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Allen MC, Moog NK, Buss C, Yen E, Gustafsson HC, Sullivan EL, Graham AM. Co-occurrence of preconception maternal childhood adversity and opioid use during pregnancy: Implications for offspring brain development. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2021; 88:107033. [PMID: 34601061 PMCID: PMC8578395 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Understanding of the effects of in utero opioid exposure on neurodevelopment is a priority given the recent dramatic increase in opioid use among pregnant individuals. However, opioid abuse does not occur in isolation-pregnant individuals abusing opioids often have a significant history of adverse experiences in childhood, among other co-occurring factors. Understanding the specific pathways in which these frequently co-occurring factors may interact and cumulatively influence offspring brain development in utero represents a priority for future research in this area. We highlight maternal history of childhood adversity (CA) as one such co-occurring factor that is more prevalent among individuals using opioids during pregnancy and which is increasingly shown to affect offspring neurodevelopment through mechanisms beginning in utero. Despite the high incidence of CA history in pregnant individuals using opioids, we understand very little about the effects of comorbid prenatal opioid exposure and maternal CA history on fetal brain development. Here, we first provide an overview of current knowledge regarding effects of opioid exposure and maternal CA on offspring neurodevelopment that may occur during gestation. We then outline potential mechanistic pathways through which these factors might have interactive and cumulative influences on offspring neurodevelopment as a foundation for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine C Allen
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Nora K Moog
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Luisenstrasse 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Buss
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, Luisenstrasse 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, 837 Health Sciences Drive, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Elizabeth Yen
- Department of Pediatrics, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, United States
| | - Hanna C Gustafsson
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Elinor L Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239, United States; Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185(th) Ave., Beaverton, OR 97006, United States; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Alice M Graham
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239, United States.
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2
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Vassoler FM, Wimmer ME. Consequences of Parental Opioid Exposure on Neurophysiology, Behavior, and Health in the Next Generations. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2021; 11:a040436. [PMID: 32601130 PMCID: PMC8485740 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a040436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Substance abuse and the ongoing opioid epidemic represents a large societal burden. This review will consider the long-term impact of opioid exposure on future generations. Prenatal, perinatal, and preconception exposure are reviewed with discussion of both maternal and paternal influences. Opioid exposure can have long-lasting effects on reproductive function, gametogenesis, and germline epigenetic programming, which can influence embryogenesis and alter the developmental trajectory of progeny. The potential mechanisms by which preconception maternal and paternal opioid exposure produce deleterious consequences on the health, behavior, and physiology of offspring that have been identified by clinical and animal studies will be discussed. The timing, nature, dosing, and duration of prenatal opioid exposure combined with other important environmental considerations influence the extent to which these manipulations affect parents and their progeny. Epigenetic inheritance refers to the transmission of environmental insults across generations via mechanisms independent of the DNA sequence. This topic will be further explored in the context of prenatal, perinatal, and preconception opioid exposure for both the maternal and paternal lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fair M Vassoler
- Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Grafton, Massachusetts 01536, USA
| | - Mathieu E Wimmer
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA
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3
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Wen L, Li R, Wang J, Yi J. The reproductive stress hypothesis. Reproduction 2020; 158:R209-R218. [PMID: 31677601 PMCID: PMC6892456 DOI: 10.1530/rep-18-0592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose the reproductive stress hypothesis that describes the pregnant females response to reproductive events based upon the activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and sympathetic adrenomedullary system. The main components of the reproductive stress hypothesis can be summarized as follows: (1) events unique to reproduction including empathema, pregnancy, parturition and lactation cause non-specific responses in females, called active reproductive stress; (2) the fetus is a special stressor for pregnant females where endocrine hormones, including corticotropin-releasing hormones and fetal glucocorticoids secreted by the fetus and placenta, enter the maternal circulatory system, leading to another stress response referred to as passive reproductive stress and (3) response to uterine tension and intrauterine infection is the third type of stress, called fetal intrauterine stress. Appropriate reproductive stress is a crucial prerequisite in normal reproductive processes. By contrast, excessive or inappropriate reproductive stress may result in dysfunctions of the reproductive system, such as compromised immune function, leading to susceptibility to disease. The novel insights of the reproductive stress hypothesis have important implications for deciphering the pathogenesis of certain diseases in pregnant animals, including humans, which in turn may be applied to preventing and treating their occurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Wen
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Rongfang Li
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji Wang
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Jine Yi
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety, Changsha, People's Republic of China
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4
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Morrison KE, Cole AB, Kane PJ, Meadows VE, Thompson SM, Bale TL. Pubertal adversity alters chromatin dynamics and stress circuitry in the pregnant brain. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1263-1271. [PMID: 32045935 PMCID: PMC7297802 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0634-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Women who have experienced adverse childhood events (ACEs) around puberty are at the greatest risk for neuropsychiatric disorders across the lifespan. This population is exceptionally vulnerable to neuropsychiatric disease presentation during the hormonally dynamic state of pregnancy. We previously established that chronic adversity around puberty in female mice significantly altered their HPA axis function specifically during pregnancy, modeling the effects of pubertal ACEs we also reported in women. We hypothesized that the pregnancy hormone, allopregnanolone, was involved in presentation of the blunted stress response phenotype by its interaction with the molecular programming that had occurred during pubertal adversity experience. Here, in adult mice previously stressed during puberty, allopregnanolone administration was sufficient to reproduce the decreased corticosterone response after acute stress. Examination of neuronal activation and the electrophysiological properties of CRF neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) found no significant changes in synaptic function that corresponded with the blunted HPA axis reactivity. However, at the chromatin level, utilization of ATAC-Seq profiling demonstrated a dramatic remodeling of DNA accessibility in the PVN following pubertal adversity. Altogether, these data establish a potential molecular mechanism whereby adversity during puberty can enact lasting transcriptional control that manifests only during a unique period of the lifespan where dynamic hormonal changes occur. These results highlight a biological process that may impart an increased risk for a highly vulnerable population, whereby pubertal programming of the PVN results in aberrant HPA axis responsiveness when exposed to the hormonal changes unique to pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Morrison
