Prenatal Environment and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Abstract

The internal and external environment of the mother during the developmental stages of the fetus affects the offspring's health. According to the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) theory, environmental factors influence the offspring and also affect health in adulthood. Recently, studies based on this theory have gained attracted attention because of their clinical utility in identifying the risk groups for various diseases. Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be caused by exposure to certain prenatal environments during pregnancy. This review describes the latest findings on the effect of prenatal environment on the onset mechanism of NDDs based on the DOHaD theory. Unravelling the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of NDDs is important, because there are no therapeutic drugs for these disorders. Furthermore, elucidating the relationship between the DOHaD theory and NDDs will contribute to the popularization of preventive medicine.

Keywords: DOHaD; autism spectrum disorder (ASD); low birth weight (LBW); neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs); prenatal environment; preterm birth (PTB).

Figure 1

The prenatal environment impacts the offspring’s health. Maternal immune activation (MIA), exposure to specific drugs, maternal stress, and undernutrition during the fetal period are potential risk factors for the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). ASD, autism spectrum disorder; ADHD, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; SLD, specific learning disorder; ID, intellectual disabilities; CD, communication disorders; and MD, motor disorders.

Figure 2

Neurodevelopmental trajectory and risk factors for NDDs. The blue bars indicate neurodevelopmental events during fetal brain development. After neural tube formation in the ectoderm (neurulation), brain vesicles are formed and neuroepithelial cells produce neural stem cell progenitors and neurons (neurogenesis). Neural progenitor cells also produce astrocytes and oligodendrocytes (gliogenesis). The developing neurons migrate, differentiate into specific subtypes, and form synapses and myelin. The orange bars indicate the risk periods for NDDs. MIA during pregnancy can cause NDDs; in particular, the risk of ASD onset increases in the first half of pregnancy. Maternal stress and drug exposure during pregnancy can also cause NDDs. For example, thalidomide and valproic acid exposure are known risk factors for ASD onset.