Autism Therapy: isoprostane

definition of isoprostane: Biomarker for the damage of cell membranes by free radicals. Isoprostane is a chemical that is made when cell membranes are damaged.

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Altered Vascular Phenotype in Autism: Correlation with Oxidative Stress
Arch Neurol., by Yao, Y., Walsh WJ, McGinnis WR, and Pratico D., published in 2006, summarized Oct 21, 2006

This article suggests that autism may be associated with oxidative stress as well as changes in blood circulation.

It is already known that children with autism are likely to have more oxidative stress, or difficulty in managing free radicals, than children who do not have autism. It is also known that children with autism have unusual blood circulation. The authors of this study set out to determine if these facts could be biologically linked to one another. To do so, they tested the urine of 26 children with autism and 12 controls (ages not given) for biomarkers of oxidative stress (isoprostane) as well as two biomarkers for abnormal blood cells and blood flow. They found that the children with autism had significantly higher levels of all three biomarkers than the controls. They also found a significant correlation between the level of isoprostane and the levels of the two biomarkers for abnormal blood cells and blood flow, suggesting that there is a link between oxidative stress and changes in blood circulation in children with autism.


Increased Excretion of a Lipid Peroxidation Biomarker in Autism
Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, by Ming, X., Stein TP, Brimacombe M., Johnson WG, Lambert GH, and Wagner GC, published in 2005, summarized Oct 21, 2006

This article suggests that autism may be associated with oxidative stress that results from difficulties in managing free radicals in the body.

The authors tested 33 children with autism (ages not given) and 29 controls for biomarkers for oxidative stress. They report that children with autism had a biomarker for oxidative stress (isoprostane) that was significantly higher than in controls. This biomarker shows that cell membranes in the body and/or brain are likely to have been damaged by free radicals. The authors conclude that children with autism may be genetically more likely to develop oxidative stress, supporting the use of anti-oxidants such as vitamin C in autism.


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