Immune dysfunction in autism: a pathway to treatment.

August 8, 2010

Neurotherapeutics. 2010 Jul;7(3):283-92.

Careaga M, Van de Water J, Ashwood P.

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at

, Sacramento, California 95817, USA.

Abstract

Autism is a complex and clinically heterogeneous disorder with a spectrum of

symptoms. Clinicians, schools, and service agencies worldwide have reported a

dramatic increase in the number of children identified with autism. Despite

expanding research, the etiology and underlying biological processes of autism

remain poorly understood, and the relative contribution from genetic,

epigenetic, and environmental factors remains unclear. Although autism affects

primarily brain function (especially affect, social functioning, and cognition),

it is unknown to what extent other organs and systems are disrupted. Published

findings have identified widespread changes in the immune systems of children

with autism, at both systemic and cellular levels. Brain specimens from autism

subjects exhibit signs of active, ongoing inflammation, as well as alterations

in gene pathways associated with immune signaling and immune function. Moreover,

many genetic studies have indicated a link between autism and genes that are

relevant to both the nervous system and the immune system. Alterations in these

pathways can affect function in both systems. Together, these reports suggest

that autism may in fact be a systemic disorder with connections to abnormal

immune responses. Such immune system dysfunction may represent novel targets for

treatment. A better understanding of the involvement of the immune response in

autism, and of how early brain development is altered, may have important

PMID: 20643381 [PubMed - in process]

Recommended Posts