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Oliver D, Chesney E, Cullen AE, Davies C, Englund A, Gifford G, Kerins S, Lalousis PA, Logeswaran Y, Merritt K, Zahid U, Crossley NA, McCutcheon RA, McGuire P, Fusar-Poli P. Exploring causal mechanisms of psychosis risk. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105699. [PMID: 38710421 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Robust epidemiological evidence of risk and protective factors for psychosis is essential to inform preventive interventions. Previous evidence syntheses have classified these risk and protective factors according to their strength of association with psychosis. In this critical review we appraise the distinct and overlapping mechanisms of 25 key environmental risk factors for psychosis, and link these to mechanistic pathways that may contribute to neurochemical alterations hypothesised to underlie psychotic symptoms. We then discuss the implications of our findings for future research, specifically considering interactions between factors, exploring universal and subgroup-specific factors, improving understanding of temporality and risk dynamics, standardising operationalisation and measurement of risk and protective factors, and developing preventive interventions targeting risk and protective factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Oliver
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK; OPEN Early Detection Service, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; Early Psychosis: Interventions and Clinical-Detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Edward Chesney
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 4 Windsor Walk, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Alexis E Cullen
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Cathy Davies
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Amir Englund
- Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 4 Windsor Walk, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - George Gifford
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah Kerins
- Early Psychosis: Interventions and Clinical-Detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paris Alexandros Lalousis
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Yanakan Logeswaran
- Early Psychosis: Interventions and Clinical-Detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kate Merritt
- Division of Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, UCL, London, UK
| | - Uzma Zahid
- Department of Psychology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nicolas A Crossley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile
| | - Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Philip McGuire
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK; OPEN Early Detection Service, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Paolo Fusar-Poli
- Early Psychosis: Interventions and Clinical-Detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; OASIS Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London SE11 5DL, UK
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2
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Wang KC, Ojeda NB, Wang H, Chiang HS, Tucci MA, Lee JW, Wei HC, Kaizaki-Mitsumoto A, Tanaka S, Dankhara N, Tien LT, Fan LW. Neonatal brain inflammation enhances methamphetamine-induced reinstated behavioral sensitization in adult rats analyzed with explainable machine learning. Neurochem Int 2024; 176:105743. [PMID: 38641026 PMCID: PMC11102812 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2024.105743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Neonatal brain inflammation produced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) results in long-lasting brain dopaminergic injury and motor disturbances in adult rats. The goal of the present work is to investigate the effect of neonatal systemic LPS exposure (1 or 2 mg/kg, i.p. injection in postnatal day 5, P5, male rats)-induced dopaminergic injury to examine methamphetamine (METH)-induced behavioral sensitization as an indicator of drug addiction. On P70, subjects underwent a treatment schedule of 5 once daily subcutaneous (s.c.) administrations of METH (0.5 mg/kg) (P70-P74) to induce behavioral sensitization. Ninety-six hours following the 5th treatment of METH (P78), the rats received one dose of 0.5 mg/kg METH (s.c.) to reintroduce behavioral sensitization. Hyperlocomotion is a critical index caused by drug abuse, and METH administration has been shown to produce remarkable locomotor-enhancing effects. Therefore, a random forest model was used as the detector to extract the feature interaction patterns among the collected high-dimensional locomotor data. Our approaches identified neonatal systemic LPS exposure dose and METH-treated dates as features significantly associated with METH-induced behavioral sensitization, reinstated behavioral sensitization, and perinatal inflammation in this experimental model of drug addiction. Overall, the analysis suggests that the implementation of machine learning strategies is sensitive enough to detect interaction patterns in locomotor activity. Neonatal LPS exposure also enhanced METH-induced reduction of dopamine transporter expression and [3H]dopamine uptake, reduced mitochondrial complex I activity, and elevated interleukin-1β and cyclooxygenase-2 concentrations in the P78 rat striatum. These results indicate that neonatal systemic LPS exposure produces a persistent dopaminergic lesion leading to a long-lasting change in the brain reward system as indicated by the enhanced METH-induced behavioral sensitization and reinstated behavioral sensitization later in life. These findings indicate that early-life brain inflammation may enhance susceptibility to drug addiction development later in life, which provides new insights for developing potential therapeutic treatments for drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuo-Ching Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Norma B Ojeda
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Newborn Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA; Department of Advanced Biomedical Education, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Haifeng Wang
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA
| | - Han-Sun Chiang
- School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Xinzhuang Dist, New Taipei City, 24205, Taiwan
| | - Michelle A Tucci
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Jonathan W Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Newborn Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Han-Chi Wei
- School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Xinzhuang Dist, New Taipei City, 24205, Taiwan
| | - Asuka Kaizaki-Mitsumoto
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Newborn Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA; Department of Toxicology, Showa University Graduate School of Pharmacy, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555, Japan
| | - Sachiko Tanaka
- Center for Research and Development in Pharmacy Education, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, Funabashi, Chiba, 274-8555, Japan
| | - Nilesh Dankhara
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Newborn Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Lu-Tai Tien
- School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Xinzhuang Dist, New Taipei City, 24205, Taiwan.
| | - Lir-Wan Fan
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Newborn Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA.
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3
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Debs SR, Conn I, Navaneethan B, Penklis AG, Meyer U, Killcross S, Weickert CS, Purves-Tyson TD. Maternal immune activation and estrogen receptor modulation induce sex-specific dopamine-related behavioural and molecular alterations in adult rat offspring. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:236-251. [PMID: 38431238 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.02.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Dopamine dysregulation contributes to psychosis and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia that can be modelled in rodents by inducing maternal immune activation (MIA). The selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator, raloxifene, can improve psychosis and cognition in men and women with schizophrenia. However, few studies have examined how raloxifene may exert its therapeutic effects in mammalian brain in both sexes during young adulthood (age relevant to most prevalent age at diagnosis). Here, we tested the extent to which raloxifene alters dopamine-related behaviours and brain transcripts in young adult rats, both control and MIA-exposed females and males. We found that raloxifene increased amphetamine (AMPH)-induced locomotor activity in female controls, and in contrast, raloxifene reduced AMPH-induced locomotor activity in male MIA offspring. We did not detect overt prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits in female or male MIA offspring, yet raloxifene enhanced PPI in male MIA offspring. Whereas, raloxifene ameliorated increased startle responsivity in female MIA offspring. In the substantia nigra (SN), we found reduced Drd2s mRNA in raloxifene-treated female offspring with or without MIA, and increased Comt mRNA in placebo-treated male MIA offspring relative to placebo-treated controls. These data demonstrate an underlying dopamine dysregulation in MIA animals that can become more apparent with raloxifene treatment, and may involve selective alterations in dopamine receptor levels and dopamine breakdown processes in the SN. Our findings support sex-specific, differential behavioural responses to ER modulation in MIA compared to control offspring, with beneficial effects of raloxifene treatment on dopamine-related behaviours relevant to schizophrenia found in male MIA offspring only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie R Debs
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Illya Conn
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Brendan Navaneethan
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andriane G Penklis
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland; Switzerland Neuroscience Centre Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Simon Killcross
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, USA
| | - Tertia D Purves-Tyson
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
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Ahrens AP, Hyötyläinen T, Petrone JR, Igelström K, George CD, Garrett TJ, Orešič M, Triplett EW, Ludvigsson J. Infant microbes and metabolites point to childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. Cell 2024; 187:1853-1873.e15. [PMID: 38574728 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
This study has followed a birth cohort for over 20 years to find factors associated with neurodevelopmental disorder (ND) diagnosis. Detailed, early-life longitudinal questionnaires captured infection and antibiotic events, stress, prenatal factors, family history, and more. Biomarkers including cord serum metabolome and lipidome, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype, infant microbiota, and stool metabolome were assessed. Among the 16,440 Swedish children followed across time, 1,197 developed an ND. Significant associations emerged for future ND diagnosis in general and for specific ND subtypes, spanning intellectual disability, speech disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism. This investigation revealed microbiome connections to future diagnosis as well as early emerging mood and gastrointestinal problems. The findings suggest links to immunodysregulation and metabolism, compounded by stress, early-life infection, and antibiotics. The convergence of infant biomarkers and risk factors in this prospective, longitudinal study on a large-scale population establishes a foundation for early-life prediction and intervention in neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica P Ahrens
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
| | - Tuulia Hyötyläinen
- School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro 702 81, Sweden
| | - Joseph R Petrone
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
| | - Kajsa Igelström
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Neurobiology, Linköping University, Linköping 58185, Sweden
| | - Christian D George
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
| | - Timothy J Garrett
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Matej Orešič
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro 702 81, Sweden; Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku 20520, Finland; Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Eric W Triplett
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA.
| | - Johnny Ludvigsson
- Crown Princess Victoria Children's Hospital and Division of Pediatrics, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping 58185, Sweden
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Yates EF, Mulkey SB. Viral infections in pregnancy and impact on offspring neurodevelopment: mechanisms and lessons learned. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03145-z. [PMID: 38509227 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03145-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Pregnant individuals with viral illness may experience significant morbidity and have higher rates of pregnancy and neonatal complications. With the growing number of viral infections and new viral pandemics, it is important to examine the effects of infection during pregnancy on both the gestational parent and the offspring. Febrile illness and inflammation during pregnancy are correlated with risk for autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and developmental delay in the offspring in human and animal models. Historical viral epidemics had limited follow-up of the offspring of affected pregnancies. Infants exposed to seasonal influenza and the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus experienced increased risks of congenital malformations and neuropsychiatric conditions. Zika virus exposure in utero can lead to a spectrum of abnormalities, ranging from severe microcephaly to neurodevelopmental delays which may appear later in childhood and in the absence of Zika-related birth defects. Vertical infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 has occurred rarely, but there appears to be a risk for developmental delays in the infants with antenatal exposure. Determining how illness from infection during pregnancy and specific viral pathogens can affect pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes of offspring can better prepare the community to care for these children as they grow. IMPACT: Viral infections have impacted pregnant people and their offspring throughout history. Antenatal exposure to maternal fever and inflammation may increase risk of developmental and neurobehavioral disorders in infants and children. The recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic stresses the importance of longitudinal studies to follow pregnancies and offspring neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma F Yates
- Frank H. Netter School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sarah B Mulkey
- Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
- Department of Neurology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.
