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maternal immune activation

·January 31, 2025·7 min read

Genetics, Not Maternal Sickness, Drives Autism Risk

A large study analyzing over 1.1 million pregnancies found no strong evidence that maternal health conditions during pregnancy cause autism. Instead, nearly all previously reported associations between maternal diagnoses and autism could be explained by genetic or environmental factors.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 30, 2024·7 min read

Flu During Pregnancy Linked to Neurodevelopmental Risks

New research shows that severe flu in pregnancy can increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring due to the mother’s immune response. Using live influenza virus in mice, researchers found significant fetal brain changes only when maternal infection reached a certain severity. This study highlights the importance of flu vaccination during pregnancy to reduce risks. It also suggests a threshold of infection severity for fetal brain impact.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 4, 2020·5 min read

New insight on maternal infections and neurodevelopmental disorders

Maternal inflammation has been linked to a range of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in children, including autism and schizophrenia. A new mouse study reveals maternal responses and subsequent developmental disorders are based on the mother's immunoreactivity to infection.

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·October 30, 2019·3 min read

How are psychiatric disorders linked to infections during pregnancy?

Previous studies have documented how infection during pregnancy can increase the risk of ASD and a range of psychiatric disorders in the offspring. A new study reveals how maternal infections can affect neural development and how the timing of infection plays a critical role in elevating the risks of mental health conditions.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·May 2, 2019·3 min read

Viral infections during pregnancy linked to behavioral abnormalities in offspring: Rat study

Females offspring whose mothers experienced maternal immune activation while pregnant displayed an array of behavioral abnormalities associated with schizophrenia.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·March 20, 2019·3 min read

Inflammation inhibitor blocks neurodevelopmental disorders in mouse model

Increased levels of epoxide hydrolase in the prefrontal cortex were found in the brains of young mice whose mothers had suffered infection during pregnancy. Inhibiting epoxide hydrolase reverses cognitive and social deficits associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ASD.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 7, 2019·3 min read

Maternal Stress and Abnormal Brain Development May Interact to Produce Mental Illnesses

Researchers report abnormal development of the prefrontal cortex and maternal stress may lead to brain activity and cognitive impairments linked to psychiatric diseases such as Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·July 18, 2018·5 min read

Autism Risk Determined by Health of Mother’s Gut

Researchers have successfully identified autism risk in young mice by examining their mother's microbiome during pregnancy. The study, which may offer the earliest detection of autism, could pave the way to developing preventative measures against forms of autism by altering the maternal diet and probiotic intake.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 9, 2018·5 min read

Study Confirms Inflammation During Pregnancy is Linked to Baby’s Brain Development

A new study confirms previous findings that link inflammation during pregnancy to altered brain development in children. Researchers have created a machine learning algorithm that can predict the long term neurodevelopmental impact of MIA.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·March 28, 2018·5 min read

How Brain Circuits are Affected by Infections in Mothers and Newborns

A new study backs up existing evidence that maternal immune activation can impact brain development in children. Researchers report immune activation during pregnancy or soon after birth can cause alterations to brain networks associated with social behavior, resulting in autism-like symptoms in the offspring.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience Psychology

·March 25, 2018·4 min read

Bugs and Allergies in Pregnancy Linked to Child Developmental Disorders, Including ADHD and Autism

Researchers investigate the effects of maternal immune activation on the developing brain.

a pregnant woman is looking through a window in this image.

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·November 22, 2017·3 min read

Link Between Infection and Schizophrenia Symptoms Discovered

University of Otago researchers report children have an increased risk of developing cognitive deficits linked to schizophrenia if their mother's immune system was activated as a result of infection during pregnancy.