When we talk about autism, we think at first sight of a mental state rather than an illness itself. But in reality, it is a neurological disease or neurodevelopmental condition that can not be cured and that affects the functioning of the brain, the immune system and biological. It is estimated that one in 100 children will have autism in France and according to recent studies this pathology is linked to polycystic ovary syndrome ...
These studies highlight a hormonal cause related to some cases of autism or related disorders and this risk would be higher in children born to women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Apart from the evidence of a genetic predisposition favoring the onset of autism disorders, two other scientific approaches are infinitely associated with the onset of autism such as the neurobiological approach and environmental factors.
Polycystic ovary syndrome implicated in some cases of autism
However, a recent study correlates polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with an increased risk of autism in an unborn child. In fact, women with polycystic ovary syndrome who are old enough to have children secrete a large amount of androgenic hormones, including during pregnancy, thus causing metabolic dysfunction due to insulin resistance. A study by the University of Cambridge's Autism Research Center corroborates this relationship that women with PCOS are more likely to have children with autism.
Lead research author Simon Baron-Cohen says research shows the effects of testosterone on the development of the fetal brain and the later behavior and spirit of the child and that these hormonal effects are not necessarily independent of genetic factors because a mother or her baby may have higher hormone levels for genetic reasons, and testosterone may affect the functioning of the genes. Another research highlights that autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), characteristics that can change during the development of a person, are set in motion during prenatal development.
What is polycystic ovary syndrome?
The polycystic syndrome, an endocrine pathology, is characterized by a hormonal disorder giving rise to divergent symptoms from one woman to another, such as irregular menstrual cycles, acne and excessive hair growth. It is also characterized by an abnormal increase in androgen production in the ovaries that significantly alters the growth of ovarian follicles (ie, accumulation around the ovaries of multiple small cysts) and disrupts egg production.
Also known as a systemic condition, polycystic syndrome has an impact on the entire hormonal balance and can lead to various complications at the cardiovascular, metabolic and reproductive but also general. Possible treatment is based only on that of the symptoms and manifestations of the condition and on the prevention of complications.
Swedish study confirms causal link
Another study conducted in Sweden at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm on a panel of the Swedish population shows that children born to mothers who produce an excess of androgen hormones have a higher risk of developing disorders. related to autism.
"We found that a diagnosis of PCOS in the mother increased the risk of ASD in children by 59%," said Kyriaki Kosidou, a psychiatrist from the Department of Public Health Sciences at the Karolinska Institute.
In addition, the research team also found that women with autism were more likely to have polycystic syndrome and that they were more likely to have autism disorders as well. suggest the causal link due to high levels of sex steroid hormones.
Thus, this research corroborates those already conducted by the University of Cambridge who had demonstrated that even before their birth, children with autism had high levels of sex steroid hormones and that these are actually produced by the mother, that they can make their way through the placental barrier and thus play an important role in the development of autistic disorders when the latter has polycystic ovary syndrome.
