The Role of Iron in the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children

Abstract

The review presents an analysis of the mechanisms of iron effect on the brain development. The importance of iron deficiency in the perinatal period is considered as a risk factor for the development of neuropsychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Possible causes of sideropenia are discussed; data on haematological and biochemical parameters characterizing iron metabolism in children with ASDs are presented. The demand for studying the role of iron metabolism imbalance in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders in order to clarify pathogenetic mechanisms of ASDs and to determine methods for their correction is emphasized.

Keywords

• children
• autism spectrum disorders
• iron
• deficiency