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Glial fibrillary acidic protein is elevated in superior frontal, parietal and cerebellar cortices of autistic subjects

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Abstract

Autism is a debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder of early childhood with both genetic and environmental origins. Immune system dysregulation has been hypothesized to be involved in this disorder. We quantified levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ß-actin in three areas of the brain, namely, area 9, area 40 and cerebellum, in age matched autistic and control postmortem specimen using SDS-PAGE and western blotting techniques. Significant elevations in levels of GFAP were observed in all three brain areas in autism. This report confirms a recent report showing microglial and astroglial activation in autism. Increased GFAP levels in autistic brains signify gliosis, reactive injury, and perturbed neuronal migration processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Medical School, MMC 392, 420 Delaware Street SE, 55455, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    J. A. Laurence & S. H. Fatemi MD, PhD

Authors
  1. J. A. Laurence
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  2. S. H. Fatemi MD, PhD
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Correspondence to S. H. Fatemi MD, PhD.

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Laurence, J.A., Fatemi, S.H. Glial fibrillary acidic protein is elevated in superior frontal, parietal and cerebellar cortices of autistic subjects. Cerebellum 4, 206–210 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1080/14734220500208846

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14734220500208846

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