Novel biomarkers of metabolic dysfunction is autism spectrum disorder: potential for biological diagnostic markers

According to this 2017 article, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. This present study compared ASD patients with healthy control subjects on their blood concentrations of several biomarkers (indicating mitochondrial metabolism and the related abnormalities of oxidative stress and cell death). These findings support the results of previous studies reporting abnormal mitochondrial and related biomarkers in children with ASD (levels of pyruvate, creatine kinase, Complex 1, Glutathione S-Transferase, glutathione, and Caspase 7). A novel discovery in this present study was the irregular lactate dehydrogenase concentration in children with ASD. Moreover, children with the most severe cases of autism showed deviations in Complex 1 activity and Glutathione S-Transferase. Furthermore, Caspase 7 may be the best candidate as a diagnostic marker for the early recognition of ASD pathophysiology. This biomarker differentiated the ASD patients from healthy controls. In conclusion, several irregularities in mitochondrial biomarkers were highlighted in children with autism, and these indicators can help distinguish between ASD and typically developing children. [NPID: autism, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, mitochondria, autism biomarkers, autism indicators, oxidative stress]

Year: 2017

Reference: Khemakhem, A. M., Frye, R. E., El-Ansary, A., Al-Ayadhi, L., & Bacha, A. B. (2017). Novel biomarkers of metabolic dysfunction is autism spectrum disorder: potential for biological diagnostic markers. Metabolic brain disease, 32(6), 1983–1997. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-017-0085-2

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