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Foetal oestrogens and autism.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Baron-Cohen, Simon 
Tsompanidis, Alexandros 
Auyeung, Bonnie 
Nørgaard-Pedersen, Bent 

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 oestrogens 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 oestriol, oestradiol, oestrone and oestrone sulphate 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 oestrogens and androgens. Oestradiol, oestrone, oestriol and progesterone each related to autism in univariate analyses after correction with false discovery rate. A comparison of standardised odds ratios showed that oestradiol, oestrone and progesterone had the largest effects on autism likelihood. These results for the first time show that prenatal oestrogens contribute to autism likelihood, extending the finding of elevated prenatal steroidogenic activity in autism. This likely affects sexual differentiation, brain development and function.

Description

Keywords

Adult, Autistic Disorder, Estradiol, Estriol, Estrogens, Female, Fetus, Humans, Male, Maternal Age, Paternal Age, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Progesterone

Journal Title

Mol Psychiatry

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1359-4184
1476-5578

Volume Title

25

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (G0600977)