Role of antioxidant polyunsaturated fatty acids in autism

12/19/2013

Role of antioxidant polyunsaturated fatty acids in autism

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Polyunsaturated fatty acids like arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are believed to play a critical role in growth and development of brain including the signal messaging system in the brain. Docosahexaenoic Acid supplementation is frequently used to treat kids with autism.

Dr. Voigt and colleagues recently conducted a randomized placebo controlled trial in 48 kids. Half of them received 200 mg DHA every day while the rest received placebo.

Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) scales was used.

At the end of 6 months, although the DHA group showed a 431% increase in DHA levels, the investigators found that DHA did not have beneficial impact on core behavior of autistic kids as compared to those on placebo.

However, Voigt and colleagues conceded that the negative results may have been as a result of inadequate size of subjects studied and that just might be the case. The results were published in the Journal of Pediatrics Gastroenterology & Nutrition (Dec 2013).

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Let us look at another recent study published in Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (April 2012).

Yui and co-investigators examined the effect of large doses of arachidonic acid (ARA) added to DHA in in 13 autistic subjects over 16 weeks. Autism behavior was studied using Social Responsiveness Scale and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community. They also examined the antioxidant levels to determine the mechanism of action.

Results of the Yui study demonstrated that addition of high doses of ARA to DHA results in improvement in communication and social withdrawal. These effects were accompanied by an improved levels of antioxidant markers like transferrin levels.

Dr. Minocha’s comments: Both studies are limited by the sample size. In addition, each antioxidant has specific actions at specific pathways of oxidative stress. In addition the requirements of antioxidants in subjects with neurobehavioral dysfunction like autism and hence a combination of polyunsaturated fatty acids plus other elements like zinc etc may be needed to accomplish the right effect.

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