A lack of association between hyperserotonemia and the increased frequency of serum anti-myelin basic protein auto-antibodies in autistic children

Background: one of the most consistent biological findings in autism is the elevated blood serotonin levels. immune abnormalities,including autoimmunity with production of brain specific auto-antibodies,are also commonly observed in this disorder. hyperserotonemia may be one of the contributing factors to autoimmunity in some patients with autism through the reduction of t-helper (th) 1-type cytokines. we are the first to investigate the possible role of hyperserotonemia in the induction of autoimmunity,as indicated by serum anti-myelin-basic protein (anti-mbp) auto-antibodies,in autism.methods: serum levels of serotonin and anti-mbp auto-antibodies were measured,by elisa,in 50 autistic patients,aged between 5 and 12 years,and 30 healthy-matched children.results: autistic children had significantly higher serum levels of serotonin and anti-mbp auto-antibodies than healthy children (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001,respectively). increased serum levels of serotonin and anti-mbp auto-antibodies were found in 92% and 80%,respectively of autistic patients. patients with severe autism had significantly higher serum serotonin levels than children with mild to moderate autism (p < 0.001). serum serotonin levels had no significant correlations with serum levels of anti-mbp auto-antibodies in autistic patients (p = 0.39).conclusions: hyperserotonemia may not be one of the contributing factors to the increased frequency of serum anti-mbp auto-antibodies in some autistic children. these data should be treated with caution until further investigations are performed. however,inclusion of serum serotonin levels as a correlate may be useful in other future immune studies in autism to help unravel the long-standing mystery of hyperserotonemia and its possible role in the pathophysiology of this disorder. © 2011 mostafa and al-ayadhi; licensee biomed central ltd.