Biological factors linked to sudden infant death syndrome
Researchers have found that the serotonin 2A/C receptor is altered in sudden infant death cases compared to control cases of infant deaths, supporting the idea that a biological abnormality in some infants makes them vulnerable to death under certain circumstances. The study suggests that sudden infant death syndrome occurs when a child is in a critical period of cardiorespiratory development, faces an outside stressor, and has a biological abnormality that makes them vulnerable to respiratory challenges while sleeping. Safe sleep practices remain critical as there is currently no means to identify infants with biological abnormalities in the serotonergic system.