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Betts KS, Kisely S, Alati R. Exploring the relationships between pathogen-specific prenatal infections requiring inpatient admission and domains of offspring behaviour at age 5. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024. [PMID: 38385623 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research exploring the relationship between prenatal infection and child behavioural outcomes would benefit from further studies utilising full-population samples with the scale to investigate specific infections and to employ robust designs. We tested the association among several common infections requiring inpatient admission during and after pregnancy with a range of childhood behavioural outcomes, to determine whether any negative impact was specific to the period of foetal development. METHODS The sample included all mother-offspring pairs from the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) for whom the child commenced their first year of full-time schooling in 2009 (~age 5 years; n = 77,302 offspring), with records linked across four health administrative data sets including the NSW perinatal data collection (PDC), the NSW admitted patient data collection (APDC) and the NSW component of the 2009 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC). Multivariable linear regression was used to test associations between a number of infections requiring inpatient admission during and after pregnancy with a range of teacher assessed behavioural outcomes. RESULTS Associations specific to the prenatal period were only found for streptococcus A although this would need to be reproduced in external samples given the low prevalence. Otherwise, 12 out of 15 selected infections either showed no association prenatally or also demonstrated associations in the 12 months after pregnancy. For example, prenatal hepatitis C, influenza and urinary E. coli infections were associated with lower scores of several domains of childhood behaviour, but even stronger associations were found when these same maternal infections occurred after pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS The prenatal infections we tested appeared not to impact childhood behaviour by altering foetal neurodevelopment. Rather, the strong associations we found among infections occurring during and after pregnancy point to either residual socioeconomic/lifestyle factors or a shared familial/genetic liability between infections and behavioural problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Steven Betts
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Steve Kisely
- School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Rosa Alati
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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Rezaeinejad M, Riahi SM, Moghadam KB, Tadi MJ, Geraili Z, Parsa H, Marhoommirzabak E, Nourollahpour Shiadeh M, Khatir AA. The association between maternal infection and intellectual disability in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292226. [PMID: 37796792 PMCID: PMC10553326 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is arguing evidence regarding the association between maternal infections during pregnancy and the risk of intellectual disability (ID) in children. This systematic review and meta-analysis are essential to determine and address inconsistent findings between maternal infections during pregnancy and the risk of ID in children. METHODS The MOOSE and PRISMA guidelines were followed to perform and report on this study. The Medline/PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched from inception up to March 15, 2023, to identify potentially eligible studies. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, as well as the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the methodological quality of studies included. The included studies were divided into two types based on the participants: (1) ID-based studies, which involved children with ID as cases and healthy children as controls and evaluated maternal infection in these participants; (2) infection-based studies, which assessed the prevalence or incidence of ID in the follow-up of children with or without exposure to maternal infection. We used Random-effects models (REM) to estimate the overall pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The between-studies heterogeneity was assessed with the χ2-based Q-test and I2 statistic. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were applied to explore the source of heterogeneity and results consistency. RESULTS A total of eight studies including 1,375,662 participants (60,479 cases and 1,315,183 controls) met the eligibility criteria. The REM found that maternal infection significantly increased the risk of ID in children (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.21-1.46; I2 = 64.6). Subgroup analysis showed a significant association for both infection-based (OR, 1.27; 95%CI, 1.15-1.40; I2 = 51.2) and ID-based (OR, 1.44; 95%CI, 1.19-1.74; I2 = 77.1) studies. Furthermore, subgroup analysis based on diagnostic criteria revealed a significant association when maternal infection or ID were diagnosed using ICD codes (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.20-1.48; I2 = 75.8). CONCLUSION Our study suggests that maternal infection during pregnancy could be associated with an increased risk of ID in children. This finding is consistent across different types of studies and diagnostic criteria. However, due to the heterogeneity and limitations of the included studies, we recommend further longitudinal studies to confirm the causal relationship and the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahroo Rezaeinejad
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Riahi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Kimia Behzad Moghadam
- Independent Researcher, Former University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Mehrdad Jafari Tadi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Zahra Geraili
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Hamid Parsa
- Department of Neurology, University of Visayas, Gullas College of Medicine, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - Elika Marhoommirzabak
- Department of Neurology, University of Visayas, Gullas College of Medicine, Cebu City, Philippines
| | | | - Ali Alizadeh Khatir
- Health Research Institute, Mobility Impairment Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
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Gundacker A, Cuenca Rico L, Stoehrmann P, Tillmann KE, Weber-Stadlbauer U, Pollak DD. Interaction of the pre- and postnatal environment in the maternal immune activation model. DISCOVER MENTAL HEALTH 2023; 3:15. [PMID: 37622027 PMCID: PMC10444676 DOI: 10.1007/s44192-023-00042-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Adverse influences during pregnancy are associated with a range of unfavorable outcomes for the developing offspring. Maternal psychosocial stress, exposure to infections and nutritional imbalances are known risk factors for neurodevelopmental derangements and according psychiatric and neurological manifestations later in offspring life. In this context, the maternal immune activation (MIA) model has been extensively used in preclinical research to study how stimulation of the maternal immune system during gestation derails the tightly coordinated sequence of fetal neurodevelopment. The ensuing consequence of MIA for offspring brain structure and function are majorly manifested in behavioral and cognitive abnormalities, phenotypically presenting during the periods of adolescence and adulthood. These observations have been interpreted within the framework of the "double-hit-hypothesis" suggesting that an elevated risk for neurodevelopmental disorders results from an individual being subjected to two adverse environmental influences at distinct periods of life, jointly leading to the emergence of pathology. The early postnatal period, during which the caregiving parent is the major determinant of the newborn´s environment, constitutes a window of vulnerability to external stimuli. Considering that MIA not only affects the developing fetus, but also impinges on the mother´s brain, which is in a state of heightened malleability during pregnancy, the impact of MIA on maternal brain function and behavior postpartum may importantly contribute to the detrimental consequences for her progeny. Here we review current information on the interaction between the prenatal and postnatal maternal environments in the modulation of offspring development and their relevance for the pathophysiology of the MIA model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gundacker
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura Cuenca Rico
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Stoehrmann
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina E. Tillmann
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniela D. Pollak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Woods R, Lorusso J, Fletcher J, ElTaher H, McEwan F, Harris I, Kowash H, D'Souza SW, Harte M, Hager R, Glazier JD. Maternal immune activation and role of placenta in the prenatal programming of neurodevelopmental disorders. Neuronal Signal 2023; 7:NS20220064. [PMID: 37332846 PMCID: PMC10273029 DOI: 10.1042/ns20220064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal infection during pregnancy, leading to maternal immune activation (mIA) and cytokine release, increases the offspring risk of developing a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including schizophrenia. Animal models have provided evidence to support these mechanistic links, with placental inflammatory responses and dysregulation of placental function implicated. This leads to changes in fetal brain cytokine balance and altered epigenetic regulation of key neurodevelopmental pathways. The prenatal timing of such mIA-evoked changes, and the accompanying fetal developmental responses to an altered in utero environment, will determine the scope of the impacts on neurodevelopmental processes. Such dysregulation can impart enduring neuropathological changes, which manifest subsequently in the postnatal period as altered neurodevelopmental behaviours in the offspring. Hence, elucidation of the functional changes that occur at the molecular level in the placenta is vital in improving our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the pathogenesis of NDDs. This has notable relevance to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, where inflammatory responses in the placenta to SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and NDDs in early childhood have been reported. This review presents an integrated overview of these collective topics and describes the possible contribution of prenatal programming through placental effects as an underlying mechanism that links to NDD risk, underpinned by altered epigenetic regulation of neurodevelopmental pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M. Woods
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Jarred M. Lorusso
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Jennifer Fletcher
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Biology and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Heidi ElTaher
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Biology and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt
| | - Francesca McEwan
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Isabella Harris
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Hager M. Kowash
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, U.K
| | - Stephen W. D'Souza
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, U.K
| | - Michael Harte
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Biology and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Reinmar Hager
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Jocelyn D. Glazier
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
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10
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Hawkins-Villarreal A, Moreno-Espinosa AL, Castillo K, Hahner N, Picone O, Mandelbrot L, Simon I, Gratacós E, Goncé A, Eixarch E. Brain cortical maturation assessed by magnetic resonance imaging in unaffected or mildly affected fetuses with cytomegalovirus infection. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 61:566-576. [PMID: 36349881 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the cortical maturation pattern in fetuses with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with mild or no abnormalities on ultrasound (US) and MRI, and to establish possible differences compared with healthy controls. METHODS This was a retrospective case-control study of consecutive pregnancies with a CMV-infected fetus undergoing prenatal MRI as a complementary diagnostic tool in two centers, and a control group of singleton low-risk pregnancies without fetal structural abnormalities, with normal fetal growth and with healthy newborns. CMV infection was confirmed by extraction of CMV-DNA from fetal and neonatal samples. Only fetuses with mild (mildly affected) or no (unaffected) neuroimaging abnormalities on US and MRI were included. MRI measurements of fetal parieto-occipital sulcus, cingulate sulcus and calcarine sulcus depth, Sylvian fissure depth and Sylvian fissure angles were performed and cortical development grading of specific cortical areas and sulci were assessed by one operator who was blinded to CMV infection status. Data were compared between controls and fetuses with CMV infection, using linear regression and non-parametric trend analysis. RESULTS Twenty-four CMV-infected fetuses (seven unaffected and 17 mildly affected) and 24 healthy controls that underwent fetal MRI between 27 and 36 weeks' gestation were included. Compared with controls, CMV-infected fetuses showed significantly larger median lateral ventricular width (right side, 7.8 (interquartile range (IQR), 5.9-9.9) mm vs 3.9 (IQR, 2.6-5.3) mm; left side, 7.5 (IQR, 6.0-10.9) mm vs 4.2 (IQR, 3.2-5.3) mm), significantly decreased parieto-occipital sulcus depth (right side, 12.6 (IQR, 11.3-13.5) mm vs 15.9 (IQR, 13.5-17.3) mm; left side, 12.3 (IQR, 10.6-13.5) mm vs 16.0 (IQR, 13.3-17.5) mm) and calcarine sulcus depth (right side, 15.4 (IQR, 14.4-16.3) mm vs 17.5 (IQR, 16.1-18.7) mm; left side, 14.6 (IQR, 14.1-15.6) mm vs 16.7 (IQR, 15.6-18.9) mm) (P < 0.001 for all). Compared with controls, CMV-infected fetuses also had significantly smaller upper (right side, 42.8° (IQR, 35.8-45.8°) vs 48.9° (IQR, 38.4-64.7°); left side, 40.9° (IQR, 34.2-45.8°) vs 48.2° (IQR, 41.9-60.7°)) and lower (right side, 41.6° (IQR, 34.4-49.2°) vs 48.9° (IQR, 40.6-60.9°); left side, 42.2° (IQR, 38.8-46.9°) vs 48.9° (IQR, 39.5-57.5°)) Sylvian fissure angles (P < 0.05 for all). In addition, the mildly affected CMV-infected fetuses had a significantly lower cortical development grading in the temporal and parietal areas, and the parieto-occipital and calcarine sulci compared with healthy fetuses (P < 0.05). These differences persisted when adjusting for gestational age, ipsilateral atrium width, fetal gender and when considering small-for-gestational age as a confounding factor. CONCLUSIONS Unaffected and mildly affected CMV-infected fetuses showed delayed cortical maturation compared with healthy controls. These results suggest that congenital CMV infection, even in non-severely affected fetuses that are typically considered of good prognosis, could be associated with altered brain cortical structure. Further research is warranted to better elucidate the correlation of these findings with neurodevelopmental outcomes. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Hawkins-Villarreal
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Fetal Medicine Service, Obstetrics Department, Hospital 'Santo Tomás', University of Panama, Panama City, Panama
- Iberoamerican Research Network in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Translational Medicine
| | - A L Moreno-Espinosa
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Fetal Medicine Service, Obstetrics Department, Hospital 'Santo Tomás', University of Panama, Panama City, Panama
- Iberoamerican Research Network in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Translational Medicine
| | - K Castillo
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - N Hahner
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - O Picone
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hôpital Louis-Mourier, AP-HP, Féderation Hospitalo-Universitaire PREMA, Colombes, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Inserm IAME UMR1137, Paris, France
| | - L Mandelbrot
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hôpital Louis-Mourier, AP-HP, Féderation Hospitalo-Universitaire PREMA, Colombes, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Inserm IAME UMR1137, Paris, France
