By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- In some children with autism, levels of immune system antibodies to gluten proteins are elevated, a new study shows.
The finding may have implications for the cause and treatment of gastrointestinal troubles that often accompany autism spectrum disorders. Diets excluding gluten have become popular in the autism community, but the effectiveness of such diets has not been confirmed.
However, according to the new study, "there appears to be an increased immune reactivity to gluten in children with autism, which is associated with gastrointestinal symptoms," said lead researcher Armin Alaedini, an assistant professor of medical sciences at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.
The study did not find any link between autism and celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by gluten.
Gluten is found in many wheat and related grain products.
In the study, Alaedini's team reviewed the medical records and blood samples of 140 children, 37 of whom had autism. Researchers tested the blood samples for antibodies to a marker of celiac disease and antibodies to gliadin, a marker of gluten. In addition, patients also were tested for genes associated with celiac disease.
Alaedini stressed that the study is preliminary and "the increased antibody response to gluten [found among patients] does not necessarily indicate sensitivity to gluten or any disease-causing role for the antibodies in the context of autism."
Instead, the higher levels of antibodies to gluten could point to immune and/or intestinal abnormalities in the affected children, he said.
More research into the immune response of people with autism to gluten might bring clues to the condition or highlight "a subset of patients that would respond to certain treatment strategies," Alaedini said.
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Gluten Allergy May Play Role in Gastro Woes in Kids With Autism