The influence of maternal prenatal and early childhood nutrition and maternal prenatal stress on offspring immune system development and neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

The developing immune system and central nervous system in the fetus and child are extremely sensitive to both exogenous and endogenous signals. Early immune system programming, leading to changes that can persist over the life course, has been suggested, and other evidence suggests that immune dysregulation in the early developing brain may play a role in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. The timing of immune dysregulation with respect to gestational age and neurologic development of the fetus may shape the elicited response. This creates a possible sensitive window of programming or vulnerability. This review will explore the effects of maternal prenatal and infant nutritional status (from conception until early childhood) as well as maternal prenatal stress and anxiety on early programming of immune function, and how this might influence neurodevelopment. We will describe fetal immune system development and maternal-fetal immune interactions to provide a better context for understanding the influence of nutrition and stress on the immune system. Finally, we will discuss the implications for prevention of neurodevelopmental disorders, with a focus on nutrition. Although certain micronutrient supplements have shown to both reduce the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders and enhance fetal immune development, we do not know whether their impact on immune development contributes to the preventive effect on neurodevelopmental disorders. Future studies are needed to elucidate this relationship, which may contribute to a better understanding of preventative mechanisms. Integrating studies of neurodevelopmental disorders and prenatal exposures with the simultaneous evaluation of neural and immune systems will shed light on mechanisms that underlie individual vulnerability or resilience to neurodevelopmental disorders and ultimately contribute to the development of primary preventions and early interventions.

Longitudinal evaluation of growth in oesophageal atresia patients up to 12 years

“…WFH was significantly lower in a small series of patients with thoracotomic repair 31. These results warrant early dietary management, as a good nutritional status in the first years of life is crucial for normal brain and immune system development 32 33…”

Differential patterning of genes involved in serotonin metabolism and transport in extra-embryonic tissues of the mouse

“…Several lines of evidence, both from clinical and animal studies, indicate that maternal stress, inflammation, and obesity can influence the development of neural circuitry in their offspring [1,4,43,44]. A potential role for the placenta and yolk sac in brain development, particularly in the first trimester, is not well understood.…”

“…Maternal-fetal interactions have long-term health consequences for the offspring[1,2], including neurodevelopmental disorders[3,4]. The placenta, central to the maternal-fetal interface, plays an important role in regulating these interactions.…”

Annual Research Review: The neuroinflammation hypothesis for stress and psychopathology in children – developmental psychoneuroimmunology

“…Nonetheless, significant windows of vulnerability to immune system perturbations from prenatal life through adolescence have emerged, with evidence pointing to clinically relevant long-term responses from early exposures (Dietert et al, 2000; Kollmann, et al, 2012). For example, recent work from our lab indicates that prenatal maternal anxiety may alter adaptive immune function in the infant (O'Connor et al, 2013), and data from other fields demonstrate that nutrition, environmental exposures to drugs and chemicals, and exposures to microbes exert substantial effects on immune system development from conception through early childhood (Dietert, DeWitt, Germolec, & Zelikoff, 2010; Marques, O'Connor, Roth, Susser, & Bjorke-Monsen, 2013). A further period of vulnerability is postulated from early childhood through adolescence when immune memory is being established, although evidence of this is inconclusive.…”