Evidence mapPaperPMID 42517884Full record

ArticlePediatric radiology2026

Brain metabolite changes in neonates of mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy: a case-control study.

Steve C N Hui, Kushal Kapse, Sudeepta K Basu, Julius S Ngwa, Catherine Limperopoulos, Nickie Andescavage

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Article in Pediatric radiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Steve C N HuiDeveloping Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Kushal KapseDeveloping Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Sudeepta K BasuDeveloping Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Julius S NgwaDeveloping Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
Catherine LimperopoulosDeveloping Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA. CLimpero@childrensnational.org.
Nickie AndescavageDeveloping Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA. NNiforat@childrensnational.org.

Funding

Tracking Adverse prenatal Brain Stressors on offspring development (TABS)R01HD118702 · CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE · 2025 to 2025
$768k
NIH HHS R01 HD118702NIH HHS R01 HL116585
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExposure to SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy may influence the intrauterine environment, with potential implications for fetal neurodevelopment. 

objectiveThe objective of this study was to test our hypothesis that prenatal exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 influenced neonatal brain metabolites. MATERIALS AND

methodsNeonates of mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy (cases) and contemporary neonates of unexposed mothers (controls) were recruited prospectively. Baseline characteristics were extracted from mothers and neonates.

resultsMRS data was successfully obtained from 38 controls and 38 cases (postmenstrual age at scan 44.0±2.5 weeks and 44.1±2.8 weeks respectively); 52% were female and approximately 60% of the cases were exposed during the third trimester. No significant differences were observed in baseline characteristics including maternal age, maternal psychological distress measures, gestational age at delivery, infant weight, length, or head circumference. Levels of glutamate were significantly increased (P<0.01) and taurine were significantly decreased (P<0.02) in the cerebellum of neonates with prenatal exposures. For subgroup analysis, levels of glutamate and Glx were significantly higher in the cerebellum of neonates exposed to infection during early trimesters compared to controls. No significant differences were reported in the other two brain regions of interest.

conclusionCerebellar glutamate and taurine levels were altered in neonates with prenatal maternal SARS-CoV-2 exposure compared to controls. The shift of their concentrations in opposite directions (i.e., increased glutamate and decreased taurine) may suggest attempts to regulate the excitatory/inhibitory balance in neonates with prenatal maternal SARS-CoV-2 exposure.

Indexed as

Brain metabolitesCerebellumCOVID-19NeonatesProton magnetic resonance spectroscopySARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID42517884

What Socratic holds

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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 Socratic graph.