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Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
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Cortisol: the culprit prenatal stress variable

Tiffany Field1, Miguel Diego

  • 1Touch Research InstitutesUniversity of Miami Medical SchoolMiami, Florida 33101, USA. tfield@med.miami.edu

The International Journal of Neuroscience
|July 2, 2008
PubMed

Insights

High prenatal cortisol levels in mothers are linked to adverse fetal outcomes and later developmental issues in children. This stress hormone acts as a mediator, impacting fetal development and adult health.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Developmental psychology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Prenatal exposure to cortisol is associated with adverse outcomes.
  • Maternal cortisol crosses the placenta, affecting fetal development.
  • Prenatal stress contributes to elevated maternal cortisol.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the association between elevated prenatal cortisol and negative developmental outcomes.
  • To understand cortisol's role as a mediating variable in prenatal stress.
  • To investigate the impact of prenatal cortisol on fetal and later development.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on prenatal cortisol.
  • Analysis of studies linking maternal cortisol to fetal and child development.
  • Exploration of cortisol's interaction with neurotransmitters.

Main Results:

  • Elevated prenatal cortisol is linked to fetal issues like low birthweight and prematurity.
  • Prenatal cortisol exposure is associated with infant attention problems and childhood externalizing behaviors.
  • Prenatal cortisol is implicated in adult psychopathology and chronic illness.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal cortisol is a significant mediator of prenatal stress effects.
  • Prenatal cortisol exposure has long-lasting implications for health and development.
  • Further research is needed on cortisol's interaction with neurotransmitters in prenatal stress.

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