Some of the experimental and clinical aspects of the effectsof the maternal diabetes on developing hippocampus

Diabetes mellitus during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of multiple congenital anomalies in progeny. There are sufficient evidence suggesting that the children of diabetic women exhibit intellectual and behavioral abnormalities accompanied by modification of hippocampus structure and function. Although, theexact mechanism by which maternal diabetes affectsthe developing hippocampus remains to be defined.Multiple biological alterations, including hyperglycemia,hyperinsulinemia, oxidative stress, hypoxia, and irondeficiency occur in pregnancies with diabetes and affectthe development of central nervous system （CNS） ofthe fetus. The conclusion from several studies is thatdisturbance in glucose and insulin homeostasis inmothers and infants are major teratogenic factor in thedevelopment of CNS. Insulin and Insulin-like growthfactor-1 （IGF-1） are two key regulators of CNS functionand development. Insulin and IGF-1 receptors （IR andIGF1R, respectively） are distributed in a highly specificpattern with the high density in some brain regionssuch as hippocampus. Recent researches have clearlyestablished that maternal diabetes disrupts the regulationof both IR and IGF1R in the hippocampus of ratnewborn. Dissecting out the mechanisms responsible formaternal diabetes-related changes in the developmentof hippocampus is helping to prevent from impairedcognitive and memory functions in offspring.