| | - I Simon
- Department of Radiology, Hôpital Louis-Mourier, AP-HP, Colombes, France
| | - E Gratacós
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Goncé
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Eixarch
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
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11
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Richter TA, Aiken AA, Puracchio MJ, Maganga-Bakita I, Hunter RG. Maternal Immune Activation and Enriched Environments Impact B2 SINE Expression in Stress Sensitive Brain Regions of Rodent Offspring. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:858. [PMID: 37107616 PMCID: PMC10137338 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) can have wide-spread neurodevelopmental effects with support accumulating for the idea that genomic mechanisms may induce lasting physiological and behavioral changes following stress exposure. Previous work found that a sub-family of transposable elements, SINEs, are repressed epigenetically after acute stress. This gives support to the concept that the mammalian genome may be regulating retrotransposon RNA expression allowing for adaptation in response to environmental challenges, such as maternal immune activation (MIA). Transposon (TE) RNAs are now thought to work at the epigenetic level and to have an adaptive response to environmental stressors. Abnormal expression of TEs has been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, which is also linked to maternal immune activation. Environmental enrichment (EE), a clinically utilized intervention, is understood to protect the brain, enhance cognitive performance, and attenuate responses to stress. This study examines the effects of MIA on offspring B2 SINE expression and further, the impact that EE, experienced throughout gestation and early life, may have in conjunction with MIA during development. Utilizing RT-PCR to quantify the expression of B2 SINE RNA in the juvenile brain of MIA exposed rat offspring, we found dysregulation of B2 SINE expression associated with MIA in the prefrontal cortex. For offspring experiencing EE, the prefrontal cortex exhibited an attenuation of the MIA response observed in standard housed animals. Here, the adaptive nature of B2 is observed and thought to be aiding in the animal's adaptation to stress. The present changes indicate a wide-spread stress-response system adaptation that impacts not only changes at the genomic level but potentially observable behavioral impacts throughout the lifespan, with possible translational relevance to psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy A. Richter
- Department of Psychology, Developmental and Brain Sciences Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - Ariel A. Aiken
- Department of Psychology, Developmental and Brain Sciences Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - Madeline J. Puracchio
- School of Arts & Sciences, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - Ismael Maganga-Bakita
- Department of Psychology, Developmental and Brain Sciences Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - Richard G. Hunter
- Department of Psychology, Developmental and Brain Sciences Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
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12
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Developmental screening of full-term infants at 16 to 18 months of age after in-utero exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. J Perinatol 2023; 43:659-663. [PMID: 36932135 PMCID: PMC10020764 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-023-01642-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To screen for neurodevelopmental delays in a cohort of full-term infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2. STUDY DESIGN This was a prospective, descriptive cohort study of full-term infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. Subjects underwent neurodevelopmental screening using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires®-Third Edition (ASQ®-3) at 16 to 18 months age. RESULTS Of 51 subjects, twelve (24%) were below cutoff, and twenty-seven (53%) were either below or close to the cutoff in at least one developmental domain. Communication (29%), fine motor (31%), and problem-solving (24%) were the most affected domains. There were no differences in outcomes between infants born to asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic mothers. CONCLUSION We observed increased risk of neurodevelopmental delays during screening of infants born at full-term to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 at 16 to 18 months age. These results highlight the urgent need for follow-up studies of infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2.
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13
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Wang D, Jiang J, Shang W, Zhang J, Jiang X, Shen F, Liang J, Li Y, Li M, Wang M, Sui N. Effect of early embryonic exposure to morphine on defects in the GABAergic system of day-old chicks. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 121:110657. [PMID: 36244467 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic morphine exposure (EME) leads to abnormal brain development and behavior in the offspring, and the functional alteration of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system is considered to be one of the important mechanisms. To mimic the problem of susceptibility of human gestational drug abuse on addictive drugs in offspring, we administered morphine exposure on days 5-8 and 13-16 of chicken embryo development and examined the functions of GABA neurons and their receptors in postnatal chicks by neuroelectrophysiology, immunohistochemistry and behavioral methods. We found that morphine exposure during embryonic stages 5-8 (MorphineE5-8) significantly reduced the incidence of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic potentiation (IPSP) and the induction of evoked IPSP and the mean amplitude of GABAA agonist muscimol-induced response in the intermediate medial interstitial (IMM) region, compared to naïve controls or saline-exposed chicks. The results of immunocytochemistry further suggest that MorphineE5-8 decreased the synaptic density of GAD-expressing sites in the IMM, while increased the expression of the GABAA receptor subtype γ2 isoform. Behavioral results found that Morphine5-8 treatment de-inhibited morphine-induced psychomotor responses in postnatal chicks. Morphine exposure at embryonic stages 13-16 (MorphineE13-16) showed no significant changes in the above indicators compared to the saline group. Evidence suggests that early embryonic morphine exposure leads to defects in GABAergic function in the IMM, which in turn alters the responsiveness of postnatal chicks to addictive drugs. These results will help to understand the GABA mechanisms by which embryonic addictive drug exposure contributes to offspring susceptibility to addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Shang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Shen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghui Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, USA
| | - Mengya Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Cell Electrophysiology Laboratory, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China.
| | - Nan Sui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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14
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Raymann S, Schalbetter SM, Schaer R, Bernhardt AC, Mueller FS, Meyer U, Weber-Stadlbauer U. Late prenatal immune activation in mice induces transgenerational effects via the maternal and paternal lineages. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:2273-2286. [PMID: 36857721 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to infectious or noninfectious immune activation is an environmental risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders and mental illnesses. Recent research using animal models suggests that maternal immune activation (MIA) during early to middle stages of pregnancy can induce transgenerational effects on brain and behavior, likely via inducing stable epigenetic modifications across generations. Using a mouse model of viral-like MIA, which is based on gestational treatment with poly(I:C), the present study explored whether transgenerational effects can also emerge when MIA occurs in late pregnancy. Our findings demonstrate that the direct descendants born to poly(I:C)-treated mothers display deficits in temporal order memory, which are similarly present in second- and third-generation offspring. These transgenerational effects were mediated via both the maternal and paternal lineages and were accompanied by transient changes in maternal care. In addition to the cognitive effects, late prenatal immune activation induced generation-spanning effects on the prefrontal expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic genes, including parvalbumin and distinct alpha-subunits of the GABAA receptor. Together, our results suggest that MIA in late pregnancy has the potential to affect cognitive functions and prefrontal gene expression patterns in multiple generations, highlighting its role in shaping disease risk across generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Raymann
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sina M Schalbetter
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ron Schaer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra C Bernhardt
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Flavia S Mueller
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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Morgan ZEM, Bailey MJ, Trifonova DI, Naik NC, Patterson WB, Lurmann FW, Chang HH, Peterson BS, Goran MI, Alderete TL. Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years of age. Environ Health 2023; 22:11. [PMID: 36694159 PMCID: PMC9872424 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00951-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Higher prenatal ambient air pollution exposure has been associated with impaired neurodevelopment in preschoolers and school-aged children. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between prenatal ambient air pollution exposure and neurodevelopment during infancy. METHODS This study examined 161 Latino mother-infant pairs from the Southern California Mother's Milk Study. Exposure assessments included prenatal nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter smaller than 2.5 and 10 microns in diameter (PM2.5 and PM10, respectively). The pregnancy period was also examined as three windows, early, mid, and late, which describe the first, middle, and last three months of pregnancy. Infant neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years of age were measured using the Bayley-III Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Multivariable linear models and distributed lag linear models (DLM) were used to examine relationships between prenatal exposures and neurodevelopmental scores, adjusting for socioeconomic status, breastfeeding frequency, time of delivery, pre-pregnancy body mass index, and infant birthweight and sex. RESULTS Higher prenatal exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 was negatively associated with composite cognitive score (β = -2.01 [-3.89, -0.13] and β = -1.97 [-3.83, -0.10], respectively). In addition, higher average prenatal exposure to PM10 was negatively associated with composite motor (β = -2.35 [-3.95, -0.74]), scaled motor (β = -0.77 [-1.30, -0.24]), gross motor (β = -0.37 [-0.70, -0.04]), fine motor (β = -0.40 [-0.71, -0.09]), composite language (β = -1.87 [-3.52, -0.22]), scaled language (β = -0.61 [-1.18, -0.05]) and expressive communication scaled scores (β = -0.36 [-0.66, -0.05]). DLMs showed that higher prenatal air pollution exposure during mid and late pregnancy was inversely associated with motor, cognitive, and communication language scores. CONCLUSIONS Higher exposure to air pollutants during pregnancy, particularly in the mid and late prenatal periods, was inversely associated with scaled and composite motor, cognitive, and language scores at 2 years. These results indicate that prenatal ambient air pollution may negatively impact neurodevelopment in early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachariah E M Morgan
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Maximilian J Bailey
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Diana I Trifonova
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Noopur C Naik
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - William B Patterson
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Howard H Chang
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bradley S Peterson
- Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael I Goran
- Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tanya L Alderete
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
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16
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Kelly RS, Lee-Sarwar K, Chen YC, Laranjo N, Fichorova R, Chu SH, Prince N, Lasky-Su J, Weiss ST, Litonjua AA. Maternal Inflammatory Biomarkers during Pregnancy and Early Life Neurodevelopment in Offspring: Results from the VDAART Study. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315249. [PMID: 36499584 PMCID: PMC9739845 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal infection and stress during the prenatal period have been associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring, suggesting that biomarkers of increased inflammation in the mothers may associate with poorer developmental outcomes. In 491 mother-child pairs from the Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART), we investigated the association between maternal levels of two inflammatory biomarkers; interleukin-8 (IL-8) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) during early (10-18 wks) and late (32-38 wks) pregnancy with offspring scores in the five domains of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a validated screening tool for assessing early life development. We identified a robust association between early pregnancy IL-8 levels and decreased fine-motor (β: -0.919, 95%CI: -1.425, -0.414, p = 3.9 × 10-4) and problem-solving skills at age two (β: -1.221, 95%CI: -1.904, -0.414, p = 4.9 × 10-4). Associations between IL-8 with other domains of development and those for CRP did not survive correction for multiple testing. Similarly, while there was some evidence that the detrimental effects of early pregnancy IL-8 were strongest in boys and in those who were not breastfed, these interactions were not robust to correction for multiple testing. However, further research is required to determine if other maternal inflammatory biomarkers associate with offspring neurodevelopment and work should continue to focus on the management of factors leading to increases in IL-8 levels in pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S. Kelly
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Kathleen Lee-Sarwar
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02467, USA
| | - Yih-Chieh Chen
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02467, USA
| | - Nancy Laranjo
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Raina Fichorova
- Laboratory of Genital Tract Biology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Su H. Chu
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nicole Prince
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jessica Lasky-Su
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Scott T. Weiss
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Augusto A. Litonjua
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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17
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Kwok J, Hall HA, Murray AL, Lombardo MV, Auyeung B. Maternal infections during pregnancy and child cognitive outcomes. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022; 22:848. [PMCID: PMC9670450 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-05188-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Maternal prenatal infections have been linked to children’s neurodevelopment and cognitive outcomes. It remains unclear, however, whether infections occurring during specific vulnerable gestational periods can affect children’s cognitive outcomes. The study aimed to examine maternal infections in each trimester of pregnancy and associations with children’s developmental and intelligence quotients. The ALSPAC birth cohort was used to investigate associations between maternal infections in pregnancy and child cognitive outcomes.
