Latest

MIA

·September 7, 2022·6 min read

New Knowledge About the Link Between Infection During Pregnancy and Autism

Researchers discovered the link between autism and maternal infection does not appear to be causal. Results suggest the increased autism risks are more likely to be explained by shared familial factors including genetics or aspects of a shared environment.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·September 7, 2022·4 min read

Three Autism Subgroups With Distinct Prenatal Risk Factors

Using large data sets, researchers determined children on the autism spectrum can be broken into three subgroups based upon co-occurring conditions, and those subgroups are associated with different prenatal risk factors. Infections, anti-inflammatory and other complex medications were associated with one group, while joint disorders and immune system problems were associated with another. The third subgroup was associated with overall pregnancy complications. Researchers have developed a new blood test that can for autism and prenatal risk factors for ASD.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 28, 2020·7 min read

Maternal Immune Activation Induces Sustained Changes in Fetal Microglia Motility

Changes in fetal microglia caused as a result of maternal inflammation could contribute to the development of schizophrenia, autism, and other psychiatric or developmental disorders.

This shows immune cells in the choroid plexus

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 9, 2020·5 min read

The Choroid Plexus: A Conduit for Prenatal Inflammation?

Mouse study reveals the choroid plexus can act as a conduit for inflammation that can arise from maternal inflammation, impacting fetal brain development.

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.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 29, 2020·5 min read

How could Covid-19 and the body’s immune response affect the brain?

Mounting evidence suggests coronavirus affects the brain, in addition to the lungs. Researchers are examining the threat COVID-19 posses to long term brain health. They speculate maternal inflammation could lead to an increased risk of autism-like behaviors and neurodevelopment deficits in children born to mothers diagnosed with coronavirus. Other studies are exploring how the virus may spread in the nervous system via synaptic transmission.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 25, 2020·4 min read

Chronic inflammation in pregnancy linked to childhood neurodevelopmental delays

Study adds to a growing body of evidence that chronic low-grade inflammation during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of childhood neurodevelopmental delays.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·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.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·June 4, 2019·4 min read

Exercise fine-tunes brain’s connections, eases autism spectrum disorder in mouse model

Participating in exercise improved synaptic pruning in mouse models of autism. The study also found microglia dependant synaptic pruning is impaired by maternal inflammation, which has been previously connected to the development of ASD.

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 Open Neuroscience Articles

·March 14, 2019·4 min read

Expectant mothers can prevent fetal brain problems caused by the flu

Choline, an essential nutrient, can help prevent fetal brain development problems in infants whose mothers experience common infections, such as influenza, during pregnancy.

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.