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This shows a brain and a woman's head. Caption reads "Hidden pregnancy infections triple autism risk."

·September 21, 2026·7 min read

Maternal Infections Drive Autism Risk

A new study of 3.7 million people links congenital TORCH infections to a 3-fold higher autism risk and a 7-fold higher intellectual disability risk.

This shows placental cells. Caption reads "Placental health drives autism risk."

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·September 19, 2026·5 min read

The Placenta May Decide Autism Vulnerability

A new study finds maternal inflammation damages placental spongiotrophoblasts, driving male-specific autism risk before brain sex differentiation.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·July 23, 2026·8 min read

Study Shows Rapid Reversal of Autism Traits

Asingle dose of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin rapidly reverses autism-like behaviors and abnormal brain connectivity in adult mice exposed to maternal inflammation during development.

This shows a pregnant woman surrounded by viruses.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 24, 2025·6 min read

Severe Flu in Pregnancy Lets Harmful Molecules Reach Fetal Brain

A new study shows that severe flu infections in pregnant mice compromise both placental and brain barriers, allowing large molecules and fibrinogen to reach the fetal brain. These molecules accumulated in critical regions like the subventricular zone, where neural stem cells develop, raising concerns about long-term impacts on neurodevelopment.

This shows a pregnant woman and a brain scan.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 15, 2025·5 min read

Common Infections During Pregnancy Don’t Harm Brain Development

A large Danish study found that common infections during pregnancy, such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections, do not harm a child’s brain development or cognitive abilities later in life. Researchers analyzed data from over 270,000 children, comparing school exam results and intelligence test scores with records of maternal infections and antibiotic use during pregnancy.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 1, 2025·4 min read

Maternal Inflammation May Disrupt Infant Brain Wiring

A new study reveals that inflammation during pregnancy may impair neurodevelopment in infants by reducing CD11c-positive microglia—key immune cells that support brain myelination. These cells produce IGF-1, a protein critical for forming the myelin sheath that helps nerve signals travel efficiently.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·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 Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·November 21, 2024·5 min read

Maternal Inflammation May Shape Offspring’s Alzheimer’s Risk

Maternal immune activity during pregnancy influences memory circuitry in offspring, with sex-specific effects extending into midlife. Elevated immune markers like IL-6 and TNF-a in mothers were linked to adverse brain activity in memory regions, particularly in postmenopausal women, and lower cognitive performance in children.

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.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 7, 2023·4 min read

Maternal Inflammation Linked to Child Behavioral Dysregulation

Maternal inflammation risk factors may be associated with dysregulation in children, encompassing attention, anxiety, depression, and aggression. Researchers observed that children born to mothers with prenatal infections, or who were overweight, less educated, or smoked during pregnancy, had a higher likelihood of dysregulation.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 22, 2023·4 min read

Inflammation in Womb Disturbs Neuron Maturation, Affects Brain Development

Researchers discovered how inflammation in the womb can disrupt the maturation of nerve cells and impede an unborn baby's brain development. The study reveals that excessive inflammation can lead to reduced neuronal electrical activity, possibly resulting in conditions like cerebral palsy or developmental issues affecting growth, movement, vision, and hearing.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 20, 2022·5 min read

Antidepressant Use and Infection During Pregnancy Linked to Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A combination of antidepression use and infections that lead to inflammation during pregnancy increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism in children, a new study reports.

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MIA

Maternal Infections Drive Autism Risk

The Placenta May Decide Autism Vulnerability

Study Shows Rapid Reversal of Autism Traits

Severe Flu in Pregnancy Lets Harmful Molecules Reach Fetal Brain

Common Infections During Pregnancy Don’t Harm Brain Development

Maternal Inflammation May Disrupt Infant Brain Wiring

Genetics, Not Maternal Sickness, Drives Autism Risk

Maternal Inflammation May Shape Offspring’s Alzheimer’s Risk

Flu During Pregnancy Linked to Neurodevelopmental Risks

Maternal Inflammation Linked to Child Behavioral Dysregulation

Inflammation in Womb Disturbs Neuron Maturation, Affects Brain Development

Antidepressant Use and Infection During Pregnancy Linked to Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Why Cannabis Can Suddenly Trigger Panic

Can an AI Ever Truly Be “Conscious” in the Eyes of Humans?

Comparing Current Appearance to Past Selves Harms Body Image

Optical Illusion Exposes Blind Spot in AI Vision

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