長久以來，過動症一直困擾著不少兒童和他們的家長。全世界的科學家一直努力嘗試找出過動症背後的原因和發生的機制。不幸的是，這些成因和機制仍然有一大片科學上未知的地方。不過，和其他複雜的疾病一樣，科學家普遍相信遺傳和環境因素，例如飲食﹑感染和其他物質，於過動症的病因有一定程度的關係。

早於2002年，科學家已經展示出，商業用的對抗麥膠蛋白抗體與小腦組織有交叉反應。不過，於2004年一些更為清晰的研究結果被刊登於一本國際權威科學雜誌—〈營養神經科學〉。是次研究首先指出了多於80%有過動症的兒童體內有明顯較多對抗小麥麩質和小腦蛋白肽*的抗體。而且，經過不同的測試之後，研究人員發現原本用作對抗麥膠蛋白**的蛋白肽抗體可以攻擊小腦中的蛋白肽﹔而原本用作對抗小腦蛋白肽抗體亦可以攻擊整個麥膠蛋白和麥膠蛋白中的蛋白肽。驚喜的是，是次實驗還顯示抗牛奶和抗雞蛋的抗體與小腦中的蛋白肽產生反應率，分別為68%和55.7%。這顯示原來抗牛奶和抗雞蛋的抗體與小腦蛋白肽亦有交叉反應。再者，小腦蛋白肽和麥膠蛋白蛋白肽中導致交叉反應的位置也於今次研究中被找出來。所有這些發現都指向一個結論，就是一部分過動症病人體內產生一些同時對抗蒲金耶氏细胞和麥膠蛋白蛋白肽的抗體﹔而這些抗體可能是引起一些過動症症狀的原兇。

這個先驅研究燃起了數以千計過動症病童和他們父母對找到最終治療方法的希望。

*:小腦細胞表面的蛋白質，若受攻擊，通常會波及整個小腦細胞。
**:小麥中的其中一種蛋白質，較難完全消化和較易致敏的。

Autism has long been affecting some children as well as their parents. Scientists around the world are trying hard to look for the causes and the mechanism behind. Unfortunately, they are still largely unclear in the scientific world. Yet, as with the complex diseases, scientists believe genetic and environmental factors including diet, infections and xenobiotics play roles in the pathogenesis of autism to certain different extents.





As early as 2002, scientists have already demonstrated the cross-reactivity of a commercial IgA anti-gliadin antibody with cerebellar tissue. However, in 2004, more indicative research results were published in a renowned international journal, Nutrition Neuroscience. First of all, the study found that children with autism had significantly higher levels of both gluten and cerebellar peptide antibodies in more than 80% of the cases. With different testing methods, the researchers showed that antibodies against gliadin peptides reacted with cerebellar peptides, and antibodies prepared against cerebellar peptides reacted with crude gliadin and gliadin peptides. Surprisingly, this trial also revealed that anti-egg and anti-milk antibodies reacted with cerebellar proteins at 68% and 55.7% respectively, which indicated a significant antigenic cross-reactivity between egg and milk with cerebellar peptides. Moreover, the positions of the cerebellar peptides and gliadin responsible for the cross-reactivity antibody production were identified. These findings leaded to a conclusion that a subgroup of patients with autism produce antibodies against Purkinje cells and gliadin peptides, which may be responsible for some of the neurological symptoms in autism.

This pioneer study lights up the hope of thousands of autistic children and their parents to finally find the ultimate treatment.



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