Prenatal exposure to fever is associated with autism spectrum disorder in the boston birth cohort.

ABSTRACT: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is phenotypically and etiologically heterogeneous, with evidence for genetic and environmental contributions to disease risk. Research has focused on the prenatal period as a time where environmental exposures are likely to influence risk for ASD. Epidemiological studies have shown significant associations between prenatal exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA), caused by infections and fever, and ASD. However, due to differences in study design and exposure measurements no consistent patterns have emerged revealing specific times or type of MIA exposure that are most important to ASD risk. No prior studies have examined prenatal MIA exposure and ASD risk in an under-represented minority population of African ancestry. To overcome these limitations, we

SUBMITTER: Brucato M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5685874 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature