Cytokines and etiopathogenesis of pervasive developmental disorders

Autistic disorder, also known as early infantile autism, is a developmental disorder of unknown etiology. However, there is some evidence to suggest that abnormalities of the immune system mediate the pathophysiology of autistic disorder. Cytokines, which play a pivotal role in initiating and maintaining immune responses, have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of major neuropsychiatric disorders including autism. Cytokines are synthesized in the periphery, as well as in the central nervous system, and exert their effects by binding to their receptors in the nervous tissues. It is suggested that, in genetically predisposed individuals, overproduction or decreased synthesis of certain cytokines may result in neurodevelopmental arrest and/or neurotoxicity.