This systematic review explored the impact of maternal immune activation (MIA) on learning and memory behavior in offspring, with a particular focus on sexual dimorphism. We analyzed 20 experimental studies involving rodent models (rats and mice) exposed to either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or POLY I:C during gestation following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Our findings reveal that most studies report a detrimental impact of MIA on the learning and memory performance of offspring, highlighting the significant role of prenatal environmental factors in neurodevelopment. Furthermore, this review underscores the complex effects of sex, with males often exhibiting more pronounced cognitive impairment compared to females. Notably, a small subset of studies report enhanced cognitive function following MIA, suggesting complex, context-dependent outcomes of prenatal immune challenges. This review also highlights sex differences caused by the effects of MIA in terms of cytokine responses, alterations in gene expression, and differences in microglial responses as factors that contribute to the cognitive outcomes observed.
Keyphrases
- meta analyses
- systematic review
- gene expression
- high fat diet
- inflammatory response
- randomized controlled trial
- cognitive impairment
- case control
- pregnant women
- dna methylation
- mental health
- adipose tissue
- preterm infants
- lipopolysaccharide induced
- emergency department
- single cell
- insulin resistance
- skeletal muscle
- clinical practice
- glycemic control
- gestational age