It’s a disorder that has always been somewhat of a mystery to scientist and the medical world, as no-one has really been able to tell what causes autism, and indeed if there is any way to prevent it.
But now a research team from New York University believe we could be one step closer to finding both a cause and a cure after discovering cells that play a role in how the disorder develops in the brains of babies.
In a major breakthrough, the researchers discovered that by blocking cells that produce a chemical called IL-17a in pregnant mice, the scientists were able to restore normal brain structure in the brains of the pups.
This, according to the newly published study, go some way to confirm that viral infections during pregnancy can play a role in how autism develops, and that the findings can mean that we are a step closer when it comes to finding a treatment or even a cure for the disorder.
The groundbreaking new study centred on T lymphocytes, which are immune cells that react to infections by creating ‘a cellular army’ that attacks the invading microbes.
A subset of these T cells, Th17 cells, release a signalling protein, interleukin 17 (IL-17), that boosts how a body responds to, and fends off infections.
However, according to the researchers, when the levels of this protein are too high, or off target, they can lead to autoimmune diseases such as asthma and inflammatory bowel disease, and that an imbalance here can play a role in creating behavioural abnormalities in embryos.
This discovery comes after several previous studies on humans have found a link between mothers catching a viral infection during pregnancy and the risk of their child developing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Until now, though, the mechanisms behind this were unknown.
To test their theory, the research team injected mice with an acid that mimics a viral infection, causing the mice’s immune system to produce IL-17a. What then transpired, was that mice exposed to higher IL-17a levels in the womb exhibited autism-like symptoms when they were born.
However, by blocking the action of Th17 cells, the scientists were able to completely restore normal structure and function to the brains of the study offspring.
