Biomedical research points to link between serotonin and Sids
Wednesday 3rd February 2010
Work conducted by a group of biomedical scientists has confirmed a link between sudden infant death syndrome (Sids) and serotonin abnormalities.
The research, which has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was a collaborative effort involving the Florey Neuroscience Institute and the Children's Hospital in Boston.
Its leader, Dr Jhodie Duncan, said the findings could lead to the development of a 'biomarker', which would be able to indentify children with lower than normal serotonin levels.
The team found that infants brainstem levels of serotonin are lower in youngsters who have died of Sids.
Dr Duncan went on to point out that Sids takes the lives of one in every 2,000 babies.
Also known as cot death syndrome, it describes the unexpected death of a seemingly well infant between the time they are born and when they reach two years of age.
According to the NHS, it is responsible for the deaths of around 300 babies in the UK each year.
Written by James Puckle
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