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. 2022 Dec;200(12):4924-4935.
doi: 10.1007/s12011-021-03082-6. Epub 2022 Jan 10.

Trace Element Changes in the Plasma of Autism Spectrum Disorder Children and the Positive Correlation Between Chromium and Vanadium

Jun Zhang  1   2 , Jing Lin  1   3 , Xiying Zhao  4 , Fang Yao  1   5 , Chengyun Feng  6 , Zhijun He  1   7 , Xueshan Cao  1 , Yan Gao  6 , Naseer Ullah Khan  1 , Margy Chen  8 , Peng Luo  2 , Liming Shen  9
Affiliations

Trace Element Changes in the Plasma of Autism Spectrum Disorder Children and the Positive Correlation Between Chromium and Vanadium

Jun Zhang et al. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Existing data demonstrate a significant correlation between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the status of biologically essential and toxic trace elements. However, there is still a lack of data on the steady state of trace elements in ASD. We performed a case-control study to explore the association between the risk of ASD and 23 trace elements in plasma. The results showed that children with ASD had considerably decreased lithium (Li), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), barium (Ba), mercury (Hg), and tin (Sn) levels when compared to their age- and sex-matched controls. Meanwhile, children with ASD had considerably increased plasma chromium (Cr) and vanadium (V) concentrations. We also divided each group into subgroups based on age and gender and created element-related networks for each subgroup. We detected significant element correlations within or between subgroups, as well as changes in correlations that included all elements examined. Finally, more element correlations were observed among males, which may open a new avenue for understanding the complicated process behind the sex ratio of children with ASD. Overall, our data revealed a novel relationship between elements and ASD, which may extend current understanding about ASD.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Correlation network; Plasma; Trace elements.

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