Antineuronal antibodies in autistic children: relation to blood mercury

Abstract

Background: It was recently suggested that autism, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, may involve an autoimmune pathogenesis. Mercury (Hg) is a potential risk factor for autoimmunity in autistic children. Objective: We sought to investigate the expression of antineuronal antibodies, as an index of autoimmunity to brain, in autistic children. The potential relationship between blood mercury and these antibodies was also investigated. Methods: Forty autistic children (20 with mild to moderate and 20 with severe disease) were studied in comparison to 40 healthy children. After complete clinical and neuropsychiatric evaluation, serum antineuronal antibodies and blood Hg levels were estimated. Results: Autistic children had significantly higher seropositivity for antineuronal antibodies (67.5%) than healthy controls (5%). Similarly, the former group had significantly higher blood Hg levels than the latter (p < 0.0001). In addition, the two markers were positively associated with some parameters such as the family history of autoimmunity, autistic severity and some important clinical manifestations of autism (mental retardation, behavioral abnormalities and autistic regression) as well as EEG abnormalities. Conclusion: Autism may be, in part, one of the pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders. Such autoimmunity may be triggered by environmental Hg exposure. Further studies are warranted to enforce these concepts. If these assumptions could be proved, routine assessment of serum antineuronal antibodies and blood mercury in autistic children would be mandatory. Studies assessing the role of immunotherapy and Hg chelators as new therapeutic modalities for autism are also recommended.

Keywords: Antineuronal antibodies; autism; autoimmunity; children; heavy metals; EEG; mercury

Egypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2007; 5(1): 21-30