Role of the immune system in autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

CONCLUSION: We propose that the large inconsistencies in findings among studies in the field are due to differences in subdiagnoses among the included children with ASD. Well-phenotyped ASD samples are needed to understand the biological and immunological mechanisms underpinning ASD and its subdiagnoses. Future research should apply new strategies to scrutinize the link between ASD and changes in immune responsivity. Important new research avenues are to investigate the associations (a) between different ASD phenotypes and aberrations in (auto)immune pathways and (b) between reduced natural regulatory autoimmune responses during pregnancy, which are in turn associated with increased oxidative and nitrosative stress in maternal blood and putative detrimental effects in the offspring. PMID: 29984670 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: CNS and Neurological Disorders Drug Targets - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets Source Type: research