Placental Barrier and Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Prolactin and Dopamine on the Developing Fetal Brain

Conclusion
In summary, placenta being the most invasive tissue, to establish the hypothesized altered genetic transcription as the cause for complex phenotypic expressions in PDD, hormonal and environmental causes need to be ruled out. A pilot study to compare the ratios of prolactin/dopamine and oxytocin/GABA in gestational periods (20–40 weeks) as well as in the placenta would, in our opinion, provide valuable insights into the etiology of PDD. Alternative approaches may include the measurement of autoantibodies directed to the GABA-generating enzyme, glutamate decarboxylase 65 (GAD65), which have been detected in the serum of 60 percent of autistic children.33 Whether these autoantibodies inhibit GAD65 function as has been proposed for GAD65Ab in stiff person syndrome34 remains to be established.
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Source: Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience - October 9, 2015 Category: Neuroscience Authors: ICN Online Editor Tags: Autism Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Current Issue Mental Disorders Mood Disorders Pervasive Developmental Disorders Primary Care Psychiatry Psychopharmacology Review autism spectrum disorders (ASD) dopamine fetal brain gaba Source Type: research