ArticleBehavioral and brain functions : BBF2015
Reduced levels of plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids and serum carnitine in autistic children: relation to gastrointestinal manifestations.
Article in Behavioral and brain functions : BBF, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
29 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 55 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Trial
- The role of astrocytes in autism spectrum disorder and associated syndromes: Evidence, animal models, mechanisms, and therapeutic potential.Zoological research · 2026Review
- Efficacy of Antioxidant-Based Pharmacological Therapies in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2025Article
- Altered plasma fatty acids composition in autism spectrum disorder: a case-control study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Metabolic profiling reveals altered amino acid and fatty acid metabolism in children with Williams Syndrome.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Nutritional Status and Dietary Behaviors of Children with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2024Review
- Impacts of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Natural Elixirs for Neuronal Health, on Brain Development and Functions.Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) · 2024Article
- Global metabolic profiles in a non-human primate model of maternal immune activation: implications for neurodevelopmental disorders.Molecular psychiatry · 2022Article
- Alteration of Fatty Acid Profile in Fragile X Syndrome.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- Article
- Metabolomics analysis of maternal serum exposed to high air pollution during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring.Environmental research · 2021Article
- Perinatal Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Brain Development, Role in Neurodevelopmental Disorders.Nutrients · 2021Review
- The Role of Cholesterol and Fatty Acids in the Etiology and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Review
- Potential Role of L-Carnitine in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of clinical medicine · 2021Review
- Plasma and Fecal Metabolite Profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Biological psychiatry · 2021Article
- The neural stem cell/carnitine malnutrition hypothesis: new prospects for effective reduction of autism risk?The Journal of biological chemistry · 2019Review
- Emerging biomarkers in autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review.Annals of translational medicine · 2019Review
- Modulation of plasma and urine metabolome in colorectal cancer survivors consuming rice bran.Integrative food, nutrition and metabolism · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGastrointestinal (GI) manifestations are common in autistic children. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and carnitine are anti-inflammatory molecules and their deficiency may result in GI inflammation. The relationship between the increased frequency of GI manifestations and reduced levels of PUFAs and carnitine was not previously investigated in autistic patients. This study was the first to investigate plasma levels of PUFAs and serum carnitine in relation to GI manifestations in autistic children.
methodsPlasma levels of PUFAs (including linoleic, alphalinolenic, arachidonic "AA" and docosahexaenoic "DHA" acids) and serum carnitine were measured in 100 autistic children and 100 healthy-matched children.
resultsReduced levels of serum carnitine and plasma DHA, AA, linolenic and linoleic acids were found in 66%, 62%, 60%, 43% and 38%, respectively of autistic children. On the other hand, 54% of autistic patients had elevated ω6/ω3 ratio. Autistic patients with GI manifestations (48%) had significantly decreased levels of serum carnitine and plasma DHA than patients without such manifestations. In addition, autistic patients with GI manifestations had significantly increased percentage of reduced serum carnitine (91.7%) and plasma DHA levels (87.5%) than patients without such manifestations (42.3% and 38.5%, respectively), (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001%, respectively).
conclusionsReduced levels of plasma DHA and serum carnitine levels may be associated with the GI problems in some autistic patients. However, this is an initial report, studies are recommended to invesigate whether reduced levels of carnitine and DHA are a mere association or have a pathogenic role in GI problems in autistic patients.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.