Prenatal exposure to maternal pro-inflammatory cytokines shapes memory and immune function in offspring, with sex-specific effects emerging over 50 years.
By Dr. Chinta SidharthanReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Nov 24 2024 New study reveals how prenatal inflammation impacts brain circuits and immune systems, shaping cognitive health decades later—uncovering clues to aging and disease resilience.
Furthermore, early-life factors, such as prenatal conditions, are increasingly being recognized as critical for long-term cognitive health. About the study Academic Performance Links: Elevated prenatal IL-6 exposure was significantly associated with poorer academic performance at age 7, which in turn predicted reduced memory performance in midlife, emphasizing a long-lasting impact of early-life conditions.
Additionally, brain activity and connectivity during memory encoding were evaluated through functional magnetic resonance imaging , with a focus on regions such as the hippocampus and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. Results Alzheimer’s Disease Connection: Increased inflammasome activity in offspring, linked to prenatal immune disruptions, is a known contributor to Alzheimer’s pathology, suggesting that these findings could inform prevention strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.
Interestingly, no significant associations were observed in premenopausal or perimenopausal women, indicating that reproductive aging amplifies these impacts.
Prenatal Womb Alzheimer's Disease Animal Model Brain Cortex Cytokine Cytokines Dementia Hippocampus Imaging Inflammasome Inflammation Medical School Menopause Pathology Pregnancy Protein Psychiatry Research
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