Lack of association between autism and anti-GM1 ganglioside antibody

Abstract

Forty of 54 children with autism were reported to have an elevated antibody response to GM1 ganglioside that correlated with disease severity.1 Anti-ganglioside autoantibodies, especially those directed at GM1, are known to be associated with and play a pathogenic role in some immune-mediated peripheral neuropathies.2,3 The presumed link between autism and anti-GM1 antibodies, therefore, implies that testing may identify a sizable subset of patients who would benefit from immunomodulatory therapy. To evaluate the proposed association between autism and anti-GM1 antibodies, we performed serologic testing on children diagnosed with autism by strict clinical criteria and those without autism, using a standard and validated immunoassay protocol.