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Foetal oestrogens and autism

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Tsompanidis, Alexandros 
Auyeung, Bonnie 
Norgaard-Pedersen, Bent 
Hougaard, David M 

Abstract

Elevated latent prenatal steroidogenic activity has been found in the amniotic fluid of autistic boys, based on measuring prenatal androgens and other steroid hormones. To date, it is unclear if other prenatal steroids also contribute to autism likelihood. Prenatal estrogens need to be investigated, as they play a key role in synaptogenesis and corticogenesis during prenatal development, in both males and females. Here we test whether levels of prenatal estriol, estradiol, estrone, and estrone sulfate in amniotic fluid are associated with autism, in the same Danish Historic Birth Cohort, in which prenatal androgens were measured, using univariate logistic regression (n = 98 cases, n = 177 controls). We also make a like-to-like comparison between the prenatal estrogens and androgens. Estradiol, estrone, estriol, and progesterone each related to autism in univariate analyses after correction with false discovery rate. A comparison of standardized odds ratios showed that estradiol, estrone and progesterone had the largest effects on autism likelihood. These results for the first time show that prenatal estrogens contribute to autism likelihood, extending the finding of elevated prenatal steroidogenic activity in autism. This likely affects sexual differentiation, brain development and function.

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Keywords

Journal Title

MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1359-4184
1476-5578

Volume Title

25

Publisher

Springer Nature

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (G0600977)
Autism Research Trust (42814)
This study was supported by grants to SBC by the Autism Research Trust, the Medical Research Council, and the Wellcome Trust. This study was conducted using the Danish National Biobank resource supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care East of England at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. AP was funded by a doctoral scholarship from Trinity College Cambridge. AT was funded by a doctoral scholarship from Peterhouse Cambridge. This study also benefitted from support from the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and the Templeton World Charitable Foundation.