Cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-progressive neurological disorder caused by injury to the developing brain or abnormal brain development during the prenatal, perinatal, or early postnatal period. It is characterized primarily by motor dysfunction, impaired movement, and posture abnormalities, often accompanied by cognitive and sensory impairments. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to molecular biomarkers that reflect neuronal development and may provide insight into the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of CP. Among these biomarkers, Atlastin-1 (ATL-1) and Aristaless-Related Homeobox (ARX) are genes associated with neuronal growth, differentiation, and cortical development. The present study aimed to evaluate age-related variations in serum ATL-1 and ARX levels in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy. A total of sixty patients with CP were enrolled in this study and categorized into three age groups: 3 months–1 year (n = 24), 1–2 years (n = 17), and 2–3 years (n = 19). Serum levels of ATL-1 and ARX were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the differences in biomarker levels among the age groups.
The results demonstrated a significant increase (p < 0.05) in both ATL-1 and ARX levels in the 2–3 years age group compared with the younger groups. This elevation may reflect increased neuronal maturation and developmental processes occurring during early childhood in patients with CP.