An Investigation of Porphyrinuria in Australian Children with Autism

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An Investigation of Porphyrinuria in Australian Children with Autism

Authors: W. Austin a; Kerrie Shandley a

Affiliation: a Swinburne Autism Bio-Research Initiative (SABRI),

Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of

Technology, Melbourne, Australia

DOI: 10.1080/15287390802271723

Published in: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A,

Volume 71, Issue 20 January 2008 ,

Abstract

Two recent studies, from France (Nataf et al., 2006) and the

United States (Geier & Geier, 2007), identified atypical urinary

porphyrin profiles in children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

These profiles serve as an indirect measure of environmental toxicity

generally, and mercury (Hg) toxicity specifically, with the latter

being a variable proposed as a causal mechanism of ASD (Bernard et

al., 2001; Mutter et al., 2005). To examine whether this phenomenon

occurred in a sample of Australian children with ASD, an analysis of

urinary porphyrin profiles was conducted. A consistent trend in

abnormal porphyrin levels was evidenced when data was compared with

those previously reported in the literature. The results are

suggestive of environmental toxic exposure impairing heme synthesis.

Three independent studies from three continents have now demonstrated

that porphyrinuria is concomitant with ASD, and that Hg may be a

likely xenobiotic to produce porphyrin profiles of this nature.