Autism spectrum disorders are a group of complex, genetic neurodevelopmental disorders that affect approximately 28 million people worldwide.
Currently, the causes of ASD are understood to be multifactorial, but are generally understood to be due to genetic and environmental factors. In a cohort study recently published in the international scientific journal The Lancet, Swedish and Finnish researchers conducted a large population-based study to investigate the association between parental mental illness and the risk of the fetus developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They found that children with both parents suffering from mental illness were at highest risk for autism, and that children with a mother suffering from a mental illness were at higher risk than those with only a father suffering from a mental illness. Parental mental illness may affect children’s risk of ASD, for example through shared genetic factors.
A Danish study found that maternal psychiatric illness is one of the strongest prenatal risk factors for autism. Maternal stress during pregnancy may increase the chances of childhood autism due to immune system dysregulation. An abnormal physiological stress response may itself lead to an abnormal response in the offspring, increasing the risk of autism. The serotonin transporter (SERT) gene is particularly relevant in the relationship between maternal stress exposure and ASD because of its well-established function in the stress response. This gene has also been linked to the perseverative obsessive-compulsive behaviors of autism.
The risk of autism was significantly higher across all categories of parental psychiatric illness, with maternal diagnosis associated with higher risk, especially for neurodevelopmental, mood, neurotic, and psychoactive substance use disorders. However, having either parent with schizophrenia or another psychiatric illness was found to similarly increase the risk of ASD in the offspring.
The findings highlight the importance of assessing parents for a range of mental illness conditions to identify high-risk children for early intervention and improved outcomes.
(Dr Poonam Santosh, Consultant Psychiatrist, KMC Hospital, Mangalore)
Currently, the causes of ASD are understood to be multifactorial, but are generally understood to be due to genetic and environmental factors. In a cohort study recently published in the international scientific journal The Lancet, Swedish and Finnish researchers conducted a large population-based study to investigate the association between parental mental illness and the risk of the fetus developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They found that children with both parents suffering from mental illness were at highest risk for autism, and that children with a mother suffering from a mental illness were at higher risk than those with only a father suffering from a mental illness. Parental mental illness may affect children’s risk of ASD, for example through shared genetic factors.
A Danish study found that maternal psychiatric illness is one of the strongest prenatal risk factors for autism. Maternal stress during pregnancy may increase the chances of childhood autism due to immune system dysregulation. An abnormal physiological stress response may itself lead to an abnormal response in the offspring, increasing the risk of autism. The serotonin transporter (SERT) gene is particularly relevant in the relationship between maternal stress exposure and ASD because of its well-established function in the stress response. This gene has also been linked to the perseverative obsessive-compulsive behaviors of autism.
The risk of autism was significantly higher across all categories of parental psychiatric illness, with maternal diagnosis associated with higher risk, especially for neurodevelopmental, mood, neurotic, and psychoactive substance use disorders. However, having either parent with schizophrenia or another psychiatric illness was found to similarly increase the risk of ASD in the offspring.
The findings highlight the importance of assessing parents for a range of mental illness conditions to identify high-risk children for early intervention and improved outcomes.
(Dr Poonam Santosh, Consultant Psychiatrist, KMC Hospital, Mangalore)
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