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Wei M, Gao Q, Liu J, Yang Y, Yang J, Fan J, Lv S, Yang S. Development programming: Stress during gestation alters offspring development in sheep. Reprod Domest Anim 2023; 58:1497-1511. [PMID: 37697713 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Inappropriate management practices of domestic animals during pregnancy can be potential stressors, resulting in complex behavioural, physiological and neurological consequences in the developing offspring. Some of these consequences can last into adulthood or propagate to subsequent generations. We systematically summarized the results of different experimental patterns using artificially increased maternal glucocorticoid levels or prenatal maternal physiological stress paradigms, mediators between prenatal maternal stress (PMS) and programming effects in the offspring and the effects of PMS on offspring phenotypes in sheep. PMS can impair birthweight, regulate the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, modify behavioural patterns and cognitive abilities and alter gene expression and brain morphology in offspring. Further research should focus on the effects of programming on gene expression, immune function, gut microbiome, sex-specific effects and maternal behaviour of offspring, especially comparative studies of gestational periods when PMS is applied, continual studies of programming effects on offspring and treatment strategies that effectively reverse the detrimental programming effects of prenatal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingji Wei
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Qian Gao
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Junjun Liu
- Hebei Agriculture University, Baoding, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Linyi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Linyi, China
| | - Jinyan Yang
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Jingchang Fan
- Jiaxiang County Sheep Breeding Farm, Jiaxiang, China
| | - Shenjin Lv
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Shengmei Yang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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Possamai-Della T, Cararo JH, Aguiar-Geraldo JM, Peper-Nascimento J, Zugno AI, Fries GR, Quevedo J, Valvassori SS. Prenatal Stress Induces Long-Term Behavioral Sex-Dependent Changes in Rats Offspring: the Role of the HPA Axis and Epigenetics. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:5013-5033. [PMID: 37233974 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03348-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Preclinical genetic studies have related stress early exposures with changes in gene regulatory mechanisms, including epigenetic alterations, such as modifications of DNA methylation, histone deacetylation, and histones acetylation. This study evaluates the effects of prenatal stress on the behavior, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis, and epigenetic parameters in stressed dams and their offspring. The rats were subjected to a protocol of chronic unpredictable mild stress on the fourteenth day of pregnancy until the birth of offspring. After birth, maternal care was evaluated for six days. Following weaning, the locomotor and depressive-like behaviors of the dams and their offspring (60 days old) were assessed. The HPA axis parameters were evaluated in serum from dams and offspring, and epigenetic parameters (histone acetyltransferase (HAT), histone deacetylase (HDAC), DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activities, and the levels of histone H3 acetylated at lysine residue 9 (H3K9ac) and histone 3 acetylated at lysine residue 14 (H3K14ac)) were assessed in dams' and offspring' brains. Prenatal stress did not significantly influence maternal care; however, it induced manic behavior in female offspring. These behavioral alterations in the offspring were accompanied by hyperactivity of the HPA-axis, epigenetic adaptations in the activity of HDAC and DNMT, and acetylation in the histones H3K9 and H3K14. In addition, the prenatal stressed female offspring showed increased levels of ACTH compared to their male counterpart. Our findings reinforce the impact of prenatal stress on behavior, stress response, and epigenetic profile of offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taise Possamai-Della
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - José Henrique Cararo
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Jorge M Aguiar-Geraldo
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Jefté Peper-Nascimento
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Alexandra I Zugno
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Gabriel R Fries
- Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
- Translational Psychiatry Program, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA
| | - João Quevedo
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
- Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA
- Translational Psychiatry Program, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Interventional Psychiatry, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA
| | - Samira S Valvassori
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
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Developmental Programming in Animal Models: Critical Evidence of Current Environmental Negative Changes. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:442-463. [PMID: 35697921 PMCID: PMC9191883 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-00999-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) approach answers questions surrounding the early events suffered by the mother during reproductive stages that can either partially or permanently influence the developmental programming of children, predisposing them to be either healthy or exhibit negative health outcomes in adulthood. Globally, vulnerable populations tend to present high obesity rates, including among school-age children and women of reproductive age. In addition, adults suffer from high rates of diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular, and other metabolic diseases. The increase in metabolic outcomes has been associated with the combination of maternal womb conditions and adult lifestyle-related factors such as malnutrition and obesity, smoking habits, and alcoholism. However, to date, "new environmental changes" have recently been considered negative factors of development, such as maternal sedentary lifestyle, lack of maternal attachment during lactation, overcrowding, smog, overurbanization, industrialization, noise pollution, and psychosocial stress experienced during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Therefore, it is important to recognize how all these factors impact offspring development during pregnancy and lactation, a period in which the subject cannot protect itself from these mechanisms. This review aims to introduce the importance of studying DOHaD, discuss classical programming studies, and address the importance of studying new emerging programming mechanisms, known as actual lifestyle factors, during pregnancy and lactation.
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Houdelier C, Charrier M, Le Bot O, Aigueperse N, Marasco V, Lumineau S. The presence of a mother counteracts prenatal stress in a precocial bird. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Nazzari S, Fearon P, Rice F, Molteni M, Frigerio A. Maternal caregiving moderates the impact of antenatal maternal cortisol on infant stress regulation. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:871-880. [PMID: 34787327 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that antenatal exposure to maternal stress signals affects the development of the infant stress response systems. Animal studies indicate that maternal sensitive caregiving can reverse some of these effects. However, the generalizability of these findings to humans is unknown. This study investigated the role of maternal caregiving in the association between multiple markers of maternal antenatal stress and infant stress regulation. METHODS The sample consisted of 94 mother-infant (N = 47 males, mean postnatal weeks = 12; SD = 1.84) dyads. Maternal levels of Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), diurnal cortisol and alpha amylase, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed in late pregnancy (mean gestational age = 34.76; SD = 1.12), whereas postnatal symptomatology, caregiving, and infant cortisol response to the inoculation were evaluated at 3 months. RESULTS Hierarchical linear models (HLMs) showed a significant interaction between maternal antenatal cortisol, caregiving, and time on infant cortisol reactivity, while controlling for gender, maternal age, and postnatal depression. Specifically, higher levels of maternal antenatal cortisol were associated with greater cortisol response only among infants of less emotionally available mothers. All other markers of antenatal stress were not significantly associated with infant cortisol reactivity either independently or in interaction with maternal caregiving. CONCLUSIONS Albeit preliminary, results provide the first evidence in humans that maternal sensitive caregiving may eliminate the association between antenatal maternal cortisol and infant cortisol regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nazzari
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy
| | - Pasco Fearon
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Frances Rice
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Massimo Molteni
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy
| | - Alessandra Frigerio
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Lecco, Italy
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Cross-fostering alleviates depression-like behavior mediated by EAAT2 and SNARE complex in prenatal stress offspring rat. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 210:173269. [PMID: 34487773 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that prenatal stress (PS) can potentially contribute to depression-like behavior in offspring and that this effect may be moderated by cross-fostering. However, the underlying mechanism of this effect remains to be determined. This study aimed to determine the effect of cross-fostering on the expression of EAAT2 and the SNARE complex in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of PS offspring rats and to demonstrate functional effects on depression-like behavior. The impacts of cross-fostering were functionally assessed using the sucrose preference test (SPT), the forced swimming test (FST) and the elevated plus maze (EPM). Quantitative real-time PCR was used to determine changes in the expression of EAAT2 and SNAREs mRNA in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of offspring rats. PS offspring rats showed significantly decreased sucrose preference and prolonged immobility time, while cross-fostering effectively increased sucrose preference and shorten the time of immobility. The expression of EAAT2 mRNA in PS offspring rats was markedly reduced, whilst the core mRNA expression of the SNARE complex increased. Our results provide strong evidence demonstrating that cross-fostering can alleviate depression-like behavior and regulate the abnormal expression levels of EAAT2 mRNA and SNARE complex in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of PS offspring rats. Our findings contribute to further understanding of the pathogenesis of PS-induced depression and may help to inform the future development of novel treatment approaches.
