Marie-Eve Tremblay, Ph.D., Laval University, Quebec, Canada, will investigate the implication of basic neuroimmunological mechanisms in the development of neurodevelopmental disorders. State-of-the-art imaging of microglia and synapses will be performed across development, adolescence and adulthood in mouse models of prenatal infection, a major environmental risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders. Changes in microglial functions and their consequences on the maturation of neuronal circuits will be correlated with the developmental trajectory of behaviors relevant to either autism spectrum disorders or schizophrenia. This work will provide fundamental insights into the roles of microglia-synapse interactions, and new evidence regarding their vulnerability to environmental risk factors.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
Autism Research Database (AFD)
