scholarly journals Low Maternal Education, Gastrointestinal Problems and High Blood Lead Level: Risk Factors Related to the Severity of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Northeast China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanyu Dong ◽  
Junyan Feng ◽  
Honghua Li ◽  
Xiaojing Yue ◽  
Fei-Yong Jia
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Serum Concentration ◽  
Northeast China ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Nutritional Factors ◽  
Gastrointestinal Problems

Abstract Background: The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased rapidly in recent years. Environmental factors may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ASD. These factors may include socioeconomic factors, nutritional factors, heavy metal exposure, air pollution, etc. Our aim is to analyze possible environmental risk factors associated with the severity of ASD.Methods: All participating children were divided into two groups (mild and severe) according to the severity of their symptoms, as determined by their Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores. The socioeconomic and demographic factors that may affect the severity of ASD and the nutritional factors that were correlated with ASD symptoms were included in the logistic regression to analyze whether they were risk factors that affected the severity of ASD.Results: Logistic regression showed that maternal education (P=0.038, OR=1.694, 95% CI: 1.029-2.789), gastrointestinal problems (P=0.045, OR=1.770, 95% CI: 1.012-3.097) and a high serum concentration of lead (P=0.001, OR=1.038, 95% CI: 1.016-1.060) were statistically significantly associated with ASD severity.Conclusion: Many environmental factors affect the severity of ASD. We concluded that maternal education, gastrointestinal problems and serum concentration of lead were risk factors that affected the severity of ASD in northeast China.

scholarly journals Non-parental caregivers, low maternal education, gastrointestinal problems and high blood lead level: predictors related to the severity of autism spectrum disorder in Northeast China

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Han-Yu Dong ◽  
Jun-Yan Feng ◽  
Hong-Hua Li ◽  
Xiao-Jing Yue ◽  
Fei-Yong Jia
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Northeast China ◽  
Blood Lead Level ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Lead Level ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Nutritional Factors ◽  
Gastrointestinal Problems

Abstract Background The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased rapidly in recent years. Environmental factors may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ASD. These factors may include socioeconomic factors, nutritional factors, heavy metal exposure, air pollution, etc. Our aim is to analyze possible environmental factors associated with the severity of ASD. Methods All participating children were divided into two groups (mild and moderate/severe) according to the severity of their symptoms, as determined by their Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores. The socioeconomic, demographic factors and the nutritional factors that may affect the severity of ASD were included in the logistic regression to analyze whether they were predictors that affected the severity of ASD. Results Logistic regression showed that caregivers(P = 0.042), maternal education (P = 0.030), gastrointestinal problems (P = 0.041) and a high serum concentration of lead (P = 0.003) were statistically significantly associated with ASD severity. Conclusion Many environmental factors affect the severity of ASD. We concluded that non-parental caregivers, low maternal education, gastrointestinal problems and high blood lead level maybe predictors that affected the severity of ASD in northeast China.

scholarly journals Role of environmental and genetic factors in autism spectrum disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zakia Sultana ◽  
Sarder Nasir Uddin ◽  
Asif Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Premature Birth ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Multiple Factors ◽  
Control Association

<p>The aim of this study was to find out the environmental as well as genetic factors responsible for increasing the number of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients in Bangladesh. A questionnaire was developed based on 12 environmental factors and genetic aspects. Sixty six patients of ASD and 66 non-ASD control were selected randomly. Among the environmental factors, the age of the mother, premature birth, air pollution, age of the father, hypoxia during childbirth and oral contraceptive came out as significant (p&lt;0.05) factors for ASD incidence compared to the control. Association of multiple factors on an individual was found to be crucial to enhance the risk and exposure to five and six factors was statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) for ASD development. Prospective parents should try to keep the number of risk factors as low as possible before 1-2 months of pregnancy, during pregnancy and 1-2 years after the child birth (for child only).</p>

scholarly journals Mitochondria May Mediate Prenatal Environmental Influences in Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Richard E. Frye ◽  
Janet Cakir ◽  
Shannon Rose ◽  
Raymond F. Palmer ◽  
Christine Austin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Targeted Therapeutics ◽  
Nutritional Factors ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Long Term Changes

We propose that the mitochondrion, an essential cellular organelle, mediates the long-term prenatal environmental effects of disease in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many prenatal environmental factors which increase the risk of developing ASD influence mitochondria physiology, including toxicant exposures, immune activation, and nutritional factors. Unique types of mitochondrial dysfunction have been associated with ASD and recent studies have linked prenatal environmental exposures to long-term changes in mitochondrial physiology in children with ASD. A better understanding of the role of the mitochondria in the etiology of ASD can lead to targeted therapeutics and strategies to potentially prevent the development of ASD.