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Stress during first gestation of ewes impairs memory and learning of male offspring. Vet Res Commun 2021; 45:251-260. [PMID: 34138400 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-021-09805-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the influence of gestational stress induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, Escherichia coli) on the physiological changes of ewes, as well as on the subsequent behavioral interaction between ewes and lambs and on the memory and learning of 30-day-old offspring in a T-maze. Thirty-six nulliparous pregnant crossbred Santa Ines ewes with an initial live weight of 45 ± 6 kg, age of 12 ± 2 months, and body condition score between 3 and 3.5 (on a scale of 1 to 5) were divided into two treatments: LPS treatment (E. coli; 0.8 μg.kg-1) and Control (placebo/saline) administered in late pregnancy (day 120). Blood samples were collected before (0 h at 5:00 h) and 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, 24 h after the administration of LPS or placebo to determine the cortisol release curve. Rectal temperature was measured at the same time points. After birth, male lambs (N = 19) were used to evaluate the maternal-offspring behavioral interaction, weight, and cognitive ability in a T-maze. Blood cortisol and rectal temperature of ewes increased after LPS administration and returned to baseline levels after 24 h. The activities facilitating and stimulating suckling were higher on LPS group (P < 0.05). Lambs whose mothers were challenged with LPS during late pregnancy showed greater learning and memory disabilities including fear behavior and the inability to make decisions at 30 days of age in the T-maze. In sheep, the immunological stress induced by LPS in late pregnancy promotes an inflammatory response characterized by specific rectal temperature and cortisol release profiles, improving maternal care that can increase offspring survival; however, the exposure of sheep fetuses to maternal inflammation causes cognitive impairment in lambs at 30 days of age, which could not be reduced by the behavioral interaction between the mother and offspring.
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Morgan JE, Channon S, Penny H, Waters CS. Longitudinal studies examining the impact of prenatal and subsequent episodes of maternal depression on offspring antisocial behaviour. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 30:5-40. [PMID: 31792693 PMCID: PMC7864821 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-019-01447-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Maternal depression is associated with adverse child outcomes including antisocial behaviour (ASB). Prospective longitudinal studies have focused on the timing and cumulative exposure to maternal depression to further delineate the association and mechanisms of effect. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesise and evaluate the findings of longitudinal studies of maternal depression and offspring antisocial behaviour. Three databases were searched (Psychinfo, Web of Science, and Medline). Twenty of 5936 studies met inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme criteria [Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (2017) CASP (cohort observation checklist). https://casp-uk.net/wpcontent/uploads/2018/01/CASP-Cohort-Study-Checklist.pdf ]. Results of individual studies were highly varied, using diverse analytical approaches and not all studies explored the independent effects of different episodes. Only three studies examined hypothesised mechanisms. Prenatal, postnatal, and later episodes of depression were all predictive of antisocial outcomes. One particular time period of depression exposure did not emerge as more predictive of offspring ASB than another. However, measures of maternal depression after the perinatal period were limited and typically included a one-off assessment of mothers' depressive symptoms that was concurrent to the assessment of offspring ASB. When cumulative exposure to maternal depression and specific timing effects were measured within the same study it was cumulative exposure that conferred the greatest risk for offspring ASB-particularly when this exposure began during the perinatal period. Findings are discussed in terms of limitations in the literature and highlight the need for future research to examine the biological and environmental mechanisms that underpin associations between maternal depression and offspring antisocial behaviour during different stages of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne E Morgan
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Sue Channon
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Helen Penny
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Cerith S Waters
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3AT, UK.
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Braun K, Bock J, Wainstock T, Matas E, Gaisler-Salomon I, Fegert J, Ziegenhain U, Segal M. Experience-induced transgenerational (re-)programming of neuronal structure and functions: Impact of stress prior and during pregnancy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 117:281-296. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Maternal stress during pregnancy induces depressive-like behavior only in female offspring and correlates to their hippocampal Avp and Oxt receptor expression. Behav Brain Res 2018; 353:1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Jenkins S, Harker A, Gibb R. Maternal Preconception Stress Alters Prefrontal Cortex Development in Long-Evans Rat Pups without Changing Maternal Care. Neuroscience 2018; 394:98-108. [PMID: 30366025 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Stress during development can shift the typical developmental trajectory. Maternal stress prior to conception has recently been shown to exert similar influences on the offspring. The present study questioned if a consistent maternal stressor prior to conception (elevated platform stress) would impact the pre-weaning development of offspring brain and behavior, and if maternal care was vulnerable to this experience. Adult female Long-Evans rats were subjected to elevated platform stress for 27 days prior to mating with non-stressed males. Maternal care was monitored, and pups were assessed in two tests of early behavioral development, negative geotaxis and open field. Pups were perfused at weaning and their brains were extracted and stained with Cresyl Violet, allowing gross measurements of cortical and subcortical structures and estimates of neuron density. Main findings indicate that a change in prefrontal cortical thickness is evident despite no change in maternal care. Female offspring show a decrease in medial-dorsal thalamus size. The current study failed to find an effect of maternal preconception stress on early behavioral development. These results suggest that the PFC, and likely behavior dependent on the PFC, is vulnerable to maternal preconception stress and that a strong sex effect is evident. Further studies should examine how such offspring fare using a lifespan model and investigate potential mechanisms responsible for these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Jenkins
- Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr W, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Allonna Harker
- Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr W, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Robbin Gibb
- Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr W, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada.
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Soliani FCDBG, Cabbia R, Kümpel VD, Batistela MF, Almeida AG, Yamauchi Junior L, Andrade TGCSD. Unpredictable chronic prenatal stress and manifestation of generalized anxiety and panic in rat's offspring. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 85:89-97. [PMID: 29596996 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Often the manifestation of anxiety cannot be explained by known environmental or hereditary factors. With this perspective, it has been reported that prenatal stress may lead to emotional disturbances in the offspring. However, studies relating prenatal stress to anxiety are controversial and generally the stressors used do not mimicks the reality experienced by mothers. Thus, this investigation evaluated the effects of an unpredictable chronic stress scheme applied in one of the three gestational weeks of rats on the manifestation of generalized anxiety and panic disorder in the progeny (males), analyzing, respectively, the avoidances and escapes in the elevated T-maze, at the 1st, 3rd or 6th month of progeny life. Control offspring showed increased generalized anxiety disorder and reduced panic at 6 months. The effects of prenatal stress depended on the gestational week where it occurred and on the progeny age: during the 1st gestational week the generalized anxiety decreased in 6 month old rats. Animals in the 3rd month, prenatally stressed during the last gestational week, showed anxiogenesis and panicogenesis, but effects reverted at the 6th month, when they presented anxiolysis and no changes related to panic. Together the results show that not only the gestational period in which the aversive experience occurred was important, but the age of the evaluated progeny, since the type and the intensity of behaviors related to anxiety may vary with the developmental stage. For the model of stress used in the present study, the effects of prenatal stress were more prominent when the exposure occurred during the 3rd gestational week in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafael Cabbia
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Sciences, Assis, SP, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Dias Kümpel
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Sciences, Assis, SP, Brazil
| | - Matheus Fitipaldi Batistela
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Sciences, Assis, SP, Brazil
| | - Amarylis Garcia Almeida
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Sciences, Assis, SP, Brazil
| | - Luiz Yamauchi Junior
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Sciences, Assis, SP, Brazil
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Cortisol, cortisone, and BDNF in amniotic fluid in the second trimester of pregnancy: Effect of early life and current maternal stress and socioeconomic status. Dev Psychopathol 2018; 30:971-980. [PMID: 29576035 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579418000147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The prenatal environment shapes the offspring's phenotype; moreover, transgenerational stress and stress during pregnancy may play a role. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glucocorticoids influence neurodevelopment during pregnancy, and there is evidence that BDNF in amniotic fluid is mainly of fetal origin, while the source of glucocorticoids is maternal. We tested the hypothesis that maternal early life stress, psychiatric diagnoses, anxiety, perceived stress, and socioeconomic status influence BDNF and glucocorticoid concentrations in amniotic fluid in the second trimester. We studied 79 pregnant women who underwent amniocentesis in the early second trimester and analyzed BDNF, cortisol, and cortisone concentrations in amniotic fluid. The endocrine data were related to maternal early life adversities (Childhood Trauma Questionaire), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), anxiety, socioeconomic status (family income), and the presence of psychiatric diseases. We found BDNF in amniotic fluid to be positively related to maternal early adversity (Childhood Trauma Questionaire). Low family income (socioeconomic status) was related to high amniotic fluid glucocorticoid concentrations. Neither glucocorticoid concentrations nor hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase (HSD2) activity could be related to BDNF concentrations in amniotic fluid. Early maternal adverse events may be reflected in the fetal BDNF regulation, and it should be tested whether this relates to differences in neurodevelopment.
