Proposed remedies for some developmental disorders.

ABSTRACT

Developmental disorders (DDs) are important leading cause of disability in developed countries and also in the United States. DDs are a group of individual conditions that result from abnormal nervous system development and cause altered function. They can begin at any time from prenatal to 22 years of age and the disability usually presents itself throughout a person's life time. Down syndrome, autism, neural tube defects, schizophrenia, cretinism, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are among the most common DDs that currently plague numerous countries and have varying incidence rates. Their occurrence may be partially attributable to the lack of certain dietary nutrients. Notably, essential vitamins, minerals, and ω-3 fatty acids are often deficient in the general population of America and developed countries and are exceptionally deficient in patients suffering from mental disorders. Typically, most of these disorders are treated with prescription drugs, but many of these drugs cause unwanted side effects. Therefore, psychiatrists recommend alternative or complementary nutritional remedies to overcome the adverse effects of those drugs. Studies have shown that daily supplements of vital nutrients, such as that contain amino acids, often effectively reduce symptoms of the patients, because they are converted into neurotransmitters that alleviate depression and other mental disorders. The aim of this article is to discuss the role of dietary imbalances in the incidence of DD and to emphasize which dietary supplements can aid in the treatment of the above-mentioned DD.