The offspring of mice given vitamin D supplementation ahead of time in pregnancy have reduced autism - like symptom . The discovery adds to evidence that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy , and peradventure early in life sentence , is a contribute factor to autism spectrum disorder .
Professor Darryl Eylesof the University of Queensland has drop days study the effect of vitamin D , and its absence , on the ontogeny of the mastermind . He ’s been part of work showing that deficiency of the vitamin during fetal growing is a major risk factor forschizophrenia , and is now examining evidence for a link to autism .
The hypothesis of such a link has been suggested establish on observations that autism probability deviate with giving birth month . Although alternative explanations be , for model the timing of the one-year cold and flu time of year , Eyles told IFLScience : “ Vitamin D is the most seasonally regulated factor known . ”
Eyles turned to a breed of mouse known as C57BL6 / N , which are prostrate to behaviors considered analogous to autism in human , including capital anxiety , reduced social fundamental interaction , and obsessive burying of marble . “ We found meaning female handle with active vitamin D in the equivalent of the first trimester of maternity produced offspring that did not modernise these deficits , ” Eyles said in astatement .
InMolecular Autism , however , Eyles reports something unexpected . Eyles anticipated that autism could be the result of an incendiary reaction in the brain suppress by vitamin D ’s anti - incitive effects . Yet supplements made no deviation to inflammation for either female parent or child .
Eyles acknowledge that the mechanics remains indecipherable . “ We did n’t look at every rabble-rousing agent , ” he said . It ’s possible that inflammation difference occurred in ways the team ’s tests missed or that something else is occuring wholly .
Establishing that vitamin D insufficiency chip in to autism in homo is challenge because randomize testing would struggle to get ethics approval . However , Eyles told IFLScience that large - musical scale subject area have been done in the United States comparing rate of complications during pregnancy for woman given vitamin D supplements and placebos .
By following up on the children bear in these trials , Eyles hopes to “ limp a ride ” on the inquiry of others and see if autism diagnosis rates dissent . He pointed out that such studies are far more practical than tantamount trial run of schizophrenic disorder , as those individuals are ordinarily not diagnose until their 20s .
Many people with autism argue that the condition should be treat as a form of diversity to becelebrated , but even significant womanhood hop for neurotypical small fry should be aware that although vitamin five hundred helps exert intelligent bones , the active hormonal shape can strip down calcium from forge bones . Eyles ' lab are investigating the dose of the secure form of vitamin D supplements that might change brain shaping .
