by A new study conducted by researchers at the UNC School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry has discovered a link between infants with abnormally enlarged perivascular spaces in their brains and a higher risk of developing autism. The study also indicated that these enlarged spaces are associated with sleep problems in children seven to ten years after diagnosis.
Perivascular spaces are small fluid-filled channels surrounding blood vessels in the brain that allow cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flow and flush out neuroinflammation and neurological waste. Disruptions to this vital process can lead to neurological dysfunction, cognitive decline, or developmental delays.
The researchers followed infants at increased risk of developing autism, as they had older siblings with the condition. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that 30% of infants who later developed autism had enlarged perivascular spaces by 12 months. By 24 months, nearly half of the diagnosed infants had enlarged spaces.
The research team also found that excessive CSF volume in infants at 6 months was linked to enlarged perivascular spaces at 24 months. Every six hours, the brain expels a wave of CSF that flows through these spaces to remove potentially harmful neuroinflammatory proteins. Disrupted sleep can reduce CSF clearance from the perivascular spaces, leading to dilation or enlargement.
The study revealed that children with enlarged perivascular spaces at two years of age had higher rates of sleep disturbances at school age. Autism is strongly associated with sleep problems, and this study shows a long-term impact of perivascular spaces on both early development and later sleep issues.
The researchers analyzed 870 MRIs from the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS) to measure excessive CSF volume and enlarged perivascular spaces. The MRIs were obtained during natural sleep at six, 12, and 24 months of age. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring brain abnormalities in younger populations and considering early intervention and monitoring for these types of conditions.
The research team plans to further explore the physiology and speed of CSF flow throughout the brain using MRIs in sleeping infants. They are also collaborating with other researchers to quantify the size of perivascular spaces and the severity of behavioral outcomes. Additionally, the team aims to extend their research to neurogenetic syndromes associated with autism, such as Fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome.
Overall, this study highlights the potential of CSF abnormalities in infancy to impact various outcomes, including autism diagnosis, sleep problems, neuroinflammation, and other developmental disabilities. The findings underscore the importance of early detection and intervention in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
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