A new study could offer some answers behind the mysteries of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, which kills on average more than 1,000 babies a year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study from researchers in Australia found that babies classified under SIDS deaths had lower levels of an enzyme that can play a role in regulating breathing.

SIDS is defined by the CDC as "the sudden, unexpected death of a baby younger than 1 year of age that doesn’t have a known cause even after a complete investigation." Such deaths often happen during sleep or within a baby’s sleep area.

SIDS is sometimes also known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs, according to the Mayo Clinic, which previously reported that while the cause of SIDS remains unknown, "it appears that SIDS might be associated with defects in the portion of an infant's brain that controls breathing and arousal from sleep."

In the latest findings, researchers said results showed levels of the enzyme Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), referred to as "a major branch of the autonomic system, were lower in babies who died of SIDS than living infants.

"Conditional logistic regression showed that in groups where cases were reported as 'SIDS death' there was strong evidence that lower BChE specific activity was associated with death, whereas in groups with a “Non-SIDS death” as the case there was no evidence of a linear association between BChEsa and death," the study read.

Last year alone, there were about 1,250 deaths due to SIDS. More than 1,180 others died due to "unknown causes," the CDC reports.

In 2019, there were about 1,250 deaths due to SIDS, about 1,180 deaths due to unknown causes, and about 960 deaths due to accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed.

U.S. officials say the cause of SIDS remains unknown. They recommend the following tips for preventing it:

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends parents: