| Title |
Perinatal stress, brain inflammation and risk of autism-Review and proposal
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
BMC Pediatrics, July 2012
|
| DOI | 10.1186/1471-2431-12-89 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Asimenia Angelidou, Shahrzad Asadi, Konstantinos-Dionysios Alysandratos, Anna Karagkouni, Stella Kourembanas, Theoharis C Theoharides |
| Abstract |
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by varying deficits in social interactions, communication, and learning, as well as stereotypic behaviors. Despite the significant increase in ASD, there are few if any clues for its pathogenesis, hampering early detection or treatment. Premature babies are also more vulnerable to infections and inflammation leading to neurodevelopmental problems and higher risk of developing ASD. Many autism "susceptibility" genes have been identified, but "environmental" factors appear to play a significant role. Increasing evidence suggests that there are different ASD endophenotypes. We review relevant literature suggesting in utero inflammation can lead to preterm labor, while insufficient development of the gut-blood-brain barriers could permit exposure to potential neurotoxins. This risk apparently may increase in parents with "allergic" or autoimmune problems during gestation, or if they had been exposed to stressors. The presence of circulating auto-antibodies against fetal brain proteins in mothers is associated with higher risk of autism and suggests disruption of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB). A number of papers have reported increased brain expression or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially TNF, which is preformed in mast cells. Recent evidence also indicates increased serum levels of the pro-inflammatory mast cell trigger neurotensin (NT), and of extracellular mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is immunogenic. Gene mutations of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), the negative regulator of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), have been linked to higher risk of autism, but also to increased proliferation and function of mast cells. Premature birth and susceptibility genes may make infants more vulnerable to allergic, environmental, infectious, or stress-related triggers that could stimulate mast cell release of pro-inflammatory and neurotoxic molecules, thus contributing to brain inflammation and ASD pathogenesis, at least in an endophenotype of ASD patients. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 20 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 3 | 15% |
| Mexico | 2 | 10% |
| Germany | 1 | 5% |
| Spain | 1 | 5% |
| Canada | 1 | 5% |
| Panama | 1 | 5% |
| United Kingdom | 1 | 5% |
| Unknown | 10 | 50% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 17 | 85% |
| Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 2 | 10% |
| Scientists | 1 | 5% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 345 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 3 | <1% |
| Germany | 1 | <1% |
| France | 1 | <1% |
| Canada | 1 | <1% |
| Australia | 1 | <1% |
| Japan | 1 | <1% |
| Mexico | 1 | <1% |
| Unknown | 336 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 56 | 16% |
| Student > Bachelor | 47 | 14% |
| Researcher | 45 | 13% |
| Student > Master | 42 | 12% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 29 | 8% |
| Other | 63 | 18% |
| Unknown | 63 | 18% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 87 | 25% |
| Psychology | 42 | 12% |
| Neuroscience | 41 | 12% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 31 | 9% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 19 | 6% |
| Other | 46 | 13% |
| Unknown | 79 | 23% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 23. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 18 June 2023.
All research outputs
#1,684,084
of 25,654,806 outputs
Outputs from BMC Pediatrics
#185
of 3,494 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#9,541
of 178,126 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Pediatrics
#7
of 50 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,654,806 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 93rd percentile: it's in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 3,494 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 8.0. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 94% of its peers.
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