The assistant professor of Neuroscience, researches transdiagnostic symptoms (TMS), like compulsivity, of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). She aims to impact individuals regardless of their diagnos...

Learn the key points and receive clinical guidance on the effects of arsenic exposure in children.

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Background: Pregnancy is a crucial stage characterized by an increased demand for various nutrients. The role of micronutrients becomes especially important during pregnancy and infancy to support neurodevelopment. Micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in low- and middle-income countries due to socio-economic disparities, limited dietary diversities, and barriers to quality antenatal care. This results in women of reproductive age and developing offspring being disproportionately affected. Despite extensive #Research, evidence remains fragmented, leading to a lack of comprehensive synthesis. Objective: This scoping review aims to explore the existing evidence on the role of maternal micronutrient status during pregnancy influencing neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants. Additionally, it will assess the prevalence and distribution of specific micronutrient deficiencies and identify their sociodemographic determinants within South Asian countries. Methods: This scoping review utilizes an iterative, three-step search strategy to identify both published and grey literature. Initially, a targeted search using relevant keywords was developed for PubMed to locate studies investigating maternal micronutrient status or supplementation during pregnancy (women aged 15–49 years) and associated neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring up to two years of age. The search was sequentially narrowed by geographic region (South Asian countries), #Study design, human studies, English language publications, and finally, clinical trials. In the second stage, this search strategy will be adapted and implemented across additional electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, OpenGrey, JSTOR, Wiley, as well as trial registries such as ClinicalTrials.gov and PROSPERO. Further, supplementary hand-searching of relevant journals will be conducted. The third step involves applying a snowballing technique to review the bibliographies of initially identified papers. Two reviewers will independently conduct #Study selection and data extraction using standardised forms. Quality assessment will use JBI Critical Appraisal Checklists. Quantitative findings (#Study characteristics, exposure definitions, outcome measures) will be summarised with descriptive statistics and visualised in structured tables and charts, and qualitative findings will be coded inductively to develop themes pertinent to the review questions. We will integrate evidence through a convergent narrative synthesis to contextualise how maternal micronutrient deficiencies are influenced by sociodemographic factors and how these relate to infant neurodevelopment. The review will adhere to PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. Results: The initial database search was completed on July 3, 2025. Title and abstract screening is in progress, and final synthesis and reporting are anticipated by January 2026. Conclusions: This review aims to summarize the available evidence on maternal micronutrients and infant neurodevelopment in South Asia, identify major gaps and inconsistencies in the data, and highlight opportunities for focused #Research and multisectoral action. The findings will help guide the next phases of the SACMIND collaborative project, including qualitative studies, biomarker assessments, and designing interventions.

A research team led by Prof. Xu Zhiheng from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has identified Tapt1, together with its partner Suco, as important genes for brain development.

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Early postnatal high-dose enteral fat-soluble vitamin A supplementation in ELBW infants did not affect pulmonary or developmental outcomes at 24 months’ CA.

Scientists issue urgent warning about chemicals, found to cause cancer and infertility as well as harming environment

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Misinformation about autism and its causes coming from the U.S. government is inflicting pain and suffering on autistic individuals and their families right now. The pain is real, immediate, and heart...

The chromatin remodeler CHD8 is a model risk gene for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). While CHD8 has nucleosome remodeling capacity, evidence suggests it participates in processes beyond chromatin regulation, raising questions about function in the brain and role in NDDs. We defined CHD8 interactions using a comprehensive multimodal omics approach. Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry (IP-MS) identified a complex interaction network enriched for chromatin remodeling, RNA processing, and cytoskeletal proteins in neonatal mouse forebrain. We implemented CHD8-TurboID in HEK293T cells, validating IP-MS signatures and further identifying a role in mitosis. In addition to DNA, Chd8 complexed with RNA in mouse forebrain, with affinity for genes associated with RNA splicing and nervous system development and overlap between Chd8-bound mRNA and promoters. Finally, Chd8 interaction affinity with RNA splicing factors was reduced in Chd8 haploinsufficient mice. These findings expand understanding of CHD8 function and identify a dosage-sensitive NDD-relevant role in chromatin-associated RNA processing.