Cot death linked to mood chemical

London: A new research has offered fresh insights into the origins of sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS-the risk of cot death is higher in babies who have an imbalance of a “mood chemical” in their brain.

Crib or cot death is the leading cause of death during the first year of life. In their study on mice, a team of scientists in Europe has found that an imbalance of brain-signaling chemical known as serotonin, which regulates mood, can kill infant animals; in fact, they have identified a possible genetic cause of this imbalance. if the genetic link is confirmed, the research could lead to ways of identifying babies at risk, the times reported.

However, according to them, the abnormalities could also be a result of environmental factors particularly parental smoking.”Ultimately, we hope it will give new idea to diagnose babies at risk for SIDS,”enrica audero, who led research in Italy, said.

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