title: Food for thought: dietary changes in essential fatty acid ratios and the increase in autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: The last decades have shown a spectacular and partially unexplained rise in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This rise in ASD seems to parallel changes in the dietary composition of fatty acids. This change is marked by the replacement of cholesterol by omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids in many of our food products, resulting in a drastically increased ratio of omega-6/omega-3 (n-6/n-3). In this context, we review the available knowledge on the putative role of fatty acids in neurodevelopment and describe how disturbances in n-6/n-3 ratios may contribute to the emergence of ASDs. Both clinical and experimental research is discussed. We argue that a change in the ratio of n-6/n-3, especially during early life, may induce developmental changes in brain connectivity, synaptogenesis, cognition and behavior that are directly related to ASD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Elst
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hilgo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bruining
authors.affiliation: Vifor Pharma, Glattbrugg, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Birtoli
authors.affiliation: Vifor Pharma, Glattbrugg, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Terreaux
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Buitelaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.j.h.kas@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Martien J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential
keywords: AA; Autism spectrum disorders; Brain deficiency; DHA; Development; Diet; Docosahexaenoic acid; Humans; Mice; Omega-3; Omega-6; PUFA; Polyunsaturated fatty acids