Effect of Supervised Physical Exercise on Oxidative Stress in Children with Autism

Background: The etiology of autism spectrum disorders is not well known but oxidative stress has been suggested to play a pathological role. Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of supervised physical exercise on oxidative stress in children with autism. Methods: Thirty boys with autism (7 to 9 years old) voluntarily participated in this study. They were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group performed a physical curriculum known as sports, play and active recreation for kids (SPARK) for 12 weeks (3 sessions of 45 minutes per week), while the control group was exempted to participate in the program. As the clinical parameters, the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured before and after the intervention. Results: The results indicated that BDNF levels significantly increased (85.7 %) and MDA concentration significantly decreased (29.2%) in the experimental group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, the supervised physical exercise may result in less oxidative stress in children with autism.