Maternal pregnancy-related infections and autism spectrum disorder-the genetic perspective.

ABSTRACT: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a group of neurodevelopmental disorders which include deficits in behavior, social interaction and communication. ASD has a complex genetic architecture, and it is also influenced by certain environmental exposures. Both types of predisposing factors may be related to immunological mechanisms, involving, for example, immune system genes and infections. Past studies have shown an association between infections occurring during the pregnancy in the mother and increased risk of ASD in the child, an observation which has received recent support from experimental animal studies of ASD-like behavior. The aim of this study was to study the genetic contribution to this effect. We employed genetic correlation analyses across potential ASD subtypes stratified

SUBMITTER: Nudel R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9381559 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature