Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40158142›Full record

ArticleChild and adolescent psychiatry and mental health2025

Gender specific influence of serotonin on core symptoms and neurodevelopment of autism spectrum disorders: A multicenter study in China.

Qiu-Hong Mou, Qian Zhang, Li Chen, Ying Dai, Hua Wei, Fei-Yong Jia, Yan Hao, Ling Li, Jie Zhang, Li-Jie Wu and 10 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Qiu-Hong MouGrowth, Development and Mental Health Center of Children and Adolescents, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children'S Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Qian ZhangGrowth, Development and Mental Health Center of Children and Adolescents, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children'S Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Li ChenGrowth, Development and Mental Health Center of Children and Adolescents, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children'S Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Ying DaiGrowth, Development and Mental Health Center of Children and Adolescents, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children'S Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Hua WeiGrowth, Development and Mental Health Center of Children and Adolescents, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children'S Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Fei-Yong JiaDepartment of developmental and behavioral pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Yan HaoDepartment of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Ling LiDepartment of Children Rehabilitation, Hainan Women and Children'S Medical Center, Haikou, China.
Jie ZhangChildren Health Care Center, Xi'an Children'S Hospital, Xi'an, China.
Li-Jie WuDepartment of Children'S and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Xiao-Yan KeChild Mental Health Research Center of Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing, China.
Ming-Ji YiDepartment of Child Health Care, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Qi HongMaternal and Child Health Hospital of Baoan, Shenzhen, China.
Jin-Jin ChenDepartment of Child Healthcare, Shanghai Children'S Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Shuan-Feng FangChildren'S Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
Yi-Chao WangNHC Key Laboratory of Birth Defect for Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, China.
Qi WangDeyang Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Deyang, Sichuan, China.
Jie ChenGrowth, Development and Mental Health Center of Children and Adolescents, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children'S Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Ting-Yu LiGrowth, Development and Mental Health Center of Children and Adolescents, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children'S Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Ting YangGrowth, Development and Mental Health Center of Children and Adolescents, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children'S Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. tingyang1206@126.com.

Funding

China Postdoctoral Science Foundation 2023M730448National Natural Science Foundation of China 81771223National Natural Science Foundation of China 82304119National Natural Science Foundation of China 82372559the Chongqing Postdoctoral Science Foundation CSTB2023NSCQ-BHX0155
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHigh serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) blood levels are the most reliable and frequently replicated biomarker for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, their differential influence on core ASD symptoms in males and females remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the changes in 5-HT levels in children with ASD to assess and compare its influence on the core symptoms and neurodevelopment of boys and girls.

methodsHerein, 1,457 ASD children and 1,305 typically developing (TD) controls (age = 2-7 years) were enrolled from 13 cities across China. Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were used to evaluate the ASD symptoms in children, and the revised Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale-Revision 2016 (CNBS-R2016) was used to evaluate their neurodevelopment. The 5-HT serum levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

resultsIn boys with ASD, increased serum 5-HT levels correlated with high scores on SRS and CARS and with communication warning behavior of CNBS-R2016. Conversely, concomitant decline was observed in the scores on the general, language, gross motor, adaptive behavior, and personal-social quotients. Notably, no differences were found in girls with ASD.

conclusionsChildren with ASD, especially boys, presented higher serum 5-HT levels compared with TD children. Additionally, increased 5-HT content is considerably positively associated with core ASD symptoms and negatively associated with neurodevelopment in boys with ASD. Overall, this study highlights the gender bias in patients with ASD regarding 5-HT serum levels, underscoring its influence on ASD prevalence in a sex-specific manner.

trial registrationThis study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (approval number: (2018) IRB (STUDY) NO.121). Additionally, this study is registered with the China Clinical Trial Registry (Registration Number: ChiCTR2000031194).

Indexed as

5-HTAutism spectrum disorderClinical symptomsNeurological developmentSex differences

Identifiers

PMID40158142
PMCPMC11954278

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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.