Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
PHD Student in Experimental Medicine- Neuroscience, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila AQ, Italy.
Curr Pharm Des. 2020;26(21):2460-2474. doi: 10.2174/1381612826666200415174311.
Vitamin D is a neurosteroid hormone crucially involved in neurodevelopment. Neural cell proliferation, neurotransmission, oxidative stress and immune function represent the main mechanisms mediated by vitamin D in the Central Nervous System. Therefore, its deficiency during pregnancy and early childhood may significantly impact on a developing brain, leading to possible adverse neuropsychological outcomes including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Significant vitamin D deficiency is described within children affected by ASD and in pregnant mothers whose offspring will later develop ASD, suggesting a possible role of the hormone as a contributing risk factor in the etiopathogenesis of ASD. We reviewed the actual literature on the potential contributing role of prenatal and early postnatal vitamin D deficiency in ASD etiopathogenesis, at both genetic and environmental levels, and the possible effect of vitamin D supplementation in autistic children. Conflicting but promising results emerged on the topic. Further Randomized Controlled Trials studies carried out during pregnancy and early infancy are necessary for better understanding the possible contribution of vitamin D deficiency in the etiopathogenesis of autism and the potential efficacy of the hormone supplementation in the improvement of ASD core symptoms.
维生素 D 是一种神经甾体激素，对神经发育至关重要。神经细胞增殖、神经递质传递、氧化应激和免疫功能是维生素 D 在中枢神经系统中介导的主要机制。因此，孕妇和幼儿期维生素 D 缺乏可能会对正在发育的大脑产生重大影响，导致可能的不良神经心理后果，包括自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD)。在患有 ASD 的儿童和其后代以后会发展为 ASD 的孕妇中，都有描述到维生素 D 严重缺乏的情况，这表明该激素可能是 ASD 发病机制中的一个致病风险因素。我们回顾了关于产前和产后早期维生素 D 缺乏在 ASD 发病机制中的潜在致病作用的实际文献，包括遗传和环境层面，以及维生素 D 补充对自闭症儿童的可能影响。在这一主题上，出现了一些相互矛盾但有前景的结果。在妊娠和婴儿早期进行更多的随机对照试验研究，对于更好地理解维生素 D 缺乏在自闭症发病机制中的可能作用以及激素补充在改善 ASD 核心症状方面的潜在效果是必要的。
