Hydrogen Therapy May Help Prevent Autism in Pregnancy Study
- Authors
- Noriyoshi Usui, Kazumasa Matsumoto-Miyai, Yoshihisa Koyama, Yuki Kobayashi, Yukiko Nakamura, Hikaru Kobayashi, Shoichi Shimada
- Journal
- Frontiers in Psychiatry
- Year
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.872302
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
A silicon-based substance that produces hydrogen in the body has been shown to help prevent brain inflammation in pregnant mice, which could reduce the risk of their offspring developing autism or schizophrenia.
Key Finding
A silicon-based hydrogen-producing agent improved social communication deficits in mouse offspring exposed to maternal immune activation and reduced inflammation-related gene expression in the brain.
Summary
Researchers studied mice whose mothers experienced immune activation (a type of immune response) during pregnancy, which can affect fetal brain development. They treated these pregnant mice with a silicon-based agent that produces hydrogen gas in the body. The offspring of treated mothers showed better social communication abilities and had lower levels of inflammation-related genes in their brains compared to untreated controls.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting that hydrogen may help counteract some effects of prenatal immune activation on brain development. However, this research was conducted only in mice, and it is unclear whether these results would apply to humans or translate into actual health benefits. Much more research, including human studies, would be needed before any therapeutic claims could be made.
Abstract (excerpt)
Maternal immune activation (MIA) is triggered by infection or autoimmune predisposition during pregnancy, and cytokines produced by MIA are transmitted through the placenta to the fetal brain, implicating at the onset risks and vulnerability for developmental and psychiatric disorders, such…