(Gray News) – A breakthrough in medical research may have just solved the mystery of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Researchers at Westmead Children’s Hospital in Australia have identified the first biochemical marker that could help detect babies at risk of SIDS while alive.
The biomarker, an enzyme called butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), was analyzed in a study published Saturday by the Lancet’s eBioMedicine.
The test measures the activity of BChE in babies’ blood taken at birth. It then measures BChE in both SIDS victims and babies dying from other causes, and compares these levels with those of surviving babies of the same birthday and gender.
The study found that BChE levels at birth were significantly lower in babies who later died of SIDS than BChE levels in babies who died of other causes and in live babies.
BChE plays a major role in the excitation pathway of the brain. Thus, the researchers believe that low BChE levels are likely to indicate a lack of arousal, which reduces the baby’s ability to wake up or respond to the environment, causing vulnerability to SIDS.
Dr. Carmel Harrington led the study. She lost her own child to SIDS 29 years ago, according to a press release.
Harrington said the findings change the game.
“Babies have a very powerful mechanism to let us know when they are not happy. Usually, if the baby is faced with a life-threatening situation, such as difficulty breathing during sleep because he is on his stomach, he will wake up and cry. This study shows that some babies do not have the same strong reaction to arousal, “Harrington said in a press release. “It was thought for a long time, but so far we didn’t know what caused the lack of excitement. Now that we know BChE is involved, we can start changing the outcome for these babies and making SIDS something of the past. “
Harrington also said he hoped the findings would bring some peace to grieving families.
“A seemingly healthy baby who falls asleep and doesn’t wake up is every parent’s nightmare, and so far there has been absolutely no way to know which baby will give in. But that’s not the case anymore, “Harrington said. “This discovery opened up the possibility of intervention and finally provides answers to parents who have lost their children so tragically. These families can now live with the knowledge that it is not their fault. ”
The researchers said the next step is to require the BChE biomarker to be measured in newborns at birth and then to develop specific interventions to address the enzyme deficiency in babies who have it.
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