A significant breakthrough into the cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been made by South Australian researchers.
The study, which was conducted by the University of Adelaide’s Dr Fiona Bright and Professor Roger Byard in conjunction with Professor Hannah Kinney’s lab at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, uncovered a developmental abnormality in babies that have died from SIDS.
The researchers said the abnormality is in the transmission in the brain of a neuro-peptide, known as “substance P”.
Adelaide researchers have discovered a chemical that is related to SIDS
‘One of the reasons why SIDS is so devastating for families is that death often occurs with no warning and no obvious signs of illness,’ Dr Fiona Bright from the University of Adelaide said in a statement.
Dr Fiona Bright from the University of Adelaide was one of the researchers
‘While the exact cause of death in SIDS has not been identified, multiple studies have pointed to a subset of SIDS babies that are not entirely ‘normal’ before death.
‘These infants all seem to have some form of underlying vulnerability, exposing them to increased risk,’ she added.
‘Our studies have now discovered a significant abnormality within key regions of the brainstem in SIDS babies, specifically in parts of the brainstem that control breathing and movements of the head and neck. This abnormality is directly linked to SIDS cases.’
According to Dr Bright, a baby with this abnormality is likely to have impaired respiratory and motor responses to life-threatening problems while they are asleep.
‘While they may be otherwise healthy looking, there is an inability for that child’s brain and body to respond appropriately to an event in which the child is deprived of oxygen in some way.’
Infant boys and babies born prematurely or with a low birth weight are most at risk of SIDS
There were 117 babies that died unexpectedly in Australia in 2013, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports.
Of those deaths, 54 were identified as SIDS.
Baby boys, infants born prematurely or with a low birth weight are at greater risk, while most cases of SIDS happen during the first three months of a baby’s life.
The results of the study have been published in the journal Plos One.