Aims: Prenatal maternal immune activation (MIA) is associated with a risk to develop schizophrenia and affects dopamine systems in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), key region in the neurobiology of psychoses. Considering the well-described sex differences in schizophrenia, we investigated whether sex affects MIA impact on dopamine system and on schizophrenia-related behavioral phenotype. Furthermore, considering peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) expression in the CNS as well as its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, we tested if PPARα activation by prenatal treatment with a clinically available fibrate (fenofibrate) may mitigate MIA-related effects.
Methods: We induced MIA in rat dams with polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (Poly I:C) and assessed prepulse inhibition and dopamine neuron activity in the VTA by means of electrophysiological recordings in male and female preweaned and adult offspring.
Results: Poly I:C-treated males displayed prepulse inhibition deficits, reduced number and firing rate of VTA dopamine neurons, and paired-pulse facilitation of inhibitory and excitatory synapses. Prenatal fenofibrate administration attenuated detrimental effects induced by MIA on both the schizophrenia-like behavioral phenotype and dopamine transmission in male offspring.
Conclusion: Our study confirms previous evidence that females are less susceptible to MIA and highlights PPARα as a potential target for treatments in schizophrenia.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6488881 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cns.13087 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
A meta-analysis of sex differences in neonatal rodent ultrasonic vocalizations and the implication for the preclinical maternal immune activation model.
Biol Sex Differ
January 2025
Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's NL, Canada.
As the earliest measure of social communication in rodents, ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in response to maternal separation are critical in preclinical research on neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). While sex differences in both USV production and behavioral outcomes are reported, many studies overlook sex as a biological variable in preclinical NDD models. We aimed to evaluate sex differences in USV call parameters and determine if USVs are differently impacted based on sex in the preclinical maternal immune activation (MIA) model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssociation between prenatal depressive symptoms and receipt of recommended maternal and infant care postpartum.
J Affect Disord
January 2025
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Center for Methods in Implementation and Prevention Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA. Electronic address:
Background: Maternal mental health can impact health care access and utilization for both the birthing parent and infant. We examined the association between prenatal depressive symptoms (episodic and chronic) and receipt of the postpartum 6-week visit and infant vaccinations in the first year postpartum.
Methods: Postpartum individuals (N = 672) who attended Expect With Me group prenatal care in Nashville, Tennessee and Detroit, Michigan completed surveys during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, as well as 6- and 12- months postpartum.
Background: Uzbekistan, a highly endemic country for hepatitis B virus (HBV), introduced infant vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) in 2001. Since 2002, it had ≥90 % reported immunization coverage for ≥3 doses of HepB (HepB3) and the birth dose (HepB-BD). However, the impact of HepB vaccination and the progress towards achieving the regional hepatitis B control and global viral hepatitis B elimination goals had not been assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWater-Soluble Vitamins: Hypo- and Hypervitaminosis in Pediatric Population.
Pharmaceutics
January 2025
Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Background/objectives: Water-soluble vitamins, comprising the B-complex vitamins and vitamin C, are essential for normal growth, cellular metabolism, and immune function in pediatric populations. Due to limited storage in the body, these vitamins require consistent intake to prevent deficiencies. Pediatric populations, particularly infants and young children, face a heightened risk of both deficiency and, in rare cases, toxicity due to varying dietary intake and increased developmental needs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfluence of Dietary Fiber and Polyphenols During Pre-Gestation, Gestation, or Lactation on Intestinal Gene Expression.
Nutrients
January 2025
Physiology Section, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Background/objectives: Diet composition is important for health, especially during critical periods such as pre-gestation (P), gestation (G), or lactation (S), due to its potential impact not only on the mother but on the offspring. The Mediterranean diet includes many healthy foods rich in fiber and/or polyphenols, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts. The present preclinical study assesses the impact of a diet rich in fiber and polyphenols (HFP diet) during one of those three periods (P, G, or S, three weeks each) on the rat gene expression of the small intestine obtained at the end of the lactation period.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!