Vitamin D treatment during pregnancy prevents autism-related phenotypes in a mouse model of maternal immune activation.
Stephanie Vuillermot, Wei Luan, Urs Meyer and 1 others
PMID 28316773WHAT IT FOUND
In pregnant mice, active vitamin D given with immune challenge prevented offspring autism-related social, repetitive, and fear-learning deficits, but not anxiety-like behavior, and did not reduce inflammatory cytokines.
Key findings
01Prenatal immune challenge reduced offspring social approach to a novel mouse, and co-administered active vitamin D prevented that reduction.
02Active vitamin D prevented immune challenge effects on marble burying and on fear acquisition.
03Vitamin D did not reduce maternal or fetal pro-inflammatory cytokine increases caused by immune challenge.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study was done in mice, not humans, and did not measure speech, language, cognition, or therapy outcomes. Only male offspring were behaviorally tested, so the findings may not apply to female offspring. The active vitamin D form used is not suitable for human pregnancy because it can raise fetal calcium. Vitamin D did not alter cytokine levels, so the mechanism of behavioral protection is unresolved. The paper tested several behavioral outcomes and does not name a single primary endpoint, so positive results should be read cautiously.
Declared interests
The supplied text includes no conflict of interest statement; the publication type notes non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that pregnant women should take vitamin D to prevent autism. The study used active vitamin D in mice, and the authors state this form cannot be used in pregnancy because of potential fetal hypercalcaemia.