res};2009 (Sep 23)
The corpus callosum (CC) is the main commissure connecting the cerebral hemispheres. Previous evidence suggests the involvement of the CC in the pathophysiology of autism. However, most studies examined the mid-sagittal area and investigations applying novel methods are warranted. The goal of this investigation is to apply a volumetric method to examine the size of the CC in autism and to identify any association with clinical features. An MRI-based morphometric study of the total CC volume and its seven subdivisions was conducted and involved 22 children with autism (age range 8.1-12.7 years) and 23 healthy, age-matched controls. Reductions in the total volume of the CC and several of its subdivisions were found in the autism sample. Associations were observed between CC structures and clinical features including social deficits, repetitive behaviors, and sensory abnormalities. Volumetric alterations of the CC observed in this investigation are consistent with midsagittal area tracings of decreased CC size in autism. These findings support the aberrant connectivity hypothesis with possible decrease in interhemispheric communications.
4. Raymaekers R, Wiersema JR, Roeyers H. EEG {{Study of the Mirror Neuron System in Children with High Functioning Autism}}. {Brain Res};2009 (Sep 24)
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are characterised by an impaired imitation, thought to be critical for early affective, social and communicative development. One neurological system proposed to underlie this function is the mirror neuron system (MNS) and previous research has suggested a dysfunctional MNS in ASD. The EEG mu frequency, more precisely the reduction of the mu power, is considered to be an index for mirror neuron functioning. In this work, EEG registrations are used to evaluate the mirror neuron functioning of twenty children with high functioning autism (HFA) between 8 and 13 years. Their mu suppression to self-executed and observed movement is compared to typically developing peers and related to age, intelligence and symptom severity. Both groups show significant mu suppression to both self and observed hand movements. No group differences are found in either condition. These results do not support the hypothesis that HFA is associated with a dysfunctional MNS. The discrepancy with previous research is discussed in light of the heterogeneity of the ASD population.
5. Taurines R, Dudley E, Conner AC, Grassl J, Jans T, Guderian F, Mehler-Wex C, Warnke A, Gerlach M, Thome J. {{Serum protein profiling and proteomics in autistic spectrum disorder using magnetic bead-assisted mass spectrometry}}. {Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci};2009 (Sep 27)
The pathophysiology of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is not fully understood and there are no diagnostic or predictive biomarkers. Proteomic profiling has been used in the past for biomarker research in several non-psychiatric and psychiatric disorders and could provide new insights, potentially presenting a useful tool for generating such biomarkers in autism. Serum protein pre-fractionation with C8-magnetic beads and protein profiling by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF-MS) were used to identify possible differences in protein profiles in patients and controls. Serum was obtained from 16 patients (aged 8-18) and age-matched controls. Three peaks in the MALDI-ToF-MS significantly differentiated the ASD sample from the control group. Sub-grouping the ASD patients into children with and without comorbid Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD (ASD/ADHD+ patients, n = 9; ASD/ADHD- patients, n = 7), one peak distinguished the ASD/ADHD+ patients from controls and ASD/ADHD- patients. Our results suggest that altered protein levels in peripheral blood of patients with ASD might represent useful biomarkers for this devastating psychiatric disorder.
