Autistic disorder and viral infections
One proposed etiology for autism is viral infection very early in development…. Many studies over the years have presented evidence both for and against the association of autism with various viral infections…. Further research is needed to clarify both the mechanisms whereby viral infection early in development may lead to autism and the possible involvement…
Read MoreAcquired reversible autistic syndrome in acute encephalopathic illness in children
In seeking the neurologic substrate of the autistic syndrome of childhood, previous studies have implicated the medial temporal lobe or the ring of mesolimbic cortex located in the mesial frontal and temporal lobes…. These cases are examples of an acquired and reversible autistic syndrome in childhood, emphasizing the clinical similarities to bilateral medial temporal lobe…
Read MoreEarly effects of lipopolysaccharide- induced inflammation on foetal brain development in rat
Studies in humans and animal models link maternal infection and imbalanced levels of inflammatory mediators in the foetal brain to the aetiology of neuropsychiatric disorders…. The early biochemical and morphological changes described in this work begin to explain the sequelae of early events that underlie the neurobehavioural deficits reported in humans and animals exposed to…
Read MoreMaternal immune activation by LPS selectively alters specific gene expression profiles
Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia and autism. Infections during pregnancy activate the mother’s immune system and alter the fetal environment, with consequential effects on CNS function and behavior in the offspring, but the cellular and molecular links between infection-induced altered fetal development and risk for neuropsychiatric disorders…
Read MoreRegional differences in synaptogenesis in human cerebral cortex
The formation of synaptic contacts in human cerebral cortex was compared in two cortical regions: auditory cortex (Heschl’s gyrus) and prefrontal cortex (middle frontal gyrus)…. Synaptogenesis and synapse elimination in humans appear to be heterochronous in different cortical regions and, in that respect, appears to differ from the rhesus monkey, where they are concurrent. In…
Read MoreMetabolic consequences of interleukin 6 challenge in developing neurons and astroglia
Maternal immune activation and subsequent interleukin-6 (IL-6) induction disrupt normal brain development and predispose the offspring to developing autism and schizophrenia…. Our findings are potentially critical for understanding the mechanism by which IL-6 disrupts brain function, and they provide information about the molecular cascade that links maternal immune activation to developmental brain disorders. Abstract. Journal…
Read MoreLong-term pathological consequences of prenatal infection: beyond brain disorders.
Prenatal immunological adversities such as maternal infection have been widely acknowledged to contribute to an increased risk of neurodevelopmental brain disorders…. Targeting peripheral abnormalities may thus represent a valuable strategy to improve the wide spectrum of behavioral abnormalities that can emerge in subjects with prenatal infection histories. Abstract. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and…
Read MoreImpaired synaptic development in a maternal immune activation mouse model of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Both genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders with maternal immune activation (MIA) being a risk factor for both autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia…. Our results suggest that a possible altered inflammatory state associated with maternal immune activation results in impaired synaptic development that persists into adulthood but which…
Read MoreThe proinflammatory effect of C-reactive protein on human endothelial cells depends on the Fc?RIIa genotype.
CRP-stimulated expression of ICAM-1 and E-selectin was dependent on the specific FcγRIIa-genotype, with most pronounced induction in HUVEC with the FcγRIIa-R/R genotype, followed by H/R and H/H. In accordance with this finding, the supernatants of stimulated HUVEC with the R/R genotype showed significantly higher levels of tPA, MCP-1, and IL-6. Our data show that CRP…
Read MoreImmune mediators in the brain and peripheral tissues in autism spectrum disorder.
Increasing evidence points to a central role for immune dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder (ASD)…. The findings indicate that the immune system is a point of convergence for multiple ASD-related genetic and environmental risk factors. Abstract. Nature reviews. Neuroscience 2015; 16(8):469-86
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