title: Plasma amino acid levels in children with autism and their families.
abstract: Plasma amino acid levels were measured in autistic and Asperger syndrome patients, their siblings, and parents. The results were compared with values from age-matched controls. Patients with autism or Asperger syndrome and their siblings and parents all had raised glutamic acid, phenylalanine, asparagine, tyrosine, alanine, and lysine (p < .05) than controls, with reduced plasma glutamine. Other amino acids were at normal levels. These results show that children with autistic spectrum disorders come from a family background of dysregulated amino acid metabolism and provide further evidence for an underlying biochemical basis for the condition.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Institute, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aldred
authors.forename: Kieran M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Rosemary H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Waring
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000409:Alanine / Q000097:blood; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D001216:Asparagine / Q000097:blood; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D020739:Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005973:Glutamine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008239:Lysine / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000097:blood; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D005973:Glutamine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D014443:Tyrosine; D010649:Phenylalanine; D001216:Asparagine; D008239:Lysine; D000409:Alanine