Universidad Autnoma de Ciudad Jurez

Instituto de Ciencias Biomdicas

Departamento de ciencias de salud

Programa de mdico cirujano

Impact of maternal immune activation in Autism

Spectrum Disorders

Kricel Prez Andreu 135904

Asesora de proyecto: Bianca Gutirrez Amavisca

Ciudad Jurez, Chihuahua

27 de Junio del 2017

Summary

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders

characterized by core deficits in three domains: social interaction, communication, and

repetitive or stereotypic behavior. An estimated of 1 in 115 children in Mexico is on the

autism spectrum. Genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to

neurodevelopmental of ASDs. The maternal immune activation may serve as a risk

factor of autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders like

schizophrenia. It increases inflammatory cytokines in the fetal environment, as well as in

the fetal brain. Resulting from inflammatory stimuli such as viral or bacterial infections

during pregnancy.

Key words

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), maternal immune activation, cytokines, GABA

Introduction

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an umbrella term for a set of neurodevelopmental

disorders (autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified,

Asperger syndrome) that are defined primarily by core impairments in social-

communication, second in frequency only to mental retardation among the serious

developmental disorders (APA, 20015).

The prevalence of ASDs in developed countries is now considered to be at least 60 per

10,000.Boys are affected with ASDs more frequently than are girls with an average

male-to-female ratio of 4.3:1 (Fombonne E. 2015).

Several studies involved the creation of scores summarizing various combinations of

maternal and neonatal factors such as maternal age, parity, intrauterine bleeding,

infection, caesarian delivery, breech presentation, Rh incompatibility, neonatal birth

weight, gestational age, Apgar score, and meconium staining (Sugie Y, 2015). Mounting

epidemiological and biological evidence suggest that prenatal factors that induce a

more activated immune state in the mother are involved in the development of autism

(Nardone. E 2016). Maternal infection during pregnancy increases the risk of

neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring. In addition to its influence on other

neuronal systems, this early-life environmental adversity has been shown to negatively

affect cortical -aminobutyric acid (GABA) functions in adult life, including impaired

prefrontal expression of enzymes required for GABA synthesis (Labouesse.MA 2015).

Epidemiology studies indicate that maternal immune activation (MIA) resulting from

inflammatory stimuli, viral or bacterial infections of pregnant mothers is a risk factor for

multiple neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and

schizophrenia (SZ) as well as other neuropsychiatric disorders (Knuesel et al, 2014).

Altered expression of cytokines and markers of oxidative stress as well as presence of

activated astrocytes and microglia has been reported in brains and cerebrospinal fluid

obtained from young and old individuals with ASD (Coiro et al, 2015).

Objective

Relate the risk factor of maternal immune activation with autism spectrum disorders.

Conclusion

Its important to perform more for studies involving the maternal immune activation so
autism spectrum disorder can be prevented during the pregnancy.
References

1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders. 5th Edition Text Revision APA; Washington, DC: 2015.

2. Fombonne E. 2005. Epidemiological studies of pervasive developmental

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Volkmar, R Paul, A Klin, D Cohen, pp. 4269. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley

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4. Nardone. S and Elliott. E. 2014. The Interaction between the Immune System

and Epigenetics in the Etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders

5. Knuesel I, Chicha L, Britschgi M, Schobel SA, Bodmer M, Hellings JA, Toovey S,

Prinssen EP
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