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Low levels of insulin-like growth factor-I in cerebrospinal fluid in children with autism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2001

Raija Vanhala ,
Ursula Turpeinen  and
Raili Riikonen
Raija Vanhala
Affiliation:
Unit of Child Neurology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Children's Castle Hospital, Lastenlinnantie 2, Helsinki SF-00250, Finland.
Ursula Turpeinen
Affiliation:
Helsinki University Central Hospital Laboratory, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Raili Riikonen
Affiliation:
Department of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland.
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Abstract

Autism is a behaviourally defined syndrome characterized by disturbances of social interaction and communication and restrictions of behaviour patterns and imagination. The pathogenesis of autism is unknown but it is suspected that a number of genetic factors may be involved. Neurotrophic factors such as insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) play a role in early brain development. The aim of this study was to determine whether IGF-I levels might be associated with the development of autism. IGF-I levels were measured in the CSF of 11 children with autism (4 females, 7 males; mean age 3.8 years, SD 1.1) using a sensitive radioimmunoassay method and compared with levels in 11 control participants (6 females, 5 males; mean age 3.8 years). Levels of IGF-I in the CSF were statistically significantly lower in the children with autism than in the control children (p=0.03). IGF-I may play a role in pathogenetic mechanisms of autism and the role of neurotrophic factors in autism and other neurodevelopmental diseases should be studied further.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology , Volume 43 , Issue 9 , September 2001 , pp. 614 - 616
Copyright
© 2001 Mac Keith Press

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