Brain’s immune cells may underlie autism risk from maternal infection
A pregnant mouse’s response to infection alters the immune cells in her pups’ brains, and this may contribute to their autism-like behaviors.
A pregnant mouse’s response to infection alters the immune cells in her pups’ brains, and this may contribute to their autism-like behaviors.
In mice exposed to maternal inflammation in the womb, a key chemical messenger never makes the switch from exciting brain signals to inhibiting them.
Fever in pregnant rats around the time of delivery disrupts their pups’ communication and social behavior.
The brain’s immune cells, called microglia, function differently in male and female rodents. In people, a similar phenomenon may make male brains more vulnerable to autism.
Watch the complete replay of Judy Van de Water discussing the maternal immune system and autism.
Brain networks in newborns may reflect the degree of inflammation their mothers experienced during pregnancy.
Children of women who are hospitalized during pregnancy may develop poor physical, social, cognitive or emotional skills.
Common genetics may help forge social ties, a nonspeaking woman with autism hosts “The Late Show,” and the mix of bacteria in the gut may relate to brain structure.
We waded through the sea of autism studies published in 2017 and spotted several themes.
Cultural barriers lead clinicians to misdiagnose or miss children with autism in immigrant communities.