Laboratory of Panic & Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 22270-010, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Transl Psychiatry. 2021 Apr 26;11(1):245. doi: 10.1038/s41398-021-01361-3.
Maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy is recognized as an etiological risk factor for various psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and autism. Prenatal immune challenge may serve as a "disease primer" for alteration of the trajectory of fetal brain development that, in combination with other genetic and environmental factors, may ultimately result in the emergence of different psychiatric conditions. However, the association between MIA and an offspring's chance of developing anxiety disorders is less clear. To evaluate the effect of MIA on offspring anxiety, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the preclinical literature was conducted. We performed a systematic search of the PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library electronic databases using the PRISMA and World Health Organization (WHO) methodologies for systematic reviews. Studies that investigated whether MIA during pregnancy could cause anxiety symptoms in rodent offspring were included. Overall, the meta-analysis showed that MIA induced anxiety behavior in offspring. The studies provide strong evidence that prenatal immune activation impacts specific molecular targets and synapse formation and function and induces an imbalance in neurotransmission that could be related to the generation of anxiety in offspring. Future research should further explore the role of MIA in anxiety endophenotypes. According to this meta-analysis, MIA plays an important role in the pathophysiological mechanisms of anxiety disorders and is a promising therapeutic target.
母体免疫激活（MIA）在怀孕期间被认为是各种精神疾病的病因风险因素，如精神分裂症、重度抑郁症和自闭症。产前免疫挑战可能是胎儿大脑发育轨迹改变的“疾病启动子”，再加上其他遗传和环境因素，最终可能导致不同的精神疾病的出现。然而，MIA 与后代患焦虑症的几率之间的关联尚不清楚。为了评估 MIA 对后代焦虑的影响，对临床前文献进行了系统评价和荟萃分析。我们使用 PRISMA 和世界卫生组织（WHO）的系统评价方法，对 PubMed、Web of Science、PsycINFO 和 Cochrane Library 电子数据库进行了系统检索。纳入了研究怀孕时 MIA 是否会导致啮齿动物后代出现焦虑症状的研究。总体而言，荟萃分析表明 MIA 可诱导后代出现焦虑行为。这些研究提供了有力的证据，表明产前免疫激活会影响特定的分子靶点和突触形成和功能，并导致神经递质失衡，这可能与后代出现焦虑有关。未来的研究应进一步探索 MIA 在焦虑表型中的作用。根据这项荟萃分析，MIA 在焦虑障碍的病理生理机制中起着重要作用，是有前途的治疗靶点。
