ObjectiveOxytocin (OT) has been implicated to play an important role in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) etiology. We aimed to find out the differences in plasma OT levels between children with autism and healthy children, the associations of OT levels with particular autism symptoms and the associations of particular parental autistic traits with their ASD children OT levels.MethodsWe included 19 boys with autism and 44 healthy age-matched boys. OT levels were analyzed by ELISA method. Children with autism were scored by Childhood Autism Rating Scale and Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI), adjusted research version. Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Systemizing Quotient (SQ) and Empathizing Quotient were completed by parents of children with autism.ResultsChildren with autism had significantly lower plasma OT levels than controls. OT levels positively correlated with ADI Reciprocal Interaction and Communication scores. AQ and SQ of fathers positively correlated with children plasma OT level.ConclusionOur results support the hypothesis of OT deficiency in autism. The "paradoxical" associations of OT levels and social skills in children with autism indicate disturbances at various levels of OT system. We first reported associations of OT levels in children with autism and behavioral measures in fathers indicating that OT abnormalities stay between parental autistic traits and autism symptoms in their children.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder, associated with autonomic dysregulation. However, the pathomechanism leading to autonomic abnormalities is still unclear. The aim of this study was to assess autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity during baseline in homogenous group of autistic children using electrodermal activity (EDA), as an index of sympathetic activity and short-term heart rate variability (HRV) reflecting predominantly cardiac vagal control. Fifteen ASD boys and 15 healthy age-matched boys at the age of 7-15 years were examined. The continuous EDA and ECG were recorded during resting phase in a supine position. Evaluated parameters: EDA amplitude (µS), RR interval, spectral power, peak frequency and power spectral density in low (LF-HRV: 0.04-0.15 Hz) and high-frequency (HF-HRV: 0.15-0.4 Hz) bands of HRV spectral analysis. In ASD group we found significantly shortened RR intervals (729±20 ms vs. 843±30 ms, p=0.005), lower mean EDA (0.66±0.13 µS vs. 1.66±0.42 µS, p=0.033), reduced spectral activity and power spectral density in HF-HRV compared to controls (2.93±0.12 ms2 vs. 3.38±0.10 ms2, p=0.01; 4.12±0.10 ms2/Hz vs. 4.56±0.11 ms2/Hz, p=0.008, respectively). We suggest that impairment in resting autonomic regulation associated with ASD could represent an important pathomechanism leading to potential cardiovascular complications in ASD.
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