Faculty Publications
Speculations On Vitamin K, Vkorc1 Genotype And Autism
Document Type
Article
Keywords
Autism, Autism etiology, Somali, Vitamin K, VKORC1
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Medical Hypotheses
Volume
96
First Page
30
Last Page
33
Abstract
Humans vary in the gene that encodes for Vitamin K epoxide reductase complex (VKORC1). Recent research has documented the protective effect of Vitamin K on neural cells and its role in maintaining normal neural development. Of interest, specific neural effects of Vitamin K overlap with key brain development aberrations, including those associated with autism. Furthermore, Vitamin K protects against oxidative stress associated with toxic exposure. Research on the neural effects is reviewed, and a small sample of severely autistic children of Somali descent residing in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area of Minnesota were genotyped and found to have a higher than expected genetic substitution that results in reduction in the efficiency of the Vitamin K cycle. The possibility that this genetic difference could play an etiological role in the development of autism is considered.
Department
Department of Psychology
Original Publication Date
11-1-2016
DOI of published version
10.1016/j.mehy.2016.09.013
Repository
UNI ScholarWorks, Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa
Language
en
Recommended Citation
DeSoto, M. C., "Speculations On Vitamin K, Vkorc1 Genotype And Autism" (2016). Faculty Publications. 1011.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/facpub/1011
