title: Is birth a critical period in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders?
abstract: Birth is associated with a neuroprotective, oxytocin-mediated abrupt excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA shift that is abolished in autism, and its restoration attenuates the disorder in offspring. In this Opinion article, I discuss the links between birth-related stressful mechanisms, persistent excitatory GABA actions, perturbed network oscillations and autism. I propose that birth (parturition) is a critical period that confirms, attenuates or aggravates the deleterious effects of intrauterine genetic or environmental insults.
authors.affiliation: INMED, INSERM U901, Neurochlore and Aix-Marseille University, Campus scientifique de Luminy, 163 route de Luminy, Marseille 13273 cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Yehezkel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ben-Ari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D036801:Parturition