Autism spectrum disorder and folate metabolism

Abstract

Folate acts as a co-factor in one carbon metabolism, playing an essential role in the synthesis and transformation of purine and pyrimidine precursors of nucleic acids simultaneously.Autism spectrum disorder(ASD)is a neurodevelopmental disorder with unknown pathogenesis characterized by social defects and repetitive behaviors.The risk of ASD is associated with the functional disorders of the enzyme related to the folate metabolism, the disorder of folate transportation, and the genetic variation related to the folate metabolism.Several studies indicated that there might be a subtype in patients with ASD whose 5-methyltetrahydrofolate in cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)was low, however, the level of folate outside the central nervous system was normal, which resulted from the exist of the folate receptor alpha autoantibodies.The children with ASD found positive for the folate receptor alpha autoantibodies were improved a lot when taking folinic acid or leucovorin calcium orally.This article reviewed the correlation between folate metabolism and the pathogenesis and treatment of the ASD. Key words: Autism spectrum disorder; Folate metabolism; Folate related genetic factors