A recent study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has found that maternal obesity prior to pregnancy can lead to autism-related behaviors in offspring, attributed to lasting epigenetic changes in egg cells.

This research highlights the critical importance of maternal health before conception and suggests that early interventions could help combat the increasing rates of both obesity and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) globally.

Utilizing an in vitro fertilization model, the study effectively isolated the effects of maternal obesity prior to conception from those that occur during pregnancy.

The findings have been accepted for publication in the journal Cells, underscoring their significant implications for understanding early life factors that influence brain development.

Led by Professors Alika K. Maunakea and Monika Ward from the John A. Burns School of Medicine and the Yanagimachi Institute for Biogenesis Research, the study emphasizes the impact of maternal health on child development.

Researchers noted that these epigenetic changes occur before conception and can profoundly affect brain development, independent of maternal contact after conception.

Behavioral assessments of adolescent male mice revealed impaired social interactions and repetitive behaviors, traits linked to ASD and associated with altered gene regulation in the brain.

In these male offspring, an increased expression of the short Homer1a isoform was observed, which is related to synaptic dysfunction and behaviors indicative of autism spectrum disorder.

The male offspring also displayed impaired social behaviors and repetitive grooming, characteristics commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder.

While the study identifies an association between pre-pregnancy obesity and autism-related behaviors, it does not establish a direct causal relationship.

Further research is planned to explore these findings in greater depth and to evaluate potential interventions or preventive measures.

The research involved examining data and biological mechanisms to better understand how maternal obesity influences fetal brain development.