Prenatal and childhood infections as risk factors for psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Neurosci Biobehav RevJul 13, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPsychiatry

Ramisa Khandakar, Felicity Harris, Vaughan J Carr et al.

✦ AI-curated · Sources linked

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the link between prenatal and childhood infections and the risk of psychiatric disorders in children. The analysis included 75 studies, revealing that prenatal infections increased the risk of ADHD (RR = 1.18), ASD (RR = 1.17), and psychotic disorders (RR = 1.21), while childhood infections were linked to ADHD (RR = 1.45) and ASD (RR = 1.41).

Key findings

  • Prenatal infections were associated with ADHD (RR = 1.18) and ASD (RR = 1.17).
  • Childhood infections increased the risk of ADHD (RR = 1.45) and ASD (RR = 1.41).
  • Prenatal bacterial infections were linked to ADHD and ASD, while viral infections in the first trimester were associated with psychosis.
  • Childhood bacterial infections were also associated with ADHD and ASD.

Why it matters

Understanding the relationship between early-life infections and psychiatric disorders can inform preventive strategies and highlight the importance of maternal and child health during critical developmental periods.

Source

PubMed · PMID 42442036

Published in Neurosci Biobehav Rev. This summary was written by xxcode from the publication's abstract and metadata. It is not peer reviewed and is not a substitute for the original article. For clinical decisions, review the original publication.

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