研究顯示 孤獨症可能與食物過敏有關

Autism really could be triggered by food allergies, according to new research.

最新研究表明，食物過敏真的可能引發孤獨症。

A study of almost 200,000 children found that those on the disorder's spectrum were over two and a half times more likely than others to suffer a food intolerance.

一項對近20萬名兒童進行的研究發現，那些被列入孤獨症譜系的兒童，患有某種食物耐受不良症的可能性是其他兒童的2.5倍。

The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that a dysfunctioning immune system raises the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

越來越多的證據表明免疫系統失調會增加患孤獨症譜系障礙（ASD）的風險，此次發現又提供了新的證據。

The University of Iowa study is one of few to look at food allergies, in addition to skin and respiratory reactions, bolstering the link between autism and allergies.

愛荷華大學的這項研究是爲數不多的幾項着眼於食物過敏，而非皮膚和呼吸道反應的研究之一，它強化了孤獨症與過敏之間的聯繫。

Based on his new findings, Dr Wei Bao, the lead study author and an epidemiologist at the University of Iowa, said, "It is possible the immunologic disruptions may have processes beginning early in life, which then influence brain development and social functioning, leading to the development of ASD."

基於新的研究發現，論文第一作者、愛荷華大學流行病學家魏寶博士表示：“免疫混亂很可能在生命初期就已開始，之後影響大腦發育和社交功能，進而導致了ASD。”

The study analyzed health information gathered by the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), an annual survey of American households conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

這項研究分析了美國疾病控制與預防中心對美國家庭進行的年度調查“全國健康訪談調查”收集的健康信息。

Between 1997 and 2016, the researchers gathered data on children between the ages of three and 17.

1997年至2016年，研究人員收集了3至17歲兒童的數據。

They found that 11.25 percent of children reportedly diagnosed with ASD have a food allergy - much more than the 4.25 percent of children not on the spectrum who have a food allergy.

他們發現，據報道，11.25%被診斷患有自閉症譜系障礙的兒童對食物過敏，遠遠超過4.25%的非自閉症譜系障礙兒童對食物過敏。

The finding was observational, based purely on survey results, so Dr Bao's team could not establish whether or not an intolerance the causes autism.

這一發現完全是基於調查結果的觀察結果，魏寶博士的團隊無法確定自閉症的病因是否爲不耐受。

But previous studies have suggested possible links including alterations in gut bacteria and increased production of antibodies and immune system overreactions. These can lead to impaired brain function and neurodevelopmental abnormalities.

先前的研究表明，可能的聯繫包括腸道細菌的改變、抗體的增加和免疫系統反應過度。這些可能會導致大腦功能受損和神經發育異常。

About one in every 59 children is on the autism spectrum, and the numbers seem to be growing in recent years. But autism's root cause has continued to elude scientists, despite recent advances in studies on the disorder.

大約每59個孩子中就有一個患有自閉症，這個數字近年來似乎還在增長。儘管最近關於自閉症的研究取得了進展，科學家們仍然無法找到自閉症的根本原因。

So far, the most robust explanations link autism to an imbalance in the immune system. The immune system's inflammatory response to pathogens should calm back down quickly once its job is done but, in autistic people, inflammation seems to be the predominant mode.

到目前爲止，最有力的解釋是自閉症與免疫系統失衡有關。免疫系統對病原體的炎症反應應該在完成任務後迅速恢復，對自閉症患者來說，炎症似乎是主要模式。

That discovery has led scientists to believe that autism is a function of a kind of autoimmune disorder.

這一發現使科學家們相信自閉症是一種自身免疫紊亂的功能。