Role of NAD(+), Oxidative Stress, and Tryptophan Metabolism in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neuro-developmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, reduced/absent verbal and non-verbal communication, and repetitive behavior during early childhood. The etiology of this developmental disorder is poorly understood, and no biomarkers have been identified. Identification of novel biochemical markers related to autism would be advantageous for earlier clinical diagnosis and intervention. Studies suggest that oxidative stress-induced mechanisms and reduced antioxidant defense, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired energy metabolism (NAD(+), NADH, ATP, pyruvate, and lactate), are major causes of ASD. This review provides renewed insight regarding current autism research related to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and altered tryptophan metabolism in ASD.
Dept of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. ; School of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia.
Musthafa Mohamed
MM
Essa
Selvaraju
S
Subash
Nady
N
Braidy
Samir
S
Al-Adawi
Chai K
CK
Lim
Tamilarasan
T
Manivasagam
Gilles J
GJ
Guillemin
Autism; NAD; antioxidants; mitochondrial dysfunction; oxidative stress; tryptophan