Methods
Infection data from mothers and cognition data from children were included with the final study sample size comprising 7,410 mother-child participants. Regression analysis was used to examine links between maternal infections occurring at each trimester of pregnancy and children’s cognition at 18 months, 4 years, and 8 years.
Results
Infections in the third trimester were significantly associated with decreased verbal IQ at age 4 (p < .05, adjusted R2 = 0.004); decreased verbal IQ (p < .01, adjusted R2 = 0.001), performance IQ (p < .01, adjusted R2 = 0.0008), and total IQ at age 8 (p < .01, adjusted R2 = 0.001).
Conclusion
Results suggest that maternal infections in the third trimester could have a latent effect on cognitive development, only emerging when cognitive load increases over time, though magnitude of effect appears to be small. Performance IQ may be more vulnerable to trimester-specific exposure to maternal infection as compared to verbal IQ. Future research could include examining potential mediating mechanisms on childhood cognition, such as possible moderating effects of early childhood environmental factors, and if effects persist in future cognitive outcomes.
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Maternal use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and neurobehavioral problems in offspring at 3 years: A prospective cohort study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272593. [PMID: 36170224 PMCID: PMC9518858 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Acetaminophen is one of the most commonly used drugs during pregnancy globally. Recent studies have reported associations between prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and neurobehavioral problems in children, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders. Little research has investigated these associations in preschool-age children or the potential confounding effects of prenatal stress. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and offspring neurobehavioral problems at the age of 3 years, with a focus on the potentially confounding effects of prenatal stress.
Methods
We used data from the First Baby Study, a prospective cohort study conducted in Pennsylvania, USA, with 2,423 mother-child pairs. Women reported medication use and completed a prenatal stress inventory during their third trimester. Child behavioral problems were measured at the age of 3 years, using the 7 syndrome scale scores from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for ages 1 ½ to 5.
Results
There were 1,011 women (41.7%) who reported using acetaminophen during pregnancy. Children who were exposed to acetaminophen during pregnancy scored significantly higher on 3 of the 7 CBCL syndrome scales: withdrawn, sleep problems and attention problems. Scores on all 7 of the CBCL syndrome scales were significantly associated with prenatal stress. After adjustment for prenatal stress and other confounders, 2 syndrome scales remained significantly higher in children exposed to acetaminophen: sleep problems (aOR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.01–1.51) and attention problems (aOR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.01–1.45).
Conclusions
These findings corroborate previous studies reporting associations between prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and attention problems in offspring and also show an association with sleep problems at age 3 years. Because use of acetaminophen during pregnancy is common, these results are of public health concern and suggest caution in the use of medications containing acetaminophen during pregnancy.
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19
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Hillman TC, Idnani R, Wilson CG. An Inexpensive Open-Source Chamber for Controlled Hypoxia/Hyperoxia Exposure. Front Physiol 2022; 13:891005. [PMID: 35903067 PMCID: PMC9315218 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.891005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding hypoxia/hyperoxia exposure requires either a high-altitude research facility or a chamber in which gas concentrations are precisely and reproducibly controlled. Hypoxia-induced conditions such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), obstructive or central apneas, and ischemic stroke present unique challenges for the development of models with acute or chronic hypoxia exposure. Many murine models exist to study these conditions; however, there are a variety of different hypoxia exposure protocols used across laboratories. Experimental equipment for hypoxia exposure typically includes flow regulators, nitrogen concentrators, and premix oxygen/nitrogen tanks. Commercial hypoxia/hyperoxia chambers with environmental monitoring are incredibly expensive and require proprietary software with subscription fees or highly expensive software licenses. Limitations exist in these systems as most are single animal systems and not designed for extended or intermittent hypoxia exposure. We have developed a simple hypoxia chamber with off-the-shelf components, and controlled by open-source software for continuous data acquisition of oxygen levels and other environmental factors (temperature, humidity, pressure, light, sound, etc.). Our chamber can accommodate up to two mouse cages and one rat cage at any oxygen level needed, when using a nitrogen concentrator or premixed oxygen/nitrogen tank with a flow regulator, but is also scalable. Our system uses a Python-based script to save data in a text file using modules from the sensor vendor. We utilized Python or R scripts for data analysis, and we have provided examples of data analysis scripts and acquired data for extended exposure periods (≤7 days). By using FLOS (Free-Libre and open-source) software and hardware, we have developed a low-cost and customizable system that can be used for a variety of exposure protocols. This hypoxia/hyperoxia exposure chamber allows for reproducible and transparent data acquisition and increased consistency with a high degree of customization for each experimenter’s needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler C. Hillman
- Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Ryan Idnani
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Christopher G. Wilson
- Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Christopher G. Wilson,
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20
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Distinct effects of interleukin-6 and interferon-γ on differentiating human cortical neurons. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 103:97-108. [PMID: 35429607 PMCID: PMC9278892 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Translational evidence suggests that cytokines involved in maternal immune activation (MIA), such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), can cross the placenta, injure fetal brain, and predispose to neuropsychiatric disorders. To elaborate developmental neuronal sequelae of MIA, we differentiated human pluripotent stem cells to cortical neurons over a two-month period, exposing them to IL-6 or IFN-γ. IL-6 impacted expression of genes regulating extracellular matrix, actin cytoskeleton and TGF-β signaling while IFN-γ impacted genes regulating antigen processing, major histocompatibility complex and endoplasmic reticulum biology. IL-6, but not IFN-γ, altered mitochondrial respiration while IFN-γ, but not IL-6, induced reduction in dendritic spine density. Pre-treatment with folic acid, which has known neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, ameliorated IL-6 effects on mitochondrial respiration and IFN-γ effects on dendritic spine density. These findings suggest distinct mechanisms for how fetal IL-6 and IFN-γ exposure influence risk for neuropsychiatric disorders, and how folic acid can mitigate such risk.
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21
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Edlow AG, Castro VM, Shook LL, Kaimal AJ, Perlis RH. Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at 1 Year in Infants of Mothers Who Tested Positive for SARS-CoV-2 During Pregnancy. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2215787. [PMID: 35679048 PMCID: PMC9185175 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.15787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance Epidemiologic studies suggest maternal immune activation during pregnancy may be associated with neurodevelopmental effects in offspring. Objective To evaluate whether in utero exposure to SARS-CoV-2 is associated with risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in the first 12 months after birth. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study examined live offspring of all mothers who delivered between March and September 2020 at any of 6 Massachusetts hospitals across 2 health systems. Statistical analysis was performed from October to December 2021. Exposures Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by a polymerase chain reaction test during pregnancy. Main Outcomes and Measures Neurodevelopmental disorders determined from International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnostic codes over the first 12 months of life; sociodemographic and clinical features of mothers and offspring; all drawn from the electronic health record. Results The cohort included 7772 live births (7466 pregnancies, 96% singleton, 222 births to SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers), with mean (SD) maternal age of 32.9 (5.0) years; offspring were 9.9% Asian (772), 8.4% Black (656), and 69.0% White (5363); 15.1% (1134) were of Hispanic ethnicity. Preterm delivery was more likely among exposed mothers: 14.4% (32) vs 8.7% (654) (P = .003). Maternal SARS-CoV-2 positivity during pregnancy was associated with greater rate of neurodevelopmental diagnoses in unadjusted models (odds ratio [OR], 2.17 [95% CI, 1.24-3.79]; P = .006) as well as those adjusted for race, ethnicity, insurance status, offspring sex, maternal age, and preterm status (adjusted OR, 1.86 [95% CI, 1.03-3.36]; P = .04). Third-trimester infection was associated with effects of larger magnitude (adjusted OR, 2.34 [95% CI, 1.23-4.44]; P = .01). Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in utero found preliminary evidence that maternal SARS-CoV-2 may be associated with neurodevelopmental sequelae in some offspring. Prospective studies with longer follow-up duration will be required to exclude confounding and confirm these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea G. Edlow
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Victor M. Castro
- Center for Quantitative Health and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
- Research Information Science and Computing, Mass General Brigham, Somerville, Massachusetts
| | - Lydia L. Shook
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Anjali J. Kaimal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Roy H. Perlis
- Center for Quantitative Health and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston
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22
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Structural and Functional Deviations of the Hippocampus in Schizophrenia and Schizophrenia Animal Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105482. [PMID: 35628292 PMCID: PMC9143100 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a grave neuropsychiatric disease which frequently onsets between the end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood. It is characterized by a variety of neuropsychiatric abnormalities which are categorized into positive, negative and cognitive symptoms. Most therapeutical strategies address the positive symptoms by antagonizing D2-dopamine-receptors (DR). However, negative and cognitive symptoms persist and highly impair the life quality of patients due to their disabling effects. Interestingly, hippocampal deviations are a hallmark of schizophrenia and can be observed in early as well as advanced phases of the disease progression. These alterations are commonly accompanied by a rise in neuronal activity. Therefore, hippocampal formation plays an important role in the manifestation of schizophrenia. Furthermore, studies with animal models revealed a link between environmental risk factors and morphological as well as electrophysiological abnormalities in the hippocampus. Here, we review recent findings on structural and functional hippocampal abnormalities in schizophrenic patients and in schizophrenia animal models, and we give an overview on current experimental approaches that especially target the hippocampus. A better understanding of hippocampal aberrations in schizophrenia might clarify their impact on the manifestation and on the outcome of this severe disease.
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23
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The transdiagnostic origins of anxiety and depression during the pediatric period: Linking NIMH research domain criteria (RDoC) constructs to ecological systems. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 33:1599-1619. [DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn the last decade, an abundance of research has utilized the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) research domain criteria (RDoC) framework to examine mechanisms underlying anxiety and depression in youth. However, relatively little work has examined how these mechanistic intrapersonal processes intersect with context during childhood and adolescence. The current paper covers reviews and meta-analyses that have linked RDoC-relevant constructs to ecological systems in internalizing problems in youth. Specifically, cognitive, biological, and affective factors within the RDoC framework were examined. Based on these reviews and some of the original empirical research they cover, we highlight the integral role of ecological factors to the RDoC framework in predicting onset and maintenance of internalizing problems in youth. Specific recommendations are provided for researchers using the RDoC framework to inform future research integrating ecological systems and development. We advocate for future research and research funding to focus on better integration of the environment and development into the RDoC framework.
