Researchers at the Childrens Hospital at Westmead in Sydney have identified a biochemical marker that may be able to be used in the screening for babies at higher risk of developing SIDS; Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). BChE is thought to play a role in the brain’s arousal pathway, with a deficiency in this enzyme possibly causing an arousal deficit, or difficulty waking from certain stimuli. It is thought that a difficulty with an infant’s ability to wake or respond to certain stimuli may cause a vulnerability to SIDS.
The article that brought this to our attention can be found here: https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/news/articles/2022/05/world-first-breakthrough-could-prevent-sids
If you wish to look at the study, you can find the full article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396422002225
