The relationship between autism spectrum disorder and neonatal jaundice

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16299
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Embryonic/Neonatal medicine
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Maeyama(Fujita) Kaori (藤田花織) 神戸大学, 医学研究科, 医学研究員 (60767333)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: autism spectrum disorder / UGT1A1 / neonatal jaundice / developmental disorder / dried umbilical cord

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To elucidate the role in the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), this study investigated the incidence of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT1A1) gene polymorphisms associated with neonatal jaundice in the population of ASD children and Japan. We compared it with the general frequency of humans and examined whether it was involved in the development of ASD.
As a result of analyzing the DNA, the frequency of UGT1A1＊6 and UGT1A1*28 gene polymorphisms was the same as the general frequency of Japanese people, and at least the UGT1A1 gene polymorphism, which is one of the risks of developing neonatal jaundice in the onset of ASD was not considered to be involved.

Free Research Field

新生児医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究でASD発症におけるリスク因子としてUGT1A1遺伝子多型の有無が明らかになれば、新生児黄疸のなりやすさを評価することによって新生児黄疸の管理を適切に行うことが可能となり、ASDの発症予防につながることが期待できたが、UGT1A1遺伝子多型はASDの発症に関与していない事が明らかとなった。