Maternal prenatal immune activation associated with brain tissue microstructure and metabolite concentrations in newborn infants.

What are the associations of prenatal maternal immune activation (MIA) with newborn brain microstructure, metabolite concentrations, and longitudinal motor development? In this longitudinal cohort study we recruited 76 adolescent and young adult pregnant women and assessed maternal interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in the 2 and 3 trimesters. These pro-inflammatory markers were significantly associated with brain microstructure and metabolite concentrations in newborns, and longitudinal motor development (prenatally, 4- and 14-months of age). This study suggests that prenatal exposure to MIA has an influence on brain microstructure, metabolite concentration and motor development in offspring.