Maternal immune-related conditions during pregnancy may be a risk factor for neuropsychiatric problems in offspring

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Shrujna Patel1, Matthew N Cooper2, Hannah Jones1,3

  • 1Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Psychological Medicine
|June 2, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy is linked to more behavioral and emotional issues in children. This connection persists through adolescence, emphasizing the need for early intervention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Emerging research links maternal immune activation (MIA) to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring.
  • MIA during pregnancy may increase the risk of mental health issues in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between MIA during pregnancy and offspring behavioral and emotional problems.
  • To examine these associations longitudinally across development using data from the Raine Study.

Main Methods:

  • Classified mothers (N=1905) based on Asthma/Allergy/Atopy/Eczema (AAAE) and infection status during pregnancy.
  • Administered the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to offspring at ages 5, 8, 10, 14, and 17.
  • Utilized generalized estimating equations to analyze the effect of maternal immune status on CBCL scores.

Main Results:

  • AAAE conditions and infections during pregnancy significantly increased offspring CBCL Total, Externalizing, and Internalizing scores.
  • Multiple exposures to AAAE and/or infection amplified these effects.
  • Females showed greater increases in Internalizing scores, while males showed similar increases in both Internalizing and Externalizing scores.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal immune activation is associated with increased behavioral and emotional problems in offspring throughout development.
  • Understanding the MIA-fetal development link is crucial for advancing early identification and intervention strategies for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Abstract

Keywords:
ADHDanxietyautismdepressioninflammationneurodevelopment

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