In addition, a previous study (Duan et al., 2022) also showed that the activated STING-TBK1-IRF3 pathway may serve as a potential mechanism to increase microglial phagocytosis by promoting the production of inflammatory factors in mice subjected to CRS, thus improving depression-like behavior (Duan et al., 2022). This evidence concerns the gene IRF3 and congenital rubella syndrome.