30 March–1 April 2026

Our colleagues from the University of Turku, the coordinating institution of the INITIALISE project, presented a conference poster exploring how immune-related proteins may be linked to brain development and anxiety in young children.

The poster, titled “Peripheral immune proteins predict reduced cortical thickness and anxiety in 5-year-old children,” examined associations between peripheral immune proteins, cortical thickness and anxiety at the age of five.

By combining immune, brain imaging and behavioural data, the study offers new insight into how biological processes in early life may be connected to children’s neurological and emotional development. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of the links between the immune system, the developing brain and mental health.

The work was carried out by Aaron Barron, Elmo Pulli, Ekaterina Saukko, Minna Lukkarinen, Alex Dickens, Tuulia Hyötyläinen, Matej Orešič, Linnea Karlsson, Hasse Karlsson and Jetro Tuulari. from the University of Turku, Turku University Hospital and Örebro University, highlighting the collaborative nature of the study.

Presenting the poster gave the team an opportunity to share their findings with the wider scientific community and contribute to ongoing discussions on immune development, brain structure and childhood anxiety.

Congratulations to our colleagues and their collaborators for their impressive work.