Moreover, in human neonates Il-1β and NLRP3 expression are altered during the first week of life and there is significantly higher expression of NLRP3 and ASC in school age children with neonatal encephalopathy (NE) compared with controls, suggesting that the NLRP3 inflammasome activation is involved in long-term persistent (chronic) inflammation [171]. Here, NLRP3 is linked to neonatal encephalopathy.