UCF researchers have identified molecular changes that occur when stem cell neurocells are exposed to elevated levels of a common acid present in processed foods.
The thesis put forward by Professor Naser and Dr. Abdelli is one of the strong ones, which mark a watershed in scientific research. The autistic spectrum, or commonly called autistic spectrum, is a neurological disorder that affects language and communication, social behavior, and the personal interests of the subject.
At horas there is no cure, so the studies on the subject focus on the aetiology of the disorder. So, this first preliminary study conducted at the University of Florida was born from an intuition of Dr. Naser, gastroenterologist specialist at the College of Medicine’s Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. He conducted the first studies after observing that, in most cases, autistic children suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Thus, the question has been raised of the possible link between the intestine and the brain.
In a study published on June 19 in Scientific Reports, a Nature magazine, the two professors found that high levels of propionic acid (PPA), used to increase the life cycle of packaged foods and inhibit the growth of mold in processed cheese and bread, reduce the development of neurons in the fetal brain.
First, acid breaks the natural balance between brain cells by lowering the amount of neurons and overproduction of glial cells. Generally, glial cells (non-neuronal cells) help to develop and protect the function of neurons, but a surplus disturbs connectivity between neurons. They also cause inflammation, which has been noted in the brains of autistic children. It must be said that in our intestines the reproduction of PPA occurs naturally, however the particular microbiome of the mother can significantly influence the rate of acid, which is automatically transmitted to the fetus.
The next steps of research are to test a high PPA diet on mouse models to see if future unborn rodents are genetically predisposed to autism.
The study covers a period of about 18 months, and was funded by the UCF.