Discovery highlights new avenue of research for finding a cure

Jul 24, 2012 15:56 GMT  ·  By

Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (MIT), in Pasadena, say that a study conducted on mice revealed that an overactive immune system could lead to the emergence of symptoms similar to those of autism in humans.

Interestingly, abnormalities in mother mice's immune system were also tied to an increased risk of their offspring behaving as if they had autism. The manner in which the fetus develops in the womb therefore becomes more important for predicting autism, PsychCentral reports.

“In our studies of a mouse model based on an environmental risk factor for autism, we find that the immune system of the mother is a key factor in the eventual abnormal behaviors in the offspring,” the research team explains in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

For the purpose of this study, autism-like symptoms were described as repetitive or stereotyped behaviors, decreased social interactions, and impaired communication, among several others.