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Center for Epigenetic Research in Child Health and Brain Development, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anthony B Cole
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Patrick J Kane
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Victoria E Meadows
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Scott M Thompson
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tracy L Bale
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Center for Epigenetic Research in Child Health and Brain Development, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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5
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Tanaka H, Ehara A, Nakadate K, Yoshimoto K, Shimoda K, Ueda S. Behavioral, hormonal, and neurochemical outcomes of neonatal repeated shaking brain injury in male adult rats. Physiol Behav 2019; 199:118-126. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Revised: 11/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Byrnes EM, Vassoler FM. Modeling prenatal opioid exposure in animals: Current findings and future directions. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 51:1-13. [PMID: 28965857 PMCID: PMC5649358 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The past decade has seen a drastic rise in the number of infants exposed to opioids in utero. It is unclear what lasting effect this exposure may have on these children. Animal models of prenatal opioid exposure may provide insight into potential areas of vulnerability. The present review summarizes the findings across animal models of prenatal opioid exposure, including exposure to morphine, methadone, buprenorphine, and oxycodone. Details regarding the drug, doses, and duration of treatment, as well as key findings, are summarized in tables with associated references. Finally, significant gaps in the current preclinical literature and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Byrnes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, United States.
| | - Fair M Vassoler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, United States
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7
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The psychoneuroimmunology of pregnancy. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 51:25-35. [PMID: 29110974 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy is associated with a number of significant changes in maternal physiology. Perhaps one of the more notable changes is the significant alteration in immune function that occurs during pregnancy. This change in immune function is necessary to support a successful pregnancy, but also creates a unique period of life during which a female is susceptible to disease and, as we'll speculate here, may also contribute to mental health disorders associated with pregnancy and the postpartum period. Here, we review the known changes in peripheral immune function that occur during pregnancy and the postpartum period, while highlighting the impact of hormones during these times on immune function, brain or neural function, as well as behavior. We also discuss the known and possible impact of pregnancy-induced immune changes on neural function during this time and briefly discuss how these changes might be a risk factor for perinatal anxiety or mood disorders.
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Dobolyi A, Cservenák M, Young LJ. Thalamic integration of social stimuli regulating parental behavior and the oxytocin system. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 51:102-115. [PMID: 29842887 PMCID: PMC6175608 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Critically important components of the maternal neural circuit in the preoptic area robustly activated by suckling were recently identified. In turn, suckling also contributes to hormonal adaptations to motherhood, which includes oxytocin release and consequent milk ejection. Other reproductive or social stimuli can also trigger the release of oxytocin centrally, influencing parental or social behaviors. However, the neuronal pathways that transfer suckling and other somatosensory stimuli to the preoptic area and oxytocin neurons have been poorly characterized. Recently, a relay center of suckling was determined and characterized in the posterior intralaminar complex of the thalamus (PIL). Its neurons containing tuberoinfundibular peptide 39 project to both the preoptic area and oxytocin neurons in the hypothalamus. The present review argues that the PIL is a major relay nucleus conveying somatosensory information supporting maternal behavior and oxytocin release in mothers, and may be involved more generally in social cue evoked oxytocin release, too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpad Dobolyi
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Melinda Cservenák
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary; Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Larry J Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
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9
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Pregnolato M, Damiani G, Pereira A. Patterns of calcium signaling: A link between chronic emotions and cancer. J Integr Neurosci 2018; 16:S43-S63. [PMID: 29154288 DOI: 10.3233/jin-170066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Intra and inter-cellular calcium signaling is present in all types of cells and body tissues. In the human brain, calcium currents and waves are related to mental activities, including emotions. We present a theoretical interpretation of these phenomena suggesting their involvement in chronic emotional patterns and in the pathology of cancer. Recent developments on biophysics, translational biology and psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology (PNEI) can support explanatory hypotheses about the link between emotional stresses and the origin and development of different types of tumor cells. Chronic stresses may cause perturbations of rhythms of the PNEI system, excessive activation of HPA axis and abnormal activation of calcium signals in somatic tissues, with deleterious effects on different parts of the body. The increasing of calcium signaling inside cells may lead to a deregulation of different pathways and epigenetic systems that promote the production of genomic mutations in a second phase. In particular, the hyperactivation of the transcription nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB), if is not counterbalanced by the following activation of the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NFE2L2 or Nrf2), increases the production of oxidative catabolites, as the advanced glycation end products (AGE), which play a key role in the progression of different types of cancer and other degenerative diseases. Cortisol binding to glucocorticoid receptor (GR) reduces the activity of both NF-κB and Nrf2 inside the cells but inhibits the cellular immunity and the anabolic processes of tissue regeneration. The tissue atrophy and the defective anti-ageing mechanisms promotes the tumoral cells growth and their escape from the immune-surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alfredo Pereira
- Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Brasil. E-mail:
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10
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Lian S, Wang D, Xu B, Guo W, Wang L, Li W, Ji H, Wang J, Kong F, Zhen L, Li S, Zhang L, Guo J, Yang H. Prenatal cold stress: Effect on maternal hippocampus and offspring behavior in rats. Behav Brain Res 2018; 346:1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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11
