Maternal Immune Activation and Neuropsychiatric Disease in Offspring:
Pathogen’s Perspective
Abstract
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Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are identified as inability in the
field of cognition, emotion and motor development, as the outcome of
complex interactions between nature and nurture. Evidence from human
epidemiological studies has supported the association between NDDs and
maternal inflammation. Typically, exposure to pathogens (including
viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites) induced maternal immune
activation (MIA) revealed a novel perspective in the pathogenesis of
NDDs in the prenatal stage, which could be attributed to maternal
inflammation, altered microbiota etc. In this review, we highlight the
primary mechanisms underlying MIA-induced NDDs caused by pathogens
and/or pathogen-derived agents. Moreover, we outline therapeutic
strategies to mitigate pathogen-induced MIA-associated neurological
disorders, with the primary goal of preventing or managing pathogen
exposure during pregnancy and minimizing the long-term effects on the
offspring.