Exposure to prenatal infection and the development of internalizing and externalizing problems in children:a longitudinal population-based study

Background:A large body of work has reported a link between prenatal exposure to infection and increased psychiatric risk in offspring. However, studies to date have focused primarily on exposure to severe prenatal infections and/or individual psychiatric diagnoses in clinical samples, typically measured at single time points, and without accounting for important genetic and environmental confounders. In this study, we investigated whether exposure to common infections during pregnancy is prospectively associated with repeatedly assessed child psychiatric symptoms in a large population-based study.Methods:Our study was embedded in a prospective pregnancy cohort (Generation R; n = 3,598 mother-child dyads). We constructed a comprehensive prenatal infection score comprising common infections for each trimester of pregnancy. Child total, internalizing, and externalizing problems were assessed repeatedly using the parent-rated Child Behavioral Checklist (average age: 1.5, 3, 6, 10, and 14 years). Linear mixed-effects models were run adjusting for a range of confounders, including child polygenic scores for psychopathology, maternal chronic illness, birth complications, and infections during childhood. We also investigated trimester-specific effects and child sex as a potential moderator.Results:Prenatal exposure to infections was associated with higher child total, internalizing, and externalizing problems, showing temporally persistent effects, even after adjusting for important genetic and environmental confounders. We found no evidence that prenatal infections were associated with changes in child psychiatric symptoms over time. Moreover, in our trimester-specific analysis, we did not find evidence of significant timing effects of prenatal infection on child psychiatric symptoms. No interactions with child sex were identified.Conclusions:Our research adds to evidence that common prenatal infections may be a risk factor for psychiatric symptoms in children. We also extend previous findings by showing that these associations are present early on, and that rather than changing over time, they persist into adolescence. However, unmeasured confounding may still explain in part these associations. In the future, employing more advanced causal inference designs will be crucial to establishing the degree to which these effects are causal

Editorial: Treatment of psychopathological and neurocognitive disorders in genetic syndromes: In need of multidisciplinary phenotyping and treatment design

Similar to the figures in a coloring book, which are set at the moment of printing, the framework for a new person is set the moment a human egg is fertilized. The genes that we are born with contribute to our vulnerability for a wide range of possible phenotypes, but which of these phenotypes will subsequently develop, is greatly influenced by contextual factors from the physical world and social environments we live in, and our lifestyles (e.g., nutrition and exercise). When looking at neurodevelopmental disorders with known genetic underpinnings, understanding the interaction between genes and context is vital for identification and support strategies. A fruitful way to achieve this would be through involvement of multiple disciplines, both in their additive capacities and in their ability to proceed from shared well-informed theoretical frameworks and clinical practice approaches. The inclusion of somatic, neuronal, cognitive and behavioral aspects, of rare genetic syndromes, and acquiring a more detailed understanding of altered brain development, new and fundamental insights can be gained, which can guide diagnosis and treatment decisions. In addition, a tailored approach to assessment and monitoring is necessary to understand how the contextual factors influence the (neuro)development of the individual patient under investigation. In the present Research Topic, nine studies have been brought together that illustrate ways to better assess the challenges that come with genetic neurodevelopmental disorders, to ameliorate symptoms, and in general to improve quality of life, not only of these individuals but also of their family members and other caregivers

Effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection on obstetric outcomes: Results from a prospective cohort in the Netherlands

Synopsis Results of a large prospective pregnancy cohort in the Netherlands show no association of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection prior to 28 weeks of gestation with adverse obstetric outcomes

Effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection on obstetric outcomes: Results from a prospective cohort in the Netherlands

Results of a large prospective pregnancy cohort in the Netherlands show no association of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection prior to 28 weeks of gestation with adverse obstetric outcomes

SARS-CoV-2 infection, inflammation and birth outcomes in a prospective NYC pregnancy cohort

Associations between antenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection and pregnancy outcomes have been conflicting and the role of the immune system is currently unclear. This prospective cohort study investigated the interaction of antenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection, changes in cytokine and HS-CRP levels, birthweight and gestational age at birth. 2352 pregnant participants from New York City (2020–2022) were included. Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-17A and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HS-CRP) were quantified in blood specimens obtained across pregnancy. Quantile and linear regression models were conducted to 1) assess the impact of antenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection, overall and by timing of detection of SARS-CoV-2 positivity (&lt; 20 weeks versus ≥ 20 weeks), on birthweight and gestational age at delivery; 2) examine the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and maternal immune changes during pregnancy. All models were adjusted for maternal demographic and obstetric factors and pandemic timing. Birthweight models were additionally adjusted for gestational age at delivery and fetal sex. Immune marker models were also adjusted for gestational age at specimen collection and multiplex assay batch. 371 (15.8%) participants were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy, of which 98 (26.4%) were infected at &lt; 20 weeks gestation. Neither SARS-CoV-2 infection in general nor in early or late pregnancy was associated with lower birthweight nor earlier gestational age at delivery. Further, we did not observe cytokine or HS-CRP changes in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and thus found no evidence to support a potential association between immune dysregulation and the diversity in pregnancy outcomes following infection.</p