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Eick SM, Barrett ES, van’t Erve TJ, Nguyen RH, Bush NR, Milne G, Swan SH, Ferguson KK. Association between prenatal psychological stress and oxidative stress during pregnancy. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2018; 32:318-326. [PMID: 29603338 PMCID: PMC6103836 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal psychological stress during pregnancy has been associated with adverse reproductive outcomes. A growing animal literature supports an association between psychological stress and oxidative stress. We assessed this relationship in pregnant women, hypothesising that psychological stress is associated with higher concentrations of oxidative stress biomarkers during pregnancy. METHODS Psychosocial status and stressful life events (SLE) were self-reported. 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α ) was measured as a biomarker of oxidative stress in urine samples at median 32 weeks' gestation. We examined SLEs individually (ever vs never) and in summary (any vs none) and psychosocial status as measured by individual subscales and in summary (poor vs good). Linear models estimated associations between these parameters and urinary 8-iso-PGF2α concentrations after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS The geometric mean of 8-iso-PGF2α was significantly higher among pregnant women who were non-White, smokers, had less than a college education, higher pre-pregnancy BMI and were unmarried. Having ever had a death in the family (n = 39) during pregnancy was associated with a 22.9% increase in 8-iso-PGF2α in unadjusted models (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50, 48.8). Poor psychosocial status was associated with a 13.1% (95% CI 2.43, 25.0) greater mean 8-iso-PGF2α in unadjusted analyses. Associations were attenuated, but remained suggestive, after covariate adjustment. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that 8-iso-PGF2α is elevated in pregnant women with who are at a sociodemographic disadvantage and who have higher psychological stress in pregnancy. Previous studies have observed that 8-iso-PGF2α levels are associated with adverse birth outcomes, oxidative stress could be a mediator in these relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M. Eick
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Emily S. Barrett
- Department of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Thomas J. van’t Erve
- Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Ruby H.N. Nguyen
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nicole R. Bush
- Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ginger Milne
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-6602, USA
| | - Shanna H. Swan
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kelly K. Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC
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12
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Herman JP. Regulation of Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenocortical Responses to Stressors by the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract/Dorsal Vagal Complex. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2017; 38:25-35. [PMID: 28895001 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-017-0543-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Hindbrain neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) are critical for regulation of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) responses to stress. It is well known that noradrenergic (as well as adrenergic) neurons in the NTS send direct projections to hypophysiotropic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons and control activation of HPA axis responses to acute systemic (but not psychogenic) stressors. Norepinephrine (NE) signaling via alpha1 receptors is primarily excitatory, working either directly on CRH neurons or through presynaptic activation of glutamate release. However, there is also evidence for NE inhibition of CRH neurons (possibly via beta receptors), an effect that may occur at higher levels of stimulation, suggesting that NE effects on the HPA axis may be context-dependent. Lesions of ascending NE inputs to the paraventricular nucleus attenuate stress-induced ACTH but not corticosterone release after chronic stress, indicating reduction in central HPA drive and increased adrenal sensitivity. Non-catecholaminergic NTS glucagon-like peptide 1/glutamate neurons play a broader role in stress regulation, being important in HPA activation to both systemic and psychogenic stressors as well as HPA axis sensitization under conditions of chronic stress. Overall, the data highlight the importance of the NTS as a key regulatory node for coordination of acute and chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Herman
- Stress Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, UC Neurobiology Research Center, University of Cincinnati, 2170 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH, 45237-0506, USA.
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13
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Involvement of monoaminergic systems in anxiolytic and antidepressive activities of the standardized extract of Cocos nucifera L. J Nat Med 2016; 71:227-237. [DOI: 10.1007/s11418-016-1053-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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14
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Pardo GVE, Goularte JF, Hoefel AL, de Castro AL, Kucharski LC, da Rosa Araujo AS, Lucion AB. Effects of sleep restriction during pregnancy on the mother and fetuses in rats. Physiol Behav 2016; 155:66-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.11.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 11/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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15
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Giesbrecht GF, Campbell T, Letourneau N. Sexually dimorphic adaptations in basal maternal stress physiology during pregnancy and implications for fetal development. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 56:168-78. [PMID: 25827961 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Revised: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
There is clear evidence of reciprocal exchange of information between the mother and fetus during pregnancy but the majority of research in this area has focussed on the fetus as a recipient of signals from the mother. Specifically, physiological signals produced by the maternal stress systems in response to the environment may carry valuable information about the state of the external world. Prenatal stress produces sex-specific adaptations within fetal physiology that have pervasive and long-lasting effects on development. Little is known, however, about the effects of sex-specific fetal signals on maternal adaptations to pregnancy. The current prospective study examined sexually dimorphic adaptations within maternal stress physiology, including the hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and associations with fetal growth. Using diurnal suites of saliva collected in early and late pregnancy, we demonstrate that basal cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) differ by fetal sex. Women carrying female fetuses displayed greater autonomic arousal and flatter (but more elevated) diurnal cortisol patterns compared to women carrying males. Women with flatter daytime cortisol trajectories and more blunted sAA awakening responses also had infants with lower birth weight. These maternal adaptations are consistent with sexually dimorphic fetal developmental/evolutionary adaptation strategies that favor growth for males and conservation of resources for females. The findings provide new evidence to suggest that the fetus contributes to maternal HPA axis and ANS regulation during pregnancy and that these systems also contribute to the regulation of fetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, 2888 Shaganappi Trail N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada T3B 6A8; Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, Heritage Medical Research Building, 3330 Hospital Drive, N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4N1.
