Infection during pregnancy blunts development of the fetal brain by boosting levels of the chemical messenger serotonin, a new study suggests(1).
A wealth of data tie infection in a pregnant woman to a slightly increased risk of autism in her child. Prenatal exposure to inflammation is known to disrupt brain development and produce autism-like behaviors in mice. Read More
Source: (https://spectrumnews.org/news/serotonin)
References (used in source above):
- Goeden N. et al. J. Neurosci. 36, 6041-6049 (2016) PubMed
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