AUTHOR=Schuler-Faccini Lavínia , del Campo Miguel , García-Alix Alfredo , Ventura Liana O. , Boquett Juliano André , van der Linden Vanessa , Pessoa André , van der Linden Júnior Hélio , Ventura Camila V. , Leal Mariana Carvalho , Kowalski Thayne Woycinck , Rodrigues Gerzson Lais , Skilhan de Almeida Carla , Santi Lucélia , Beys-da-Silva Walter O. , Quincozes-Santos André , Guimarães Jorge A. , Garcez Patricia P. , Gomes Julia do Amaral , Vianna Fernanda Sales Luiz , Anjos da Silva André , Fraga Lucas Rosa , Vieira Sanseverino Maria Teresa , Muotri Alysson R. , Lopes da Rosa Rafael , Abeche Alberto Mantovani , Marcolongo-Pereira Clairton , Souza Diogo O. TITLE=Neurodevelopment in Children Exposed to Zika in utero: Clinical and Molecular Aspects JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics VOLUME=13 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.758715 DOI=10.3389/fgene.2022.758715 ISSN=1664-8021 ABSTRACT=

Five years after the identification of Zika virus as a human teratogen, we reviewed the early clinical manifestations, collectively called congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Children with CZS have a very poor prognosis with extremely low performance in motor, cognitive, and language development domains, and practically all feature severe forms of cerebral palsy. However, these manifestations are the tip of the iceberg, with some children presenting milder forms of deficits. Additionally, neurodevelopment can be in the normal range in the majority of the non-microcephalic children born without brain or eye abnormalities. Vertical transmission and the resulting disruption in development of the brain are much less frequent when maternal infection occurs in the second half of the pregnancy. Experimental studies have alerted to the possibility of other behavioral outcomes both in prenatally infected children and in postnatal and adult infections. Cofactors play a vital role in the development of CZS and involve genetic, environmental, nutritional, and social determinants leading to the asymmetric distribution of cases. Some of these social variables also limit access to multidisciplinary professional treatment.