Prenatal Maternal Immune Activation is Associated With Brain Microstructural Tissue Organization and Metabolites in Neonates

• In Event: The Prenatal Environment and Early Experiences: Neurodevelopmental Consequences of Stress in Infants and Young Children

Abstract

Prenatal maternal immune activation (MIA) is associated with alterations in offspring brain development and risk of psychiatric disorders. Human studies of MIA in association with early brain development are sparse. We hypothesized that higher levels of MIA as measured by maternal interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are associated with variation in gray and white matter organizational properties and brain metabolite concentrations in neonates. At 24-27 weeks gestation, 49 healthy pregnant women underwent assessments and blood draws. IL-6 and CRP were measured using the ELISA. The neonates underwent an MRI scan and analyses of the directional diffusion of water indexed by fractional anisotropy (FA) and brain metabolites (N-acetylaspartate, creatine, and choline) were performed. Higher levels of maternal IL-6 were associated with: (1) increased FA values in the basal ganglia and thalamus, and across the occipital and right anterior temporal regions; and (2) decreased brain metabolites in the left hemisphere of the fronto-parieto-occipital regions, and subcortical regions including the basal ganglia and thalamus. Higher levels of CRP were associated with: (1) decreased FA values across the frontal and occipital lobes, and the anterior limb of the internal capsules, and increased FA values of the posterior limb; and (2) decreased brain metabolites in the basal ganglia and thalamus. We demonstrate that both immune markers have shared and distinct patterns of association with brain tissue organization, but differ in their associations with brain metabolites. The findings emphasize the value of considering multiple measures of MIA and imaging in this emerging area of research.

Authors

• Marisa N. Spann, Columbia University
  Presenting Author

• Catherine Monk, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ravi Bansal, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bradley S. Peterson, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
  Non-Presenting Author