【文献解读】
在大脑发育过程中，促炎介质对海马神经发生和神经元细胞结构都有不利影响。2014年1月，爱尔兰科克大学学院对目前关于炎症诱导的早期海马神经发生的改变以及随后可能在晚年出现的行为缺陷的文献进行了综述。
到目前为止可获得的数据表明，宫内炎症暴露可能导致胚胎和成年海马神经发生的中断。此外，在每个发育时间点受到炎性损伤后的晚年生活后果可能会增加对海马神经发生变化。例如，发育过程中神经前体细胞的过早或延迟分化可能会导致成年齿状回中增殖细胞数量的整体变化，从而可能导致海马结构的变化，最终导致行为的改变。到目前为止的证据还表明，啮齿动物在发育过程中暴露于炎症会对海马神经发生依赖的认知行为产生负面影响。
注：宫内炎症暴露对海马的影响。
炎症对海马体的伤害极大，不仅会使海马体积缩小，还会使得神经元细胞受损甚至死亡。在婴幼儿或胚胎时期的损害或许会一直持续整个生命周期，所以说抗炎迫在眉睫，尤其是青少年正是用脑关键时期。天然抗炎也是家长们所更偏向的一种抗炎方式，最近几年的实验研究，科学家们发现留兰香提取物具有抗炎作用，并且还可以提高记忆力与注意力。天然物质留兰香提取物在未来可能会成为预防和治疗神经元损伤的广谱药物。
【文献节选】
While the detrimental impact of inflammation on adult hippocampal neurogenesis and associated behaviors has recently gained credence, the effects of inflammation on the developing brain is an area of research which is quickly gaining momentum, and a growing number of research articles on this topic have been published in recent years. Indeed, we now know that pro-inflammatory mediators negatively influence both hippocampal neurogenesis and neuronal cytoarchitecture during brain development. Here we present a comprehensive review of the current literature on inflammation-induced changes in hippocampal neurogenesis during early life and the consequent behavioral deficits which may ensue in later life. We also offer insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the hippocampaldependant behavioral changes observed in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly in those where cognitive dysfunction plays a major role.