Scientists claim cot death breakthrough
Published: February 13, 2006
A major breakthrough is believed to have been made in solving the mystery surrounding the causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or cot death. [Missing Hannah: Based on a True Story of Sudden Infant Death]
Scientists have found that some babies have a defect in their brain which means they struggle to kick-start their lungs once breathing stops. There could also be a genetic link to cot death, the study by US and British experts found.
In more than half of cases, post-mortems fail to find a cause of death. Premature and low-weight babies are thought to be more at risk, along with those whose parents smoke. Babies should sleep on their backs to cut the risk of breathing problems.
Head of the research team at Bristol University, Professor Julian Paton, said breathing is controlled by two separate brain circuits - one for day-to-day breathing and the second which acts as a back-up “pacemaker”.
Professor Paton, who joined forces with two leading US-based researchers for the study, found the pacemaking cells are dependent upon a unique protein that forms a tiny hole or pore within the membrane of the cells.
When oxygen levels are low, this pore opens more to allow the passage of sodium ions into the cell, providing a way in which gasping can occur. If blocked, it eliminated pacemaking and the ability to gasp resulting in heart failure and death.
This raises the possibility that a genetic defect in this special protein found in the pacemaking cells could prevent gasping.
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