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Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are pervasive neurodevelopmental
disorders, diagnosed in early childhood
when acquired skills are lost or the acquisition of new
skills becomes delayed. ASDs are associated with varying
degrees of dysfunctional communication and social
skills, in addition to repetitive and stereotypic behaviors.
The diagnosis has increased considerably to approximately
one in 180 people, but it is not clear whether
this is because of a higher prevalence of the disorder,
improved awareness by clinicians or a combination of
both. There are no defined mechanisms of pathogenesis
or curative therapy presently available. Oxidative stress,
overactivation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal
axis and increased gut–blood–brain-barrier permeability
might be involved. The scope of this article is to integrate
these findings and present the opinion that non-allergic
activation of gastrointestinal and brain mast cells could
contribute to many of the pathologic findings and provide
unique targets for ASD therapy. We make suggestions
for new research directives and possible novel
therapies from readily available molecules. |
