FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 22, 2020Placentas from COVID-19-positive pregnant women show injuryThe placentas of sixteen women who contracted COVID-19 during pregnancy showed evidence of significant injury, a new study reports. The placental injuries were consistent with abnormal blood flow between mother and baby in-utero, suggesting another complication of coronavirus infection in pregnant women. Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·December 27, 2019Placental protein makes a critical contribution to healthy fetal developmentStudy reveals how a protein that transports essential amino acids across the placenta plays a role in fetal development. Deficiencies of the SNAT4 protein may result in developmental abnormalities and a higher risk of miscarriage. Read More
AutismFeaturedNeuroscience·October 21, 2019Autism spectrum disorder risk linked to insufficient placental steroidWhen the hormone allopregnanolone (ALLO) abruptly decreases or stops during pregnancy, children are more likely to develop autism. Researchers report a single ALLO injection during pregnancy can avert the brain abnormalities and social behaviors associated with ASD in experimental mouse models of autism. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·June 18, 2019New evidence supports the presence of microbes in the placentaMicrobes found in the placenta may play a key role in shaping the developing fetal immune system. Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·June 13, 2019How is a mother’s immunity transferred to her baby?Study reveals how a pregnant woman's vaccine-induced immunities are transferred to her offspring via the placenta. The findings have positive implications for the development of new, more effective maternal vaccines. Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·June 12, 2019Women caught in a pickle by their own immune systemsPregnancy Compensation Hypothesis may explain why women are more prone to developing autoimmune diseases, like multiple sclerosis and lupus, than men. Read More
AutismFeaturedNeuroscience·April 27, 2019Placental function linked to brain injuries associated with autismDisruptions in the supply of allopregnanolone, a hormone created by the placenta late in pregnancy, to the developing fetus can leave children more vulnerable to brain injuries associated with ASD. Losing the supply of ALLO alters cerebellar development, an area of the brain critical for motor coordination and social cognition, impacting the post-birth development of cerebellar white matter. An experimental model revealed deficient cerebellar white matter resulted in social impairments and an increase in repetitive behaviors, two hallmark features associated with autism. Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurosciencePsychology·May 28, 2018Placenta May Be Missing Link in SchizophreniaA new study reveals, in combination to genetics and environmental factors, placenta health during fetal development may play a role in schizophrenia. Researchers report genes associated with schizophrenia may turn on in the placenta during complicated pregnancies. Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·January 22, 2018Placental Accumulation of Flame Retardant Chemical Alters Serotonin Production in Rat OffspringA new study reports on a link between exposure to a flame retardant mixture used in foam based furniture and the disruption of normal placenta function in rats. The placental disruption alters the production of serotonin in offspring, researchers report. Read More
FeaturedPsychology·December 2, 2017Placenta Consumption Offers New Moms Few BenefitsDespite popular belief, researchers find consuming the placenta capsules has little to no effect on maternal bonding or postpartum mood. Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·September 28, 2015Hormone Adiponectin Could Break Cycle of ObesityAccording to a new study, the hormone Adiponectin can reverse the negative effects of obesity on offspring when infused into the placenta of obese, pregnant mice. Read More
