Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

During pregnancy the immune system undergoes changes to accommodate the developing fetus and prevent it from being rejected. However, prenatal exposures to stress, infection or disease, can trigger the immune system to become overly active, significantly increasing immune and inflammatory responses; this condition is called maternal immune activation. Maternal immune activation is more likely in people with chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases, conditions where the immune system is unable to differentiate between healthy tissue and potentially harmful foreign antigens. Autoimmune diseases affect 6% of the population in Western countries, and are most common among females during reproductive years. During maternal immune activation, the body releases high levels of pro-inflammatory molecules which are able to reach the fetal brain and impact its development. Therefore, maternal autoimmune disease during pregnancy is considered a risk factor for adverse neurodevelopment. Using multiple linked population-level datasets, I will examine the associations between maternal autoimmune disease during pregnancy and the following long-term developmental outcomes: 1) autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, 2) language, cognitive, social and emotional development, and child well-being, and 3) childhood health profiles (e.g., chronic conditions, medication use). I will also explore whether medication use before and during pregnancy changes the relationship between autoimmune disease exposure and developmental outcome. This research has the potential to provide important insight into the biological mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as guide preventative efforts to help identify children at risk of adverse neurodevelopment and facilitate early intervention.