Doctors Suggest Link Between Autism And Increased Brain Fluid
- 7 years ago
A recent study suggests there may be a link between autism and an excess of extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF.
A recent study suggests there may be a link between autism and an excess of extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF.
Researchers led by Dr. Joseph Piven of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine found that a number of toddlers diagnosed with autism had greater than typical quantities of the fluid when they were between the ages of 6 and 12 months.
A press release about the findings further notes, “They also found that the more CSF at six months – as measured through MRIs – the more severe the autism symptoms were at two years of age.”
The issue may be related to irregularities in the functioning of CSF.
Mark Shen, one of the study’s authors, said, “We know that CSF is very important for brain health, and our data suggest that in this large subset of kids, the fluid is not flowing properly. We don’t expect there’s a single mechanism that explains the cause of the condition for every child. But we think improper CSF flow could be one important mechanism.”
Generally, the fluid acts as a filter for cerebral activity byproducts and replenishes itself numerous times a day.
Piven commented, “We can’t yet say for certain that improper CSF flow causes autism. But extra-axial CSF is an early marker, a sign that CSF is not filtering and draining as it should. This is important because improper CSF flow may have downstream effects on the developing brain; it could play a role in the emergence of autism symptoms.”
The team admits the means is not a perfect predictor of autism, but does believe, “In the future, this sort of CSF imaging could be another tool to help pediatricians detect risks for autism as early as possible.”
A recent study suggests there may be a link between autism and an excess of extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF.
Researchers led by Dr. Joseph Piven of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine found that a number of toddlers diagnosed with autism had greater than typical quantities of the fluid when they were between the ages of 6 and 12 months.
A press release about the findings further notes, “They also found that the more CSF at six months – as measured through MRIs – the more severe the autism symptoms were at two years of age.”
The issue may be related to irregularities in the functioning of CSF.
Mark Shen, one of the study’s authors, said, “We know that CSF is very important for brain health, and our data suggest that in this large subset of kids, the fluid is not flowing properly. We don’t expect there’s a single mechanism that explains the cause of the condition for every child. But we think improper CSF flow could be one important mechanism.”
Generally, the fluid acts as a filter for cerebral activity byproducts and replenishes itself numerous times a day.
Piven commented, “We can’t yet say for certain that improper CSF flow causes autism. But extra-axial CSF is an early marker, a sign that CSF is not filtering and draining as it should. This is important because improper CSF flow may have downstream effects on the developing brain; it could play a role in the emergence of autism symptoms.”
The team admits the means is not a perfect predictor of autism, but does believe, “In the future, this sort of CSF imaging could be another tool to help pediatricians detect risks for autism as early as possible.”