Autism linked to maternal antibodies

Besides genetic, metabolic and environmental factors, autism could also be triggered by maternal antibodies.

It is believed that children with autism have antibodies in the blood that react against brain tissue. Antibodies are an important part of the immune system in which proteins are produced and mount a defence in response to the presence of a foreign body, such as an invading virus or bacteria. Maternal antibodies that cross over through the placenta and are directed against the brain tissues of the fetus can adversely affect brain development and may cause autism.

To assess the relation between maternal antibodies and autism, American researchers measured the antibodies to brain tissue in blood samples from 100 mothers with autistic children as well as 100 mothers with unaffected children. The results of the study indicated that mothers of children with autism had a stronger or more reactive antibodies to brain proteins as compared to those with unaffected children. The presence of antibodies in mother's blood also correlated with having a child with developmental regression, a primary feature of autism.

The study shows that the mother's immune system can be yet another factor to trigger autism in children.