Epidemiological study to clarify the relation between trace elements in hair and blood and developmental disorder

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H03883
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58020:Hygiene and public health-related: including laboratory approach
• Research Institution: Shinshu University
• Principal Investigator: NOMIYAMA TETSUO 信州大学, 学術研究院医学系, 教授 (70286441)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 當房 浩一 信州大学, 学術研究院医学系, 助教 (10741027) ; 稲葉 雄二 信州大学, 医学部, 特任教授 (30334890) ; 塚原 照臣 信州大学, 医学部, 教授(特定雇用) (50377652)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 神経発達障害 / 微量元素 / 小児 / 重金属 / 誘導結合プラズマ質量分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to clarify the relationship between trace elements and neurodevelopmental disorders. Therefore, we followed up the target population from birth to 8-year-old children, evaluated the high-functioning Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) scores of 8-year-old children (with a cutoff of 19 points) in a birth cohort study, and examined the relationship between ASSQ score positive (=>19) and trace elements in hair. In addition, case-control study was employed for the evaluation between neurodevelopmental disease patients as a case group and the siblings of neurodevelopmental disease patients and trace elements in the hair. These studies suggest a relationship between multiple trace elements and neurodevelopmental disorders. In the future, it is necessary to elucidate the mechanism and consider confounding factors in these relations.

Free Research Field

衛生学および公衆衛生学分野関連：実験系を含む

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

神経発達障害と微量元素との関連は明らかになっていない。今回の研究結果により、複数の微量元素と神経発達障害との関係が示唆された。今後、個別の微量元素と神経発達障害との機序について更なる基礎研究は必要とされ、また、疫学研究で払拭されていない、交絡因子を加味した更なる疫学研究は必要であるが、今後の研究の方向性について、一定の回答を得ることができた意義は大きいと考えられる。