| | - Tavis Campbell
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Nicole Letourneau
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, 2888 Shaganappi Trail N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada T3B 6A8; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, Heritage Medical Research Building, 3330 Hospital Drive, N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4N1; Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
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16
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Maccari S, Krugers HJ, Morley-Fletcher S, Szyf M, Brunton PJ. The consequences of early-life adversity: neurobiological, behavioural and epigenetic adaptations. J Neuroendocrinol 2014; 26:707-23. [PMID: 25039443 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 255] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Revised: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
During the perinatal period, the brain is particularly sensitive to remodelling by environmental factors. Adverse early-life experiences, such as stress exposure or suboptimal maternal care, can have long-lasting detrimental consequences for an individual. This phenomenon is often referred to as 'early-life programming' and is associated with an increased risk of disease. Typically, rodents exposed to prenatal stress or postnatal maternal deprivation display enhanced neuroendocrine responses to stress, increased levels of anxiety and depressive-like behaviours, and cognitive impairments. Some of the phenotypes observed in these models of early-life adversity are likely to share common neurobiological mechanisms. For example, there is evidence for impaired glucocorticoid negative-feedback control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, altered glutamate neurotransmission and reduced hippocampal neurogenesis in both prenatally stressed rats and rats that experienced deficient maternal care. The possible mechanisms through which maternal stress during pregnancy may be transmitted to the offspring are reviewed, with special consideration given to altered maternal behaviour postpartum. We also discuss what is known about the neurobiological and epigenetic mechanisms that underpin early-life programming of the neonatal brain in the first generation and subsequent generations, with a view to abrogating programming effects and potentially identifying new therapeutic targets for the treatment of stress-related disorders and cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Maccari
- LIA, International Laboratory Associated, UMR 8576 CNRS Neural plasticity Team, University of Lille 1, France and Sapienza University of Rome, IRCCS NEUROMED, Italy
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The maternal brain: an organ with peripartal plasticity. Neural Plast 2014; 2014:574159. [PMID: 24883213 PMCID: PMC4026981 DOI: 10.1155/2014/574159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The time of pregnancy, birth, and lactation, is characterized by numerous specific alterations in several systems of the maternal body. Peripartum-associated changes in physiology and behavior, as well as their underlying molecular mechanisms, have been the focus of research since decades, but are still far from being entirely understood. Also, there is growing evidence that pregnancy and lactation are associated with a variety of alterations in neural plasticity, including adult neurogenesis, functional and structural synaptic plasticity, and dendritic remodeling in different brain regions. All of the mentioned changes are not only believed to be a prerequisite for the proper fetal and neonatal development, but moreover to be crucial for the physiological and mental health of the mother. The underlying mechanisms apparently need to be under tight control, since in cases of dysregulation, a certain percentage of women develop disorders like preeclampsia or postpartum mood and anxiety disorders during the course of pregnancy and lactation.
This review describes common peripartum adaptations in physiology and behavior. Moreover, it concentrates on different forms of peripartum-associated plasticity including changes in neurogenesis and their possible underlying molecular mechanisms. Finally, consequences of malfunction in those systems are discussed.
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Valdez SR, Pennacchio GE, Gamboa DF, de Di Nasso EG, Bregonzio C, Soaje M. Opioid modulation of prolactin secretion induced by stress during late pregnancy. Role of ovarian steroids. Pharmacol Rep 2014; 66:386-93. [PMID: 24905513 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2013.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Revised: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The opioid system modulates prolactin release during late pregnancy. Its role and the participation of ovarian hormones in this modulation are explored in ether stress-induced prolactin release. METHODS/RESULTS Estrous, 3-day and 19-day pregnant rats were used. We administered the antagonist mifepristone (Mp) and tamoxifen to evaluate progesterone and estradiol action in naloxone (NAL, opioid antagonist) or saline treated rats. Ether stress had no effect on serum prolactin levels in controls but increased prolactin release in NAL-treated rats. Prolactin response to stress in NAL-treated rats was blocked by l-DOPA administration. Mp treatment on day 18 of pregnancy increased prolactin levels after stress without alterations by NAL. Tamoxifen on days 14 and 15 of pregnancy completely blocked Mp and NAL effects on prolactin release at late pregnancy. In contrast, stress significantly increased prolactin levels in estrous rats and pretreatment with NAL prevented this. On day 3 of pregnancy, at 6.00 p.m., stress and NAL treatment inhibited prolactin levels in saline-treated rat. No effect of stress or NAL administration was detected on day 3 of pregnancy at 9.00 a.m. icv administration of specific opioids antagonist, B-Funaltrexamine but not Nor-Binaltorphimine or Naltrindole, caused a significant increase in stress-induced prolactin release. CONCLUSIONS Opioid system suppression of prolactin stress response during late pregnancy was observed only after progesterone withdrawal, involving a different opioid mechanism from its well-established stimulatory role. This mechanism acts through a mu opioid receptor and requires estrogen participation. The opioid system and progesterone may modulate stress-induced prolactin release, probably involving a putative prolactin-releasing factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana R Valdez
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Lactancia, IMBECU-CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | | | - Dante F Gamboa
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Lactancia, IMBECU-CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina
| | | | - Claudia Bregonzio
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marta Soaje
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Lactancia, IMBECU-CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina; Departamento de Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
