A UCLA Health study in mice has found that inflammation during pregnancy can produce lasting autism-like changes in offspring. The researchers also discovered that many of the resulting brain and behavioral effects could be improved rapidly in adulthood, although only temporarily, with a single dose of the immune-suppressing drug rapamycin.
Previous research has shown that even mild inflammation in the middle of pregnancy can affect developing offspring. Reported consequences include autism-like behaviors, unusual brain growth, seizures, and greater sensitivity to ordinary sounds, touch, and other sensory experiences. These effects can continue into adulthood.
In the new study, published in Nature Communications, UCLA scientists found that one dose of rapamycin improved brain communication and behavior in the affected mice in about two hours. That response was far too fast for the drug to have repaired the underlying physical changes in the brain caused by maternal inflammation.
A Rapid but Temporary Brain Response
The researchers stressed that rapamycin should not be considered a practical treatment for these symptoms in people. Its benefits were temporary, repeated use can be toxic, and the study was conducted in mice. Instead, the rapid response helped reveal biological processes that could guide the development of safer and more targeted therapies.
