The plasma zinc/serum copper ratio as a biomarker in children with autism spectrum disorders

• Published in: Biomarkers Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 171 - 180
• Main Authors: Faber, Scott, Zinn, Gregory M., Kern II, John C., Skip Kingston, H. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Informa UK Ltd 01.05.2009; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Asperger Syndrome - blood; Asperger's syndrome; autistic disorder; Autistic Disorder - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Child; Child clinical studies; Cohort Studies; Copper - blood; Developmental disorders; Humans; Infantile autism; Medical sciences; mercury; metallothionein system dysfunction; Metals and various inorganic compounds; pervasive developmental disorder-NOS; Plasma zinc/serum copper ratio; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Retrospective Studies; Toxicology; Zinc - blood; zinc deficiency; United States; North America; America; Toxicity; autistic disorder; Biological marker; Developmental disorder; Blood plasma; Asperger syndrome; Serum; Copper; Child; zinc deficiency; Immune system; Human; Deficiency; Transition metal; metallothionein system dysfunction; Zinc; Plasma zinc/serum copper ratio; Heavy metal; Autism; Pervasive developmental disorder; Asperger's syndrome; Dysfunction; pervasive developmental disorder-NOS; Mercury; Metallothionein
• ISSN: 1354-750X; 1366-5804
• DOI: 10.1080/13547500902783747

The frequency of zinc deficiency, copper toxicity and low zinc/copper in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may indicate decrement in metallothionein system functioning. A retrospective review of plasma zinc, serum copper and zinc/copper was performed on data from 230 children with autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-NOS and Asperger's syndrome. The entire cohort's mean zinc level was 77.2 μg dl−1, mean copper level was 131.5 μg dl−1, and mean Zn/Cu was 0.608, which was below the 0.7 cut-off of the lowest 2.5% of healthy children. The plasma zinc/serum copper ratio may be a biomarker of heavy metal, particularly mercury, toxicity in children with ASDs.