Emotional Prosodies Processing and Its Relationship With Neurodevelopment Outcome at 24 Months in Infants of Diabetic Mothers

Evaluation of Faecal Microbiota Following Probiotics in Infants of Mothers with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Trial: Protocol for Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial

(1) Background: The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is rising globally. The current evidence indicates that GDM, especially in conjunction with maternal overweight, can alter the composition of infants' gut microbiota, potentially increasing the risk of inflammatory diseases, metabolic disorders, and neurodevelopmental issues later in life. Probiotic supplantation early in life might establish eubiosis and mitigate future complications. To best of our knowledge, no study has evaluated the effects of probiotics on gut dysbiosis in the infants of mothers with GDM. (2) Methods: This study will be a single-centre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolling sixty neonates born after 35 weeks of gestation to mothers with GDM. The participants will be randomly assigned to receive either a triple-strain probiotic or a placebo for four months. The primary objective is to assess the effectiveness of probiotic supplementation in correcting gut dysbiosis in the infants of mothers with GDM at four months of age. Faecal microbiome composition shall be estimated using 16SrRNA and shotgun sequencing. The secondary outcomes will include the quantification of faecal short-chain fatty acids at birth and at four months, as well as growth and developmental assessments at four, twelve, and twenty-four months. (3) Trial registration: This trial protocol is registered (ACTRN12624000930583p) in the Australian Clinical Trials registry (ANZCTR).

Understanding the link between different types of maternal diabetes and the onset of autism spectrum disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) encompass a collection of neurodevelopmental disorders that exhibit impaired social interactions and repetitive stereotypic behaviors. Although the exact cause of these disorders remains unknown, it is widely accepted that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to their onset and progression. Recent studies have highlighted the potential negative impact of maternal diabetes on embryonic neurodevelopment, suggesting that intrauterine hyperglycemia could pose an additional risk to early brain development and contribute to the development of ASD. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the current research on the relationship between various forms of maternal diabetes, such as type 1 diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and gestational diabetes mellitus, and the likelihood of ASD in offspring. The study elucidates the potential mechanisms through which maternal hyperglycemia affects fetal development, involving metabolic hormones, immune dysregulation, heightened oxidative stress, and epigenetic alterations. The findings of this review offer valuable insights for potential preventive measures and evidence-based interventions targeting ASD.

The role of the placenta-brain axis in psychoneuroimmune programming

Gestational exposures have enduring impacts on brain and neuroimmune development and function. Perturbations of pregnancy leading to placental structure/function deficits, cell stress, immune activation, and endocrine changes (metabolic, growth factors, etc.) all increase neuropsychiatric risk in offspring. The existing literature links obstetric diseases with placental involvement to offspring neuroimmune outcomes and neurodevelopmental risk. Psychoneuroimmune outcomes in offspring brain include changes to microglia, cytokine/chemokine production, cell stress, and long-term immunoreactivity. These outcomes are altered by structural, anti-angiogenic/hypoxic, inflammatory, and metabolic diseases of the placenta. This fetal programming occurs via direct placental passage or production of factors which can act directly on fetal brain substrates, or indirectly via action of circulating factors on intermediates in the placenta. Placental neuroendocrine, vascular/angiogenic, immune, and extracellular vesicular mechanisms are detailed. These mechanisms interact within various placental and pregnancy conditions. An increased understanding of the placental origins of psychoneuroimmunology will yield dividends for human health. Identifying maternal and placental biomarkers for fetal neuroimmune health may also revolutionize early diagnosis and precision psychiatry, empowering patients to make the best healthcare decisions for their families. Targeting placental mechanisms may be a valuable approach for the prevention and mitigation of intergenerational, lifelong neuropathology.

The impact of maternal diabetes on the future health and neurodevelopment of the offspring: a review of the evidence

Maternal health during gestational period is undoubtedly critical in shaping optimal fetal development and future health of the offspring. Gestational diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder occurring in pregnancy with an alarming increasing incidence worldwide during recent years. Over the years, there is a growing body of evidence that uncontrolled maternal hyperglycaemia during pregnancy can potentially have detrimental effect on the neurodevelopment of the offspring. Both human and animal data have linked maternal diabetes with motor and cognitive impairment, as well as autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning abilities and psychiatric disorders. This review presents the available data from current literature investigating the relationship between maternal diabetes and offspring neurodevelopmental impairment. Moreover, possible mechanisms accounting for the detrimental effects of maternal diabetes on fetal brain like fetal neuroinflammation, iron deficiency, epigenetic alterations, disordered lipid metabolism and structural brain abnormalities are also highlighted. On the basis of the evidence demonstrated in the literature, it is mandatory that hyperglycaemia during pregnancy will be optimally controlled and the impact of maternal diabetes on offspring neurodevelopment will be more thoroughly investigated.