title: Glial fibrillary acidic protein in the cerebrospinal fluid of children with autism and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
abstract: The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 47 children and adolescents with autism was analyzed for the contents of two astroglial proteins, the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA) and S 100. The results were contrasted with those obtained in similarly aged cases with other neuropsychiatric disorders (n = 25) and in normal children (n = 10). S-100 did not discriminate the groups from each other. However, GFA in autism and autistic-like conditions was at a level almost three times that in the normal group. The results could implicate gliosis and unspecific brain damage in autism. An alternative model would be increased synapse turnover regardless of underlying cause.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ahlsén
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosengren
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belfrage
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palm
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haglid
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamberger
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gillberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012016:Reference Values; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009418:S100 Proteins; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase