Male-Specific Impairments Spurred by Maternal-Fetal Immune Conflicts May Account for Some of the Male Skew in Autism, New Research Suggests

New research suggests that immune conflicts between mother and fetus, triggered by maternal immune activation, may lead to developmental impairments in male but not female fetuses, potentially explaining the higher prevalence of autism in males. Experiments in mice revealed that these immune conflicts induce pathology specifically in male offspring, offering insight into the 4:1 male-to-female ratio in diagnosed autism cases. The study highlights male-specific biological mechanisms that interact with the maternal environment, contributing to the increased risk of autism in males.

Read at Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

All articles from 15 October 2026. Summaries are AI-generated and may contain errors; the linked article is the authority.