In the News
In a new study, researchers say an enzyme connected to brain arousal, Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), could be a biomarker for an elevated risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The researchers reported that babies whose deaths were classified as SIDS had lower levels of BChE specific activity (BChEsa) than infants whose deaths were not considered SIDS-related as well as those infants who did not die. “BChE is one of the enzymes that break down a molecule called Ach, a neurotransmitter that is involved in signaling or sending messages in the nervous system,” said Jenelle Ferry, M.D., neonatologist at Pediatrix® Neonatology of Florida. “It’s possible that an abnormality in this pathway could impair the brain’s auto-regulation system and affect brain arousal. The inability to self-arouse is thought to contribute to SIDS.”
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