Researchers at Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at UNC Chapel Hill have discovered a link between increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) trapped in the heads of infants and toddlers and autism spectrum disorder. The study consisted of 343 infants, 221 of which were at a greater risk for developing autism due to having an older sibling with autism. All infants were given MRI’s of the head at 6 months of age.

It’s important to note that autism is usually not diagnosed until 2-3 years of age when behavioral symptoms have had a chance to show up. The MRI on the right in the picture shows a baby at 6 months old who was diagnosed with autism at 2 years old, and the MRI on the left shows a baby at 6 months who was not diagnosed autism. Notice the dark spaces around the folds of the brain tissue on the right indicating CSF that was unable to circulate out of the head. Circulation of the CSF is important for cleansing the brain of inflammation, and when it’s flow slows down damage to the brain tissue from inflammation can occur causing a disruption in cognitive development.

Of the original 343 infants, 47 were diagnosed with autism at 24 months. The MRIs performed at 6 months old on these 47 show an 18-24% increase in CSF in the head, with those toddlers on the higher end (closer to 24%) showing more severe symptoms of autism.

So why does CSF get trapped in some infants and not others. The size of the space that the CSF flows through as it prepares to flow from the head to the neck becomes very narrow and can become partially occluded when the top bones of the neck are shifted in relation to the head. MRIs that show a side view taken upright show this occlusion best. One of the most common causes of the top two bones of the neck becoming misaligned in babies is birth trauma.

Upper Cervical chiropractors specifically trained in identifying and gently adjusting misalignments in babies help restore the proper flow of CSF. Many parents who have been under care of an Upper Cervical chiropractor get their children checked from birth to ensure good health for their children by removing as many causes of compromised function in the body as possible.

UNC Health Care (2019, February 18). Infant MRIs Show Autism Linked to Increased Cerebrospinal Fluid. NeuroscienceNew. Retrieved February 18, 2019 from http://neurosciencenews.com/autism-cerebrospinal-fluid-6201/