Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39478169›Full record

ArticleMolecular psychiatry2025

Investigating the impact of severe maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on infant DNA methylation and neurodevelopment.

Rachel A Hill, Andrew Gibbons, Wittaya Suwakulsiri, Angela Taseska, Hayley Darke, Atul Malhotra, Hnin Yee, Michael Fahey, Rod W Hunt, Izaak Lim and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Molecular psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Rachel A HillDepartment of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia. Rachel.hill@monash.edu.ORCID 0000-0001-6111-355X
Andrew GibbonsDepartment of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.
Wittaya SuwakulsiriDepartment of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.
Angela TaseskaDepartment of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.
Hayley DarkeDepartment of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.
Atul MalhotraDepartment of Paediatrics, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.
Hnin YeeDepartment of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.
Michael FaheyDepartment of Paediatrics, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-0811-4785
Rod W HuntDepartment of Paediatrics, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.
Izaak LimDepartment of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-9643-2574
Kirsten PalmerMonash Women's, Monash Health, Clayton, Vic, Australia.
Suresh SundramDepartment of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia. suresh.sundram@monash.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-9674-0227

Funding

Department of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) GNT20001907Department of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) GNT2000893
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Maternal infections during pregnancy can increase the risk to offspring of developing a neurodevelopmental disorder. Given the global prevalence and severity of infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome related Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the objective of this study was to determine if in utero exposure to severe maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection alters infant neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months and to identify potential biological markers of adverse infant outcomes. Mother-infant dyads exposed to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection (requiring hospitalization) during pregnancy and age and sociodemographic matched control dyads were recruited from Monash Medical Centre, Australia in 2021/22 and prospectively assessed over 12 months. Maternal serum cytokine levels and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores were assessed at birth. DNA methylation was assessed from infant buccal swabs at birth (Illumina EPIC BeadChip). Infant neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months were assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3). Mothers exposed to severe SARS-CoV-2 exhibited elevated serum IL-6 and IL-17A and higher EPDS scores than controls at birth. Infants exposed to severe SARS-CoV-2 in utero demonstrated over 3000 significant differentially methylated sites within their genomes compared to non-exposed (adjusted p-value < 0.05), including genes highly relevant to ASD and synaptic pathways. At 12 months, severe SARS-CoV-2 exposed infants scored lower on the ASQ-3 than non-exposed infants, and communication and problem-solving scores negatively correlated with maternal IL-6 levels at birth. DNA methylation changes therefore unveil potential mechanisms linking infection exposure to delayed neurodevelopment and maternal serum IL-6 levels may be a potential biomarker of child developmental delay. Mothers exposed to severe SARS-CoV-2 infections show elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines. Infants exposed in utero to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection show altered DNA methylation at birth and delayed development at 12 months of age. Created in Biorender.com.

Indexed as

COVID-19DNA MethylationNeurodevelopmental DisordersPregnancy Complications, InfectiousPrenatal Exposure Delayed EffectsAdultAustraliaChild DevelopmentCytokinesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornInterleukin-6MalePregnancyCytokinesInterleukin-6

Identifiers

PMID39478169

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.