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Moderating effects of maternal emotional availability on language and cognitive development in toddlers of mothers exposed to a natural disaster in pregnancy: The QF2011 Queensland Flood Study. Infant Behav Dev 2017; 49:296-309. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Jafari Z, Mehla J, Afrashteh N, Kolb BE, Mohajerani MH. Corticosterone response to gestational stress and postpartum memory function in mice. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180306. [PMID: 28692696 PMCID: PMC5503237 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal stress is a common adversity during pregnancy. Gestational corticosterone alternations are thought to contribute to the etiology of postpartum behavioral disturbances. However, the impact of stress during pregnancy, in particular noise exposure, on gestational corticosterone fluctuations and spatial cognition in postpartum mice has not been fully understood yet. We hypothesized that noise exposure during pregnancy negatively affects gestational corticosterone levels and postpartum memory function in the dams similar to the physical stressors. Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to either one of two stress conditions or a control condition. The noise stress (NS) was induced by presenting a loud intermittent 3000 Hz frequency on gestational days (GDs) 12, 14, and 16 for 24 hours, whereas the physical stress (PS) consisted of restraint and exposure to an elevated platform on GDs 12–16. Plasma corticosterone level was collected on GDs 11 and 17, and Morris water task (MWT) was carried out 30 days after parturition. Compared to the control group, the level of corticosterone in the stressed groups was significantly increased on GD17 relative to GD11. Significantly longer swim time and lower swim speed were observed in both stressed groups relative to the control group. Probe time was significantly shorter in the NS group than the other groups. The delta corticosterone level was significantly correlated with the swim time as well as the probe time in the three groups. Given the results, the adverse effects of gestational noise exposure on the hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and postpartum spatial learning and memory function were as large as/ or a bit stronger than the physical stresses. The findings suggest the significance of conservation against loud noise exposure in daily living, as well as need to further notice to the different aspects of gestational stress in mothers’ behavior like offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Jafari
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Science (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Jogender Mehla
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Navvab Afrashteh
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Bryan E. Kolb
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
- * E-mail: (BEK); (MHM)
| | - Majid H. Mohajerani
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
- * E-mail: (BEK); (MHM)
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Neonatal overfeeding disrupts pituitary ghrelin signalling in female rats long-term; Implications for the stress response. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173498. [PMID: 28282447 PMCID: PMC5345806 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to psychological stress are exacerbated in adult female but not male rats made obese due to overfeeding in early life. Ghrelin, traditionally known for its role in energy homeostasis, has been recently recognised for its role in coordinating the HPA responses to stress, particularly by acting directly at the anterior pituitary where the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), the receptor for acyl ghrelin, is abundantly expressed. We therefore hypothesised that neonatal overfeeding in female rats would compromise pituitary responsiveness to ghrelin, contributing to a hyperactive central stress responsiveness. Unlike in males where hypothalamic ghrelin signalling is compromised by neonatal overfeeding, there was no effect of early life diet on circulating ghrelin or hypothalamic ghrelin signalling in females, indicating hypothalamic feeding and metabolic ghrelin circuitry remains intact. However, neonatal overfeeding did lead to long-term alterations in the pituitary ghrelin system. The neonatally overfed females had increased neonatal and reduced adult expression of GHSR and ghrelin-O-acyl transferase (GOAT) in the pituitary as well as reduced pituitary responsiveness to exogenous acyl ghrelin-induced adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release in vitro. These data suggest that neonatal overfeeding dysregulates pituitary ghrelin signalling long-term in females, potentially accounting for the hyper-responsive HPA axis in these animals. These findings have implications for how females may respond to stress throughout life, suggesting the way ghrelin modifies the stress response at the level of the pituitary may be less efficient in the neonatally overfed.
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McCarty R. Cross-fostering: Elucidating the effects of gene×environment interactions on phenotypic development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 73:219-254. [PMID: 28034661 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Cross-fostering of litters from soon after birth until weaning is a valuable tool to study the ways in which gene×environment interactions program the development of neural, physiological and behavioral characteristics of mammalian species. In laboratory mice and rats, the primary focus of this review, cross-fostering of litters between mothers of different strains or treatment groups (intraspecific) or between mothers of different species (interspecific) has been conducted over the past 9 decades. Areas of particular interest have included maternal effects on emotionality, social preferences, responses to stressful stimulation, nutrition and growth, blood pressure regulation, and epigenetic effects on brain development and behavior. Results from these areas of research highlight the critical role of the postnatal maternal environment in programming the development of offspring phenotypic characteristics. In addition, experimental paradigms that have included cross-fostering have permitted investigators to tease apart prenatal versus postnatal effects of various treatments on offspring development and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard McCarty
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240 USA.
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Cord Blood DNA Methylation Biomarkers for Predicting Neurodevelopmental Outcomes. Genes (Basel) 2016; 7:genes7120117. [PMID: 27918480 PMCID: PMC5192493 DOI: 10.3390/genes7120117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 11/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Adverse environmental exposures in pregnancy can significantly alter the development of the fetus resulting in impaired child neurodevelopment. Such exposures can lead to epigenetic alterations like DNA methylation, which may be a marker of poor cognitive, motor and behavioral outcomes in the infant. Here we review studies that have assessed DNA methylation in cord blood following maternal exposures that may impact neurodevelopment of the child. We also highlight some key studies to illustrate the potential for DNA methylation to successfully identify infants at risk for poor outcomes. While the current evidence is limited, in that observations to date are largely correlational, in time and with larger cohorts analyzed and longer term follow-up completed, we may be able to develop epigenetic biomarkers that not only indicate adverse early life exposures but can also be used to identify individuals likely to be at an increased risk of impaired neurodevelopment even in the absence of detailed information regarding prenatal environment.
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Bock J, Wainstock T, Braun K, Segal M. Stress In Utero: Prenatal Programming of Brain Plasticity and Cognition. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:315-26. [PMID: 25863359 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.02.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Animal studies confirm earlier anecdotal observations in humans to indicate that early life experience has a profound impact on adult behavior, years after the original experience has vanished. These studies also highlight the role of early life adversaries in the shaping of a disordered brain. Evidence is accumulating to indicate that the epigenome, through which the environment regulates gene expression, is responsible for long-lasting effects of stress during pregnancy on brain and behavior. A possible differential effect of the environment on the epigenome may underlie the observation that only a small fraction of a population with similar genetic background deteriorates into mental disorders. Considerable progress has been made in the untangling of the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate emotional brain development. The present review focuses on the lasting effects of prenatal stress on brain plasticity and cognitive functions in human and rodent models. Although human studies stress the significance of early life experience in functional maturation, they lack the rigor inherent in controlled animal experiments. Furthermore, the analysis of molecular and cellular mechanisms affected by prenatal stress is possible only in experimental animals. The present review attempts to link human and animal studies while proposing molecular mechanisms that interfere with functional brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joerg Bock
- Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (JB, KB), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tamar Wainstock
- Rollins School of Public Health (TW), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Katharina Braun
- Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (JB, KB), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Menahem Segal
- Department of Neurobiology (MS) Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel.