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Tomaz VS, Cordeiro RC, Costa AMN, de Lucena DF, Nobre Júnior HV, de Sousa FCF, Vasconcelos SMM, Vale ML, Quevedo J, Macêdo D. Antidepressant-like effect of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors and sildenafil against lipopolysaccharide-induced depressive-like behavior in mice. Neuroscience 2014; 268:236-46. [PMID: 24662848 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Revised: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation, oxidative and nitrosative stress underlie depression being assessed in rodents by the systemic administration of lipopolysacharide (LPS). There is an increasing body of evidence of an involvement of nitric oxide (NO) pathway in depression, but this issue was not investigated in LPS-induced model. Thus, herein we evaluated the effects of NO-pathway-modulating drugs, named aminoguanidine, l-NAME, sildenafil and l-arginine, on the behavioral (forced swimming test [FST], sucrose preference [SPT] and prepulse inhibition [PPI] of the startle) and neurochemical (glutathione [GSH], lipid peroxidation, IL-1β) alterations in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum as well as in BDNF levels in the hippocampus 24h after LPS (0.5mg/kg, i.p.) administration, a time-point related to depressive-like behavior. Twenty-four hours post LPS there was an increase in immobility time in the FST, decrease in sucrose preference and PPI levels accompanied by a decrease in GSH levels and an increase in lipid peroxidation, IL-1β and hippocampal BDNF levels suggestive of a depressive-like state. The pretreatment with the NOS inhibitors, l-NAME and aminoguanidine as well as sildenafil prevented the behavioral and neurochemical alterations induced by LPS, although sildenafil and l-NAME were not able to prevent the increase in hippocampal BDNF levels induced by LPS. The iNOS inhibitor, aminoguanidine, and imipramine prevented all behavioral and neurochemical alterations induced by LPS. l-arginine did not prevent the alterations in immobility time, sucrose preference and GSH induced by LPS. Taken together our results show that the NO-cGMP pathway is important in the modulation of the depressive-like alterations induced by LPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- V S Tomaz
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - R C Cordeiro
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - A M N Costa
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - D F de Lucena
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - H V Nobre Júnior
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bioprospection and Experiments in Yeast, LABEL, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - F C F de Sousa
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - S M M Vasconcelos
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - M L Vale
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Cancer Pharmacology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - J Quevedo
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Criciuma, SC, Brazil; Center for Experimental Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - D Macêdo
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
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Mann PE. Gene Expression Profiling during Pregnancy in Rat Brain Tissue. Brain Sci 2014; 4:125-35. [PMID: 24961703 PMCID: PMC4066241 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci4010125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2013] [Revised: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurophysiological changes that occur during pregnancy in the female mammal have led to the coining of the phrases “expectant brain” and “maternal brain”. Although much is known of the hormonal changes during pregnancy, alterations in neurotransmitter gene expression have not been well-studied. We examined gene expression in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) during pregnancy based on the fact that this nucleus not only modulates the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy but is also involved in the development of maternal behavior. This study was designed to identify genes that are differentially expressed between mid- and late-pregnancy in order to determine which genes may be associated with the onset and display of maternal behavior and the development of the maternal brain. A commercially available PCR array containing 84 neurotransmitter receptor and regulator genes (RT2 Profiler PCR array) was used. Brains were harvested from rats on days 12 and 21 of gestation, frozen, and micropunched to obtain the VMH. Total RNA was extracted, cDNA prepared, and SYBR Green qPCR was performed. In the VMH, expression of five genes were reduced on day 21 of gestation compared to day 12 (Chrna6, Drd5, Gabrr2, Prokr2, and Ppyr1) whereas Chat, Chrm5, Drd4, Gabra5, Gabrg2, LOC289606, Nmu5r2, and Npy5r expression was elevated. Five genes were chosen to be validated in an additional experiment based on their known involvement in maternal behavior onset. This experiment confirmed that gene expression for both the CCK-A receptor and the GABAAR γ2 receptor increases at the end of pregnancy. In general, these results identify genes possibly involved in the establishment of the maternal brain in rats and indicate possible new genes to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phyllis E Mann
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, 200 Westboro Rd., N. Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
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21
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Marco-Jiménez F, Naturil-Alfonso C, Jiménez-Trigos E, García-Diego F, Lavara R, Vicente JS. Foetal and postnatal exposure to high temperatures alter growth pattern but do not modify reproductive function in male rabbits. Int J Hyperthermia 2014; 30:86-95. [DOI: 10.3109/02656736.2013.878042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
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Monasterio N, Vergara E, Morales T. Hormonal influences on neuroimmune responses in the CNS of females. Front Integr Neurosci 2014; 7:110. [PMID: 24478642 PMCID: PMC3894525 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2013.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Accepted: 12/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Particular reproductive stages such as lactation impose demands on the female. To cope with these demands, her physiology goes through numerous adaptations, for example, attenuation of immune and stress responses. Hormonal fluctuation during lactation exerts a strong influence, inducing neuroplasticity in the hypothalamus and extrahypothalamic regions, and diminishing the stress and inflammatory responses. Thus, hormones confer decreased vulnerability to the female brain. This mini-review focuses on the adaptations of the immune and stress response during maternity, and on the neuroprotective actions of progesterone and prolactin and their effects on inflammation. The importance of pregnancy and lactation as experimental models to study immune responses and disease is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nela Monasterio