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24
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Ganguli S, Chavali PL. Intrauterine Viral Infections: Impact of Inflammation on Fetal Neurodevelopment. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:771557. [PMID: 34858132 PMCID: PMC8631423 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.771557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrauterine viral infections during pregnancy by pathogens such as Zika virus, Cytomegalovirus, Rubella and Herpes Simplex virus can lead to prenatal as well as postnatal neurodevelopmental disorders. Although maternal viral infections are common during pregnancy, viruses rarely penetrate the trophoblast. When they do cross, viruses can cause adverse congenital health conditions for the fetus. In this context, maternal inflammatory responses to these neurotropic pathogens play a significant role in negatively affecting neurodevelopment. For instance, intrauterine inflammation poses an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as microcephaly, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Severe inflammatory responses have been linked to stillbirths, preterm births, abortions and microcephaly. In this review, we discuss the mechanistic basis of how immune system shapes the landscape of the brain and how different neurotropic viral pathogens evoke inflammatory responses. Finally, we list the consequences of neuroinflammation on fetal brain development and discuss directions for future research and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Ganguli
- CSIR-Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcCSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Pavithra L Chavali
- CSIR-Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcCSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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25
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Cerritelli F, Frasch MG, Antonelli MC, Viglione C, Vecchi S, Chiera M, Manzotti A. A Review on the Vagus Nerve and Autonomic Nervous System During Fetal Development: Searching for Critical Windows. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:721605. [PMID: 34616274 PMCID: PMC8488382 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.721605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is one of the main biological systems that regulates the body's physiology. Autonomic nervous system regulatory capacity begins before birth as the sympathetic and parasympathetic activity contributes significantly to the fetus' development. In particular, several studies have shown how vagus nerve is involved in many vital processes during fetal, perinatal, and postnatal life: from the regulation of inflammation through the anti-inflammatory cholinergic pathway, which may affect the functioning of each organ, to the production of hormones involved in bioenergetic metabolism. In addition, the vagus nerve has been recognized as the primary afferent pathway capable of transmitting information to the brain from every organ of the body. Therefore, this hypothesis paper aims to review the development of ANS during fetal and perinatal life, focusing particularly on the vagus nerve, to identify possible "critical windows" that could impact its maturation. These "critical windows" could help clinicians know when to monitor fetuses to effectively assess the developmental status of both ANS and specifically the vagus nerve. In addition, this paper will focus on which factors-i.e., fetal characteristics and behaviors, maternal lifestyle and pathologies, placental health and dysfunction, labor, incubator conditions, and drug exposure-may have an impact on the development of the vagus during the above-mentioned "critical window" and how. This analysis could help clinicians and stakeholders define precise guidelines for improving the management of fetuses and newborns, particularly to reduce the potential adverse environmental impacts on ANS development that may lead to persistent long-term consequences. Since the development of ANS and the vagus influence have been shown to be reflected in cardiac variability, this paper will rely in particular on studies using fetal heart rate variability (fHRV) to monitor the continued growth and health of both animal and human fetuses. In fact, fHRV is a non-invasive marker whose changes have been associated with ANS development, vagal modulation, systemic and neurological inflammatory reactions, and even fetal distress during labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Cerritelli
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
| | - Martin G. Frasch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Marta C. Antonelli
- Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia “Prof. E. De Robertis”, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Chiara Viglione
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
| | - Stefano Vecchi
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
| | - Marco Chiera
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
| | - Andrea Manzotti
- Research and Assistance for Infants to Support Experience Lab, Foundation Center for Osteopathic Medicine Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, “V. Buzzi” Children's Hospital, Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
- Research Department, Istituto Osteopatia Milano, Milan, Italy
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26
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Han VX, Patel S, Jones HF, Dale RC. Maternal immune activation and neuroinflammation in human neurodevelopmental disorders. Nat Rev Neurol 2021; 17:564-579. [PMID: 34341569 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-021-00530-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Maternal health during pregnancy plays a major role in shaping health and disease risks in the offspring. The maternal immune activation hypothesis proposes that inflammatory perturbations in utero can affect fetal neurodevelopment, and evidence from human epidemiological studies supports an association between maternal inflammation during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Diverse maternal inflammatory factors, including obesity, asthma, autoimmune disease, infection and psychosocial stress, are associated with an increased risk of NDDs in the offspring. In addition to inflammation, epigenetic factors are increasingly recognized to operate at the gene-environment interface during NDD pathogenesis. For example, integrated brain transcriptome and epigenetic analyses of individuals with NDDs demonstrate convergent dysregulated immune pathways. In this Review, we focus on the emerging human evidence for an association between maternal immune activation and childhood NDDs, including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and Tourette syndrome. We refer to established pathophysiological concepts in animal models, including immune signalling across the placenta, epigenetic 'priming' of offspring microglia and postnatal immune-brain crosstalk. The increasing incidence of NDDs has created an urgent need to mitigate the risk and severity of these conditions through both preventive strategies in pregnancy and novel postnatal therapies targeting disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Velda X Han
- Kids Neuroscience Centre, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shrujna Patel
- Kids Neuroscience Centre, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hannah F Jones
- Kids Neuroscience Centre, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Neuroservices, Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Russell C Dale
- Kids Neuroscience Centre, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. .,The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. .,The Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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27
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Lee GA, Lin YK, Lai JH, Lo YC, Yang YCSH, Ye SY, Lee CJ, Wang CC, Chiang YH, Tseng SH. Maternal Immune Activation Causes Social Behavior Deficits and Hypomyelination in Male Rat Offspring with an Autism-Like Microbiota Profile. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1085. [PMID: 34439704 PMCID: PMC8391334 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11081085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. Microbial dysbiosis is associated with ASD symptoms. However, the alterations in the brain-gut-microbiota axis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MIA offspring remain unclear. Here, we examined the social behavior, anxiety-like and repetitive behavior, microbiota profile, and myelination levels in LPS-induced MIA rat offspring. Compared with control offspring, MIA male rat offspring spent less time in an active social interaction with stranger rats, displayed more anxiety-like and repetitive behavior, and had more hypomyelination in the prefrontal cortex and thalamic nucleus. A fecal microbiota analysis revealed that MIA offspring had a higher abundance of Alistipes, Fusobacterium, and Ruminococcus and a lower abundance of Coprococcus, Erysipelotrichaies, and Actinobacteria than control offspring, which is consistent with that of humans with ASD. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was applied to determine the relative importance of the microbiota, which indicated that the abundance of Alistipes and Actinobacteria was the most relevant for the profile of defective social behavior, whereas Fusobacterium and Coprococcus was associated with anxiety-like and repetitive behavior. In summary, LPS-induced MIA offspring showed an abnormal brain-gut-microbiota axis with social behavior deficits, anxiety-like and repetitive behavior, hypomyelination, and an ASD-like microbiota profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilbert Aaron Lee
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan; (G.A.L.); (S.-Y.Y.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Kuang Lin
- Graduate Institute of Athletics and Coaching Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
| | - Jing-Huei Lai
- Core Laboratory of Neuroscience, Office of R&D, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; (J.-H.L.); (Y.-H.C.)
- Center for Neurotrauma and Neuroregeneration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Lo
- PhD Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
| | - Yu-Chen S. H. Yang
- Joint Biobank, Office of Human Research, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
| | - Syuan-You Ye
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan; (G.A.L.); (S.-Y.Y.)
| | - Chia-Jung Lee
- PhD Program for Clinical Drug Discovery of Herbal Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy Science, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chiung Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
| | - Yung-Hsiao Chiang
- Core Laboratory of Neuroscience, Office of R&D, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; (J.-H.L.); (Y.-H.C.)
- Center for Neurotrauma and Neuroregeneration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Sung-Hui Tseng
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, No. 250 Wu Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan
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28
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Offspring born to influenza A virus infected pregnant mice have increased susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections in early life. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4957. [PMID: 34400653 PMCID: PMC8368105 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25220-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza during pregnancy can affect the health of offspring in later life, among which neurocognitive disorders are among the best described. Here, we investigate whether maternal influenza infection has adverse effects on immune responses in offspring. We establish a two-hit mouse model to study the effect of maternal influenza A virus infection (first hit) on vulnerability of offspring to heterologous infections (second hit) in later life. Offspring born to influenza A virus infected mothers are stunted in growth and more vulnerable to heterologous infections (influenza B virus and MRSA) than those born to PBS- or poly(I:C)-treated mothers. Enhanced vulnerability to infection in neonates is associated with reduced haematopoetic development and immune responses. In particular, alveolar macrophages of offspring exposed to maternal influenza have reduced capacity to clear second hit pathogens. This impaired pathogen clearance is partially reversed by adoptive transfer of alveolar macrophages from healthy offspring born to uninfected dams. These findings suggest that maternal influenza infection may impair immune ontogeny and increase susceptibility to early life infections of offspring. Influenza infection during pregnancy can affect health of offspring but it is not clear how this affects immune responses. Here the authors use a mouse model to show that influenza infection during pregnancy can increase susceptibility to secondary infection and alter immune cell function in offspring.
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29
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Rentschler KM, Baratta AM, Ditty AL, Wagner NTJ, Wright CJ, Milosavljevic S, Mong JA, Pocivavsek A. Prenatal Kynurenine Elevation Elicits Sex-Dependent Changes in Sleep and Arousal During Adulthood: Implications for Psychotic Disorders. Schizophr Bull 2021; 47:1320-1330. [PMID: 33823027 PMCID: PMC8379538 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbab029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan catabolism has been implicated in psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is a KP metabolite synthesized by kynurenine aminotransferases (KATs) from its biological precursor kynurenine and acts as an endogenous antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate and α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Elevated KYNA levels found in postmortem brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid of patients are hypothesized to play a key role in the etiology of cognitive symptoms observed in psychotic disorders. Sleep plays an important role in memory consolidation, and sleep disturbances are common among patients. Yet, little is known about the effect of altered KP metabolism on sleep-wake behavior. We presently utilized a well-established experimental paradigm of embryonic kynurenine (EKyn) exposure wherein pregnant dams are fed a diet laced with kynurenine the last week of gestation and hypothesized disrupted sleep-wake behavior in adult offspring. We examined sleep behavior in adult male and female offspring using electroencephalogram and electromyogram telemetry and determined sex differences in sleep and arousal in EKyn offspring. EKyn males displayed reduced rapid eye movement sleep, while female EKyn offspring were hyperaroused compared to controls. We determined that EKyn males maintain elevated brain KYNA levels, while KYNA levels were unchanged in EKyn females, yet the activity levels of KAT I and KAT II were reduced. Our findings indicate that elevated prenatal kynurenine exposure elicits sex-specific changes in sleep-wake behavior, arousal, and KP metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Rentschler
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | | | - Audrey L Ditty
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Nathan T J Wagner
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Courtney J Wright
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Snezana Milosavljevic
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Jessica A Mong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ana Pocivavsek
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed; tel: (803) 216–3509, fax: 803-216-3538, e-mail:
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Fetal cranial growth trajectories are associated with growth and neurodevelopment at 2 years of age: INTERBIO-21st Fetal Study. Nat Med 2021; 27:647-652. [PMID: 33737749 PMCID: PMC7613323 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-021-01280-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Many observational studies and some randomized trials demonstrate how fetal growth can be influenced by environmental insults (for example, maternal infections)1 and preventive interventions (for example, multiple-micronutrient supplementation)2 that can have a long-lasting effect on health, growth, neurodevelopment and even educational attainment and income in adulthood3. In a cohort of pregnant women (n = 3,598), followed-up between 2012 and 2019 at six sites worldwide4, we studied the associations between ultrasound-derived fetal cranial growth trajectories, measured longitudinally from <14 weeks' gestation, against international standards5,6, and growth and neurodevelopment up to 2 years of age7,8. We identified five trajectories associated with specific neurodevelopmental, behavioral, visual and growth outcomes, independent of fetal abdominal growth, postnatal morbidity and anthropometric measures at birth and age 2. The trajectories, which changed within a 20-25-week gestational age window, were associated with brain development at 2 years of age according to a mirror (positive/negative) pattern, mostly focused on maturation of cognitive, language and visual skills. Further research should explore the potential for preventive interventions in pregnancy to improve infant neurodevelopmental outcomes before the critical window of opportunity that precedes the divergence of growth at 20-25 weeks' gestation.
