The Role of Gluten in the Etiology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Opioid and Immunological Mechanism

GLUTEN, A PROTEIN FOUND IN MOST CEREAL GRAINS, is perhaps the protein consumed in greater quantities than any other protein. It has long been known that a small percentage of the population is intolerant to gluten, and gastrointestinal upset, including diarrhea, bloating and flatulence result from its consumption. Less widely known is that gluten intolerance actually affects a larger population than originally thought and the gastrointestinal effects may not be present until further along in the course of the disease. Initial presenting signs may be far removed from the small intestine, and may affect any other body system. Most common systems to be effected are the central and peripheral nervous systems, the dermatological system and the endocrine system. Neurodevelopment disorders in children have reached almost epidemic proportion, and have been linked to gluten intolerance. This paper explores the mechanism by which gluten effects the clinical presentation in neurodevelopment disorders, ranging from ADHD to autism.