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Santiago de Querétaro, México
| | - Edgar Vergara
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México, México
| | - Teresa Morales
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Santiago de Querétaro, México
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Maghsoudi N, Ghasemi R, Ghaempanah Z, Ardekani AM, Nooshinfar E, Tahzibi A. Effect of Chronic Restraint Stress on HPA Axis Activity and Expression of BDNF and Trkb in the Hippocampus of Pregnant Rats: Possible Contribution in Depression during Pregnancy and Postpartum Period. Basic Clin Neurosci 2014; 5:131-7. [PMID: 25337371 PMCID: PMC4202592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2013] [Revised: 03/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and its receptor, TrkB, in the hippocampus are targets for adverse effects of stress paradigms; in addition, BDNF and its receptor play key role in the pathology of brain diseases like depression. In the present study, we evaluated the possible role of hippocampal BDNF in depression during pregnancy. METHODS To achieve the purpose, repeated restrain stress (1 or 3 hours daily for 7 days) during the last week of pregnancy was used and alteration in the gene expression of hippocampal BDNF and TrkB evaluated by semi-quantitative PCR. RESULTS The results showed that in stress group the level of ACTH and Corticosterone is increased showing that our model was efficient in inducing psychological stress; we also found that BDNF and TrkB expression are decreased in 3 hours stress group but not in 1 hour stress compared to control group. DISCUSSION Our results imply that decrease in BDNF and its receptor could contribute in some adverse effects of stress during pregnancy such as elevation of depressive like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nader Maghsoudi
- Neurobiology Research Center and Neuroscience Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Corresponding Author: Nader Maghsoudi, PhD., Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. E-mail:
| | - Rasoul Ghasemi
- Neurobiology Research Center and Neuroscience Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Ghaempanah
- Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali M. Ardekani
- Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Nooshinfar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Tahzibi
- Food & Drug Organization, FDO, Tehran university of medical sciences, Tehran, Iran
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24
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Brunton PJ. Effects of maternal exposure to social stress during pregnancy: consequences for mother and offspring. Reproduction 2013; 146:R175-89. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-13-0258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A suboptimalin uteroenvironment, for example, as a result of maternal stress, can have detrimental effects on the pregnancy and long-term adverse ‘programming’ effects on the offspring. This article focuses on the effects of prenatal social stress on the mother, her pregnancy and the offspring, since these issues have ethological relevance in both animals and humans. The consequences of social stress exposure depend on when during pregnancy the stress occurs, and many of the effects on the offspring are sex specific. Social stress during early pregnancy tends to result in pregnancy loss, whereas stress exposure later in pregnancy, when the mother has already invested considerable resources in the foetuses, results in programmed offspring of low birth weight: a risk factor for various adulthood diseases. Neuroendocrine and behavioural responses to stress in the offspring are particularly sensitive to foetal programming by prenatal stress, indicated by enhanced hypothalamo-pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis responses and increased anxiety behaviour, which result from permanent changes in the offspring's brain. The dysregulation of HPA axis function may also interfere with other systems, for example, the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, as there is evidence for alterations in steroidogenesis, reproductive potential and impaired reproductive/social behaviours in prenatally stressed offspring. Prenatal social stress also programmes future maternal behaviour, highlighting the potential for negative phenotypes to be transmitted to future generations. The possible mechanisms through which maternal stress during pregnancy is transmitted to the foetuses and the foetal brain is programmed by prenatal stress and the potential to overwrite programming of the offspring are discussed.
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Giesbrecht GF, Campbell T, Letourneau N, Kaplan BJ. Advancing gestation does not attenuate biobehavioural coherence between psychological distress and cortisol. Biol Psychol 2013; 93:45-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 01/29/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Gądek-Michalska A, Tadeusz J, Rachwalska P, Spyrka J, Bugajski J. Effect of repeated restraint on homotypic stress-induced nitric oxide synthases expression in brain structures regulating HPA axis. Pharmacol Rep 2012; 64:1381-90. [DOI: 10.1016/s1734-1140(12)70935-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2012] [Revised: 10/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Del Giudice M. Fetal programming by maternal stress: Insights from a conflict perspective. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:1614-29. [PMID: 22694951 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2012] [Revised: 05/21/2012] [Accepted: 05/22/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Maternal stress during pregnancy has pervasive effects on the offspring's physiology and behavior, including the development of anxious, reactive temperament and increased stress responsivity. These outcomes can be seen as the result of adaptive developmental plasticity: maternal stress hormones carry useful information about the state of the external world, which can be used by the developing fetus to match its phenotype to the predicted environment. This account, however, neglects the inherent conflict of interest between mother and fetus about the outcomes of fetal programming. The aim of this paper is to extend the adaptive model of prenatal stress by framing mother-fetus interactions in an evolutionary conflict perspective. In the paper, I show how a conflict perspective provides many new insights in the functions and mechanisms of fetal programming, with particular emphasis on human pregnancy. I then take advantage of those insights to make sense of some puzzling features of maternal and fetal physiology and generate novel empirical predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Del Giudice
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Po 14, 10123 Torino, Italy.