scholarly journals Environmental factors associated with autism spectrum disorder: a scoping review for the years 2003–2013

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Ng ◽  
Joanne de Montigny ◽  
Marianna Ofner ◽  
Minh Do
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Physiological Factors ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Chemical Factors

Introduction The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been rapidly rising in the past decade. The etiology of this disorder, however, is largely unknown, although the environmental relative to the genetic contribution is substantial. We conducted a scoping review to comprehensively assess the current state of knowledge of the environmental factors present from preconception to early life associated with ASD, and to identify research gaps. Methods We searched electronic databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO and ERIC for articles on potential risk factors or protective factors from the physical and social environments associated with ASD and its subclassifications published between 1 January, 2003, and 12 July, 2013. We categorized articles into broad themes: chemical, physiological, nutritional and social factors, based on environmental exposure. Results We identified over 50 000 publications, but after ineligible studies were screened out, 315 articles remained. Most of these studies examined physiological factors, followed closely by chemical factors, and to a much lesser extent, nutritional and social factors, associated with ASD. Despite a vast literature and many heterogeneous studies, several risk factors emerged consistently: chemical factors such as traffic-related air pollutants; physiological factors including advanced parental age, preterm birth, low birth weight, hyperbilirubinemia and clustering of pregnancy complications; and maternal immigrant status. Despite extensive research on vaccines, findings overwhelmingly demonstrate no support for an association with ASD. Conclusion The lack of consistency, temporality and specificity of associations between environmental factors and ASD remains the largest barrier to establishing causal relationships. More robust research is required to resolve inconsistencies in the literature. Future research should explore underlying mechanisms of associations between the risk factors that we identified and ASD.

Possibility that the Onset of Autism Spectrum Disorder is Induced by Failure of the Glutamine-Glutamate Cycle

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-174
Author(s):  
Koichi Kawada ◽  
Nobuyuki Kuramoto ◽  
Seisuke Mimori
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disease ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Brain

: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease, and the number of patients has increased rapidly in recent years. The causes of ASD involve both genetic and environmental factors, but the details of causation have not yet been fully elucidated. Many reports have investigated genetic factors related to synapse formation, and alcohol and tobacco have been reported as environmental factors. This review focuses on endoplasmic reticulum stress and amino acid cycle abnormalities (particularly glutamine and glutamate) induced by many environmental factors. In the ASD model, since endoplasmic reticulum stress is high in the brain from before birth, it is clear that endoplasmic reticulum stress is involved in the development of ASD. On the other hand, one report states that excessive excitation of neurons is caused by the onset of ASD. The glutamine-glutamate cycle is performed between neurons and glial cells and controls the concentration of glutamate and GABA in the brain. These neurotransmitters are also known to control synapse formation and are important in constructing neural circuits. Theanine is a derivative of glutamine and a natural component of green tea. Theanine inhibits glutamine uptake in the glutamine-glutamate cycle via slc38a1 without affecting glutamate; therefore, we believe that theanine may prevent the onset of ASD by changing the balance of glutamine and glutamate in the brain.

scholarly journals Gut Microbiome-Based Analysis of Lipid A Biosynthesis in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An In Silico Evaluation

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 688
Author(s):  
Abdulkadir Yusif Maigoro ◽  
Soojin Lee
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Lipid A ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Synthesis Rate ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Gastrointestinal Problems

The link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the gut microbiome has received much attention, with special focus on gut–brain-axis immunological imbalances. Gastrointestinal problems are one of the major symptoms of ASD and are thought to be related to immune dysregulation. Therefore, in silico analysis was performed on mined data from 36 individuals with ASD and 21 control subjects, with an emphasis on lipid A endotoxin-producing bacteria and their lipopolysaccharide (LPS) metabolic pathways. Analysis of enzyme distribution among the 15 most abundant genera in both groups revealed that almost all these genera utilized five early-stage enzymes responsible for catalyzing the nine conserved lipid A synthesis steps. However, Haemophilus and Escherichia, which were significantly more abundant in individuals with ASD than in the control subjects, possess a complete set of essential lipid A synthesis enzymes. Furthermore, the 10 genera with the greatest increase in individuals with ASD showed high potential for producing late-stage lipid A products. Collectively, these results suggested that the synthesis rate of immunogenic LPS end products is likely to increase in individuals with ASD, which may be related to their gastrointestinal symptoms and elevated inflammatory conditions.

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