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Pereira AS, Giusti-Paiva A, Vilela FC. Central corticosterone disrupts behavioral and neuroendocrine responses during lactation. Neurosci Lett 2015; 606:88-93. [PMID: 26297864 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Revised: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Administration of a high dose of chronic peripheral corticosterone during the postpartum period has been shown to lead to reduced maternal care, but the interference of acute corticosterone, mimicking a situation of acute stress, on maternal behavior has not been well established. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the influence of acute central corticosterone on behavioral and neuroendocrine responses during lactation. On day 7 of lactation, female rats were treated with vehicle (5 μL; i.c.v.) or corticosterone (10 ng/5 μL; i.c.v.) 30 min before the start of the experiment. To evaluate maternal behavior, the pups were returned to the side of their home cages opposite the previous nest, and the resulting behavior of the lactating rats was filmed for the next 30 min. Plasma levels of oxytocin and the amount of milk consumed by the pups were evaluated 15 min after the onset of suckling. In addition, the double-labeled c-Fos/oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) and c-Fos immunoreactivity in medial preoptic area (MPOA) neurons were quantified for each lactating rat. Corticosterone decreased maternal care, plasma oxytocin levels, milk consumption by the pups, the activation of oxytocinergic neurons in hypothalamic nuclei, and c-Fos immunoreactivity in MPOA neurons. Our results indicate that changes in the behavioral responses of lactating rats treated with corticosterone may be related to disruption of the neuroendocrine control of oxytocin secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline S Pereira
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas (Unifal-MG), Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Giusti-Paiva
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas (Unifal-MG), Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Programa Multicêntrico de Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Sociedade Brasileira de Fisiologia (SBFis), Brazil
| | - Fabiana C Vilela
- Programa Multicêntrico de Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Sociedade Brasileira de Fisiologia (SBFis), Brazil.
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Del Cerro MCR, Ortega E, Gómez F, Segovia S, Pérez-Laso C. Environmental prenatal stress eliminates brain and maternal behavioral sex differences and alters hormone levels in female rats. Horm Behav 2015; 73:142-7. [PMID: 26163152 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Revised: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Environmental prenatal stress (EPS) has effects on fetuses that are long-lasting, altering their hormone levels, brain morphology and behavior when they reach maturity. In previous research, we demonstrated that EPS affects the expression of induced maternal behavior (MB), the neuroendocrine system, and morphology of the sexually dimorphic accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) involved in reproductive behavior patterns. The bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract (BAOT) is another vomeronasal (VN) structure that plays an inhibitory role in rats in the expression of induced maternal behavior in female and male virgins. In the present study, we have ascertained whether the behavioral, neuroendocrine, and neuromorphological alterations of the AOB found after EPS also appear in the BAOT. After applying EPS to pregnant rats during the late gestational period, in their female offspring at maturity we tested induced maternal behavior, BAOT morphology and plasma levels of testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (Cpd B). EPS: a) affected the induction of MB, showed a male-like pattern of care for pups, b) elevated plasma levels of Cpd B and reduced E2 in comparison with the controls, and c) significantly increased the number of BAOT neurons compared to the control females and comparable to the control male group. These findings provide further evidence that stress applied to pregnant rats produces long-lasting behavioral, endocrine and neuroanatomical alterations in the female offspring that are evident when they become mature.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C R Del Cerro
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia C/ Juan del Rosal 10, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - E Ortega
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Avda. de Madrid s/n°, Granada, Spain
| | - F Gómez
- Centro de Salud Joaquín Rodrigo, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Área 11 AP, Madrid, Spain
| | - S Segovia
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia C/ Juan del Rosal 10, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - C Pérez-Laso
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia C/ Juan del Rosal 10, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Effects of prenatal and postnatal depression, and maternal stroking, at the glucocorticoid receptor gene. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e560. [PMID: 25942041 PMCID: PMC4471282 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Revised: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In animal models, prenatal and postnatal stress is associated with elevated hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) reactivity mediated via altered glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene expression. Postnatal tactile stimulation is associated with reduced HPA reactivity mediated via increased GR gene expression. In this first study in humans to examine the joint effects of prenatal and postnatal environmental exposures, we report that GR gene (NR3C1) 1-F promoter methylation in infants is elevated in the presence of increased maternal postnatal depression following low prenatal depression, and that this effect is reversed by self-reported stroking of the infants by their mothers over the first weeks of life.
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Gobinath AR, Mahmoud R, Galea LAM. Influence of sex and stress exposure across the lifespan on endophenotypes of depression: focus on behavior, glucocorticoids, and hippocampus. Front Neurosci 2015; 8:420. [PMID: 25610363 PMCID: PMC4285110 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences exist in vulnerability, symptoms, and treatment of many neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss both preclinical and clinical research that investigates how sex influences depression endophenotypes at the behavioral, neuroendocrine, and neural levels across the lifespan. Chronic exposure to stress is a risk factor for depression and we discuss how stress during the prenatal, postnatal, and adolescent periods differentially affects males and females depending on the method of stress and metric examined. Given that the integrity of the hippocampus is compromised in depression, we specifically focus on sex differences in how hippocampal plasticity is affected by stress and depression across the lifespan. In addition, we examine how female physiology predisposes depression in adulthood, specifically in postpartum and perimenopausal periods. Finally, we discuss the underrepresentation of women in both preclinical and clinical research and how this limits our understanding of sex differences in vulnerability, presentation, and treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarthi R Gobinath
- Program in Neuroscience, Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Rand Mahmoud
- Program in Neuroscience, Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Program in Neuroscience, Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada ; Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Sharp H, Hill J, Hellier J, Pickles A. Maternal antenatal anxiety, postnatal stroking and emotional problems in children: outcomes predicted from pre- and postnatal programming hypotheses. Psychol Med 2015; 45:269-283. [PMID: 25068652 PMCID: PMC4301199 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291714001342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Revised: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mothers' self-reported stroking of their infants over the first weeks of life modifies the association between prenatal depression and physiological and emotional reactivity at 7 months, consistent with animal studies of the effects of tactile stimulation. We now investigate whether the effects of maternal stroking persist to 2.5 years. Given animal and human evidence for sex differences in the effects of prenatal stress we compare associations in boys and girls. METHOD From a general population sample of 1233 first-time mothers recruited at 20 weeks gestation we drew a random sample of 316 for assessment at 32 weeks, stratified by reported inter-partner psychological abuse, a risk indicator for child development. Of these mothers, 243 reported at 5 and 9 weeks how often they stroked their infants, and completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at 2.5 years post-delivery. RESULTS There was a significant interaction between prenatal anxiety and maternal stroking in the prediction of CBCL internalizing (p = 0.001) and anxious/depressed scores (p < 0.001). The effects were stronger in females than males, and the three-way interaction prenatal anxiety × maternal stroking × sex of infant was significant for internalizing symptoms (p = 0.003). The interactions arose from an association between prenatal anxiety and internalizing symptoms only in the presence of low maternal stroking. CONCLUSIONS The findings are consistent with stable epigenetic effects, many sex specific, reported in animal studies. While epigenetic mechanisms may be underlying the associations, it remains to be established whether stroking affects gene expression in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Sharp
- Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - J. Hill
- Institute of Brain, Behaviour and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - J. Hellier
- Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - A. Pickles
- Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
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Coulon M, Lévy F, Ravel C, Nowak R, Boissy A. Mild effects of gestational stress and social reactivity on the onset of mother-young interactions and bonding in sheep. Stress 2014; 17:460-70. [PMID: 25256606 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2014.969238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Consequences of prenatal stress on mother-young relationships are well-documented in altricial mammals but less so in precocial mammals. In this study, we investigated the effects of unpredictable aversive events on maternal behavior and mutual mother-young recognition in pregnant ewes while accounting for modulatory effects of ewe reactivity. From a population of 120 Romane-breed ewes, we selected 20 high-responsive (HR) and 20 low-responsive (LR) ewes according to pre-mating reactivity assessed in isolation tests. Over the final third of pregnancy, 10 HR ewes and 10 LR ewes were exposed daily to various aversive events such as social isolation, mixing and transport (stressed ewes), while the other 20 ewes were not exposed to aversive events (control ewes). Although the treatment induced chronic stress, physiologically confirmed by an increase in salivary cortisol following transport and sham shearing, maternal behavior of stressed ewes observed during the first 30 min postpartum and in the selectivity test 1 h 30 min later did not differ from controls. However, in a maternal motivation test performed 48 h postpartum, stressed ewes vocalized less than controls when separated from their lambs, and walked less readily past an unknown object to reach their lambs. Lambs of stressed ewes spent more time near their dam in a preference test performed 15 h after birth compared to control-ewe lambs. HR ewes spent more time grooming their lambs than LR ewes. We posit that domestication could have selected animals displaying robust expression of maternal behavior related to social reactivity and producing offspring that are better adapted to challenging situations.
