Immune system 'overdrive' in pregnant women puts male offspring at special risk for adult brain disorders, mouse study suggests

Researchers report that fetal mice -- especially males -- show signs of brain damage that lasts into their adulthood when they are exposed in the womb to a maternal immune system kicked into high gear by a serious infection or other malady. The findings suggest that some neurologic diseases in humans could be similarly rooted in prenatal exposure to inflammatory immune responses.