Why You Need the FRAT® Test?

Proper vitamin B9 (folate) transport into the brain is crucial because folate plays a vital role in neurological function, development, and mental health. When folate transport is disrupted (e.g., due to folate receptor autoantibodies blocking uptake), it can lead to cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), causing serious neurological and developmental issues.

There are a number of key reasons you need proper brain folate transport. These reasons are:

• Folate is required to make serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which regulate:
  • Mood (low folate is linked to depression, anxiety, psychosis)
  • Sleep, focus, and behavior

• Essential for brain cell growth and repair, especially in developing infants.
• Needed for myelination (nerve insulation), which affects learning, memory, and motor skills.

• Folate helps clear homocysteine (a toxic amino acid linked to stroke, dementia, and heart disease).
• Supports glutathione production (brain’s main antioxidant).

• Low brain folate is linked to:
  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (some children improve with folinic acid)
  • Seizures & epilepsy
  • Depression
  • Neurodegeneration (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s)
  • Peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage)

• Folate is critical during pregnancy (prevents neural tube defects like spina bifida).
• Folate greatly supports speech, cognition, and social development in kids.

Now, what happens if folate transport fails? When folate receptors are blocked (e.g., by folate receptor autoantibodies), folate can’t enter the brain efficiently, leading to:

• Developmental delays (speech, motor skills)
• Regression (loss of milestones in children)
• Seizures, irritability, sleep disorders
• Psychiatric symptoms (depression, psychosis)

If you suspect that you have, or a loved one has any of the symptoms mentioned in the above, then it may be a very good idea to test for folate receptor autoantibodies with the FRAT^® test. The Folate Receptor Autoantibody Test (FRAT^®) is used to detect autoantibodies that block folate (vitamin B9) transport to the brain, which is particularly relevant in certain neurological and developmental conditions. Here’s why you might need it:

• FRAT^® helps diagnose CFD, a condition where folate levels in the brain are low despite normal blood folate levels.
• Symptoms may include:
  • Developmental delays (in children)
  • Neurological issues (seizures, movement disorders)
  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-like symptoms
  • Cognitive decline (in adults)

• Some research suggests a link between folate receptor autoantibodies (FRAAs) and ASD.
• Testing may be recommended for children with ASD, especially if they have:
  • Speech/language delays
  • Regression after early development
  • Seizures or motor abnormalities

• FRAT^® may be considered in cases of:
  • Unexplained seizures
  • Depression, psychosis, or schizophrenia (rare cases linked to folate metabolism issues)
  • Neurodegenerative conditions (e.g., some forms of dementia)

• If CFD is confirmed, treatment may involve folinic acid (leucovorin) or high-dose methylfolate (bypassing the blocked receptors).
• FRAT^® can help track antibody levels over time, which may help in guiding proper treatment.

• Pediatricians (for ASD or developmental delays)
• Pediatric Neurologists (for ASD or developmental delays)
• Developmental pediatricians (for ASD or developmental delays)
• Neurologists (for seizures, movement disorders)
• Psychiatrists (for treatment-resistant mental health conditions)
• Genetic/metabolic specialists (for rare folate metabolism disorders)

• A blood sample is taken to detect folate receptor autoantibodies (FRAAs).

  Please visit www.fratnow.com for more information on ordering FRAT^®

• If FRAT^® is positive, treatment may include folinic acid (not folic acid, which doesn’t cross the blocked receptors well).
• Some patients show improvement in neurological symptoms with treatment.