Assessment of folate and vitamin B12 status among newly diagnosed Omani autistic children
Author
Al-Khalili, Maha Ali Abdullah.
English abstract
This study was aimed to assess the impact of folate and vitamin B12status on homocysteine (HCY) levels in autistic Omani subjects. A case-control study approach was applied for this study and included 40 preschool-aged children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and 40 control subjects matched for age, and gender. Compared to controls, ASD cases showed significantly reduced levels of folate and vitamin Bizin both dietary intake and serum levels. Higher levels of homocysteine (HCY) were observed among ASD cases suggesting conclusive impairment of folate-dependent HCY methylation. This data supports previous reports suggesting that low status of folate, vitaminB12 and hyperhomocyteinemia are significant risk factors for ASD.
