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Neurodevelopment and Metabolism in the Maternal-Placental-Fetal Unit

Mariana Parenti1,2, Rebecca J Schmidt3,4, Daniel J Tancredi5

  • 1Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis.

JAMA Network Open
|May 28, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Placental and umbilical cord serum metabolism in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are linked to non-typical development risk. These metabolic profiles in siblings at high familial risk for ASD show significant correlations.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal and developmental biology
  • Metabolomics
  • Neurodevelopmental disorders

Background:

  • Maternal, placental, and fetal metabolism influence developmental outcomes.
  • The interplay between the maternal-placental-fetal metabolic unit and child neurodevelopment, particularly in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk, remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate metabolic associations within the maternal-placental-fetal unit.
  • To examine the relationship between these metabolic profiles and neurodevelopmental outcomes in younger siblings of children with ASD.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study of younger siblings of children with ASD within the Markers of Autism Risk in Babies, Learning Early Signs (MARBLES) cohort.
  • Quantitative metabolomics analysis of maternal third-trimester serum, placental tissue, and umbilical cord serum.
  • Neurodevelopmental outcomes assessed using standardized measures and classified as ASD, other non-typical development (non-TD), or typical development (TD).

Main Results:

  • Placental and umbilical cord serum metabolomes were highly correlated (R² = 0.75, P < .001).
  • Placental and cord serum metabolic profiles were significantly associated with a reduced risk of non-TD (Relative Risk [RR] ≈ 0.13, P < .05) but not ASD.
  • No significant association was found between maternal third-trimester serum metabolome and other metabolomes or neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Placental and cord serum metabolism are highly correlated in pregnancies with high familial risk for ASD.
  • These metabolic profiles are associated with the risk of non-typical development in offspring.
  • Further research into the maternal-placental-fetal metabolic unit may offer insights into neurodevelopmental trajectories.
Abstract

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