Is oxygen deprivation/depletion in 3rd trimester a possible cause of autism?
“Although they are not yet known, there are strong indications that the causes of autism spectrum disorders are biological. New research with rats suggests that oxygen deprivation during birth could be a contributing cause of autism. There is no easy way to test the oxygen-deprivation theory in humans, and the finding is not likely to lead to better treatments in the near future. Still, the research gives scientists greater insight into how factors other than genetics may play a role in autism, said Fabrizio Strata, a neuroscience researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, and co-author of the study. Oxygen deprivation during birth is considered one possible cause because it can lead to brain damage. By boosting the level of nitrogen in the air, Strata and colleagues deprived rat pups of normal levels of oxygen for as long as 10 to 12 minutes during birth. When the rats grew older, they displayed symptoms similar to those found in autistic children. It took longer for t
