A new McGill University-led study suggests that disrupting the body’s internal clock during adolescence can alter how the brain responds to an in-utero risk factor linked to certain brain disorders.
Previous research has shown that a mother’s infection during pregnancy, such as the flu, can increase a child’s risk of developing conditions like schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders later in life. Irregular sleep patterns – often a sign of circadian rhythm disruption – are also associated with these conditions.
