Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Induction of Maternal Immune Activation in Mice at Mid-gestation Stage with Viral Mimic Poly(I:C)
07:13

Induction of Maternal Immune Activation in Mice at Mid-gestation Stage with Viral Mimic Poly(I:C)

Published on: March 25, 2016

Maternal pathways linking sociocognitive resources and immune balance to infant neurodevelopment: from cytokines to

Alexandre Díaz-Pons1, Noelia Rodriguez-Pérez2, Sergio Castaño-Castaño3

  • 1Departamento de Investigación en Enfermedades Mentales, Instituto de Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla (IDIVAL), 39011 Santander, Spain; Escuela de Doctorado de la Universidad de Cantabria (EDUC), Universidad de Cantabria (UC), 39005 Santander, Spain; Departamento de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cantabria (UC), 39005 Santander, Spain; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), 28015 Madrid, Spain.

Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
|July 15, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Maternal immune balance during COVID-19 infection may subtly impact offspring neurodevelopment, specifically language and motor skills. Immune markers like the IL-6/IL-10 ratio showed associations in specific subgroups, warranting further research.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of prenatal immune exposures on offspring neurodevelopment.
  • Maternal immune activation (MIA) is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD).
  • Immune balance, particularly the IL-6/IL-10 axis, may be more critical than absolute inflammation levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal immune balance during SARS-CoV-2 infection and offspring neurodevelopment at 26 months.
  • To explore the role of the IL-6/IL-10 ratio in relation to cognitive, language, and motor outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the COGESTCOV-19 cohort with 95 children (50 exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2, 45 controls).
  • Assessed offspring at 26 months using the Bayley-III scales (cognitive, language, motor).
  • Analyzed maternal IL-6/IL-10 ratios from samples taken 0-4 weeks post-infection/vaccination using ANOVA/ANCOVA and GAMs.

Main Results:

  • No overall group differences in Bayley-III scores were found between exposed and control children.
  • Higher maternal IL-6/IL-10 ratios were linked to lower expressive language and fine motor scores in specific subgroups of unvaccinated mothers infected during pregnancy.
  • Maternal education positively predicted communication outcomes; advanced maternal age showed nonlinear associations with fine motor skills.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal immune balance during infection may correlate with subtle, domain-specific neurodevelopmental variations in offspring.
  • These findings are exploratory and do not confirm causal immune pathways or a protective effect of vaccination.
  • Further independent replication is necessary to validate these results.
Abstract

Keywords:
Bayley IIICytokinesIL-6/IL-10 ratioMaternal immune activation (MIA)NeurodevelopmentSARS-CoV-2

More Related Videos

Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using Poly(I:C) to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring09:09

Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using Poly(I:C) to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring

Published on: August 17, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Gut-Brain Axis01:22

Gut-Brain Axis

The gut–brain axis is a bidirectional communication system that connects the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. This interaction is mediated through multiple pathways, including the vagus nerve, hormonal signals, immune responses, and chemical messengers produced by gut microbes.Microbial Contributions to Brain FunctionGut microbiota contributes significantly to brain function by producing neuroactive compounds. These include neuroactive compounds that influence neurotransmitters such as...
Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Relationship with Parents: Attachment01:28

Relationship with Parents: Attachment

Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children from...