Specifically, male offspring exposed to the spike protein in utero displayed a higher rate of impaired performance on autism-like behavioral paradigms associated with hippocampal and cerebellar gliosis, neuronal cell death, and significantly greater levels of lipid peroxidation, neuroinflammatory markers, and reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) than the control group [33]. The gene discussed is BDNF; the disease is autism.