California, Aug. 15 -- : Kids with autism, who were born to mothers who had immune conditions during their pregnancy, have more chances to show behaviorual and emotional problems, according to a new study.
Results of the UC Davis Health study, published in Translational Psychiatry, examined maternal immune history as a predictor of symptoms in children with autism. The study found that offspring sex may interact with maternal immune conditions to influence outcomes, particularly in terms of a child's cognition.
"We tested the ability of maternal immune history to predict ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) symptoms and the possible role that the sex of the offspring plays," said Paul Ashwood, professor of microbiology and immunology and facult...