Maternal immune activation impairs cognitive flexibility and alters transcription in frontal cortex.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Epidemiological studies suggest that the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia is increased by prenatal exposure to viral or bacterial infection during pregnancy. It is still unclear how activation of the maternal immune response interacts with underlying genetic factors to influence observed ASD phenotypes. METHODS:The current study investigated how maternal immune activation (MIA) in mice impacts gene expression in the frontal cortex in adulthood, and how these molecular changes relate to deficits in cognitive flexibility and social behavior, and increases in repetitive behavior that are prevalent in ASD. Poly(I:C) (20 mg/kg) was administered to dams on E12.5 and offspring were tested for social approach behavior, repetit

SUBMITTER: Amodeo DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6474674 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature