Blood-brain barrier and intestinal epithelial barrier alterations in autism spectrum disorders.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex conditions whose pathogenesis may be attributed to gene-environment interactions. There are no definitive mechanisms explaining how environmental triggers can lead to ASD although the involvement of inflammation and immunity has been suggested. Inappropriate antigen trafficking through an impaired intestinal barrier, followed by passage of these antigens or immune-activated complexes through a permissive blood-brain barrier (BBB), can be part of the chain of events leading to these disorders. Our goal was to investigate whether an altered BBB and gut permeability is part of the pathophysiology of ASD.

Methods

Postmortem cerebral cortex and cerebellum tissues from ASD, schizophrenia (SCZ), and healthy subjects (HC)

SUBMITTER: Fiorentino M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5129651 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature