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Autism and vitamin D.

John Jacob Cannell1

  • 1Atascadero State Hospital, Psychiatry, 10333 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93423, United States. jjcannell@charterinternet.com

Medical Hypotheses
|October 9, 2007
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Low vitamin D levels, potentially due to sun avoidance, may explain autism

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Autism etiology requires understanding its genetic basis and epidemiology.
  • Increased autism prevalence correlates with reduced sun exposure and lower vitamin D levels.
  • Maternal vitamin D deficiency in animal models causes brain abnormalities similar to autism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of vitamin D (calcitriol) in autism etiology.
  • To explain the genetic and epidemiological patterns of autism through vitamin D deficiency.
  • To explore potential iatrogenic causes of autism related to sun avoidance advice.

Main Methods:

  • Review of animal data on vitamin D deficiency and brain development.
  • Comparison of autism phenotypes with conditions involving altered calcitriol levels (e.g., Williams Syndrome).
  • Analysis of epidemiological data linking autism prevalence to geographic, environmental, and demographic factors.

Main Results:

  • Severe gestational vitamin D deficiency in animals leads to brain abnormalities.
  • Vitamin D deficient rickets symptoms in children may improve with vitamin D treatment.
  • Autism prevalence is higher in regions with low UVB penetration and in darker-skinned populations.

Conclusions:

  • Vitamin D (calcitriol) deficiency during development may explain autism's genetics and epidemiology.
  • Medical advice to avoid the sun could be an iatrogenic cause of autism.
  • Further studies can easily test this vitamin D-centric theory of autism.