Relationship between chronic lead toxicity and plasma neurotransmitters in autistic patients from Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Objective This study aims to clarify the relationship between blood Pb(2+) concentration as a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and plasma neurotransmitters as biochemical parameters that reflect brain function in Saudi autistic patients.Methods RBC's lead content together with plasma concentration of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin (5HT) and dopamine (DA) were measured in 25 Saudi autistic patients and compared to 16 age-matching control samples.Results The obtained data recorded that Saudi autistic patients have a remarkable higher levels of Pb(2+) and significantly elevated levels of GABA, 5HT and DA compared to healthy subjects. ROC analysis revealed satisfactory values of specificity and sensitivity of the measured parameters.Conclusion This study suggests that postnatal lead toxicity in autistic patients of Saudi Arabia could represent a causative factor in the pathogenesis of autism. Elevated GABA, 5HT and DA were discussed in relation to the chronic lead toxicity recorded in the investigated autistic samples.
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The findings of this study stand in contrast to previous research that reported elevated blood DA levels in children with ASD.
“The findings of this study stand in contrast to previous research that reported elevated blood DA levels in children with ASD (El-Ansary et al., 2011).”
From Convergence of oxytocin and dopamine signalling in neuronal circuits: Insights into the neurobiology of social interactions across species (2024) · cites this paper as El-Ansary et al., 2011
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- Authors
- El-Ansary, A. K., Bacha, A. B., & Ayahdi, L. Y. A.
- Affiliations
- King Saud University (SA)
- Corresponding author
- El-Ansary, Afaf K.
- ORCID
- El-Ansary, Afaf K.
- Venue
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-09
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 13
- Pages
- 1116-1120
- ISSN
- 0009-9120 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2080488443
- Cited by
- 64
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 6.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Biochemistry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Trace Elements in Health
- Keywords
- chronic lead toxicity, autism spectrum disorder, blood lead levels, GABA, serotonin, dopamine, environmental lead exposure, autism pathogenesis, Saudi Arabia
- MeSH terms
- Autistic Disorder, Child, Child, Preschool, Dopamine, Erythrocytes, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Humans, Lead, Lead Poisoning, ROC Curve, Saudi Arabia, Serotonin, Case-Control Studies, Neurotransmitter Agents
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