Austism

By: Shreeya S.

Autism is a genetic disorder that has affected many people. There are many different combinations of genetics which can cause autism. There is a variety of autism severity, but all of them have the same downstream. The causes of autism are also known as autistic spectrum disorder. Previous studies have identified autism-associated abnormalities in cells that support neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The research team in John Hopkins was able to narrow it down to the microglial cell, which is a specific type of support cell that regulates the brain for threats and pathogens. In autistic brains, the microglia appeared to be everlastingly activated; their genes for inflammation responses are turned on. About 50% of parents report that their children’s autistic behavior improves noticeably when they have a fever, and then reverts back when the fever is gone.This is a downstream consequence of upstream gene mutation. It is important for many people to understand autism as it affects many people in the world.

http://hub.jhu.edu/2014/12/15/autism-brain-inflammation#