Scientists show zinc deficiency link to childhood autism

Auckland scientists have discovered how zinc deficiency may have a role in the development of autism, raising the possibility the mineral may in future be considered for treating the disorder.

Studies of children with autism have suggested zinc deficiency may contribute to many cases of autism spectrum disorder, which, includ- ing its milder forms, affects around one in every 100 people in New Zealand.

A 2011 study of zinc concentrations in hair from 1967 children with autistic disorders found that nearly 50 per cent of those aged up to 3 had zinc deficiency.

The rate was around 28 per cent for children aged 4 to 9 and dropped to around 3 per cent for those aged 10 to 15.

People with autism spectrum disorder can have a range of difficulties with language, social behaviour and thinking skills.

University of Auckland scientists, with colleagues in Germany and the United States, have found that cellular changes in the brain caused by gene mutations that occur in autism can be reversed by zinc.

Their research is focused on a protein called shank 3, which is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.

Associate Professor Johanna Montgomery, of the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research and the Department of Physiology, said the next step was to investigate the effect of dietary zinc supplements on autistic behaviours.

The research, which received funding from the Marsden Fund and the Neurological Foundation, is published today in the Journal of Neuroscience.

— Martin Johnston