DHA, Choline, and Folate as Fetal Neuroprotective Allies in Dengue-Exposed Pregnancies
摘要
Dengue infection during pregnancy has been associated with placental dysfunction, maternal immune activation, and potential fetal neurodevelopmental risk. This review examines the role of three key nutrients, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), choline and folate, as potential neuroprotective allies in dengue-exposed pregnancies, focusing on nutritional, metabolic, and clinical mechanisms that may mitigate fetal neurological vulnerability.
Recent FindingsRecent evidence indicates that maternal viral infections can disrupt placental nutrient transport, induce sustained inflammatory signaling, and alter one-carbon metabolism during critical periods of fetal brain development. DHA has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and neurostructural benefits, choline support neurotransmission and epigenetic regulation, and folate remains essential for DNA synthesis and methylation under inflammatory stress.
SummaryCurrent data support a biologically plausible, synergistic role for DHA, choline, and folate in preserving fetal neurodevelopment in dengue-exposed pregnancies. Optimizing maternal intake of these nutrients may represent a low-risk strategy to enhance fetal neuroresilience, highlighting the need for future clinical and translational research integrating nutrition and infectious disease.