Taurines Regina, Schwenck Christina, Lyttwin Benjamin, Schecklmann Martin, Jans Thomas, Reefschläger Lennart, Geissler Julia, Gerlach Manfred, Romanos Marcel
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Füchsleinstraße 15, 97080, Würzburg, Germany,
Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2014 Sep;6(3):231-9. doi: 10.1007/s12402-014-0145-y. Epub 2014 Jul 3.
Findings from research in animal models and humans have shown a clear role for the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) on complex social behaviors. This is also true in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous studies on peripheral OT concentrations in children and young adults have reported conflicting results with the initial studies presenting mainly decreased OT plasma levels in ASD compared to healthy controls. Our study therefore aimed to further investigate changes in peripheral OT concentrations as a potential surrogate for the effects observed in the central nervous system (CNS) in ASD. OT plasma concentrations were assessed in 19 male children and adolescents with ASD, all with an IQ > 70 (age 10.7 ± 3.8 years), 17 healthy male children (age 13.6 ± 2.1 years) and 19 young male patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a clinical control group (age 10.4 ± 1.9 years) using a validated radioimmunoassay. Analysis of covariance revealed significant group differences in OT plasma concentrations (F(2, 48) = 9.574, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.285; plasma concentrations ASD 19.61 ± 7.12 pg/ml, ADHD 8.05 ± 5.49 pg/ml, healthy controls 14.43 ± 9.64 pg/ml). Post hoc analyses showed significantly higher concentrations in children with ASD compared to ADHD (p < 0.001). After Bonferroni correction, there was no significant difference in ASD in comparison with healthy controls (p = 0.132). A significant strong correlation between plasma OT and autistic symptomatology, assessed by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, was observed in the ASD group (p = 0.013, r = 0.603). Patients with ADHD differed from healthy control children by significantly decreased OT concentrations (p = 0.014). No significant influences of the covariates age, IQ, medication and comorbidity could be seen. Our preliminary results point to a correlation of OT plasma concentrations with autistic symptom load in children with ASD and a modulation of the OT system also in the etiologically and phenotypically overlapping disorder ADHD. Further studies in humans and animal models are warranted to clarify the complex association of the OT system with social impairments as well as stress-related and depressive behavior and whether peripheral findings reflect primary changes of OT synthesis and/or release in relevant areas of the CNS.
动物模型和人体研究的结果表明，神经肽催产素（OT）在复杂社会行为中发挥着明确作用。在自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的背景下也是如此。先前关于儿童和青少年外周OT浓度的研究报告结果相互矛盾，最初的研究主要表明，与健康对照组相比，ASD患者的OT血浆水平降低。因此，我们的研究旨在进一步调查外周OT浓度的变化，作为ASD中枢神经系统（CNS）中观察到的效应的潜在替代指标。使用经过验证的放射免疫分析法，对19名患有ASD的男性儿童和青少年（均智商>70，年龄10.7±3.8岁）、17名健康男性儿童（年龄13.6±2.1岁）和19名患有注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）的年轻男性患者（年龄10.4±1.9岁）作为临床对照组进行OT血浆浓度评估。协方差分析显示OT血浆浓度存在显著组间差异（F(2, 48) = 9.574, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.285；ASD组血浆浓度为19.61±7.12 pg/ml，ADHD组为8.05±5.49 pg/ml，健康对照组为14.43±9.64 pg/ml）。事后分析显示，与ADHD患者相比，ASD儿童的浓度显著更高（p < 0.001）。经过Bonferroni校正后，与健康对照组相比，ASD组无显著差异（p = 0.132）。在ASD组中，观察到血浆OT与通过自闭症诊断观察量表评估的自闭症症状之间存在显著强相关性（p = 0.013, r = 0.603）。ADHD患者与健康对照儿童的OT浓度显著降低（p = 0.014）。未发现协变量年龄、智商、药物治疗和合并症有显著影响。我们的初步结果表明，ASD儿童的OT血浆浓度与自闭症症状负荷相关，并且在病因和表型上重叠的疾病ADHD中，OT系统也受到调节。有必要在人体和动物模型中进行进一步研究，以阐明OT系统与社会障碍以及与压力相关和抑郁行为之间的复杂关联，以及外周结果是否反映了CNS相关区域OT合成和/或释放的原发性变化。
