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Lower strontium in two different body matrices in neurodevelopmental disorders: A preliminary report
Sıddika Songül Yalçın1, Tuna Çak2, Suzan Yalçın3
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Insights
Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) like autism spectrum disorder have lower strontium levels and higher blood cadmium and mercury. This highlights the role of elemental homeostasis in NDD.
Area of Science:
- Environmental health
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Trace element analysis
Background:
- Elemental homeostasis is understudied in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD).
- Environmental factors significantly impact neurodevelopment.
- Previous research has not sufficiently explored elemental profiles in NDD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the levels of 13 elements in blood and deciduous teeth dentine.
- To investigate elemental status in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- To establish a baseline for elemental homeostasis in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Main Methods:
- Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for elemental analysis.
- Blood and deciduous teeth dentine samples were collected from children.
- 13 key elements including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, manganese, mercury, lead, cadmium, molybdenum, and strontium were quantified.
Main Results:
- Significantly lower strontium levels were observed in both blood and teeth of the NDD group.
- Elevated blood levels of cadmium and mercury were found in children with NDD.
- An increased copper/zinc ratio was noted in the NDD cohort.
Conclusions:
- Elemental homeostasis may play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of NDD.
- Further large-scale studies are needed to explore the association between elemental levels and NDD.
- Investigating genetic variations and symptom severity alongside elemental status is recommended.
Background:
Environmental factors, including elemental homeostasis, have not been studied sufficiently in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). This study aims to compare the status of 13 elements in blood and deciduous teeth dentine of children having an autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with typically developing controls.
Methods:
Elements including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, manganese, mercury, lead, cadmium, molybdenum, and strontium in both deciduous teeth and blood were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
Results:
Strontium levels in both blood and teeth samples were found to be significantly lower in the NDD group. Additionally, blood cadmium and mercury levels, and copper/zinc ratio were higher in the NDD group.
Conclusions:
Our results warrant further investigation in a large series of NDD examining symptom levels and genetic variations associated with elemental homeostasis.
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