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COVID-19 and autism

Gary Steinman1

  • 1Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah Hospital - Hebrew University, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 12000 Israel.

Medical Hypotheses
|May 17, 2020
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic may offer insights into autism. Interleukin-6 in coronavirus infections can suppress Insulin-like Growth Factor-1, potentially increasing autism risk in offspring of severely affected mothers.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Infectious disease immunology

Background:

  • Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency in neonates has been linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to study its impact on neurodevelopmental conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the potential link between COVID-19 infection, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IGF-1 levels.
  • To investigate the implications for autism risk, particularly in offspring of mothers with severe COVID-19.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on IGF-1, autism, and viral infections.
  • Hypothesizing the immunological pathways involving IL-6 and IGF-1 suppression in COVID-19.

Main Results:

  • COVID-19 infections, particularly those involving elevated Interleukin-6, may lead to suppressed IGF-1 levels.
  • This suppression is noted to be more pronounced in older patients.
  • A potential increase in autism incidence among offspring of mothers severely affected by COVID-19 is suggested.

Conclusions:

  • COVID-19's immunological response, specifically IL-6, may negatively impact IGF-1.
  • This mechanism could represent a novel risk factor for autism development.
  • Further research is warranted to confirm the association between maternal COVID-19 and offspring autism risk.

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