Plasma cholesterol levels and Irlen syndrome: preliminary study of 10- to 17-yr.-old students

The preliminary study investigated metabolic anomalies in children and teenagers with Irlen Syndrome, particularly in relation to the levels of n-3 and n-6 essential fatty acids, plasma cholesterol levels, and the relative abundance of plasma saturated fatty acids. The experimental group involved 13 subjects with Irlen Syndrome (M=13.3 yr., SD=2.5 yr.), with a comparison group of 16 age- and sex-matched controls (M=13.8 yr., SD=2.4 yr.). The Irlen Syndrome group were selected from people referred for help with reading and writing problems. The control group were primarily recruited from the general public. All subjects were screened for symptoms of the syndrome using the Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome Screening Manual. Samples of whole blood were collected and plasma extracted. Metabolites were compared using the Student t test. There were no differences in n-3 and n-6 essential fatty acids between Irlen Syndrome and control groups, although the former group had lower mean levels in most of these essential fatty acids. Total plasma cholesterol level was significantly decreased for the Irlen Syndrome group, and there was a significant increase in the relative abundance of the odd-chain fatty acid, heptadecanoic acid. The differences in heptadecanoic acid may have implications for altered membrane function and neurotransmission. The differences in plasma cholesterol levels, as well as heptadecanoic acid, may also point to the presence of viral or bacterial infection.