Ploeger’s research reveals that in the period between 20 and 40 days after fertilisation, the embryo is highly susceptible to disruptions. In this period, early organogenesis, there is a lot of interaction between the different parts of the body. If something goes wrong with a given part of the body, it greatly influences the development of other parts of the body. As people with schizophrenia and autism frequently have physical abnormalities to body parts formed during early organogenesis, Ploeger concluded that the foundation for these psychiatric disorders is laid very early during pregnancy…The existence of a relationship between unhealthy behaviour during pregnancy and the subsequent development of schizophrenia and autism in the child was already known. However, Ploeger’s hypothesis that the early organogenesis stage is the most critical, is new. Ploeger bases her hypothesis on an extensive study of scientific literature in this area. She often had to make use of related studies; although a lot of research has been done into prenatal influences on the development of schizophrenia and autism, little is known about the influence that the period between 20 to 40 days after fertilisation has. (Ploeger, A. (2008). Autism and schizophrenia share common origin [PhD Thesis]. Retrieved on Dec. 17, 2008 from http://www.nwo.nl/nwohome.nsf/pages/NWOA_7LPL4Q_Eng)
Simon Baron-Cohen’s work concluding that a mother’s uterine testosterone levels may be influencing the chance of autism suggests the question of what point or points during gestation does a mother’s testosterone levels have an effect. If indeed a child’s maturation rates are influenced by a mother’s testosterone levels, when does that occur?
Perhaps the most frustrating experience I’ve had as someone exploring these issues is my having lost the citation that states that a child’s maturation rate is influenced by a mother’s testosterone levels at six weeks before birth. The conclusion may be related to children born premature. If born before six weeks, a child exhibits a number of derivations, some possibly related to maturation rate.
Knowing at what point maturation rates are established, if guided by mother’s testosterone levels, provides an opportunity to explore environmental influences impacting a mother’s testosteron levels.