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Eyles DW. How do established developmental risk-factors for schizophrenia change the way the brain develops? Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:158. [PMID: 33686066 PMCID: PMC7940420 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01273-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The recognition that schizophrenia is a disorder of neurodevelopment is widely accepted. The original hypothesis was coined more than 30 years ago and the wealth of supportive epidemiologically data continues to grow. A number of proposals have been put forward to suggest how adverse early exposures in utero alter the way the adult brain functions, eventually producing the symptoms of schizophrenia. This of course is extremely difficult to study in developing human brains, so the bulk of what we know comes from animal models of such exposures. In this review, I will summarise the more salient features of how the major epidemiologically validated exposures change the way the brain is formed leading to abnormal function in ways that are informative for schizophrenia symptomology. Surprisingly few studies have examined brain ontogeny from embryo to adult in such models. However, where there is longitudinal data, various convergent mechanisms are beginning to emerge involving stress and immune pathways. There is also a surprisingly consistent alteration in how very early dopamine neurons develop in these models. Understanding how disparate epidemiologically-validated exposures may produce similar developmental brain abnormalities may unlock convergent early disease-related pathways/processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darryl W. Eyles
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 QLD Australia ,grid.417162.70000 0004 0606 3563Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, 4076 QLD Australia
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Granja MG, Alves LP, Leardini-Tristão M, Saul ME, Bortoni LC, de Moraes FM, Ferreira EC, de Moraes BPT, da Silva VZ, Dos Santos AFR, Silva AR, Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque CF, Bambini-Junior V, Weyrich AS, Rondina MT, Zimmerman GA, de Castro-Faria-Neto HC. Inflammatory, synaptic, motor, and behavioral alterations induced by gestational sepsis on the offspring at different stages of life. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:60. [PMID: 33632243 PMCID: PMC7905683 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02106-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The term sepsis is used to designate a systemic condition of infection and inflammation associated with hemodynamic changes that result in organic dysfunction. Gestational sepsis can impair the development of the central nervous system and may promote permanent behavior alterations in the offspring. The aim of our work was to evaluate the effects of maternal sepsis on inflammatory cytokine levels and synaptic proteins in the hippocampus, neocortex, frontal cortex, and cerebellum of neonatal, young, and adult mice. Additionally, we analyzed the motor development, behavioral features, and cognitive impairments in neonatal, young and adult offspring. METHODS Pregnant mice at the 14th embryonic day (E14) were intratracheally instilled with saline 0.9% solution (control group) or Klebsiella spp. (3 × 108 CFU) (sepsis group) and started on meropenem after 5 h. The offspring was sacrificed at postnatal day (P) 2, P8, P30, and P60 and samples of liver, lung, and brain were collected for TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 measurements by ELISA. Synaptophysin, PSD95, and β-tubulin levels were analyzed by Western blot. Motor tests were performed at all analyzed ages and behavioral assessments were performed in offspring at P30 and P60. RESULTS Gestational sepsis induces a systemic pro-inflammatory response in neonates at P2 and P8 characterized by an increase in cytokine levels. Maternal sepsis induced systemic downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, while in the hippocampus, neocortex, frontal cortex, and cerebellum an inflammatory response was detected. These changes in the brain immunity were accompanied by a reduction of synaptophysin and PSD95 levels in the hippocampus, neocortex, frontal cortex, and cerebellum, in all ages. Behavioral tests demonstrated motor impairment in neonates, and depressive-like behavior, fear-conditioned memory, and learning impairments in animals at P30 and P60, while spatial memory abilities were affected only at P60, indicating that gestational sepsis not only induces an inflammatory response in neonatal mouse brains, but also affects neurodevelopment, and leads to a plethora of behavioral alterations and cognitive impairments in the offspring. CONCLUSION These data suggest that maternal sepsis may be causatively related to the development of depression, learning, and memory impairments in the litter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Gomes Granja
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Letícia Pires Alves
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marina Leardini-Tristão
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Michelle Edelman Saul
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Estácio de Sá - UNESA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Letícia Coelho Bortoni
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Estácio de Sá - UNESA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flávia Maciel de Moraes
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Erica Camila Ferreira
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bianca Portugal Tavares de Moraes
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Victória Zerboni da Silva
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Adriana Ribeiro Silva
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Victorio Bambini-Junior
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, PR1 2HE, Lancashire, Preston, England, UK
| | - Andrew S Weyrich
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, PR1 2HE, Lancashire, Preston, England, UK
| | - Matthew T Rondina
- Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine and GRECC, George E. Wahlen VAMC, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Guy A Zimmerman
- Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Hurtado-Díaz M, Riojas-Rodríguez H, Rothenberg SJ, Schnaas-Arrieta L, Kloog I, Just A, Hernández-Bonilla D, Wright RO, Téllez-Rojo MM. Prenatal PM 2.5 exposure and neurodevelopment at 2 years of age in a birth cohort from Mexico city. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 233:113695. [PMID: 33582606 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies have reported that air pollution exposure may have neurotoxic properties. OBJECTIVE To examine longitudinal associations between prenatal particles less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) exposure and neurodevelopment during the first two years of children's life. METHODS Analysis was conducted in PROGRESS, a longitudinal birth cohort between 2007 and 2013 in Mexico City. We used satellite data to predict daily PM2.5 concentrations at high spatial resolution. Multivariate mixed-effect regression models were adjusted to examine cognitive, language and motor scores in children up to 24 months of age (n = 740) and each trimester-specific and whole pregnancy exposure to PM2.5. RESULTS Models adjusted by child sex, gestational age, birth weight, smoking and mother's IQ, showed that each increase of 1 μg/m3 of PM2.5 was associated with a decreased language function of -0.38 points (95% CI: -0.77, -0.01). PM2.5 exposure at third trimester of pregnancy contributed most to the observed association. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that language development up to 24 months of age may be particularly sensitive to PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Hurtado-Díaz
- Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Av. Universidad No. 655, Col. Sta. Ma. Ahuacatitlán, 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Horacio Riojas-Rodríguez
- Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Av. Universidad No. 655, Col. Sta. Ma. Ahuacatitlán, 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Stephen J Rothenberg
- Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Av. Universidad No. 655, Col. Sta. Ma. Ahuacatitlán, 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Lourdes Schnaas-Arrieta
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, National Institute of Perinatology, Montes Urales 800 Col. Virreyes Deleg, Miguel Hidalgo D.F, C.P. 11000, USA.
| | - Itai Kloog
- Department of Geography and Environmental Development, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), Beer Sheva, Israel.
| | - Allan Just
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 17 East 102 Street, Floor 3, Room 131, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | - David Hernández-Bonilla
- Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Av. Universidad No. 655, Col. Sta. Ma. Ahuacatitlán, 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 17 East 102 Street Floor 3 West Room D3-110, New York, 10029, NY, USA.
| | - Martha Ma Téllez-Rojo
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Av. Universidad No. 655, Col. Sta. Ma. Ahuacatitlán, 61200, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
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Maternal immune activation induces sustained changes in fetal microglia motility. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21378. [PMID: 33288794 PMCID: PMC7721716 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78294-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal infection or inflammation causes abnormalities in brain development associated with subsequent cognitive impairment and in an increased susceptibility to schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Maternal immune activation (MIA) and increases in serum cytokine levels mediates this association via effects on the fetal brain, and microglia can respond to maternal immune status, but consensus on how microglia may respond is lacking and no-one has yet examined if microglial process motility is impaired. In this study we investigated how MIA induced at two different gestational ages affected microglial properties at different developmental stages. Immune activation in mid-pregnancy increased IL-6 expression in embryonic microglia, but failed to cause any marked changes in morphology either at E18 or postnatally. In contrast MIA, particularly when induced earlier (at E12), caused sustained alterations in the patterns of microglial process motility and behavioral deficits. Our research has identified an important microglial property that is altered by MIA and which may contribute to the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms linking maternal immune status to subsequent risks for cognitive disease.
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Oschwald A, Petry P, Kierdorf K, Erny D. CNS Macrophages and Infant Infections. Front Immunol 2020; 11:2123. [PMID: 33072074 PMCID: PMC7531029 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.02123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) harbors its own immune system composed of microglia in the parenchyma and CNS-associated macrophages (CAMs) in the perivascular space, leptomeninges, dura mater, and choroid plexus. Recent advances in understanding the CNS resident immune cells gave new insights into development, maturation and function of its immune guard. Microglia and CAMs undergo essential steps of differentiation and maturation triggered by environmental factors as well as intrinsic transcriptional programs throughout embryonic and postnatal development. These shaping steps allow the macrophages to adapt to their specific physiological function as first line of defense of the CNS and its interfaces. During infancy, the CNS might be targeted by a plethora of different pathogens which can cause severe tissue damage with potentially long reaching defects. Therefore, an efficient immune response of infant CNS macrophages is required even at these early stages to clear the infections but may also lead to detrimental consequences for the developing CNS. Here, we highlight the recent knowledge of the infant CNS immune system during embryonic and postnatal infections and the consequences for the developing CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Oschwald
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Philippe Petry
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Kierdorf
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,CIBBS Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Erny
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Brain Structural and Functional Alterations in Mice Prenatally Exposed to LPS Are Only Partially Rescued by Anti-Inflammatory Treatment. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10090620. [PMID: 32906830 PMCID: PMC7564777 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant immune activity during neurodevelopment could participate in the generation of neurological dysfunctions characteristic of several neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Numerous epidemiological studies have shown a link between maternal infections and NDDs risk; animal models of maternal immune activation (MIA) have confirmed this association. Activation of maternal immune system during pregnancy induces behavioral and functional alterations in offspring but the biological mechanisms at the basis of these effects are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure in peripheral and central inflammation, cortical cytoarchitecture and behavior of offspring (LPS-mice). LPS-mice reported a significant increase in interleukin-1β (IL-1β) serum level, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)- and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1)-positive cells in the cortex. Furthermore, cytoarchitecture analysis in specific brain areas, showed aberrant alterations in minicolumns’ organization in LPS-mice adult brain. In addition, we demonstrated that LPS-mice presented behavioral alterations throughout life. In order to better understand biological mechanisms whereby LPS induced these alterations, dams were treated with meloxicam. We demonstrated for the first time that exposure to LPS throughout pregnancy induces structural permanent alterations in offspring brain. LPS-mice also present severe behavioral impairments. Preventive treatment with meloxicam reduced inflammation in offspring but did not rescue them from structural and behavioral alterations.
