| Autor: |
Vinkhuyzen AAE; Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia., Eyles DW; Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, QLD, Australia., Burne THJ; Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, QLD, Australia., Blanken LME; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands., Kruithof CJ; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands., Verhulst F; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands., Jaddoe VW; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands., Tiemeier H; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands., McGrath JJ; Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, QLD, Australia.; National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark. |
| Abstrakt: |
There is intense interest in identifying modifiable risk factors associated with autism-spectrum disorders (ASD). Autism-related traits, which can be assessed in a continuous fashion, share risk factors with ASD, and thus can serve as informative phenotypes in population-based cohort studies. Based on the growing body of research linking gestational vitamin D deficiency with altered brain development, this common exposure is a candidate modifiable risk factor for ASD and autism-related traits. The association between gestational vitamin D deficiency and a continuous measure of autism-related traits at ~6 years (Social Responsiveness Scale; SRS) was determined in a large population-based cohort of mothers and their children (n=4229). 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was assessed from maternal mid-gestation sera and from neonatal sera (collected from cord blood). Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25OHD concentrations less than 25 nmol l -1 . Compared with the 25OHD sufficient group (25OHD>50 nmol l -1 ), those who were 25OHD deficient had significantly higher (more abnormal) SRS scores (mid-gestation n=2866, β=0.06, P<0.001; cord blood n=1712, β=0.03, P=0.01). The findings persisted (a) when we restricted the models to offspring with European ancestry, (b) when we adjusted for sample structure using genetic data, (c) when 25OHD was entered as a continuous measure in the models and (d) when we corrected for the effect of season of blood sampling. Gestational vitamin D deficiency was associated with autism-related traits in a large population-based sample. Because gestational vitamin D deficiency is readily preventable with safe, cheap and accessible supplements, this candidate risk factor warrants closer scrutiny. |
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