OBJECTIVES: Intestinal permeability (IPT) was investigated in patients with autism as well as in their first-degree relatives to investigate leaky gut hypothesis. Faecal calprotectin (FC) was also measured in patients with autism, either with or without gastrointestinal symptoms, and in their first-degree relatives. PATIENTS AND METHODS: IPT results, assessed by means of the lactulose/mannitol test, were compared with adult and child controls and with FC values. RESULTS: A high percentage of abnormal IPT values were found among patients with autism (36.7%) and their relatives (21.2%) compared with normal subjects (4.8%). Patients with autism on a reported gluten-casein-free diet had significantly lower IPT values compared with those who were on an unrestricted diet and controls. Gastrointestinal symptoms were present in 46.7% of children with autism: constipation (45.5%), diarrhoea (34.1%), and others (alternating diarrhoea/constipation, abdominal pain, etc: 15.9%). FC was elevated in 24.4% of patients with autism and in 11.6% of their relatives; it was not, however, correlated with abnormal IPT values. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained support the leaky gut hypothesis and indicate that measuring IPT could help to identify a subgroup of patients with autism who could benefit from a gluten-free diet. The IPT alterations found in first-degree relatives suggest the presence of an intestinal (tight-junction linked) hereditary factor in the families of subjects with autism.
OBJECTIVES: Intestinal permeability (IPT) was investigated in patients with autism as well as in their first-degree relatives to investigate leaky gut hypothesis. Faecal calprotectin (FC) was also measured in patients with autism, either with or without gastrointestinal symptoms, and in their first-degree relatives. PATIENTS AND METHODS: IPT results, assessed by means of the lactulose/mannitol test, were compared with adult and child controls and with FC values. RESULTS: A high percentage of abnormal IPT values were found among patients with autism (36.7%) and their relatives (21.2%) compared with normal subjects (4.8%). Patients with autism on a reported gluten-casein-free diet had significantly lower IPT values compared with those who were on an unrestricted diet and controls. Gastrointestinal symptoms were present in 46.7% of children with autism: constipation (45.5%), diarrhoea (34.1%), and others (alternating diarrhoea/constipation, abdominal pain, etc: 15.9%). FC was elevated in 24.4% of patients with autism and in 11.6% of their relatives; it was not, however, correlated with abnormal IPT values. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained support the leaky gut hypothesis and indicate that measuring IPT could help to identify a subgroup of patients with autism who could benefit from a gluten-free diet. The IPT alterations found in first-degree relatives suggest the presence of an intestinal (tight-junction linked) hereditary factor in the families of subjects with autism.
Authors: Helena Tlaskalová-Hogenová; Renata Stěpánková; Hana Kozáková; Tomáš Hudcovic; Luca Vannucci; Ludmila Tučková; Pavel Rossmann; Tomáš Hrnčíř; Miloslav Kverka; Zuzana Zákostelská; Klára Klimešová; Jaroslava Přibylová; Jiřina Bártová; Daniel Sanchez; Petra Fundová; Dana Borovská; Dagmar Srůtková; Zdeněk Zídek; Martin Schwarzer; Pavel Drastich; David P Funda Journal: Cell Mol Immunol Date: 2011-01-31 Impact factor: 11.530
Authors: Zuzana Tobiasova; Klaas H B van der Lingen; Lawrence Scahill; James F Leckman; Yan Zhang; Wookjin Chae; James T McCracken; Christopher J McDougle; Benedetto Vitiello; Elaine Tierney; Michael G Aman; L Eugene Arnold; Liliya Katsovich; Pieter J Hoekstra; Fred Volkmar; Alfred L M Bothwell; Ivana Kawikova Journal: J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol Date: 2011-11-09 Impact factor: 2.576
Authors: Lining Guo; Michael V Milburn; John A Ryals; Shaun C Lonergan; Matthew W Mitchell; Jacob E Wulff; Danny C Alexander; Anne M Evans; Brandi Bridgewater; Luke Miller; Manuel L Gonzalez-Garay; C Thomas Caskey Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2015-08-17 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Robyn P Thom; Christopher J Keary; Michelle L Palumbo; Caitlin T Ravichandran; Jennifer E Mullett; Eric P Hazen; Ann M Neumeyer; Christopher J McDougle Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2019-05-28 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Lv Wang; Claus T Christophersen; Michael J Sorich; Jacobus P Gerber; Manya T Angley; Michael A Conlon Journal: Appl Environ Microbiol Date: 2011-07-22 Impact factor: 4.792
Authors: Dario Siniscalco; Anna Sapone; Catia Giordano; Alessandra Cirillo; Laura de Magistris; Francesco Rossi; Alessio Fasano; James Jeffrey Bradstreet; Sabatino Maione; Nicola Antonucci Journal: J Autism Dev Disord Date: 2013-11