However, Having Too Much or Too Little of Marker is Detrimental for Developing Brains
Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Solna, Sweden recently theorized that the developing human brain may be exceptionally vulnerable to disturbances in immune signaling and exposure to inflammation. In their new study, published In Biological Psychiatry, the Karolinska team reported that babies born with high levels of a long-recognized marker of inflammation called C-reactive protein (CRP) were at increased risk for developing autism. Even more intriguing, their study showed that babies with low levels of CRP were also at risk for developing the disorder. These two findings point to a “Goldilocks” amount, not too much or not too little, of CRP that is needed in the brains of newborn infants to be protective against autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, this research found that pregnant mothers with high levels of iron in their blood protected their fetuses from developing autism.
