Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have made an exciting discovery that could help explain how some brain disorders begin in childhood.
They found that when children experience inflammation—like during infections or asthma—it can affect how important brain cells grow. This might help explain why some children later develop conditions like autism or ADHD.
Neurodevelopmental disorders are health problems that begin when the brain doesn’t grow or work the way it should. These disorders usually start early in life and last for a long time.
Some examples include autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These conditions can make it hard for people to learn, talk, make friends, or control their emotions.
The brain is an amazing organ that starts forming before a baby is born and keeps growing throughout childhood. It has billions of tiny cells called neurons that help us think, move, speak, and feel.
One part of the brain, called the cerebellum, is especially important. It helps us move smoothly, like when we walk or write, and it also plays a role in language, emotions, and social skills.
In this new study, the researchers wanted to understand how inflammation in childhood might change the way the brain develops. Inflammation is the body’s natural way of fighting illness or healing injuries. But too much inflammation at the wrong time might hurt the brain instead of helping it.
The scientists looked at the brains of children who had died from diseases that caused inflammation, like serious infections or asthma attacks. Then they compared those brains to the brains of children who had died in accidents but did not have inflammation.
They used a special technology called single-cell genomics, which helps them study one brain cell at a time. This allowed them to see how each type of brain cell was affected.
They found that two kinds of neurons in the cerebellum—called Golgi neurons and Purkinje neurons—were not developing properly in children who had inflammation.
Golgi neurons help different parts of the cerebellum talk to each other. Purkinje neurons connect the cerebellum to other parts of the brain that help with thinking and emotions.
If these neurons don’t grow the right way, it might cause problems with learning, behavior, or emotional control. This might be part of the reason why some children develop neurodevelopmental disorders after having inflammation early in life.
This discovery is important because it opens new doors for doctors and scientists. If we understand how inflammation affects the brain, we might be able to create new treatments—or even prevent some brain disorders before they start. It also gives families hope that researchers are getting closer to understanding these conditions.
The human brain is very complicated, and there is still a lot to learn. But each new discovery, like this one, helps us get closer to protecting children’s brain health and giving them the best chance to grow and thrive.
If you care about autism, please read studies that cats may help decrease anxiety for kids with autism and new study may develop better treatment for autism
For more information about health, please see recent studies about how to eat your way to a healthy brain, and results showing this type of food may contribute to autism.
The study was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
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