Friday, 1 February 2008
9:00 - 10:00 AM

The Seminar will be held in the Gonda Center First Floor Conference Room, Rm 1357
E5 on the South sector of the UCLA Campus Map.

All are welcome!

For further information contact Candace Wilkinson at (310) 825-9041.

Abstract

Maternal viral infection is associated with increased risk of schizophrenia and autism in the offspring. In a mouse model based on this risk factor, we found that respiratory infection with influenza virus leads to behavioral abnormalities in the adult offspring. These behaviors are consistent with abnormalities seen in schizophrenia and autism. The adult offspring also display neuropathology in the cortex and hippocampus similar to that found in schizophrenia and a localized deficit in Purkinje cells that resembles that in autism. The cause of these various abnormalities is the maternal response to infection, as treatment of uninfected, pregnant mice with the dsRNA, poly(I:C), which evokes an anti-viral-like immune response, also induces behavioral changes and neuropathology similar to that seen with maternal infection. Exploring potential mediators of these effects, we find that the cytokine interleukin-6 is required for the effects of maternal immune activation on fetal brain development. Implications for treatment and prevention will be discussed.