They discover why autism is more common among men | Rosario3.com

The bad of the baby greatly influences the possibility of suffering from certain diseases, and while depression and anxiety tend to occur more in women, men are more likely to suffer from certain neurodevelopmental disorders, such as than deficit disorders. attention to hyperactivity or autism. For men, a recent study provides guidance on the reasons for this situation.

For four men with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a woman is affected. According to the expert team of pharmacology departments of the University of Maryland and the Biomedical Sciences of Pennsylvania, the causes seem rather molecular, and should be sought in the placenta, an organ that can condition the future in different ways The baby's health

The book, published in Nature Communications, and distributed by Muy Interesante, was based on a study with rodents. These scientists have observed that high levels of a protein, called H3K27me3, appear to increase the resilience of females to the mentioned gestational stress. In addition, the OGT gene, which resides on the X chromosome – women have two and one men – provides some protection to female fetuses from some disturbance in the intrauterine environment.

"This connection could help us explain the," says Tracy L. Bale, one of the neuroscientists who participated in this initiative. "In the placenta, the OGT gene and the H3K27me3 peptide are fundamental in the encoding many proteins during pregnancy, which, over time, can have very different effects, "he says.

In previous studies, Bale and his collaborators have found that, at least in the mouse, the stress of the father can alter his sperm and thus affect the brain development of his offspring, which is more likely to suffer from certain neurodevelopmental disorders.The stressed parents also have offspring that offers a lower hormonal response to stress, a phenomenon that has been linked to the appearance of certain neuropsychiatric conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.