Trace Elements in Medicine (Moscow)
2019, 20(3): 20-30
ORIGINAL PAPERS

FEATURES OF THE ELEMENTAL STATUS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

A.L. Gorbachev¹, E.A. Lygovaya²

¹ North-Eastern State University, Portovaya str. 13, Magadan, 685000, Russia
² Arktika Research Center, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, K. Marx Ave. 24, Magadan, 685000, Russia

DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2019-20-3-20-30 

ABSTRACT. A study was conducted on the content of essential and toxic chemical elements in children suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The subjects were a socially organized group of children enrolled in adapted educational programs in the Magadan Regional Education Center No. 1. A group of children (36 people) aged 3 to 15 years old with «Common disorders of psychological development» (F84) was studied. The control group was a group of healthy children of school age (60 people) aged from 8 to 15 years. The level of trace elements was studied by spectral analysis of hair taken from the back of the head. The study was conducted by mass spectrometry with inductively coupled argon plasma (NexION 300D device, PerkinElmer, USA) at «Micronutrients» (Moscow). In the experimental and control groups of children, an excess of toxic elements (mercury, pigs, cadmium) was not detected. As specific disorders of mineral metabolism in autistic children, reduced levels of calcium, phosphorus, se-lenium, iron, iodine, manganese, aluminum, chromium, silicon and high levels of potassium were noted. We believe that the imbalance of these elements in autistic children is a consequence of a violation of mineral metabolism, and on this basis, the revealed complex imbalance of elements may be indicative elements of ASD in children in the conditions of Magadan.

KEYWORDS: children, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), trace elements.