The mothers of some autistic children may have made antibodies
against their fetuses’ brain tissue during pregnancy that
crossed the placenta and caused changes that led to autism,
suggests research led by Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
investigators and published in the February issue of the Journal
of Neuroimmunology. The causes of autism, a disorder manifesting
itself with a range of brain problems and marked by impaired
social interactions, communication disorders and repetitive
behaviors, remain unknown for an estimated 90 percent of
children diagnosed with it. Genetic, metabolic and environmental
factors have been implicated in various studies of autism, a
disorder affecting 1 in 150 U.S. children, according to
estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Now our research suggests that the mother’s immune system may
be yet another factor or a trigger in those already
predisposed,” says lead investigator Harvey Singer, M.D.,
director of pediatric neurology at Hopkins Children’s. Researc