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Zhao H, Zhao X, Cao X, Wu G. Age-Dependent Neuroimmune Modulation of IGF-1R in the Traumatic Mice. IMMUNITY & AGEING 2012; 9:12. [PMID: 22640633 PMCID: PMC3416715 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4933-9-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2011] [Accepted: 05/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Age-dependent neuroimmune modulation following traumatic stress is accompanied by discordant upregulation of Fyn signaling in the frontal cortex, but the mechanistic details of the potential cellular behavior regarding IGF-1R/Fyn have not been established. Methods Trans-synaptic IGF-1R signaling during the traumatic stress was comparably examined in wild type, Fyn (−/−) and MOR (−/−) mice. Techniques included primary neuron culture, in vitro kinase activity, immunoprecipitation, Western Blot, sucrose discontinuous centrifugation. Besides that, [3 H] incorporation was used to assay lymphocyte proliferation and NK cell activity. Results We demonstrate robust upregulation of synaptic Fyn activity following traumatic stress, with higher amplitude in 2-month mice than that in 1-year counterpart. We also established that the increased Fyn signaling is accompanied by its molecular connection with IGF-1R within the synaptic zone. Detained analysis using Fyn (−/−) and MOR (−/−) mice reveal that IGF-1R/Fyn signaling is governed to a large extent by mu opioid receptor (MOR), and with age-dependent manner; these signaling cascades played a central role in the modulation of lymphocyte proliferation and NK cell activity. Conclusions Our data argued for a pivotal role of synaptic IGF-1R/Fyn signaling controlled by MOR downstream signaling cascades were crucial for the age-dependent neuroimmune modulation following traumatic stress. The result here might present a new quality of synaptic cellular communication governing the stress like events and have significant potential for the development of therapeutic approaches designed to minimize the heightened vulnerability during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhao
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, National Key lab of Medical Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Research Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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Naloxone-induced cortisol predicts mu opioid receptor binding potential in specific brain regions of healthy subjects. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011; 36:1453-9. [PMID: 21549509 PMCID: PMC3154371 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2010] [Revised: 02/09/2011] [Accepted: 03/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Investigators have administered the opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone, to interrogate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response under the assumption that this technique provides a measure of endogenous opioid activity. However it has never been tested whether provocation of the HPA axis with naloxone provides a surrogate marker for direct measurement of endogenous opioid activity using PET imaging as the gold standard. To test this hypothesis, eighteen healthy subjects underwent a PET scan with the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) selective ligand [(11)C]carfentanil (CFN). The following day ACTH and cortisol responses were assessed using a technique which allows administration of 5 incremental doses of naloxone (0, 25, 50, 100 and 250μg/kg) in a single session. Relationships between ACTH and cortisol responses and [(11)C]CFN binding potential (BP(ND)) were examined in 5 brain regions involved in the regulation of the HPA axis and/or regions with high concentrations of MOR. All subjects mounted graded ACTH and cortisol responses to naloxone administrations. There were significant negative relationships between cortisol response to naloxone and [(11)C]CFN BP(ND) in ventral striatum, putamen and caudate. When sex and smoking were added as covariates to the model, these correlations were strengthened and there was a significant correlation with the hypothalamus. There were no significant correlations between ACTH and any volumes of interest. The opioid receptor antagonist naloxone is not merely a non-specific pharmacologic activator of the HPA axis; it provides information about individual differences in opioid receptor availability.
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Moosavi M, Ghasemi R, Maghsoudi N, Rastegar K, Zarifkar A. The relation between pregnancy and stress in rats: considering corticosterone level, hippocampal caspase-3 and MAPK activation. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2011; 158:199-203. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2011.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2011] [Revised: 04/30/2011] [Accepted: 05/05/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Catalani A, Alemà GS, Cinque C, Zuena AR, Casolini P. Maternal corticosterone effects on hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis regulation and behavior of the offspring in rodents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2011; 35:1502-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2010] [Revised: 10/22/2010] [Accepted: 10/26/2010] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Brunton PJ, Russell JA. Allopregnanolone and suppressed hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis stress responses in late pregnancy in the rat. Stress 2011; 14:6-12. [PMID: 20666638 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2010.482628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In rats, late pregnancy is associated with suppressed hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to a variety of stressful stimuli. The result is reduced corticosterone secretion following stress, which is considered to give some protection to the fetuses from adverse glucocorticoid programming and limits the catabolic effect of corticosterone, hence minimizing maternal energy expenditure. We have used a model of immune challenge in which systemic administration of the cytokine, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), allows study of the mechanisms underlying HPA axis hyporesponsiveness in late pregnancy. Suppressed responsiveness of parvocellular paraventricular nucleus (pPVN) corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons, and hence the HPA axis, following IL-1β in late pregnancy is evidently explained by presynaptic inhibition of noradrenaline release in the pPVN, owing to increased endogenous opioid peptide enkephalin production in brainstem nucleus tractus solitarii neurons. Allopregnanolone, a neurosteroid metabolite of progesterone, signals the pregnancy status of the animal to the brain and stimulates opioid production in the brainstem. In this review, we discuss the supporting evidence for these mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula J Brunton
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.
