Maternal Mid-Gestation Cytokine Dysregulation in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sophie Casey, M. Carter, Ann-Marie Looney, Vicki Livingstone, Gerard M. Moloney, Gerard W. O’Keeffe, Rennae S. Taylor, Louise C. Kenny, Fergus P. McCarthy, Lesley McCowan, John Thompson, Deirdre M. Murray
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterised by deficits in social interactions and communication, with stereotypical and repetitive behaviours. Recent evidence suggests that maternal immune dysregulation may predispose offspring to ASD. Independent samples t-tests revealed downregulation of IL-17A concentrations in cases, when compared to controls, at both 15 weeks (p = 0.02), and 20 weeks (p = 0.02), which persisted at 20 weeks following adjustment for confounding variables. This adds to the growing body of evidence that maternal immune regulation may play a role in foetal neurodevelopment.