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#Grand Rounds

Can Maternal Inflammation Alone Impact Fetal Brain Development and Function?

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

  • There is evidence in animal models that maternal inflammation can impact fetal brain development, but human studies are limited
  • Working memory is a core component of executive function and can be measured from as early as age 2
    • Also related to future academic and social skills
  • Rudolph et al. (Nature Neuroscience, 2018) studied the association between systemic maternal inflammation during pregnancy on brain development and working memory in offspring

METHODS:

  • Neonates who were included in the study are part of an ongoing longitudinal study for which mothers were recruited during the first trimester
  • Maternal Exclusion
    • Maternal use of psychotropic medications, corticosteroids, alcohol or drug use during
  • Fetal Exclusion
    • Congenital, genetic or neurologic disorder of the fetus
  • Infant Exclusion
    • Birth < 34 weeks gestation
    • Evidence of a congenital, genetic or neurologic disorder
  • Maternal IL-6 levels during pregnancy were used as an indicator of maternal inflammation
  • Resting-state functional connectivity MRI, network-based analytics and multivariate machine-learning methodologies were used to assess newborn functional brain network topology
  • Additionally, working memory (an important component of executive function) was assessed at 2 years of age
  • Functional connectivity within and between multiple neonatal brain networks can be modeled to estimate maternal IL-6 concentrations during pregnancy

RESULTS:

  • 84 neonates were included in the study (N = 84; M = 25.45 days, SD = 12.09 days; 50% female)
  • 46 children took part in the working memory test at 2 years of age
  • Brain regions heavily weighted in these models overlap substantially with regions associated with working memory
  • Maternal IL-6 concentrations accounts for a portion of the variance of working memory at 2 years of age
  • Increased systemic immune activation is associated with decreased working memory performance at 2 years

CONCLUSION:

  • There appears to be an association between maternal inflammation (using IL-6 concentrations as an index) and developing functional architecture of the brain and emerging executive function
  • More research is required in high risk populations
    • Suggests that even small variation in IL-6 may be important

Learn More – Primary Sources:

Maternal IL-6 during pregnancy can be estimated from newborn brain connectivity and predicts future working memory in offspring

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Related ObG Topics:

Immediate Delivery or Expectant Management for Late Preterm PROM?
Does Prophylactic rhEPO Improve Brain Development in Preterm Infants?
What is the Best Course of Action Following PPROM Between 24 and 37 Weeks?

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