Premature birth is often connected to inflammation, commonly caused by an infection in the baby or the mother. The article on ScienceDaily, further explains that these infections cause some serious damage to the brain which results in cerebral palsy and autism. While researching microglial cells, scientists came across a gene named DLG4 in these cells. They came to the conclusion that this gene controls the inflammatory processes. DLG4 was first thought to be only involved in the function of the nervous system; however, it is now certain that it causes brain damage in some pre-term babies. I hope this discovery will help scientists find better treatments for neurodevelopmental diseases, and will also be able to stop or prevent inflammation connected with pre-term birth.
I believe this is a great discovery and could help many mothers and babies in the future. Further expanding their knowledge about this gene could not only lead to better treatments, but hopefully it can lead to prevention.
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