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September 14, 2026Journal of Autism and Developmental DisordersOpen Access

Inflammatory Cytokines as Biologic Signatures of the Effect of Dietary Supplementation With Omega Fatty Acids on Autism-Related Behaviors and Features Among Young Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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Authors

SKSarah A. KeimJRJoseph RauschDCDaniel L. Coury

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Overview

Randomized double-blind trial finds no effect of omega-3 and omega-6 supplementation on cytokines or autism features in young children, suggesting inflammation does not drive clinical changes.

Key Points

  • To determine whether inflammatory cytokines mediate the effects of daily dietary omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplementation on autism-related behaviors in young children.
  • Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (NCT04312932) evaluating 90 days of daily fish and borage oil versus placebo in 98 randomized children (96 analyzed) aged 2 to <7 years with recent autism diagnoses.
  • Plasma inflammatory cytokines were quantified, and autism features were evaluated via caregiver report and direct behavioral assessments using linear mixed models and Pearson correlations.
  • Omega 3-6 supplementation showed no overall effect on cytokine levels or autism-related behaviors (group difference in change for PDDBI autism composite = 0.1, 95% CI: -10.9 to 11.1).
  • Changes in circulating cytokines were generally uncorrelated with changes in autism-related features, although exploratory analyses suggested potential sex-specific effects.

Cite This Study

Keim et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa7b3bf0926e14a848b2e22https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-026-07523-w
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Systematic Review: The Effect of Omega-3 Consumption on Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder2025
  2. 2Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Probiotic Supplementation as Strategies to Modulate Immune Dysregulation in Autism Spectrum Disorder2025 · 9 citations
  3. 3Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and aberrant behaviors in Jordanian children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD): A pilot study2024 · 5 citations
  4. 4Vitamin D and Omega-3 Supplementation for Emotional and Behavioral Dysregulation in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review2026 · 1 citations
  5. 5Association of maternal fish consumption and ω-3 supplement use during pregnancy with child autism-related outcomes: results from a cohort consortium analysis2024 · 16 citations