Altered Antioxidant Enzymes in the Plasma of Autistic Omani Children

Saturday, May 19, 2012
Sheraton Hall (Sheraton Centre Toronto)
10:00 AM
M. M. Essa1,2, G. J. GUILLEMIN3, F. L. Hakkim4, M. I. Waly5, M. Al-Sharbati5, Y. M. Al-Farsi5 and A. Ali5, (1)P.O. Box 34, PC 123, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, (2)Neuropharmacology group, Dept of Pharmacology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia, (3)Pharmacology, UNSW, Sydney, Australia, (4)Nutrition, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, (5)Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
Background:  Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neuro-developmental disorder characterized by qualitative impairments in social interaction, and verbal and non-verbal communication, along with stereotyped interests and behaviors. The prevalence and diagnostic evidence for ASD in children is higher in Western countries as compared to developing countries such as sultanate of Oman. Abnormality in the antioxidant status were reported in autism and other neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and ADHD. No such biochemical data is available for normal and autistic children in Sultanate of Oman.

Objectives:  This study was aimed to compare the status of circulatory enzymatic antioxidant status in normal and Omani autistic children.

Methods:  We have analyzed the activities of plasma antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) by using commercially available kits.

Results:  There was a significant reduction in the activities of the SOD, catalase and GSH-Px were observed in Omani autistic children as compared with controls, which shown an agreement with previous studies from other countries.

Conclusions: This is the first study in Omani autistic children about enzymatic antioxidant status and the outcome of this study may give a lead to develop a novel biomarker for early detection of autism. Also this study will give the relationship between oxidative stress and the pathophysiology of autism.

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