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Early lack of vitamin D may trigger autism – Clinical Review April 2012

Vitamin D and autism: Clinical review.

Res Dev Disabil. 2012 Apr 20;33(5):1541-1550.
Ko?ovská E, Fernell E, Billstedt E, Minnis H, Gillberg C.
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Caledonia House, Dalnair Street, RHSC, Yorkhill, Glasgow G3 8SJ, UK.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. The interplay between genetic and environmental factors has become the subject of intensified research in the last several years. Vitamin D deficiency has recently been proposed as a possible environmental risk factor for ASD.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current paper is to systematically review the research regarding the possible connection between ASD and vitamin D, and to provide a narrative review of the literature regarding the role of vitamin D in various biological processes in order to generate hypotheses for future research.

RESULTS: Systematic data obtained by different research groups provide some, albeit very limited, support for the possible role of vitamin D deficiency in the pathogenesis of ASD. There are two main areas of involvement of vitamin D in the human body that could potentially have direct impact on the development of ASD: (1) the brain (its homeostasis, immune system and neurodevelopment) and (2) gene regulation.

CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency - either during pregnancy or early childhood - may be an environmental trigger for ASD in individuals genetically predisposed for the broad phenotype of autism. On the basis of the results of the present review, we argue for the recognition of this possibly important role of vitamin D in ASD, and for urgent research in the field.

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PMID: 22522213


PDF is attached at the bottom of this page

Vitamin D Council comment on this article (behind a $5 paywall)

Mentions
Magnesium and autism
30% of autistic children have seizures and that vitamin D reduces seizures
14 possible ways that vitamin D could relate to brain development

See also VitaminDWiki

US explosion of Autism: the biggest increase was among blacks

Based on a 2008 study (almost certainly higher rates in 2012)

updated from http://autisminnb.blogspot.com/2011/01/autism-speaks-cdc-autism-prevalence.html

Autism in Denmark
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Ebook on Autism and Vitamin D which uses a lot of information from VitaminDWiki
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