Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is considered a multifaceted neurodevelopmental disorder. The last two decades showed an increase in its prevalence until reached about 1 in 54 children. Autistic symptoms may be exacerbated when the interaction of the genetic and the environmental risk factors occur, suggesting that gene-environment interaction could be a mechanism underlying the aetiology of ASD. Aluminium is a known neurotoxic metal that has known health effects in humans. Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) genes and their enzymes play a major role in the detoxification of many toxic metals. Data were collected from 76 children aged 2-8 years diagnosed with ASD and 30 sex and age matched healthy children. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of polymorphisms in the two GST genes (GSTM1 and GSTT1) with mean aluminium concentrations (as, gene-environment interaction) and oxidative status markers (GST enzyme, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide) among the studied groups. The study started at December 2019 and last for one year at the clinics of National Research Centre, Egypt. The results of this study showed that the null GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotype is the most common type in ASD and that genotype may predispose ASD children to decreased antioxidant status (GST enzyme activity) which in term lead to mal detoxification of aluminium. There is marked increase in aluminium concentrations in hair of ASD children and oxidative markers (increase in MDA and NO) leading to oxidative damage that may play an important role in children autistic status. The study recommends adding antioxidant supplements to daily diet of ASD children to improve their antioxidant status and in term improving management of patients with autism spectrum disorders. Further studies are needed to describe other GST gene polymorphisms.
Background Little is known about the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among the population with disability in Egypt. Furthermore, the increasing prevalence of ASD and the variability of the ASD manifestations and severity highlight the importance of investigating the ASD comorbidities. Aim of work This analysis was to compare the prevalence of autism with that of other disabilities among children visiting the clinic for special needs and to explore possible comorbid disorders in this sample of Egyptian ASD participants. Methods The study included individuals who visited the clinic for special needs in Giza, affiliated to the National Research Centre, for nearly 4 years (2019 to 2022). They were subjected to full clinical evaluation. Autistic children were further subjected to scales for confirming diagnosis and severity evaluation. Results The results revealed that a total of 3555 individuals were referred to the clinic. The percentage of children who were diagnosed as having ASD was 22.5% (N = 803; age: 4.5 ± 2.4 years). The most common associated comorbidities with ASD were language and intellectual deficits (80.25%, 58.7%). Hearing impairment was the least common (0.75%). The scores of the childhood autism rating scale were higher in the groups with the comorbid disorders (p = 0.03 or < 0.0001). Conclusion The prevalence of ASD among children with disability varied from other countries. Comorbid disorders have led to increasing the severity of ASD. We emphasize that accurate and early diagnosis of autism is the key for proper management of cases.
Aim To investigate the effectiveness of a 90-day regular consumption of Dates fruit on alleviating autism severity symptoms in 131 Egyptian children aged 3–12 years with confirmed Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The influence of the baseline and improvement of children’s clinical and laboratory characteristics on this effectiveness was explored. Methodology This study involved a randomized, controlled, double-blind 3-month of dates fruit intake. Cases were randomized into one of the three groups; Group I on 3 pieces of dates’ fruit/day (47 children), Group II on 5 pieces of dates’ fruits/day (42 children), and group III; on non-dates group (42 children). The probiotic levels of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium in stool, blood levels of three oxidative markers; Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPX1), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), adaptive behaviors, nutrition, dietary assessment, and anthropometric measurements were assessed before and after the intervention. Results A significant reduction in the mean severity score of CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Ed (DSM-5) was detected for those on dates’ regimens compared to those with non-dates (p < 0.01). The improvement for participants was dose dependent (5 dates’ fruits/day). The improvement was mainly in the social communication and interaction domains. Responders to Dates’ fruit intake as based on DSM-5 diagnosis was detected among 62.9% of the intervention groups. Responders are those who showed significant improvement in the colony counts of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli levels, BMI z score, and in the ratio levels of both MDA/SOD and MDA/GPX as a result of dates fruit consumption. Non-responders within the intervention groups are those who were at risk of malnutrition (RR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1–3.4), obese (RR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.0-3.5), and those who had a deficiency of the baseline of lactobacillus Spp (RR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1–4.4). Conclusion Dates’ fruit (a non-pharmacological and risk-free option) due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effect is recommended for autistic children as adjuvant therapy daily to achieve consistent improvement. This study was registered at the US National Institutes of Health (ClinicalTrials.gov) # NCT04261595, with Protocol ID: 12060158, the first registration date was 10/02/2020.
The presence of comorbid Irlen syndrome (IS) in children with developmental dyslexia (DD) may have an impact on their reading and cognitive abilities. Furthermore, the brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was reported to be expressed in brain areas involved in cognitive and visual processing. The aim of this study was to evaluate some cognitive abilities of a group of dyslexic children with IS and to measure and compare the plasma BDNF level to dyslexic children without IS and neurotypical (NT) children. The participants were 60 children with DD (30 in the DD + IS group; 30 in the DD group) and 30 NT children. The Irlen reading perceptual scale, the Stanford Binet intelligence scale, 4th ed, the dyslexia assessment test, and the Illinois test of psycholinguistic abilities were used. The BDNF level was measured using the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. One‐minute writing and visual closure deficits were more prevalent, while phonemic segmentation deficits were less prevalent in the DD + IS group compared to the DD group. The BDNF level in the DD groups was lower than that in NT children (p < 0.001). Some reading and non‐reading tasks were influenced by the presence of a coexisting IS. The reduced BDNF level could play a role in the deficits noticed in the abilities of children with DD.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an essential role in neuronal survival, especially in areas responsible for memory and learning. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism has been described as a cognitive modifier in people with neuropsychiatric disorders. BDNF levels have been found to be low in children with learning disorder (LD). However, Val66Met polymorphism has not been studied before in such children. The aim was to investigate the presence of BDNF val66Met polymorphism in a group of children with specific LD and to verify its impact on their cognitive abilities. The participants in this cross-sectional study (N = 111) were divided into two groups: one for children with LD and the other for neurotypical (NT) ones. Children with LD (N = 72) were diagnosed according to the DSM-5 criteria. Their abilities were evaluated using Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scale, dyslexia assessment test, Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, and phonological awareness test. Genotyping of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism was performed for all participants. The frequency of the Met allele was 26% among children with LD (6 children had homozygous, 26 had heterozygous genotype). The percentage of participants with deficits in reading, writing, and phonemic segmentation was higher in Met allele carriers when compared to non-Met allele carriers in LD group. The frequency of Met allele among NT children was 3.85% (0 homozygous, 3 children had heterozygous genotype) (p = 0.00001). The high frequency of Val66Met polymorphism among children with LD introduces the BDNF gene as a genetic modifier of learning performance in some children who manifest specific learning disorder (developmental dyslexia).
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