As autism is widely spread in our society and according to the data report of CDC, 1 out of 68 children is suffering with this neurological disorder, we have to be more conscious and up to date about the facts, which cause autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
As it is bench marked that autism is strongly a genetic disorder and many genetic bio markers are discovered by researchers, so it may be a reason that no cure is found for this genetic as well as neurological disorder. Autism is still under study but we can improve the autistic disorders using many therapies (HBOT) and interventions.
Apart from genetic bio markers, many parameters are also found in children / patients with autistic disorders than the normal ones.
Except Genetic Bio markers:
Hormonal imbalance in newborn is one of them.
Old Discovery:
The topic we are discussing, focuses on the relation between autism and hormonal imbalance. Few ones may remember that the relation between autism and the elevated level of testosterone in prenatal stage of a newborn is already revealed.
Now it may be the additional phase of that old study. The current study is already published in the journal, Molecular Psychiatry.
New Addition Based On Old Discovery:
According to this study, not only testosterone but many steroid hormones are found at the elevated level in the amniotic fluid of the mothers’ womb. Researchers have already found four sex steroid hormones in amniotic fluid in the case of 128 males, who are later diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders).
Image Courtesy: http://sfari.org/
The four sex steroid hormones found in the elevated level in the amniotic fluid are,
- Testosterone
- Progesterone
- Androstenedione
- 17-alpha-hydroxy-progesterone
There is another hormone found at the elevated level and that one is cortisol.
Simon Baron-Cohen, professor of Cambridge university states “This is one of the earliest non-genetic biomarkers that has been identified in children who go on to develop autism,”
Prediction:
As we know that the early diagnosis on or before the age of three can improve the autistic disorders with early behavioral interventions and therapies like HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy), so this finding can be a milestone to diagnose autism at prenatal stage of newborns. But if we can diagnose the susceptibility of autism before the child is born, then we can prepare ourselves to take all possible precautions before the child is three years old.
Next Phase Of Current Discovery:
But the study was not completed as the experiment was done only with 128 males. It was the first phase but the next phase of this experiment is waiting to see the result, if there would be any relation between autism and hormonal imbalance in female.