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Sominsky L, Walker DW, Spencer SJ. One size does not fit all - Patterns of vulnerability and resilience in the COVID-19 pandemic and why heterogeneity of disease matters. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 87:1-3. [PMID: 32205119 PMCID: PMC7102615 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Luba Sominsky
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - David W Walker
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah J Spencer
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Bush NR, Wakschlag LS, LeWinn KZ, Hertz-Picciotto I, Nozadi SS, Pieper S, Lewis J, Biezonski D, Blair C, Deardorff J, Neiderhiser JM, Leve LD, Elliott AJ, Duarte CS, Lugo-Candelas C, O’Shea TM, Avalos LA, Page GP, Posner J. Family Environment, Neurodevelopmental Risk, and the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Initiative: Looking Back and Moving Forward. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:547. [PMID: 32636769 PMCID: PMC7318113 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The family environment, with all its complexity and diverse components, plays a critical role in shaping neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. Herein we review several domains of the family environment (family socioeconomic status, family composition and home environment, parenting behaviors and interaction styles, parental mental health and functioning, and parental substance use) and discuss how these domains influence neurodevelopment, with particular emphasis on mental health outcomes. We also highlight a new initiative launched by the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. We discuss the role that ECHO will play in advancing our understanding of the impact of the family environment on children's risk for psychiatric outcomes. Lastly, we conclude with important unanswered questions and controversies in this area of research, highlighting how ECHO will contribute to resolving these gaps in our understanding, clarifying relationships between the family environment and children's mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole R. Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Lauren S. Wakschlag
- Department of Medical Social Sciences and Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Il, United States
| | - Kaja Z. LeWinn
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Sara S. Nozadi
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Sarah Pieper
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Dominik Biezonski
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Clancy Blair
- Department of Population Health, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Julianna Deardorff
- Community Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Jenae M. Neiderhiser
- Department of Psychology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Leslie D. Leve
- Prevention Science Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Amy J. Elliott
- Center for Pediatric and Community Research, Avera Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, United States
| | - Cristiane S. Duarte
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Claudia Lugo-Candelas
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - T. Michael O’Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Lyndsay A. Avalos
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, United States
| | - Grier P. Page
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, RTI, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jonathan Posner
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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Khambadkone SG, Cordner ZA, Tamashiro KLK. Maternal stressors and the developmental origins of neuropsychiatric risk. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 57:100834. [PMID: 32084515 PMCID: PMC7243665 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The maternal environment during pregnancy is critical for fetal development and perinatal perturbations can prime offspring disease risk. Here, we briefly review evidence linking two well-characterized maternal stressors - psychosocial stress and infection - to increased neuropsychiatric risk in offspring. In the current climate of increasing obesity and globalization of the Western-style diet, maternal overnutrition emerges as a pressing public health concern. We focus our attention on recent epidemiological and animal model evidence showing that, like psychosocial stress and infection, maternal overnutrition can also increase offspring neuropsychiatric risk. Using lessons learned from the psychosocial stress and infection literature, we discuss how altered maternal and placental physiology in the setting of overnutrition may contribute to abnormal fetal development and resulting neuropsychiatric outcomes. A better understanding of converging pathophysiological pathways shared between stressors may enable development of interventions against neuropsychiatric illnesses that may be beneficial across stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seva G Khambadkone
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Cellular & Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Zachary A Cordner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kellie L K Tamashiro
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Cellular & Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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40
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Allswede DM, Yolken RH, Buka SL, Cannon TD. Cytokine concentrations throughout pregnancy and risk for psychosis in adult offspring: a longitudinal case-control study. Lancet Psychiatry 2020; 7:254-261. [PMID: 32035031 PMCID: PMC8287973 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30006-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia has been associated with pregnancy and birth complications and fetal exposure to inflammation is thought to be a common underlying mechanism. However, whether the risk is specific to particular phases of pregnancy is unclear. The aim of this study was to characterise and compare longitudinal patterns of maternal serum concentrations of cytokines across pregnancy between offspring who were later ascertained to have a psychotic disorder, non-psychotic siblings of these cases, and unrelated, non-psychotic individuals who served as controls. METHODS The National Collaborative Perinatal Project was a large-scale prospective longitudinal study that assessed the effects of perinatal factors on infant and child development. At sites across the USA, over 50 000 pregnant women were enrolled during prenatal clinical visits between 1959 and 1965. The present study draws from the Philadelphia cohort, which includes 9236 surviving offspring of 6753 pregnant women. Psychotic disorder diagnoses in adulthood were assessed with review of medical records and were confirmed with a validation study. Concentrations of TNFα, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17a were assessed using a multiplex bead assay in archived maternal serum samples collected across prenatal visits and birth. We characterized cytokine patterns with linear mixed models. FINDINGS Our final sample comprised 90 cases, 79 siblings (of 40 cases), and 273 matched controls. Concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6 were significantly higher in maternal serum of offspring who later developed psychosis compared with maternal serum of matched controls. These differences were greatest in the first half of pregnancy (7-20 weeks), with no difference observed during the second half of pregnancy. INTERPRETATION Our results suggest that exposure to high maternal proinflammatory cytokine concentrations in early pregnancy might play a part in psychosis. These findings place the timing of risk associated with maternal inflammation much earlier in prenatal development than previously documented in humans and provide insight into a potential developmental pathway to the disorder. FUNDING National Institute of Mental Health (P50) Silvio O Conte Center at Johns Hopkins, Stanley Foundation, March of Dimes, Yale University, National Science Foundation, and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development/Division of Intramural Population Health Research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana M Allswede
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Robert H Yolken
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephen L Buka
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Tyrone D Cannon
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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Block LN, Aliota MT, Friedrich TC, Schotzko ML, Mean KD, Wiepz GJ, Golos TG, Schmidt JK. Embryotoxic impact of Zika virus in a rhesus macaque in vitro implantation model†. Biol Reprod 2020; 102:806-816. [PMID: 31901091 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in humans, and infection in the first trimester can lead to miscarriage and stillbirth. Vertical and sexual transmissions of ZIKV have been demonstrated, yet the impact of infection during the initial stages of pregnancy remains unexplored. Here we defined the impact of ZIKV on early embryonic and placental development with a rhesus macaque model. During in vitro fertilization (IVF), macaque gametes were inoculated with a physiologically relevant dose of 5.48log10 plaque-forming units (PFU) of Zika virus/H.sapiens-tc/PUR/2015/PRVABC59_v3c2. Exposure at fertilization did not alter blastocyst formation rates compared to controls. To determine the impact of ZIKV exposure at implantation, hatched blastocysts were incubated with 3.26log10, 4.26log10, or 5.26log10 PFU, or not exposed to ZIKV, followed by extended embryo culture for 10 days. ZIKV exposure negatively impacted attachment, growth, and survival in comparison to controls, with exposure to 5.26log10 PFU ZIKV resulting in embryonic degeneration by day 2. Embryonic secretion of pregnancy hormones was lower in ZIKV-exposed embryos. Increasing levels of infectious virus were detected in the culture media post-exposure, suggesting that the trophectoderm is susceptible to productive ZIKV infection. These results demonstrate that ZIKV exposure severely impacts the zona-free blastocyst, whereas exposure at the time of fertilization does not hinder blastocyst formation. Overall, early stages of pregnancy may be profoundly sensitive to infection and pregnancy loss, and the negative impact of ZIKV infection on pregnancy outcomes may be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey N Block
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Matthew T Aliota
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Thomas C Friedrich
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Michele L Schotzko
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Katherine D Mean
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Gregory J Wiepz
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Thaddeus G Golos
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA and.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jenna Kropp Schmidt
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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"Females Are Not Just 'Protected' Males": Sex-Specific Vulnerabilities in Placenta and Brain after Prenatal Immune Disruption. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0358-19.2019. [PMID: 31611335 PMCID: PMC6838689 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0358-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Current perceptions of genetic and environmental vulnerabilities in the developing fetus are biased toward male outcomes. An argument is made that males are more vulnerable to gestational complications and neurodevelopmental disorders, the implication being that an understanding of disrupted development in males is sufficient to understand causal mechanisms that are assumed to be similar but attenuated in females. Here we examine this assumption in the context of immune-driven alterations in fetal brain development and related outcomes in female and male mice. Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were treated with low-dose lipopolysaccharide at embryonic day 12.5. Placental pathology, acute fetal brain inflammation and hypoxia, long-term changes in adult cortex cytoarchitecture, altered densities and ratio of excitatory (Satb2+) to inhibitory (parvalbumin+) neuronal subtypes, postnatal growth, and behavior outcomes were compared between male and female offspring. We find that while males experience more pronounced placental pathology, fetal brain hypoxia, depleted PV and Satb2+ densities, and social and learning-related behavioral abnormalities, females exhibit unique acute inflammatory signaling in fetal brain, postnatal growth delay, opposite alterations in cortical PV densities, changes in juvenile behavior, delayed postnatal body growth, and elevated anxiety-related behavior as adults. While males are more severely impacted by prenatal immune disruption by several measures, females exposed to the same insult exhibit a unique set of vulnerabilities and developmental consequences that is not present in males. Our results clearly outline disparate sex-specific features of prenatal vulnerability to inflammatory insults and warn against the casual extrapolation of male disease mechanisms to females.
