title: Gangliosides in children with autism.
abstract: Concentrations of the four major brain gangliosides, GM1, GD1a, GD1b and GT1b, biochemical markers of neuronal membranes, were determined in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 20 children with autism and in 25 controls. In addition, the gangliosides were determined in children with different forms of non-progressive neurological disorders lacking clinical features of autism. GM1, GD1a, GD1b and GT1b were significantly increased in patients with autism compared with age-matched controls and children with non-progressive neurological disorders. The gangliosides have previously been shown to have a function in synaptic transmission and increased synaptic activity leads to added release of gangliosides. Our finding of increased CSF levels of gangliosides in autism suggests increased synaptic activity in this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lekman
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Skjeldal
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sponheim
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Svennerholm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000503:physiopathology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000503:physiopathology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D013570:Synaptic Membranes; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside