Viruses and autism: A Bi-mutual cause and effect

Figure 2 General mechanism of viral infection in the induction of autism. The figure showed that maternal viral infection could reach the virus through vertical transmission and affect the placenta. It also causes maternal immune reactivation with activation of the maternal T-helper -17. This immune hyperactivation leads to a marked increase in the pro-inflammatory cytokines causing epigenetic changes in the fetus, which cause abnormal gene expression in the developing brain with overactivation of astrocytes and glial cells and the development of autistic manifestations.