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Yang G, Shcheglovitov A. Probing disrupted neurodevelopment in autism using human stem cell-derived neurons and organoids: An outlook into future diagnostics and drug development. Dev Dyn 2019; 249:6-33. [PMID: 31398277 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) represent a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction, repetitive or restrictive behaviors, and problems with speech. According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 68 children in the US is diagnosed with ASDs. Although ASD-related diagnostics and the knowledge of ASD-associated genetic abnormalities have improved in recent years, our understanding of the cellular and molecular pathways disrupted in ASD remains very limited. As a result, no specific therapies or medications are available for individuals with ASDs. In this review, we describe the neurodevelopmental processes that are likely affected in the brains of individuals with ASDs and discuss how patient-specific stem cell-derived neurons and organoids can be used for investigating these processes at the cellular and molecular levels. Finally, we propose a discovery pipeline to be used in the future for identifying the cellular and molecular deficits and developing novel personalized therapies for individuals with idiopathic ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Yang
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Alex Shcheglovitov
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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44
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Greene RK, Walsh E, Mosner MG, Dichter GS. A potential mechanistic role for neuroinflammation in reward processing impairments in autism spectrum disorder. Biol Psychol 2019; 142:1-12. [PMID: 30552950 PMCID: PMC6401269 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be conceptualized within a framework of reward processing impairments. The Social Motivation Theory of Autism posits that reduced motivation to interact with people and decreased pleasure derived from social interactions may derail typical social development and contribute to the emergence of core social communication deficits in ASD. Neuroinflammation may disrupt the development of mesolimbic dopaminergic systems that are critical for optimal functioning of social reward processing systems. This neuroinflammation-induced disturbance of mesolimbic dopaminergic functioning has been substantiated using maternal immune activation rodent models whose offspring show aberrant dopaminergic corticostriatal function, as well as behavioral characteristics of ASD model systems. Preclinical findings are in turn supported by clinical evidence of increased mesolimbic neuroinflammatory responses in individuals with ASD. This review summarizes evidence for reward processing deficits and neuroinflammatory impairments in ASD and examines how immune inflammatory dysregulation may impair the development of dopaminergic mesolimbic circuitry in ASD. Finally, future research directions examining neuroinflammatory effects on reward processing in ASD are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K Greene
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
| | - Erin Walsh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
| | - Maya G Mosner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
| | - Gabriel S Dichter
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
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45
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Brady OJ, Osgood-Zimmerman A, Kassebaum NJ, Ray SE, de Araújo VEM, da Nóbrega AA, Frutuoso LCV, Lecca RCR, Stevens A, Zoca de Oliveira B, de Lima JM, Bogoch II, Mayaud P, Jaenisch T, Mokdad AH, Murray CJL, Hay SI, Reiner RC, Marinho F. The association between Zika virus infection and microcephaly in Brazil 2015-2017: An observational analysis of over 4 million births. PLoS Med 2019; 16:e1002755. [PMID: 30835728 PMCID: PMC6400331 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2015, high rates of microcephaly were reported in Northeast Brazil following the first South American Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak. Reported microcephaly rates in other Zika-affected areas were significantly lower, suggesting alternate causes or the involvement of arboviral cofactors in exacerbating microcephaly rates. METHODS AND FINDINGS We merged data from multiple national reporting databases in Brazil to estimate exposure to 9 known or hypothesized causes of microcephaly for every pregnancy nationwide since the beginning of the ZIKV outbreak; this generated between 3.6 and 5.4 million cases (depending on analysis) over the time period 1 January 2015-23 May 2017. The association between ZIKV and microcephaly was statistically tested against models with alternative causes or with effect modifiers. We found no evidence for alternative non-ZIKV causes of the 2015-2017 microcephaly outbreak, nor that concurrent exposure to arbovirus infection or vaccination modified risk. We estimate an absolute risk of microcephaly of 40.8 (95% CI 34.2-49.3) per 10,000 births and a relative risk of 16.8 (95% CI 3.2-369.1) given ZIKV infection in the first or second trimester of pregnancy; however, because ZIKV infection rates were highly variable, most pregnant women in Brazil during the ZIKV outbreak will have been subject to lower risk levels. Statistically significant associations of ZIKV with other birth defects were also detected, but at lower relative risks than that of microcephaly (relative risk < 1.5). Our analysis was limited by missing data prior to the establishment of nationwide ZIKV surveillance, and its findings may be affected by unmeasured confounding causes of microcephaly not available in routinely collected surveillance data. CONCLUSIONS This study strengthens the evidence that congenital ZIKV infection, particularly in the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy, is associated with microcephaly and less frequently with other birth defects. The finding of no alternative causes for geographic differences in microcephaly rate leads us to hypothesize that the Northeast region was disproportionately affected by this Zika outbreak, with 94% of an estimated 8.5 million total cases occurring in this region, suggesting a need for seroprevalence surveys to determine the underlying reason.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J. Brady
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (OJB); (FM)
| | - Aaron Osgood-Zimmerman
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. Kassebaum
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Sarah E. Ray
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | | | - Aglaêr A. da Nóbrega
- Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Livia C. V. Frutuoso
- Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Roberto C. R. Lecca
- Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Antony Stevens
- Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - José M. de Lima
- Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Isaac I. Bogoch
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Philippe Mayaud
- Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Jaenisch
- Section of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ali H. Mokdad
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Christopher J. L. Murray
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Simon I. Hay
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Robert C. Reiner
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Fatima Marinho
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil
- * E-mail: (OJB); (FM)
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46
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Phillips NLH, Roth TL. Animal Models and Their Contribution to Our Understanding of the Relationship Between Environments, Epigenetic Modifications, and Behavior. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10010047. [PMID: 30650619 PMCID: PMC6357183 DOI: 10.3390/genes10010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 12/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of non-human animals in research is a longstanding practice to help us understand and improve human biology and health. Animal models allow researchers, for example, to carefully manipulate environmental factors in order to understand how they contribute to development, behavior, and health. In the field of behavioral epigenetics such approaches have contributed novel findings of how the environment physically interacts with our genes, leading to changes in behavior and health. This review highlights some of this research, focused on prenatal immune challenges, environmental toxicants, diet, and early-life stress. In conjunction, we also discuss why animal models were integral to these discoveries and the translational relevance of these discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Ledo Husby Phillips
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
| | - Tania L Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
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47
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Bergdolt L, Dunaevsky A. Brain changes in a maternal immune activation model of neurodevelopmental brain disorders. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 175:1-19. [PMID: 30590095 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The developing brain is sensitive to a variety of insults. Epidemiological studies have identified prenatal exposure to infection as a risk factor for a range of neurological disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Animal models corroborate this association and have been used to probe the contribution of gene-environment interactions to the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we review the behavior and brain phenotypes that have been characterized in MIA offspring, including the studies that have looked at the interaction between maternal immune activation and genetic risk factors for autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia. These phenotypes include behaviors relevant to autism, schizophrenia, and other neurological disorders, alterations in brain anatomy, and structural and functional neuronal impairments. The link between maternal infection and these phenotypic changes is not fully understood, but there is increasing evidence that maternal immune activation induces prolonged immune alterations in the offspring's brain which could underlie epigenetic alterations which in turn may mediate the behavior and brain changes. These concepts will be discussed followed by a summary of the pharmacological interventions that have been tested in the maternal immune activation model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Bergdolt
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Neurological Sciences, 985960 Nebraska Medical Center, 68105, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Anna Dunaevsky
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Neurological Sciences, 985960 Nebraska Medical Center, 68105, Omaha, NE, United States.
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48
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Minakova E, Warner BB. Maternal immune activation, central nervous system development and behavioral phenotypes. Birth Defects Res 2018; 110:1539-1550. [PMID: 30430765 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) refers to a maternal immune system triggered by infectious or infectious-like stimuli. A cascade of cytokines and immunologic alterations are transmitted to the fetus, resulting in adverse phenotypes most notably in the central nervous system. Epidemiologic studies implicate maternal infections in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, most commonly autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. In animal models, MIA causes neurochemical and anatomic changes in the brain that correspond to those found in humans with the disorders. As our understanding of the interactions between environment, genetics, and immune system grows, the role of alternative, noninfectious risk factors, such as prenatal stress, obesity, and the gut microbiome also becomes clearer. This review considers how infectious and noninfectious etiologies activate the maternal immune system. Their impact on fetal programming and neuropsychiatric disorders in offspring is examined in the context of human and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Minakova
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Barbara B Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri
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49
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Boulanger-Bertolus J, Pancaro C, Mashour GA. Increasing Role of Maternal Immune Activation in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:230. [PMID: 30344483 PMCID: PMC6182081 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The earliest stages of development are critically sensitive to environmental insults. An unfortunately timed stress on the developing brain can have dramatic consequences for the neurodevelopment and future mental health of the individual. In particular, infection of the mother during pregnancy has been correlated with increased risk of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Evidence suggests that maternal immune activation, independently from the infection itself, can be responsible for the outcome in the offspring. This recognition has resulted in expanding study designs from epidemiologic correlations to the search for a causal relationship between activation of the maternal immune system and cognitive consequences for the offspring. However, this causality analysis remained limited in humans until recent work that longitudinally linked specific markers of maternal inflammation during pregnancy with alterations of the newborn brain and cognitive development of toddlers. This focused narrative review compares and discusses the results of these recent studies and places them into the broader landscape of maternal immune activation literature. New data point, in particular, to the association between the levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and modifications of the offspring's salience network and subsequent cognitive impairments. This article further emphasizes the need to carefully control for potential confounders in studying the effects of maternal immune activation on the neonatal brain as well as the under-investigated consequences of intra-partum fever on offspring neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Boulanger-Bertolus
- Center for Consciousness Science, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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50
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Mueller FS, Polesel M, Richetto J, Meyer U, Weber-Stadlbauer U. Mouse models of maternal immune activation: Mind your caging system! Brain Behav Immun 2018; 73:643-660. [PMID: 30026057 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodent models of maternal immune activation (MIA) are increasingly used as experimental tools to study neuronal and behavioral dysfunctions in relation to infection-mediated neurodevelopmental disorders. One of the most widely used MIA models is based on gestational administration of poly(I:C) (= polyriboinosinic-polyribocytdilic acid), a synthetic analog of double-stranded RNA that induces a cytokine-associated viral-like acute phase response. The effects of poly(I:C)-induced MIA on phenotypic changes in the offspring are known to be influenced by various factors, including the precise prenatal timing, genetic background, and immune stimulus intensity. Thus far, however, it has been largely ignored whether differences in the basic type of laboratory housing can similarly affect the outcomes of MIA models. Here, we examined this possibility by comparing the poly(I:C)-based MIA model in two housing systems that are commonly used in preclinical mouse research, namely the open cage (OC) and individually ventilated cage (IVC) systems. Pregnant C57BL6/N mice were kept in OCs or IVCs and treated with a low (1 mg/kg, i.v.) or high (5 mg/kg, i.v.) dose of poly(I:C), or with control vehicle solution. MIA or control treatment was induced on gestation day (GD) 9 or 12, and the resulting offspring were raised and maintained in OCs or IVCs until adulthood for behavioral testing. An additional cohort of dams was used to assess the influence of the different caging systems on poly(I:C)-induced cytokine and stress responses in the maternal plasma. Maternal poly(I:C) administration on GD9 caused a dose-dependent increase in spontaneous abortion in IVCs but not in OCs, whereas MIA in IVC systems during a later gestational time-point (GD12) did not affect pregnancy outcomes. Moreover, the precise type of caging system markedly affected maternal cytokines and chemokines at basal states and in response to poly(I:C) and further influenced the maternal levels of the stress hormone, corticosterone. The efficacy of MIA to induce deficits in working memory, social interaction, and sensorimotor gating in the adult offspring was influenced by the different housing conditions, the dosing of poly(I:C), and the precise prenatal timing. Taken together, the present study identifies the basic type of caging system as a novel factor that can confound the outcomes of MIA in mice. Our findings thus urge the need to consider and report the kind of laboratory housing systems used to implement MIA models. Providing this information seems pivotal to yield reproducible results in these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia S Mueller
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich - Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Juliet Richetto
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich - Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich - Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich - Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland.
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