A new study is shedding light on a potential cause of autism. Irene Sanchez Martin, a postdoc researcher at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, recently presented her findings.
Sanchez Martin was inspired to research autism upon realizing that, while 40 to 80 percent of cases are likely linked to genetic factors, the cause of 20 to 60 percent of cases remains unclear.
Previous research has suggested that a viral infection in pregnant women may play a role. Sanchez Martin, though, found a new way to investigate that hypothesis.
During Sanchez Martin’s recent experiment, some mouse embryos were found to begin to show early signs of developmental deficits soon after its pregnant mother was exposed to a virus.
“The model we use is very well established for autism spectrum disorder,” she said. “The difference in my work is that I check what happened to the fetuses 24 hours after exposure to maternal inflammation, rather than analyzing the behaviors of the offspring as adults.”
As Sanchez Martin’s research continues, she hopes to discover more about autism. For instance, she seeks to answer why all female embryos appear to be protected from autism, while as many as one-third of the males are strongly affected.
Eventually, Sanchez Martin hopes that her research will help doctors identify early warning signs of autism before a child’s birth.
Autism refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication, according to Autism Speaks.
The organization additionally reports that one in 36 children and one in 45 adults have autism, a disorder that is for times more likely to occur in boys than girls.
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The post Viral Infection During Pregnancy May Lead to Autism appeared first on VICE.
