Cytokine-dependent bidirectional connection between impaired social behavior and susceptibility to seizures associated with maternal immune activation in mice.

Maternal immune activation (MIA) results in the development of autism in the offspring via hyperactivation of IL-6 signaling…. We conclude that complex and not necessarily agonistic relationships exist between epileptic and autism-like phenotypes in an animal model of MIA coupled with KA-induced epilepsy and that the nature of these relationships depends on components of MIA…

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Preliminary evidence of neuropathology in nonhuman primates prenatally exposed to maternal immune activation.

Brain, behavior, and immunity 2015; 48():139-46 Maternal infection during pregnancy increases the risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring…. The data provide the first evidence that prenatal exposure to MIA alters dendritic morphology in a nonhuman primate MIA model, which may have profound implications for revealing the underlying neuropathology of neurodevelopmental disorders related to maternal infection.…

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Dietary supplementation with n-3 fatty acids from weaning limits brain biochemistry and behavioural changes elicited by prenatal exposure to maternal inflammation in the mouse model.

Prenatal exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) increases the risk of schizophrenia and autism in the offspring…. The main findings were: (i) Adult MIA-exposed mice fed a standard diet had greater N-acetylaspartate/creatine (Cr) and lower myo-inositol/Cr levels in the cingulate cortex in vivo. (ii) The extent of these metabolite differences was correlated with impairment in…

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Maternal Lipopolysaccharide Exposure Promotes Immunological Functional Changes in Adult Offspring CD4+ T Cells.

Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a risk factor for autism and schizophrenia. However, how MIA affects offspring immune function remains unknown…. Our results showed that MIA to LPS up-regulated proteins involved in metabolic process in CD4+ T cells from LPS offspring that might contribute to the hyperactivated immune response of adult LPS offspring. Abstract. American…

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What is the role of vitamin D in autism?

A growing body of literature suggests that higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, either in utero or in early life, may reduce the risk of autism…. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and childhood is a widespread and growing epidemic. Abstract. Dermato-endocrinology 2013; 5(1):199-204

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Vitamin D for Those with Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities

People with neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual disabilities have much greater health care needs. The Vitamin D Task Force of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) reviewed the evidence of 25(OH)D concentrations that benefit the health of persons with developmental disabilities…. The Task Force recommends that 25(OH)D concentrations for optimal health to be…

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The combined role of serotonin and interleukin-6 as biomarker for autism

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and repetitive behaviors…. The results of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that the combination of 5-HT and IL-6 produced the best sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of autism. Therefore, the present study has revealed a simple clinical method with great potential for…

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