Cord Blood Metabolite Profiles and Their Association with Autistic Traits in Childhood
Christin S. Kaupper,
Sophia M. Blaauwendraad,
Charlotte A. M. Cecil,
Rosa H. Mulder,
Romy Gaillard,
Romy Goncalves,
Ingo Borggraefe,
Berthold Koletzko,
Vincent W. V. Jaddoe
Affiliations
Christin S. Kaupper
The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Sophia M. Blaauwendraad
The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Charlotte A. M. Cecil
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Rosa H. Mulder
The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Romy Gaillard
The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Romy Goncalves
The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Ingo Borggraefe
Division of Pediatric Neurology, Developmental Medicine and Social Pediatrics, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, LMU University Hospitals, LMU—Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, 80337 Munich, Germany
Berthold Koletzko
Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, LMU University Hospitals, LMU—Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, 80337 Munich, Germany
Vincent W. V. Jaddoe
The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a diverse neurodevelopmental condition. Gene–environmental interactions in early stages of life might alter metabolic pathways, possibly contributing to ASD pathophysiology. Metabolomics may serve as a tool to identify underlying metabolic mechanisms contributing to ASD phenotype and could help to unravel its complex etiology. In a population-based, prospective cohort study among 783 mother–child pairs, cord blood serum concentrations of amino acids, non-esterified fatty acids, phospholipids, and carnitines were obtained using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Autistic traits were measured at the children’s ages of 6 (n = 716) and 13 (n = 648) years using the parent-reported Social Responsiveness Scale. Lower cord blood concentrations of SM.C.39.2 and NEFA16:1/16:0 were associated with higher autistic traits among 6-year-old children, adjusted for sex and age at outcome. After more stringent adjustment for confounders, no significant associations of cord blood metabolites and autistic traits at ages 6 and 13 were detected. Differences in lipid metabolism (SM and NEFA) might be involved in ASD-related pathways and are worth further investigation.
