No More Autism

A mother's diet during pregnancy definitely affects her baby's health and, in some situations, can determine baby's weight as well. Eating healthy fats and proteins, limiting processed carbohydrates, and remaining active can improve your health, and have a positive impact on your baby's birthweight and future health. Microbiome is the collection of microorganisms that naturally live inside us which is a key contributor to the risk of autism.

A new research from the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine states that a pregnant woman’s microbiome plays a critical role in determining the risk developing autism-spectrum disorders. If an expecting mother modifies her diet then it can prevent forms of autism.

The UVA scientists were able to use their discovery to prevent the development of autism, like neurodevelopmental disorders in lab mice. They found they could halt the development of such disorders by blocking a particular inflammatory molecule known as interleukin-17a (IL-17a), produced by the immune system. It is believed, as per the researchers, that this molecule offers another potential avenue for preventing autism in people. However, this approach is likely to be more complex and comes along the risk of side effects. Lead researcher John Lukens, PhD, of UVA's Department of Neuroscience, discovered that microbiome is a key contributor in determining susceptibility to autism.

His research says an unhealthy microbiome in the mom can create problems like it can make her unborn offspring susceptible to neurodevelopmental disorders. But the good point is that the microbiome can be modified easily, either through diet, probiotic supplements or fecal transplant. If these approaches are followed then it can help to restore a healthy equilibrium among the different microorganisms that live in the gut.

However, the most important thing is to figure out what kind of things can be used to modulate the microbiome in the mother as effectively and safely as it can. Even though IL-17a previously has been implicated in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis, and there are already drugs available that target it but Lukens study revealed that the molecule has an important purpose in stopping infections, especially fungal infections.

If it is blocked, it could make you susceptible to all kinds of infections but doing so during pregnancy could have complex ripple effects on a child's development that scientists would need to sort out. While Lukens' work links the immune system with neurodevelopmental disorders, he emphasized that this in no way suggests that vaccines are contributing to the development of autism.

Further the team plans to explore the potential role of other immune molecules in the development of autism and other such conditions. "IL-17a may be just one piece in a much larger puzzle”, he said. Lukens' work is the latest research from UVA to talk about the microbiome in maintaining good health.

By: Anuja Arora

Content:  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180718113343.htm