Unraveling the Tapestry: Linkages between Maternal Metabolic Conditions and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Progeny, Delving into the Intricate Threads of Obstetric and Neonatal Complications

Abstract

Studies have shown that if a mother contracts a viral or bacterial infection during the early stages of pregnancy, there is a significantly higher likelihood that her unborn child would have a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) such as schizophrenia, autism, or ADHD. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the impact of immunological activity during early life on the development of brain systems. It is believed that the mother's immune response may interfere with crucial brain activities necessary for the normal development of the fetus and newborn, leading to distinct behaviors observed in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Maternal immune activation (MIA) in rodent models has yielded valuable knowledge regarding the brain abnormalities that arise as a consequence of MIA. This review begins by doing a comprehensive examination of human epidemiological data. Its primary objective is to investigate the correlation between various types of maternal immune activation (MIA) and the occurrence of developmental abnormalities in kids that are not related to household environments. Subsequently, we will examine prevalent rodent MIA models and assess their concordance with human data. The study also considers additional variables that influence the likelihood of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in individuals with MIA. It suggests that future research should incorporate these aspects for further analysis. The elements that influence the diversity in neurological and behavioral responses to MIA include the offspring's sex, the timing of the immunological challenge, genetics, parental age, the gut microbiome, prenatal stress, and placental buffering.