Scientists Find Biological Cause For Infant Deaths

Researchers may have identified a biological mechanism behind sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Photo Insert: Among the babies who died of SIDS, the researchers identified differences in how the neurotransmitter serotonin bound to their so-called 5-HT2A/C receptors, found in the lower brainstem.

A better understanding of the condition’s causes could help scientists to develop a test that predicts a baby’s SIDS risk, Jacklin Kwan reported for New Scientist. SIDS occurs when an apparently healthy infant dies unexpectedly, usually during the first six months of their life while they are asleep.

Why it occurs is unknown, but is thought to include a combination of factors, such as a baby’s development, and environmental exposures, such as cigarette smoking.

To learn more, Robin Haynes at Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts, and her colleagues analyzed the brainstems of 70 deceased infants, of whom 58 died of SIDS and 12 died of other causes.

Among the babies who died of SIDS, the researchers identified differences in how the neurotransmitter serotonin bound to their so-called 5-HT2A/C receptors, found in the lower brainstem.

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