Research summaries for autism therapy: deficiency

definition of deficiency: Having less than normal levels of something.
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Metabolic Approaches to the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Summarized Oct 20, 2009

Diet and vitamin therapy may help people who have metabolic problems and autism symptoms.

Metabolism is the way your body breaks down foods to make energy. Some people with autism have metabolic problems or disorders. They may lack certain proteins or enzymes that are important parts of the metabolism machinery. This article discussed some examples of metabolic syndromes such as phenylketonuria, histidinemia, and adenylosuccinate lyase deficiency. Diet therapy can be very helpful for people with metabolic syndromes, and a specific diet may be tailored to the specific metabolic problem. Vitamin therapy, including pyroxidine (vitamin B6) therapy, may also be helpful for some metabolic disorders.

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Folate Receptor Autoimmunity and Cerebral Folate Deficiency in Low-Functioning Autism with Neurological Deficits, Summarized Jun 30, 2008

Treatment with the B vitamin folate may reverse the symptoms of autism in some children.

The purpose of this study was to see if some children with autism have trouble getting the B vitamin folate into the brain. The children also had other health issues such as marked unrest, slowing of head growth, and low muscle tone. The study had 25 patients with early-onset low functioning autism. All but two of these children had low levels of folate in the fluid of the spinal cord. Folate was not able to get into the brain because the children were making antibodies that stopped the cells from carrying the folate from the blood to the brain. Read more...

Screening of Male Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder for Creatine Transporter Deficiency, Summarized Jun 6, 2008

Children with autism may be tested for creatine deficiency syndromes to see if creatine is a good treatment option.

People who have trouble using the energy molecule creatine may also have brain problems and communication problems. This study was designed to see if some people with autism have a problem using creatine. The authors looked at the DNA (SLC6A8 gene) of 100 boys with autism. Of this group, one boy had a problem with his creatine gene. The problem did not seem to affect his ability to use creatine, however. Read more...

Autism and Metabolic Diseases, Summarized May 9, 2008

Energy supplements such as creatine, biotin, and ribose may help some children with autism.

This review article describes different energy problems that can cause the symptoms of autism. These are called inborn errors of metabolism and can include: phenylketonuria, creatine deficiency syndromes, and Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome. The authors believe that these inborn errors of metabolism may account for 5% of the cases of autism. In several of the case studies that were reviewed, a person with autism was found to have a metabolic problem. The authors suggest that people with autism be tested for metabolic problems so that treatments can be tailored to any problems that might exist. Read more...

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