Humanitas researchers link pregnancy inflammation to neurodevelopmental risks

A collaborative study published in Nature Communications has identified a link between maternal inflammation during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, such as autism and ADHD. The research, conducted by Humanitas in partnership with the Italian National Research Council (CNR), the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), and institutions in Canada and Germany, outlines how immune responses to infections can disrupt brain circuit maturation.

The process begins with an increase in interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the mother, which subsequently alters electrical activity in the child's hippocampus, a brain region vital for memory and learning. Researchers found that IL-6 causes the premature activation of the Kcc2 protein in hippocampal neurons, triggering developmental deviations. Scientists suggest that Kcc2 could serve as a predictive biomarker, potentially allowing for future medical interventions.