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Maternal depression, anxiety and stress during pregnancy and child outcome; what needs to be done. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2014; 28:25-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2013.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 454] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2013] [Revised: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 08/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Sickmann HM, Li Y, Mørk A, Sanchez C, Gulinello M. Does stress elicit depression? Evidence from clinical and preclinical studies. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2014; 18:123-159. [PMID: 24633891 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2014_292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to stressful situations may induce or deteriorate an already existing depression. Stress-related depression can be elicited at an adolescent/adult age but evidence also shows that early adverse experiences even at the fetal stage may predispose the offspring for later development of depression. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) plays a key role in regulating the stress response and dysregulation in the system has been linked to depression both in humans and in animal models. This chapter critically reviews clinical and preclinical findings that may explain how stress can cause depression, including HPA-axis changes and alterations beyond the HPA-axis. As stress does not elicit depression in the majority of the population, this motivated research to focus on understanding the biology underlying resilient versus sensitive subjects. Animal models of depression have contributed to a deeper understanding of these mechanisms. Findings from these models will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helle M Sickmann
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Exposure to toluene and stress during pregnancy impairs pups' growth and dams' lactation. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2013; 40:9-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2013.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2013] [Revised: 07/11/2013] [Accepted: 07/31/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Moriyama C, Galic MA, Mychasiuk R, Pittman QJ, Perrot TS, Currie RW, Esser MJ. Prenatal transport stress, postnatal maternal behavior, and offspring sex differentially affect seizure susceptibility in young rats. Epilepsy Behav 2013; 29:19-27. [PMID: 23920381 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a heterogeneous and chronic neurological condition of undefined etiology in the majority of cases. Similarly, the pathogenesis of the unprovoked seizures that lead to epilepsy is not known. We are interested in the factors that modify inherent seizure susceptibility, with a particular focus on those occurring during the prenatal and early postnatal periods. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were bred in-house or transported during pregnancy at one of two gestational days (G9 or G16). The effects of transport stress, maternal behavior, and offspring sex were then examined in terms of how they were related to provoked seizure susceptibility to kainic acid (KA) or a model of febrile convulsions (FCs) on postnatal day 14 (P14). We also examined the pattern of neuronal activation in the hippocampus and amygdala as indicated by the density of FosB protein immunoreactivity (FosB-ir). Results demonstrated only a small and inconsistent effect of transport alone, suggesting that the groups differed slightly prior to experimental manipulations. However, the influence of maternal behaviors such as licking and grooming (LG), arched back nursing (ABN), and dam-off time (DO) exerted a much stronger effect on the offspring. Dams designated as high LG gave birth to smaller litters, had pups that weighed less, had greater seizure susceptibility and severity, and had more FosB-ir neurons predominantly in the ventral hippocampus and the medial subnucleus of the amygdala (MeA). We also found a sex-dependent effect such that P14 males were smaller than their female littermates and had a greater seizure susceptibility and severity. Taken together, these results suggest an impact of prenatal and postnatal factors, as well as sex, on seizure susceptibility in young animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chikako Moriyama
- Department of Medical Neurosciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Niknazar S, Nahavandi A, Najafi R, Danialy S, Zare Mehrjerdi F, Karimi M. Parents’ adulthood stress induces behavioral and hormonal alterations in male rat offspring. Behav Brain Res 2013; 252:136-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2013] [Revised: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Pérez-Laso C, Ortega E, Martín JLR, Pérez-Izquierdo MA, Gómez F, Segovia S, Del Cerro MCR. Maternal care interacts with prenatal stress in altering sexual dimorphism in male rats. Horm Behav 2013; 64:624-33. [PMID: 23994571 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Revised: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The present study analyzes the interaction between prenatal stress and mother's behavior on brain, hormonal, and behavioral development of male offspring in rats. It extends to males our previous findings, in females, that maternal care can alter behavioral dimorphism that becomes evident in the neonates when they mature. Experiment 1 compares the maternal behavior of foster mothers toward cross-fostered pups versus mothers rearing their own litters. Experiment 2 ascertains the induced "maternal" behavior of the male pups, derived from Experiment 1 when they reached maturity. The most striking effect was that the males non-exposed to the stress as fetuses and raised by stressed foster mothers showed the highest levels of "maternal" behavior of all the groups (i.e., induction of maternal behavior and retrieving behavior), not differing from the control, unstressed, female groups. Furthermore, those males showed significantly fewer olfactory bulb mitral cells than the control males that were non-stressed as fetuses and raised by their own non-stressed mothers. They also presented the lowest levels of plasma testosterone of all the male groups. The present findings provide evidence that prenatal environmental stress can "demasculinize" the behavior, brain anatomy and hormone secretion in the male fetuses expressed when they reach maturity. Moreover, the nature of the maternal care received by neonates can affect the behavior and physiology that they express at maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Pérez-Laso
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, C/Juan del Rosal 10, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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de Souza MA, Centenaro LA, Menegotto PR, Henriques TP, Bonini J, Achaval M, Lucion AB. Prenatal stress produces social behavior deficits and alters the number of oxytocin and vasopressin neurons in adult rats. Neurochem Res 2013; 38:1479-89. [PMID: 23624943 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-013-1049-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2013] [Revised: 03/31/2013] [Accepted: 04/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated the long-lasting effects of prenatal repeated restraint stress on social behavior and anxiety, as well as its repercussions on oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP)-positive neurons of the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei from stressed pups in adulthood. Female Wistar rats were exposed to restraint stress in the last 7 days of pregnancy. At birth, pups were cross-fostered and assigned to the following groups: prenatally non-stressed offspring raised by prenatally non-stressed mothers (NS:NS), prenatally non-stressed offspring raised by prenatally stressed mothers (S:NS), prenatally stressed offspring raised by prenatally non-stressed mothers (NS:S), prenatally stressed offspring raised by prenatally stressed mothers (S:S). As adults, male prenatally stressed offspring raised both by stressed mothers (S:S group) and non-stressed ones (NS:S group) showed impaired social memory and interaction. In addition, when both adverse conditions coexisted (S:S group), increased anxiety-like behavior and aggressiveness was observed in association with a decrease in the number of OT-positive magnocellular neurons, VP-positive magnocellular and parvocellular neurons of the PVN. The NS:S group exhibited a reduction in the amount of VP-positive magnocellular neurons compared to the S:NS. Thus, the social behavior deficits observed in the S:S and NS:S groups may be only partially associated with these alterations to the peptidergic systems. No changes were shown in the OT and VP cellular composition of the SON nucleus. Nevertheless, it is clear that a special attention should be given to the gestational period, since stressful events during this time may be related to the emergence of behavioral impairments in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Alves de Souza
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Fisiologia, Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Sarmento Leite, 500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90050-170, Brazil.
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The effects of prenatal and postnatal environmental interaction: prenatal environmental adaptation hypothesis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 107:483-92. [PMID: 23624396 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphysparis.2013.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Revised: 04/13/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Adverse antenatal maternal environments during pregnancy influence fetal development that consequently increases risks of mental health problems including psychiatric disorders in offspring. Therefore, behavioral and brain alterations caused by adverse prenatal environmental conditions are generally considered as deficits. In this article, we propose a novel hypothesis, along with summarizing a body of literatures supporting it, that fetal neurodevelopmental alterations, particularly synaptic network changes occurring in the prefrontal cortex, associated with adverse prenatal environmental conditions may be adaptation to cope with expected severe postnatal environments, and therefore, psychiatric disorders may be able to be understood as adaptive strategies against severe environmental conditions through evolution. It is hoped that the hypothesis presented in this article stimulates and opens a new venue on research toward understanding of biological mechanisms and therapeutic treatments of psychiatric disorders.
