Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a highly prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder, currently affecting one in every 68 children. ASD is understood as a heterogeneous disorder, and individuals with this condition vary considerably in terms of symptom presentation. This heterogeneity contributes to the difficulty faced by researchers and clinicians in trying to determine the precise underlying mechanisms and treatment for this condition. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether the variations in symptom manifestation are attributed to differences in underlying etiologies of the disorder or other factors as yet to be identified.
Currently, it is believed that ASD is likely due to the interaction between different genetic and environmental factors. The maternal immune system is one example of where the environment may act upon genetic predispositions and lead to altered fetal brain development. Considering the importance of the immune environment during fetal development, maternal antibodies (Abs) directed against fetal proteins have been considered as potentially playing a critical function in the pathology of ASD.
This thesis examines the literature focused on the role of maternal Abs in fetal development and their impact on the neuropathology of ASD. Studies have collected samples from mothers of children diagnosed with ASD and examined the reactivity patterns of the maternal Abs against fetal proteins. Through review and inspection of methodologies and results, this thesis highlights the important insights obtained as well as proposes possible reasons for the disparity in findings. Lastly, this thesis proposes future directions and therapeutic implications of identifying the maternal Abs that could be involved in at least a subset of ASD cases.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/30896 |
| Date | 03 July 2018 |
| Creators | Bhanot, Anisha |
| Contributors | Bauman, Margaret, McDougle, Christopher |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
Page generated in 0.0022 seconds