Prenatal Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Levels and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Abstract
The causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not well understood, but research suggests that factors influencing early brain development may be involved. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which include omega 3 fatty acids, are fats obtained from the diet that play key roles in early fetal brain development. It is not known whether levels of these crucial fats during pregnancy influence risk of ASD. This project will examine the relationship between PUFA levels and ASD, addressing the role of environmental risk factors in ASD (a FY15 priority Area of Interest. Specifically, the goal of this project is to determine whether levels of PUFAs measured from maternal blood samples collected during pregnancy, and in a subgroup group, from newborn blood spots, differ between children with ASD and those without ASD. We will also explore whether the relationship between PUFAs and ASD differs in certain subgroups, such as by race/ethnicity, preterm birth, or child gender. Based on the importance of PUFAs in neurodevelopment, we suspect that lower levels of PUFAs may be related to ASD.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1065104
Entities
People
- Kristen Lyall