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Guibert F, Lumineau S, Kotrschal K, Möstl E, Richard-Yris MA, Houdelier C. Trans-generational effects of prenatal stress in quail. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 280:20122368. [PMID: 23256192 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The prenatal environment is a source of phenotypic variability influencing the animal's characteristics. Prenatal stress affects not only the development of offspring, but also that of the following generation. Such effects have been best documented in mammals but can also be observed in birds, suggesting common processes across phylogenetic orders. We found previously that Japanese quail females stressed during laying produced offspring with higher fearfulness, probably related to modulation of testosterone levels in their eggs. Here, we evaluated long-term effects of prenatal stress by analysing reproductive traits of these F(1) offspring and, then, the development of their subsequent (F(2)) offspring. The sexual behaviour of F(1) prenatally stressed (F1PS) males was impaired. F1PS females' eggs contained less yolk and more albumen, and higher yolk testosterone and progesterone levels than did F(1) prenatal control females. The fearfulness of F(2) prenatally stressed quail was greater than that of F(2) prenatal control quail. These F(2) behavioural differences paralleled those evidenced by their parents, suggesting trans-generational transmission of prenatal stress effects, probably mediated by egg compositions of F1PS females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floriane Guibert
- UMR-CNRS 6552 Ethologie animale et humaine, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
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Abstract
Health disparities research spans multiple fields and methods and documents strong links between social disadvantage and poor health. Associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and health are often taken as evidence for the causal impact of SES on health, but alternative explanations, including the impact of health on SES, are plausible. Studies showing the influence of parents' SES on their children's health provide evidence for a causal pathway from SES to health, but have limitations. Health disparities researchers face tradeoffs between "rigor" and "vigor" in designing studies that demonstrate how social disadvantage becomes biologically embedded and results in poorer health. Rigorous designs aim to maximize precision in the measurement of SES and health outcomes through methods that provide the greatest control over temporal ordering and causal direction. To achieve precision, many studies use a single SES predictor and single disease. However, doing so oversimplifies the multifaceted, entwined nature of social disadvantage and may overestimate the impact of that one variable and underestimate the true impact of social disadvantage on health. In addition, SES effects on overall health and functioning are likely to be greater than effects on any one disease. Vigorous designs aim to capture this complexity and maximize ecological validity through more complete assessment of social disadvantage and health status, but may provide less-compelling evidence of causality. Newer approaches to both measurement and analysis may enable enhanced vigor as well as rigor. Incorporating both rigor and vigor into studies will provide a fuller understanding of the causes of health disparities.
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O'Donnell KJ, Bugge Jensen A, Freeman L, Khalife N, O'Connor TG, Glover V. Maternal prenatal anxiety and downregulation of placental 11β-HSD2. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:818-26. [PMID: 22001010 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 301] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2011] [Revised: 09/23/2011] [Accepted: 09/23/2011] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Raised maternal anxiety during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes for her child. The mechanisms underlying this are not known but animal studies suggest prenatal stress may alter the function of the placenta. Here we determined whether maternal prenatal anxiety was associated with a downregulation of placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2), the enzyme which metabolises cortisol. METHODS We recruited mothers the day before delivery by elective caesarean, and gave them the Spielberger Trait and State anxiety and Edinburgh Depression self-rating scales. Placentae were collected and aliquots stored for later analysis. RESULTS Prenatal Trait anxiety was negatively correlated with placental 11β-HSD2 mRNA expression (r=-0.40, p<0.01, n=56). Results were similar with male and female fetuses (r=-0.39, p=0.04, n=28; r=-0.40, p=0.03, n=28) respectively. Results were also significant with State anxiety (r=-0.27, p=0.05, n=56) but somewhat weaker for depression (r=-0.20, p=0.13, n=56). Preliminary analyses on a subset of cases (n=25) suggested parallel results for enzyme activity. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide evidence for an association between prenatal maternal mood and downregulation of placental 11β-HSD2. Results are consistent with raised maternal anxiety being associated with increased fetal exposure to maternal cortisol, and support the hypothesis that this may be one mechanism underlying fetal programming by prenatal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieran J O'Donnell
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.
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Abdul Aziz NHK, Kendall DA, Pardon MC. Prenatal exposure to chronic mild stress increases corticosterone levels in the amniotic fluid and induces cognitive deficits in female offspring, improved by treatment with the antidepressant drug amitriptyline. Behav Brain Res 2012; 231:29-39. [PMID: 22409976 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.02.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2011] [Revised: 02/22/2012] [Accepted: 02/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal stress and associated in utero exposure to elevated levels of stress hormones can adversely affect the development of the central nervous system, thereby increasing the risk of mental illnesses in later life. Here, we examined the impact of prenatal exposure to chronic mild stress (CMS) on locomotion, anxiety-related behaviour, cognition and hippocampal serotonergic neurotransmission in juvenile and adult B6D2F2 mice, and whether antidepressant treatment in adulthood could reverse the observed behavioural disturbances. Pregnant B6D2F1 female mice were either subjected to CMS or left undisturbed until parturition. Three-week and 7-week-old male and female offspring were assessed in the open-field, novel object recognition and contextual fear conditioning tests. Hippocampal levels of serotonin and its major metabolite were then quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Some prenatally-stressed adult females were treated with amitriptyline (20mg/kg/day in drinking water) for 10 days, from the day prior to onset of behavioural testing. In a separate experiment, amniotic fluid was collected from stressed and non-stressed dams on gestational (G) days 13 and 18 to quantify levels of corticosterone. We found that prenatal CMS specifically impaired learning and memory performance in adult females. Amitriptyline elevated hippocampal serotonin levels and attenuated these cognitive deficits. Corticosterone levels in the amniotic fluid were increased by CMS on G13 but by G18, the levels in non-stressed dams reached those of stressed dams. These results suggest that female mice are particularly vulnerable to the adverse developmental effects of prenatal stress which can be improved by appropriate treatment strategies including antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- N H K Abdul Aziz
- Neurodegeneration Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
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Sadler TR, Nguyen PT, Yang J, Givrad TK, Mayer EA, Maarek JMI, Hinton DR, Holschneider DP. Antenatal maternal stress alters functional brain responses in adult offspring during conditioned fear. Brain Res 2012; 1385:163-74. [PMID: 21300034 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.01.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2010] [Revised: 12/10/2010] [Accepted: 01/29/2011] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Antenatal maternal stress has been shown in rodent models and in humans to result in altered behavioral and neuroendocrine responses, yet little is known about its effects on functional brain activation. Pregnant female rats received a daily foot-shock stress or sham-stress two days after testing plug-positive and continuing for the duration of their pregnancy. Adult male offspring (age 14 weeks) with and without prior maternal stress (MS) were exposed to an auditory fear conditioning (CF) paradigm. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was assessed during recall of the tone cue in the nonsedated, nontethered animal using the ((14))C-iodoantipyrine method, in which the tracer was administered intravenously by remote activation of an implantable minipump. Regional CBF distribution was examined by autoradiography and analyzed by statistical parametric mapping in the three-dimensionally reconstructed brains. Presence of fear memory was confirmed by behavioral immobility ("freezing"). Corticosterone plasma levels during the CF paradigm were measured by ELISA in a separate group of rats. Antenatal MS exposure altered functional brain responses to the fear conditioned cue in adult offspring. Rats with prior MS exposure compared to those without demonstrated heightened fear responsivity, exaggerated and prolonged corticosterone release, increased functional cerebral activation of limbic/paralimbic regions (amygdala, ventral hippocampus, insula, ventral striatum, and nucleus accumbens), the locus coeruleus, and white matter, and deactivation of medial prefrontal cortical regions. Dysregulation of corticolimbic circuits may represent risk factors in the future development of anxiety disorders and associated alterations in emotional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore R Sadler
- Department of Pathology, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Sharp H, Pickles A, Meaney M, Marshall K, Tibu F, Hill J. Frequency of infant stroking reported by mothers moderates the effect of prenatal depression on infant behavioural and physiological outcomes. PLoS One 2012; 7:e45446. [PMID: 23091594 PMCID: PMC3473033 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2012] [Accepted: 08/20/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal studies find that prenatal stress is associated with increased physiological and emotional reactivity later in life, mediated via fetal programming of the HPA axis through decreased glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene expression. Post-natal behaviours, notably licking and grooming in rats, cause decreased behavioural indices of fear and reduced HPA axis reactivity mediated via increased GR gene expression. Post-natal maternal behaviours may therefore be expected to modify prenatal effects, but this has not previously been examined in humans. We examined whether, according to self-report, maternal stroking over the first weeks of life modified associations between prenatal depression and physiological and behavioral outcomes in infancy, hence mimicking effects of rodent licking and grooming. From a general population sample of 1233 first time mothers recruited at 20 weeks gestation we drew a stratified random sample of 316 for assessment at 32 weeks based on reported inter-partner psychological abuse, a risk to child development. Of these 271 provided data at 5, 9 and 29 weeks post delivery. Mothers reported how often they stroked their babies at 5 and 9 weeks. At 29 weeks vagal withdrawal to a stressor, a measure of physiological adaptability, and maternal reported negative emotionality were assessed. There was a significant interaction between prenatal depression and maternal stroking in the prediction of vagal reactivity to a stressor (p = .01), and maternal reports of infant anger proneness (p = .007) and fear (p = .043). Increasing maternal depression was associated with decreasing physiological adaptability, and with increasing negative emotionality, only in the presence of low maternal stroking. These initial findings in humans indicate that maternal stroking in infancy, as reported by mothers, has effects strongly resembling the effects of observed maternal behaviours in animals, pointing to future studies of the epigenetic, physiological and behavioral effects of maternal stroking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Sharp
- Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
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de Souza MA, Szawka RE, Centenaro LA, Diehl LA, Lucion AB. Prenatal stress produces sex differences in nest odor preference. Physiol Behav 2011; 105:850-5. [PMID: 22037198 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2011] [Revised: 10/12/2011] [Accepted: 10/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal stress (PS) and early postnatal environment may alter maternal care. Infant rats learn to identify their mother through the association between maternal care and familiar odors. Female Wistar rats were exposed to restraint stress for 30 min, 4 sessions per day, in the last 7 days of pregnancy. At birth, pups were cross-fostered and assigned to the following groups: prenatal non-stressed mothers raising non-stressed pups (NS:NS), prenatal stressed mothers raising non-stressed pups (S:NS), prenatal non-stressed mothers raising stressed pups (NS:S), prenatal stressed mothers raising stressed pups (S:S). Maternal behaviors were assessed during 6 postpartum days. On postnatal day (PND) 7, the behavior of male and female pups was analyzed in the odor preference test; and noradrenaline (NA) activity in olfactory bulb (OB) was measured. The results showed that restraint stress increased plasma levels of corticosterone on gestational day 15. After parturition, PS reduced maternal care, decreasing licking the pups and increasing frequency outside the nest. Female pups from the NS:S, S:NS, S:S groups and male pups from the S:S group showed no nest odor preference. Thus, at day 7, female pups that were submitted to perinatal interventions showed more impairment in the nest odor preference test than male pups. No changes were detected in the NA activity in the OB. In conclusion, repeated restraint stress during the last week of gestation reduces maternal care and reduces preference for a familiar odor in rat pups in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Alves de Souza
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Sarmento Leite, 500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90050-170, Brazil.
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Differential regional brain responses to induced maternal behavior in rats measured by cytochrome oxidase immunohistochemistry. Behav Brain Res 2011; 223:293-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.04.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2011] [Revised: 04/26/2011] [Accepted: 04/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Prenatal stress and neonatal handling induce sex-specific changes in dendritic complexity and dendritic spine density in hippocampal subregions of prepubertal rats. Neuroscience 2011; 193:34-43. [PMID: 21807071 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.07.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2011] [Revised: 07/11/2011] [Accepted: 07/14/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Maternal stress during gestation in humans and experimental animals can result in emotional and cognitive dysfunction in the offspring. To facilitate our understanding of the underlying neuronal changes induced by prenatal stress (PNS), the dendritic and synaptic development was analyzed in three-dimensionally reconstructed Golgi-impregnated neurons in the hippocampal formation of offspring from pregnant dams which were stressed from day 15-20 by varied stressors. The analysis was focused on prepubertal rats and on the comparison of stress vulnerabilities in male and female offspring. In the hippocampal CA1 region PNS increased spine density on pyramidal neurons only in males, which thereby reached the levels observed in control females. On granular neurons of the dentate gyrus, PNS altered spine-density, dendritic length and dendritic complexity in opposite directions in males and females. In the CA3 area, PNS resulted in shorter and less complex dendrites in both sexes compared with unstressed controls. Another aim was to assess whether neonatal environmental interventions, such as handling (H) during the first 10 postnatal days, can reverse PNS-induced neuronal changes. We show here for the first time that H can "reverse" or prevent PNS-induced changes in spine density and dendritic length and complexity in a sex-, region- and dendrite-specific manner. These findings indicate that the sex-specific changes of neuronal and synaptic features in the hippocampal formation may represent a neuronal substrate of the stress-induced behavioral alterations and that these changes can be partly "normalized" by neonatal interventions.
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Sullivan AW, Hamilton P, Patisaul HB. Neonatal agonism of ERβ impairs male reproductive behavior and attractiveness. Horm Behav 2011; 60:185-94. [PMID: 21554883 PMCID: PMC3126896 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2011] [Revised: 04/19/2011] [Accepted: 04/19/2011] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The organization of the developing male rodent brain is profoundly influenced by endogenous steroids, most notably estrogen. This process may be disrupted by estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) resulting in altered sex behavior and the capacity to attract a mate in adulthood. To better understand the relative role each estrogen receptor (ER) subtype (ERα and ERβ) plays in mediating these effects, we exposed male Long Evans rats to estradiol benzoate (EB, 10 μg), vehicle, or agonists specific for ERβ (DPN, 1 mg/kg) or ERα (PPT, 1 mg/kg) daily for the first four days of life, and then assessed adult male reproductive behavior and attractiveness via a partner preference paradigm. DPN had a greater adverse impact than PPT on reproductive behavior, suggesting a functional role for ERβ in the organization of these male-specific behaviors. Therefore the impact of neonatal ERβ agonism was further investigated by repeating the experiment using vehicle, EB and additional DPN doses (0.5 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg, and 2 mg/kg bw). Exposure to DPN suppressed male reproductive behavior and attractiveness in a dose dependent manner. Finally, males were exposed to EB or an environmentally relevant dose of genistein (GEN, 10 mg/kg), a naturally occurring xenoestrogen, which has a higher relative binding affinity for ERβ than ERα. Sexual performance was impaired by GEN but not attractiveness. In addition to suppressing reproductive behavior and attractiveness, EB exposure significantly lowered the testis to body weight ratio, and circulating testosterone levels. DPN and GEN exposure only impaired behavior, suggesting that disrupted androgen secretion does not underlie the impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana W Sullivan
- Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27695, USA
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Zohar I, Weinstock M. Differential effect of prenatal stress on the expression of corticotrophin-releasing hormone and its receptors in the hypothalamus and amygdala in male and female rats. J Neuroendocrinol 2011; 23:320-8. [PMID: 21306450 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02117.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The present study examined the effect of prenatal stress in rats from days 13-20 of gestation on anxiogenic behaviour in the elevated plus maze (EPM) together with changes in the gene expression of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), its receptors, CRHR1 and CRHR2, as well as CRH binding protein (CRH-BP) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and amygdala of their male and female offspring. Both prenatally-stressed (PS) males and females showed heightened anxiety in the EPM. Prenatal stress did not alter the gene expression of CRH or its receptors in the male PVN, although it decreased CRH-BP mRNA, which could augment the activity of free CRH. In the PVN of PS females, there was an increase in the expression of CRH, coupled with a decrease in that of CRHR2 and CRH-BP. These changes are compatible with the greater activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis to stress in females. Anxiogenic behaviour of PS rats was associated with a reduction of CRHR2 mRNA and of CRH-BP mRNA in the amygdala of males and an increase in CRH mRNA and decrease in CRHR2 mRNA in females. Two hours after acute stress of exposure to the elevated plus maze in which heightened anxiety was manifested, increases were seen only in the amygdala of females in CRH and CRHR1 signalling, whereas CRHR2 mRNA was reduced in both sexes. The data show that both prenatal stress and acute stress in adulthood have a differential sex-dependent effect on the expression of CRH its receptors and binding protein in the PVN and amygdala of rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Zohar
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Drug Research, Hebrew University Medical Centre, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Glover V. Annual Research Review: Prenatal stress and the origins of psychopathology: an evolutionary perspective. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2011; 52:356-67. [PMID: 21250994 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02371.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 343] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
If a mother is stressed or anxious while pregnant her child is more likely to show a range of symptoms such as those of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, aggression or anxiety. While there remains some debate about what proportion of these effects are due to the prenatal or the postnatal environment, and the role of genetics, there is good evidence that prenatal stress exposure can increase the risk for later psychopathology. Why should this be? In our evolutionary history it is possible that some increase in these characteristics in some individuals was adaptive in a stressful environment, and that this type of fetal programming prepared the child or group for the environment in which they were going to find themselves. Anxiety may have been associated with increased vigilance, distractible attention with more perception of danger, impulsivity with more exploration, conduct disorder with a willingness to break rules, and aggression with the ability to fight intruders or predators. This adaptation for a future dangerous environment may explain why stress and anxiety, rather than depression, seem to have these programming effects; why there is a dose-response relationship with prenatal stress from moderate to severe and it is not only toxic stress that has consequences; why not all children are affected and why individual children are affected in different ways; and why the outcomes affected can depend on the sex of the offspring. An evolutionary perspective may give a different understanding of children in our society with these symptoms, and suggest new directions for research. For example, there is some evidence that the type of cognitive deficits observed after prenatal stress have specific characteristics; these may be those which were adaptive in a past environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivette Glover
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, UK.
