A possible cause of sudden infant death
An insufficient production of the neurotransmitter serotonin may cause the syndrome of sudden infant death, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
During sleep, serotonin plays a role in regulation of respiration, body temperature and heart rate, the researchers said. An insufficient level of serotonin may reduce the ability of babies lying on their stomachs to react normally in the event of asphyxiation waking up and turning the head.
The sudden death syndrome, which occurs in the first year of life, is the third leading cause of mortality among baby. Following a campaign initiated in 1994 to encourage parents to sleep babies on their backs, the death rate from SIDS has decreased by over 50% in the United States.
Dr. Hannah Kinney of Harvard University and colleagues analyzed tissue samples from brainstem of 41 infants died of sudden death, they were compared with samples from babies who died from other causes. The serotonin levels were lower by 26% among infants who died from sudden death and levels of an enzyme necessary for the synthesis of serotonin were also below 22%.
A study published in 2008, conducted with rodents, had indicated a possible role of serotonin in the syndrome of sudden death.
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