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The mother's microbiome – the collection of microscopic organisms that live in us – can determine the risk of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders in her children, suggests a study.
The study raises the possibility that the prevention of autism forms could be as simple as a pregnant woman changing her diet or taking personalized probiotics.
The results showed that an unhealthy microbiome in the mother can make her unborn baby susceptible to neurodevelopmental disorders.
But, by blocking a particular inflammatory molecule, interleukin-17a (IL-17a) produced by the immune system can help stop the development of such disorders in laboratory mice.
"We determined that the microbiome is a key factor in determining susceptibility (to autism disorders), so it suggests that you can target the maternal microbiome or this IL-17a inflammatory molecule," he said. lead researcher John Lukens, from the University of Virginia in the United States.
"You can also use this (IL-17a) as a biomarker for early diagnosis," he added, in an article published in the Journal of Immunology
. -17a might offer a way to prevent autism, Lukens said the road carries a lot more risk.
This is because blocking the molecule "could make you vulnerable to all kinds of infections". Doing it during pregnancy could have complex training effects on a child's development that scientists should adjust, he says.
However, the microbiome can be easily modified by diet, probiotic supplements, or fecal transplantation. All of these approaches seek to restore a healthy balance between the different microorganisms that live in the intestine,
"In terms of translating our work to humans, I think the next big step would be to identify the characteristics of the microbiome in pregnant women that correlate with the risk of autism, "Lukens said.
"I think the really important thing is to understand what kind of things can be used to modulate the mother's microbiome as effectively and safely as we can."
– IANS
rt / mag / sed
(This story was not edited by Business Standard staff and is generated automatically from a syndicated feed.)
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