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Evidence of female-specific glial deficits in the hippocampus in a mouse model of prenatal stress. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2011; 21:71-9. [PMID: 20702067 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2010.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2009] [Revised: 06/02/2010] [Accepted: 07/19/2010] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal stress (PS) has been associated with an increased incidence of numerous neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and autism. To determine the effects of PS on hippocampal-dependent behaviour hippocampal morphology, we examined behavioural responses and hippocampal cytoarchitecture of a maternal restraint stress paradigm of PS in C57BL6 mice. Female offspring only showed a reduction in hippocampal glial count in the pyramidal layer following PS. Additionally, only PS females showed increased depressive-like behaviour with cognitive deficits predominantly in female offspring when compared to males. This data provides evidence for functional female-specific glial deficits within the hippocampus as a consequence of PS.
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Pascual R, Ebner D, Araneda R, Urqueta MJ, Bustamante C. Maternal stress induces long-lasting Purkinje cell developmental impairments in mouse offspring. Eur J Pediatr 2010; 169:1517-22. [PMID: 20652312 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-010-1258-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2010] [Accepted: 07/07/2010] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
A number of clinical studies suggest that prenatal stress can be a risk factor in the development of various psychopathologies, including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and autism. The cerebellar vermis has been shown to be involved in most of these disorders. In the present study, therefore, we evaluate the effect of maternal stress on long-term alterations in vermal Purkinje cell morphology. Furthermore, to discern whether these structural changes are associated with anxious behavior, the exploratory drive in the elevated plus maze was evaluated. Pregnant CF-1 mice were randomly assigned to control (n = 14) or stressed (n = 16) groups. Dams of the stressed group were subjected to restraint stress between gestational days 14 and 20, while control pregnant dams remained undisturbed in their home cages. Anxious behavior and Purkinje cell morphology were evaluated in three ontogenetic stages: postweaning, adolescence, and adulthood. Although exploratory behavior in the elevated plus maze was unaffected by prenatal stress, the Purkinje cell morphology showed a transient period of abnormal growth (at postweaning and juvenile stages) followed by dramatic dendritic atrophy in adulthood. In conclusion, prenatal stress induced significant long-lasting bimodal changes in the morphology of vermal Purkinje cells. These structural alterations, however, were not accompanied by anxious behaviors in the elevated plus maze.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Pascual
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Escuela de Kinesiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.
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48
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Cox KH, Gatewood JD, Howeth C, Rissman EF. Gestational exposure to bisphenol A and cross-fostering affect behaviors in juvenile mice. Horm Behav 2010; 58:754-61. [PMID: 20691692 PMCID: PMC2982867 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2010] [Revised: 07/15/2010] [Accepted: 07/25/2010] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a component of polycarbonate resins, and, lately, concern has been raised about its potential negative effects on human health. BPA is an estrogen analog and, in addition, it can act as a DNA hypomethylator. We examined the effects of gestational exposure to BPA on several behaviors in C57BL/6J mice. Because BPA affects maternal care, which, may have long-lasting effects on offspring behavior, we tested mice raised by either biological or fostered dams. Both diet and dam affected behavior in juvenile mice in a social novelty task and the elevated plus maze (EPM). In a social novelty task, the amount of time spent interacting with an adult male was affected by sex and gestational diet, but only in juveniles raised by a foster dam. Control females spent less time sniffing a novel adult than did control males or females exposed to BPA during gestation. In the EPM, juveniles reared by foster dams and exposed to BPA during gestation spent less time in the distal half of the open arm as compared with juveniles gestated on a control diet. Adult offspring raised by their biological dams showed the same response pattern; gestational BPA increased anxiety as compared with control diet. Our results show that prenatal BPA exposure affects social behavior and anxiety in the EPM. Moreover, some facet(s) of the infant-maternal interaction may modify these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly H. Cox
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
| | - Jessica D. Gatewood
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
| | - Chelsea Howeth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
| | - Emilie F. Rissman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908 USA
- Correspondence: Dr. EF Rissman, PO Box 800733, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, Phone: 434 982 5611, FAX: 434 243 8433,
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Brummelte S, Galea LAM. Chronic corticosterone during pregnancy and postpartum affects maternal care, cell proliferation and depressive-like behavior in the dam. Horm Behav 2010; 58:769-79. [PMID: 20688070 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2010] [Revised: 06/28/2010] [Accepted: 07/25/2010] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Stress during pregnancy and the postpartum can influence the well-being of both the mother and her offspring. Prolonged elevated levels of glucocorticoids are associated with depression and we developed an animal model of postpartum depression/stress based on high levels of corticosterone (CORT) during the postpartum. Gestational stress is a risk factor for postpartum depression and prenatal and/or postnatal high levels of CORT may have differential effects on the mother. Thus the present study was conducted to investigate the effects of low (10mg/kg) or high levels of CORT (40mg/kg) given to dams either during gestation, postpartum or across both gestation and postpartum on maternal care, depressive-like behavior and hippocampal cell proliferation in the dam. Only the high dose of CORT administered during the postpartum increased depressive-like behavior in the dam. Furthermore the high dose of CORT altered maternal care (reduced time spent on the nest and nursing) regardless of whether administration of CORT was during gestation or postpartum. Gestational and/or postpartum treatment with high CORT and postpartum low CORT reduced cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus of postpartum dams compared to oil-treated controls. Thus prolonged treatment with high levels of CORT postpartum reduced maternal care, hippocampal cell proliferation and induced depressive-like behavior in the dam and therefore might be considered an animal model of postpartum depression. More research is needed to understand the effects of stress hormones during different phases of reproduction and how they affect the brain and behavior of the mother and her offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Brummelte
- Department of Psychology and Brain Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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