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33
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Endocrine induced changes in brain function during pregnancy. Brain Res 2010; 1364:198-215. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.09.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2010] [Revised: 09/10/2010] [Accepted: 09/16/2010] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a key role in the neuroendocrine response to stress. Dynamic changes in HPA axis regulation and hence HPA responsivity occur over the lifetime of an animal. This article focuses on two extremes of the spectrum. The first occurs naturally during pregnancy when stress responses are dampened. The second, at the opposite end of the scale, occurs in offspring of mothers who were exposed to stress during pregnancy and display exaggerated HPA axis stress responses. Reduced glucocorticoid output in response to stress in pregnancy may have important consequences for conserving energy supply to the foetus(es), in modulating immune system adaptations and in protecting against adverse foetal programming by glucocorticoids. Understanding the mechanisms underpinning this adaptation in pregnancy may provide insights for manipulating HPA axis responsiveness in later life, particularly in the context of resetting HPA axis hyperactivity associated with prenatal stress exposure, which may underlie several major pathologies, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, obesity, cognitive decline and mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- P J Brunton
- Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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35
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Windle RJ, Wood SA, Kershaw YM, Lightman SL, Ingram CD. Reduced stress responsiveness in pregnancy: relationship with pattern of forebrain c-fos mRNA expression. Brain Res 2010; 1358:102-9. [PMID: 20732311 PMCID: PMC2994639 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2010] [Revised: 08/13/2010] [Accepted: 08/14/2010] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Stress-induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is known to be attenuated during late pregnancy and throughout lactation. To investigate the neural basis of this stress hyporesponsiveness we examined the changes in the restraint-induced HPA response and accompanying forebrain expression of c-fos mRNA that occur in rats between days 16 (D16) and 19 (D19) of gestation, times associated with declining levels of progesterone, a potential mediating factor. Compared to D16, the D19 group showed a significantly attenuated release of ACTH following 30min restraint. This reduced HPA response was accompanied by significantly lower levels of restraint-induced c-fos mRNA expression in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Other areas of the forebrain, including medial amygdala, piriform cortex, and ventrolateral septum, showed low c-fos mRNA expression in non-stressed (control) animals and a large increase following restraint, the magnitude of which was similar between D16 and D19 animals indicating no involvement in the differential HPA response to stress. However, a markedly different pattern of c-fos mRNA expression was observed in other brain areas, including barrel cortex and CA1 ventral and CA3 regions of the ventral hippocampus: D19 animals had low control expression which was increased by restraint, but D16 control animals had raised c-fos mRNA expression which was not further elevated by stress. These data demonstrate that region-specific changes in basal and stress-induced cellular activity occur during a period of late gestation coincident with attenuated HPA responsiveness. These changes in neuronal activity may contribute to the adaptive processes that prepare the mother for parturition and lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Windle
- University Research Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol, BS2 8HW, UK
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Baby on board: do responses to stress in the maternal brain mediate adverse pregnancy outcome? Front Neuroendocrinol 2010; 31:359-76. [PMID: 20546772 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2010] [Revised: 05/17/2010] [Accepted: 05/18/2010] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Stress and adverse environmental surroundings result in suboptimal conditions in a pregnant mother such that she may experience poor pregnancy outcome including complete pregnancy failure and preterm labor. Furthermore her developing baby is at risk of adverse programming, which confers susceptibility to long term ill health. While some mechanisms at the feto-maternal interface underlying these conditions are understood, the underlying cause for their adverse adaptation is often not clear. Progesterone plays a key role at many levels, including control of neuroendocrine responses to stress, procuring the required immune balance and controlling placental and decidual function, and lack of progesterone can explain many of the unwanted consequences of stress. How stress that is perceived by the mother inhibits progesterone secretion and action is beginning to be investigated. This overview of maternal neuroendocrine responses to stress throughout pregnancy analyses how they interact to compromise progesterone secretion and precipitate undesirable effects in mother and offspring.
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Sex differences in the effects of allopregnanolone on yohimbine-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking in rats. Drug Alcohol Depend 2010; 107:264-7. [PMID: 20005642 PMCID: PMC2822031 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2009] [Revised: 10/27/2009] [Accepted: 11/10/2009] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences exist in several aspects of cocaine abuse, and recent research suggests that this may be due, in part, to differential sensitivity to stress. Women, compared to men, exhibit greater stress-induced cocaine craving and responses to both cocaine and stress fluctuate during phases of the hormonal cycle. The goal of the present study was to compare male and female rats on the maintenance and extinction of cocaine seeking and on an animal model of stress-induced relapse by administering the pharmacological stressor yohimbine. An additional goal was to examine possible sex-specific treatment effects of the progesterone metabolite, allopregnanolone, on yohimbine-induced reinstatement. Male and female rats were trained to lever press for i.v. infusions of cocaine (0.4 mg/kg). Following a 14-day maintenance period, cocaine solutions were replaced with saline, and rats were allowed to extinguish lever pressing. Subsequently, rats were administered saline, yohimbine (2.5mg/kg), or allopregnanolone (15 mg/kg)+yohimbine (2.5mg/kg) priming injections on separate days using a within-subjects reinstatement procedure. The results indicated that females were more resistant to extinction than male rats and that both groups reinstated cocaine seeking following injections of yohimbine; however, female rats responded more than males to yohimbine-priming injections. Additionally, allopregnanolone blocked yohimbine's potentiating effect on responding in females but not males. These results suggest that females may be more sensitive than males to stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior, and the progesterone metabolite, allopregnanolone, offers protection against this vulnerability.
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Diurnal pattern of cortisol output in postnatal depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2009; 34:1184-8. [PMID: 19406580 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2008] [Revised: 03/05/2009] [Accepted: 03/07/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the diurnal output of saliva cortisol in women with symptoms of depression postnatally. Twenty-one depressed and 30 non-depressed women at 7.5 weeks postpartum, and 21 non-perinatal controls, collected saliva at waking, 30 min, and 3 and 12h postwaking. Women who were not depressed postnatally showed a pattern of cortisol secretion over the day similar to non-perinatal controls. There was a significant difference in diurnal pattern between postnatally depressed and postnatally non-depressed women, due to a difference in the first two time points (waking and +30 min): compared to the other two groups who each had a significant increase in cortisol levels from waking to +30 min, the depressed women had significantly higher cortisol levels at waking and no increase at +30 min. The lack of a morning rise in the depressed women is similar to that reported for posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome and may reflect a response, in vulnerable women, to the marked cortisol withdrawal that occurs after delivery.
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