title: Altered cytokine and BDNF levels in autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: The contribution of neuroimmune functioning and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to functional dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder was assessed in 29 patients under treatment in two specialized centers of Basilicata (Chiaromonte and Matera), Southern Italy, through analysis of serum levels of cytokines and BDNF. Elevated levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, including interleukin-1, interleukin-6, interleukin-12, interleukin-23, tumor necrosis factor-α and BDNF were observed, regardless of age and gender. Comparisons were made with age- and gender-related healthy controls. The present findings reinforce current notions regarding immunoexcitotoxic mechanisms contributing to the pathophysiology of autistic disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology, Legal Medicine and Orthopaedics, Sapienza University, Viale Regina Elena, 336, 00161, Rome, Italy, serafino.ricci@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Businaro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ippoliti
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Lo Vasco
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Massoni
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Onofri
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Troili
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pontecorvi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapp Ricciardi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Archer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12