Autism Studies and Related Medical Conditions, January 2009 - TACA

(significantly lower ratio of SAM to SAH) and increased oxidative stress
(significantly lower redox ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione) in
children with autism. The intervention trial was effective in normalizing the
metabolic imbalance in the autistic children. CONCLUSIONS: An increased
vulnerability to oxidative stress and a decreased capacity for methylation may
contribute to the development and clinical manifestation of autism.
PMID: 15585776 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Johnson S. Micronutrient accumulation and depletion in schizophrenia, epilepsy, autism
and Parkinson's disease? Med Hypotheses. 2001 May;56(5):641-5.
Zinc has several crucial functions in brain development and maintenance: it binds
to p53, preventing it from binding to supercoiled DNA and ensuring that p53
cause the expression of several paramount genes, such as the one that encodes
for the type I receptors to pituitary adenine cylase-activator peptide (PACAP),
which directs embryonic development of the brain cortex, adrenal glands, etc.; it
is required for the production of CuZnSOD and Zn-thionein, which are essential
to prevent oxidative damage; it is required for many proteins, some of them with
Zn fingers, many of them essential enzymes for growth and homeostasis. For
example, the synthesis of serotonin involves Zn enzymes and since serotonin is
necessary for melatonin synthesis, a Zn deficiency may result in low levels of
both hormones. Unfortunately, Zn levels tend to be low when there is excess Cu
and Cd. Moreover, high estrogen levels tend to cause increased absorption of Cu
and Cd, and smoking and eating food contaminated with Cd result in high levels
of the latter. Furthermore, ethanol ingestion increases the elimination of Zn and
Mg (which acts as a cofactor for CuZnSOD).Increased Cu levels may also be
found in people with Wilson's disease, which is a rather rare disease. However,
the heterozygote form (only one faulty copy of the chromosome) is not so rare.
Therefore, the developing fetus of a pregnant women who is low in Zn and high
in Cu may experience major difficulties in the early development of the brain,
which may later manifest themselves as schizophrenia, autism or epilepsy.
Similarly, a person who gradually accumulates Cu, will tend to experience a
gradual depletion of Zn, with a corresponding increase in oxidative damage,
eventually leading to Parkinson's disease. Also discussed are the crucial roles of
histidine, histamine, vitamin D, essential fatty acids, vitamin E, peroxynitrate,
etc. in the possible oxidative damage involved in these mental diseases.
Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.
PMID: 11388783 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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