The role of thiamine in autism

Autism spectrum disorders are a group of neuro-developmental conditions characterized by varying degrees of language impairment, including verbal and non-verbal communication, impaired social skill, and repetitive behaviors. In this paper, we review the evidence for an association between autism and thiamine. A relationship between thiamine status and the development of autism has been established, with thiamine supplementation exhibiting a beneficial clinical effect on children with autism. Thiamine may involve in autism via apoptotic factors (transcription factor p53, Bcl-2, and caspase-3), neurotransmitter systems (serotonin, acetylcholine, and glutamate), and oxidative stress (prostaglandins, cyclooxygenase-2, reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide synthase, the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, and mitochondrial dysfunction). In addition, thiamine has also been implicated in autism via its effects on basic myelin protein, glycogen synthetase kinase-3β, alpha-1 antitrypsin, and glyoxalase 1. Thiamine may play a role in children with autism. Additional investigation of thiamine in children with autism is needed.