Development of the concepts of childhood autism: pathogenetic mechanisms and markers

Abstract

Today, the study of autism spectrum disorders is relevant due to a high prevalence, an increase in the frequency of occurrence, as well as due to a lack of the unified concept of their etiology and pathogenesis. The purpose of the work is to conduct a brief review of evolution of the childhood autism ideas, including the pathogenesis issues and a search for possible markers of this disease. A brief information on the historical development of the childhood autism ideas, from the pre-Kanner period until now is presented. The modern pathogenesis theories are considered, including heredity, as well as the impact of adverse environmental factors on the child’s body during prenatal development: toxic effects, inflammatory processes and immune disorders in the mother’s body. Modern pathogenesis theories consider such processes as the disruption of synaptic transmission, metabolic disorders of neurotransmitters and neurospecific proteins, the carriage of antibodies to neurotransmitters and neurospecific proteins, the mitochondrial dysfunction, the peroxidation increase, the connection with gastrointestinal tract diseases and altered microflora. The data presented suggest that childhood autism is a multifactorial disease, and a search for markers should then cover a wide range of parameters, including genetic, immunological, biochemical, and possibly microbiological characteristics of the child’s body.