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Serum zonulin level in autistic children and its relation to severity of symptoms a case-control study
Hassan Mohammed Sonbol1, Alaa Salah Abdelmawgoud1, Nora Marzouk El-Kady2
1Psychiatry Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Insights
Serum zonulin levels, a marker of gut permeability, are higher in children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Elevated zonulin correlates with increased ASD symptom severity, suggesting a link between gut health and autism intensity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasingly linked to gut permeability.
- Serum zonulin is a potential biomarker for intestinal permeability.
- Research on gut permeability and ASD symptom severity in Egypt is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess serum zonulin levels in children diagnosed with ASD.
- To investigate the relationship between serum zonulin levels and ASD symptom severity.
- To explore the potential of serum zonulin as a biomarker in Egyptian children with ASD.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted at Mansoura University Hospital.
- Participants included children with ASD and age/gender-matched typically developing controls.
- Serum zonulin levels were measured using ELISA, and symptom severity was assessed with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).
Main Results:
- Children with ASD exhibited significantly higher serum zonulin levels compared to controls (p < 0.05).
- A positive correlation was found between higher serum zonulin levels and increased ASD symptom severity (CARS scores, r = X, p < 0.05).
- Subgroup analysis indicated the highest zonulin levels in children with severe ASD.
Conclusions:
- Serum zonulin may serve as a biomarker for gut permeability and symptom intensity in children with ASD.
- Findings suggest a potential link between the gut-brain axis and ASD.
- Further research into gut permeability as a therapeutic target for ASD is warranted.
Abstract:
Evidence suggests a possible link between Autism spectrum disorder and gut permeability, specifically as indicated by serum zonulin levels. However, limited studies examine this connection to symptom severity, especially in Egypt. Assessing serum zonulin level in children with autism and its relation to the severity of symptoms. In Mansoura University Hospital's pediatric psychiatry outpatient clinics, case-control research was carried out with children with Autism diagnoses and age- and gender-matched typically developing controls. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale was used to gauge the severity of the symptoms, and the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was used to detect serum zonulin levels. Serum zonulin levels were considerably higher in children with Autism than in the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, there was a positive correlation between higher zonulin levels and the degree of autism symptoms as determined by CARS scores (r = X, p < 0.05). Children with severe Autism had the highest zonulin levels, according to subgroup analysis, which suggests a possible connection between gut permeability and the intensity of symptoms. This study emphasizes how serum zonulin may serve as a biomarker for intestinal permeability in kids with Autism and how it may be related to the intensity of symptoms. These results highlight the need for more investigation into the gut-brain axis as a potential therapeutic target for Autism. Addressing gut permeability may provide new ways to lessen the intensity of symptoms and enhance results for children with Autism.
