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  • Immunology of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
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Molecular mimicry that primes for autoimmunity which is triggered by infection

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages S32–S33 (2002)Cite this article

While the etiology and pathogenesis of autism are not known, several hypotheses have been proposed. These include a contribution by virus infection occurring early in life or in utero. Support for virus playing a role in this disease is the observation made by Chess.1,2 She found that a high proportion of children with congenital rubella had developed autism. Examination of patients years later led her to speculate that rubella virus was the primary etiologic agent.2 Subsequently, other viruses have been implicated or associated with autism. These include cytomegalovirus,3 parvovirus B194 and more recently measles virus5,6,7 and human herpes virus.6

Another proposed mechanism or contributing factor may be an autoimmune response to the central nervous system (CNS) for autism. An increase in antibodies to the CNS proteins, myelin basic protein (MBP) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neuron-axon filament protein have been seen in children with autism vs age-matched control subjects.8,9 These antibodies could affect the function of neurons leading to aberrant behavioral and social behaviors.

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References

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  2. Chess S . J Autism Child Schizophr 1977 7: 69–81

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  4. Anlar B et al. J Child Neurol 1994 9: 104–105

  5. Singh VK et al. Clin Immunol Immunopathol 1998 89: 105–108

  6. Wakefield AJ, Montgomery SM . Isr Med Assoc J 1999 1: 183–187

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  8. Singh VK et al. Brain Behav Immun 1993 7: 97–103

  9. Singh VK et al. Pediatr Neurol 1997 17: 88–90

  10. Theil DJ et al. J Neurovirol 2001 7: 220–227

  11. Barnett LA et al. J Neuroimmunol 1993 44: 15–25

  12. Tsunoda I et al. Brain Pathol 1999 9: 481–493

  13. Tsunoda I et al. Brain Pathol 2000 10: 402–418

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  1. Dept of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

    R S Fujinami

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  1. R S Fujinami
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Correspondence to R S Fujinami.

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Fujinami, R. Molecular mimicry that primes for autoimmunity which is triggered by infection. Mol Psychiatry 7 (Suppl 2), S32–S33 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001173

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