Autism Studies and Related Medical Conditions, January 2009 - TACA

Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS); healthy children (HC), and children with nonneurological
illnesses (NNI). RESULTS: Mean BDNF levels were elevated in
children with autism and CDD, (p < or = 0.0002) compared to HC or NNI. Mean
IgG and IgM BDNF AAs were elevated in children with autism, CDD and epilepsy
(p < or = 0.0005) compared to HC but not to NNI. Mean IgM AA EC titers
detected by immunocytochemistry were higher in autism, PDD-NOS, epilepsy,
and LKS (p < or = 0.005) compared to HC and NNI. While mean ELISA IgG EC
AAs were higher in autism and PPD-NOS (p < 0.005) compared to HC but not
NNI, ELISA IgM EC AAs were higher in children with autism, CDD, PDD-NOS, and
epilepsy compared to both HC and NNI (p < 0.0005). Mean anti-MBP IgG and
IgM titers were higher in all study groups (p < 0.005) except for LKS compared
to both HC and NNI. CONCLUSION: Children with developmental disorders and
epilepsy have higher AAs to several neural antigens compared to controls. The
presence of both BDNF AAs and elevated BDNF levels in some children with
autism and CDD suggests a previously unrecognized interaction between the
immune system and BDNF.
Connolly, A. M., M. G. Chez, et al. (1999). "Serum autoantibodies to brain in Landau-
Kleffner variant, autism, and other neurologic disorders." J Pediatr 134(5): 607-13.
OBJECTIVE: Etiologically unexplained disorders of language and social
development have often been reported to improve in patients treated with
immune-modulating regimens. Here we determined the frequency of
autoantibodies to brain among such children. DESIGN: We collected sera from a
cohort of children with (1) pure Landau-Kleffner syndrome (n = 2), (2) Landau-
Kleffner syndrome variant (LKSV, n = 11), and (3) autistic spectrum disorder
(ASD, n = 11). None had received immune-modulating treatment before the
serum sample was obtained. Control sera (n = 71) were from 29 healthy
children, 22 with non-neurologic illnesses (NNIs), and 20 children with other
neurologic disorders (ONDs). We identified brain autoantibodies by
immunostaining of human temporal cortex and antinuclear autoantibodies using
commercially available kits. RESULTS: IgG anti-brain autoantibodies were
present in 45% of sera from children with LKSV, 27% with ASD, and 10% with
ONDs compared with 2% from healthy children and control children with NNIs.
IgM autoantibodies were present in 36% of sera from children with ASD, 9%
with LKSV, and 15% with ONDs compared with 0% of control sera. Labeling
studies identified one antigenic target to be endothelial cells. Antinuclear
antibodies with titers >/=1:80 were more common in children with ASD and
control children with ONDs. CONCLUSION: Children with LKSV and ASD have a
greater frequency of serum antibodies to brain endothelial cells and to nuclei
than children with NNIs or healthy children. The presence of these antibodies
raises the possibility that autoimmunity plays a role in the pathogenesis of
language and social developmental abnormalities in a subset of children with
these disorders.
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