title: Maternal neuronal antibodies associated with autism and a language disorder.
abstract: Neurodevelopmental disorders could be caused by maternal antibodies or other serum factors. We detected serum antibodies binding to rodent Purkinje cells and other neurons in a mother of three children: the first normal, the second with autism, and the third with a severe specific language disorder. We injected the serum (0.5-1.0 ml/day) into pregnant mice during gestation and found altered exploration and motor coordination and changes in cerebellar magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the mouse offspring, comparing with offspring of mice injected with sera from mothers of healthy children. This evidence supports a role for maternal antibodies in some forms of neurodevelopmental disorder.
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences Group, Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deacon
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blamire
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pike
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: McKinlay
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Styles
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vincent
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000494:pharmacology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000494:pharmacology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity; D004856:Postural Balance; D011247:Pregnancy; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M