The authors of a new study believe they now have a possible answer for parents who want to know why they lost their baby to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggests a chemical imbalance in the brain is responsible for SIDS, or crib death.
Researchers found babies who died of SIDS had lower amounts of serotonin – a neurotransmitter – in parts of their brain stem that control breathing, heart rate and blood pressure during sleep. They reviewed autopsy reports of 41 babies who died of SIDS and seven who died of known causes between 2004 and 2008.
The study suggests that if a baby is put face down to sleep they begin to re-breath toxic carbon dioxide. Lead researcher Hannah Kinney, a Harvard University pathologist, said a normal baby would be able to respond to that and move their head or wake up, “but a baby who has a defect in those brain stem circuits that use serotonin can’t do that when challenged and may go on to die.”
Doctors have credited the Back to Sleep campaign for reducing SIDS rates and parents have also been urged to ensure an infant’s sleeping area is free of loose blankets or stuffed toys.
The study found many SIDS babies face those hazards but also had the chemical imbalance.
According to Health Canada, three babies die every week of SIDS.
The JAMA article states this new finding provides hope for coming up with a diagnostic tool to identify babies at an increased risk of SIDS.