Changes responsible for autism may take place before the child is even born
Scientists may be one step closer to understanding autism thanks to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics.
A team of researchers at Michigan State University found that low-birth-weight-newborns were seven times more likely to be diagnosed with autism later in life if ultrasound scans taken shortly after birth found enlarged cavities in the brain that collect spinal fluid.
Though experts have thus far not been able to pinpoint the causes for autism, controversial theories linking vaccines with the disorder still hold sway over public opinion, with over 20 percent of the population still believing vaccines cause autism.
"We really wanted to address the question of when do some of the changes regarding autism take place?" lead author Tammy Movsas, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at Michigan State University and medical director of the Midland County Department of Public Health, told DOTmed News.
"One thing this study shows is that changes may start taking place within the first few days of life or within the womb before the child's even born," said Movsas.
Movsas and her team analyzed data from a cohort of 1,105 babies born in the mid 1980s that were screened over a 25 year period for risks linked to low birth weight such as cerebral palsy and other disabilities.
Enlarged ventricles in the brain generally indicate white matter loss and are more common among premature babies. These brain abnormalities may interfere with normal brain development and lead to autism, though the study stresses that more research needs to be done to understand exactly how white matter loss may interfere with the neurology of the brain.
"New research is needed about these changes to see what steps we can take to minimize the disease in early detection for all babies," said Movsas.
