SynthesisCells2021
Folic Acid and Autism: A Systematic Review of the Current State of Knowledge.
Synthesis in Cells, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers, 3 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
34 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 69 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Nutritional Status of Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2025Pooled it
- Folate-Methionine Cycle Disruptions in ASD Patients and Possible Interventions: A Systematic Review.Genes · 2023Pooled it
- Folate and global health: part 5. syntheses on neuropsychiatric disorders.Journal of global health · 2026Review
- Reassessing Mandatory Folic Acid Fortification for Neural Tube Defect Prevention: Evidence, Uncertainty, and Policy Implications.Nutrients · 2026Review
- Folic Acid Metabolism and Its Impact on Neurogenesis: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential.Molecular neurobiology · 2026Review
- Folate in autism neurodevelopment.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Maternal folate receptor alpha autoantibodies and folate levels during pregnancy in relation to autism spectrum disorder: a pilot case-control study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Navigating the Complex Landscape of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Challenges and Opportunities in Diagnosis, Treatment, and Supports.Current pharmaceutical design · 2026Review
- Vitamins, Vascular Health and Disease.Nutrients · 2025Review
- Transgenerational Effects and Heritability of Folate Receptor Alpha Autoantibodies in Autism Spectrum Disorder.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Exploring the shared genetic basis between autism spectrum disorder and gastrointestinal disorders: a bioinformatic study.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Exploring the Association Between Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Review
- Sex-Based Differences in Prenatal and Perinatal Predictors of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Machine Learning With National Health Data.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2025Article
- The Association of Prenatal Dietary Factors with Child Autism Diagnosis and Autism-Related Traits Using a Mixtures Approach: Results from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohort.The Journal of nutrition · 2025Article
- MTHFR Gene Polymorphisms: A Single Gene with Wide-Ranging Clinical Implications-A Review.Genes · 2025Review
- Nutritional Intake and Sensory Processing in School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Review
- Toxic Effects of Excess Vitamins A, B6, and Folic Acid on the Nervous System.Behavioural neurology · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Folic acid has been identified to be integral in rapid tissue growth and cell division during fetal development. Different studies indicate folic acid's importance in improving childhood behavioral outcomes and underline its role as a modifiable risk factor for autism spectrum disorders. The aim of this systematic review is to both elucidate the potential role of folic acid in autism spectrum disorders and to investigate the mechanisms involved. Studies have pointed out a potential beneficial effect of prenatal folic acid maternal supplementation (600 µg) on the risk of autism spectrum disorder onset, but opposite results have been reported as well. Folic acid and/or folinic acid supplementation in autism spectrum disorder diagnosed children has led to improvements, both in some neurologic and behavioral symptoms and in the concentration of one-carbon metabolites. Several authors report an increased frequency of serum auto-antibodies against folate receptor alpha (FRAA) in autism spectrum disorder children. Furthermore, methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms showed a significant influence on ASD risk. More clinical trials, with a clear study design, with larger sample sizes and longer observation periods are necessary to be carried out to better evaluate the potential protective role of folic acid in autism spectrum disorder risk.
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.