Maternal immune activation and microbiome disruption leads to differential neurobehavioural profiles in the offspring

In utero exposure to high levels of maternal inflammation or a disrupted maternal gut microbiome during pregnancy have been linked to several neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring. Despite the strong links between these two adverse events, there have been few studies that have looked at the interaction of the maternal gut microbiome and maternal immune activation (MIA), on neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring. Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH), the precursor to dopamine, plays an essential role in brain development and interestingly has been linked to the gut microbiome.

Here we aim, for the first time, to determine if disruption of the maternal microbiome exacerbated the impact of systemic inflammation on brain development, including TH expression, and behaviour in the offspring.