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. 2023 Sep 7;11(18):2487.
doi: 10.3390/healthcare11182487.

Serum Amino Acid Profiling in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Insights from a Single-Center Study in Southern Romania

Cătălina Mihaela Anastasescu  1 , Veronica Gheorman  2 , Florica Popescu  3 , Eugen-Cristi Stoicănescu  4 , Victor Gheorman  5 , Anca-Lelia Riza  6 , Oana Badea  7 , Ioana Streață  6 , Felicia Militaru  5 , Ion Udriștoiu  5
Affiliations

Serum Amino Acid Profiling in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Insights from a Single-Center Study in Southern Romania

Cătălina Mihaela Anastasescu et al. Healthcare (Basel). .

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the serum amino acid profile in children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in southern Romania. The analysis aimed to provide insights into the underlying metabolic dysregulations associated with ASD. ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, communication deficits, and restricted repetitive behaviors. Although the exact cause of ASD is largely unknown, recent evidence suggests that abnormalities in amino acid metabolism may contribute to its pathogenesis. Therefore, studying the amino acid profile in children with ASD could offer valuable information for understanding the metabolic disturbances associated with this complex disorder. This single-center study examined serum samples from children diagnosed with ASD, utilizing advanced analytical techniques to quantify the levels of different amino acids, amino acid derivatives, and amino acid-like substances. The results showed a lower level of taurine and a higher level of asparagine and leucine in the ASD group versus the control group. In the ASD group, we observed significant differences in tryptophan and alpha-aminobutyric acid levels based on age, with higher tryptophan levels in children older than 7 years when compared to children younger than 7 years; however, no significant correlations were found with the ASD group older than 7 years old. Additionally, younger children with ASD exhibited higher levels of alpha-aminobutyric acid than older children with ASD. The findings from this study contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the metabolic aspects of ASD, highlighting potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for improving the management and treatment of ASD in children.

Keywords: amino acids; autism spectrum disorder; biomarkers; serum.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Consort Flow Diagram Illustrating the Enrollment of Children (Boys and Girls) in the Study Group and the Control Group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Boxplot graphs for taurine, asparagine and leucine levels in the study group (autism) versus the control group. The cases with extreme values outside the 95% CI (outliers) are represented by a circle and asterisk.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Boxplot graphs for asparagine, taurine, leucine, tryptophan and alpha-aminobutyric acid levels according to age: <7 years old and >7 years old for the control group and study (autism) group. The cases with extreme values outside the 95% CI (outliers) are represented by a circle and asterisk.
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This research received no external funding.

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