Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Limited Bedding and Nesting as a Model for Early-Life Adversity in Mice
04:20

Limited Bedding and Nesting as a Model for Early-Life Adversity in Mice

Published on: July 12, 2024

Prenatal stress, fetal imprinting and immunity

E Merlot1, D Couret, W Otten

  • 1INRA, UMR1079, Systèmes d'Elevage, Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35590 Saint Gilles, France. elodie.merlot@rennes.inra.fr

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
|August 25, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal stress impacts offspring immune function by programming the developing fetal immune system. Maternal stress during pregnancy can lead to long-term immune alterations in offspring.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Neuroendocrinology

Background:

  • Prenatal and early life exposures significantly influence later-life health outcomes.
  • Prenatal stress, experienced by the mother during pregnancy, affects fetal development.
  • Maternal stress can program the offspring's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, neurotransmitter systems, and cognitive functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the impact of maternal stress during gestation on offspring immune function.
  • To compare findings across different animal species.
  • To identify potential mechanisms and vulnerable periods for prenatal stress-induced immune effects.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of epidemiological and animal studies.
  • Comparative analysis of immune system responses in offspring exposed to prenatal stress.
  • Discussion of proposed mechanisms, including maternal glucocorticoids and placental factors.

Main Results:

  • Prenatal stress can alter offspring immune function through various mechanisms.
  • Maternal glucocorticoids and placental function are highlighted as key mediators.
  • Specific windows of vulnerability during gestation may exist for immune system programming.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal stress during pregnancy has lasting effects on offspring immunity.
  • Further research is needed to understand the timing and delayed expression of these effects postnatally.
  • The link between prenatal stress and later immune-related pathologies requires investigation.

More Related Videos

Induction of Maternal Immune Activation in Mice at Mid-gestation Stage with Viral Mimic Poly(I:C)07:13

Induction of Maternal Immune Activation in Mice at Mid-gestation Stage with Viral Mimic Poly(I:C)

Published on: March 25, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance02:30

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance

Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
Imprinting01:22

Imprinting

Behavioral imprinting is observed in some newborn animals and occurs when they develop strong and specific attachments to another animal (usually a parent) following brief, early-life exposures. Offspring imprint onto parents within a brief period after birth or hatching; this time window is called the critical period. Once imprinting occurs, the bond established between the parents and their offspring is usually long-lasting.
Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease01:27

Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a multidisciplinary field that examines how psychological factors, particularly stress, interact with the immune system and impact physical health. Research in PNI has shown that chronic or traumatic stress can disrupt both the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. These disruptions contribute to serious health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases.
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
Stress and Mental Health01:30

Stress and Mental Health

Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Gut-Brain Axis01:22

Gut-Brain Axis

The gut–brain axis is a bidirectional communication system that connects the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. This interaction is mediated through multiple pathways, including the vagus nerve, hormonal signals, immune responses, and chemical messengers produced by gut microbes.Microbial Contributions to Brain FunctionGut microbiota contributes significantly to brain function by producing neuroactive compounds. These include neuroactive compounds that influence neurotransmitters such as...