Association between decreased taurine levels in the anterior cingulate cortex and restricted and repetitive behaviors in autism spectrum disorder: a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience reduced quality of life due to core autistic traits, such as restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs), yet no pharmacological treatments have been established to date. Oxidative stress, a potential contributor to ASD pathology, may reduce taurine and glutathione (GSH) levels. Although animal studies have reported altered antioxidant levels, studies investigating the brain antioxidant levels in individuals with ASD remain limited. This study investigated whether reduced antioxidant levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a region consistently characterized by functional and metabolic abnormalities in individuals with ASD, and closely associated with RRBs.

Methods

A total of 44 children with AS

SUBMITTER: Minami A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12739181 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature