Researchers discover mitochondrial defects in autistic children

By Staff Writer

A new study reveals that many autistic children have an abnormal amount of defects in their mitochondria, which are subunits within cells that are responsible for producing chemical energy.

According to the Los Angeles Times, researchers from the University of California (UC) Davis made this discovery but cannot conclusively say that the defects directly cause autism. Previous studies have linked abnormalities in mitochondria with other disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other neurological conditions.

A team of researchers studied the white blood cells of 10 autistic children, as well as 10 healthy children. All of the participants were between the ages of two and five years old. Experts found that one of the autistic children had a full-blown mitochondrial respiratory disease and more than half had some problems with their mitochondria. The defects were at a much higher rate than the healthy sample of children.

The news provider reports that mitochondria create energy for cellular metabolism, and any dysfunctions can be disruptive for cells. This is especially true with brain cells, which have high energy demands. Researchers believe that a lack of energy for brain cells during a child's development could help explain the functioning problems associated with autism.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that an average of one in 110 children in the U.S. are autistic.