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Related Concept Videos

Physiological Foundation of Stress01:24

Physiological Foundation of Stress

Stress triggers a coordinated physiological response involving the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This dual activation ensures that the body is prepared for both immediate and prolonged stress management. The process begins with the perception of a stressor. This initial phase activates the SNS, leading to the rapid release of adrenaline (epinephrine) from the adrenal glands.
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV01:26

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV

Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and overeating, which offer short-term relief but ultimately increase long-term health risks. These behaviors create a cycle that temporarily lowers stress levels but can result in severe long-term health consequences. Breaking these habits is essential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. Three primary changes that support better health include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake,...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques III01:25

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques III

Regular exercise and meditation serve as essential tools in managing stress and promoting physical and mental well-being.
The Role of Exercise in Stress Management
Regular physical activity is essential for reducing stress and promoting cardiovascular health. Exercise strengthens the heart, enhances blood flow, keeps blood vessels flexible, and helps lower blood pressure, all of which reduce the body's stress response. Research shows that adults who exercise regularly have nearly half the risk...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques II01:23

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques II

Personality types, particularly Type A and Type B, significantly influence how individuals respond to stress. These personality distinctions are marked by varying levels of ambition, competitiveness, and coping styles, all of which shape an individual's resilience to stressors.
Type A Personality: Driven and Easily Stressed
Individuals with Type A personalities are often highly competitive and ambitious and operate with a strong sense of urgency. Commonly labeled as "workaholics," they...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques V01:28

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques V

A social support system is a structured network of personal relationships that provides assistance to individuals facing various challenges, offering a buffer against psychological and physical stressors. This network may consist of family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues, or other community members who provide resources and companionship. Social support can take many forms, including advice, emotional comfort, practical help, and companionship. Research indicates that these networks can...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI01:30

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI

Adopting a healthier lifestyle often requires overcoming significant challenges, but leveraging psychological, social, and cultural resources can facilitate meaningful change. Effective self-change hinges on understanding and applying key tools such as motivation and goal setting, which help sustain efforts toward long-term health benefits.
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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
06:39

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

Prenatal maternal stress programs infant stress regulation.

Elysia Poggi Davis1, Laura M Glynn, Feizal Waffarn

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, USA. edavis@uci.edu

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|September 22, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Prenatal exposure to maternal cortisol and stress can program infant stress responses. Elevated maternal cortisol and stress during pregnancy are linked to altered infant physiological and behavioral stress regulation after birth.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Endocrinology
  • Maternal-fetal medicine

Background:

  • Prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs) and maternal stress are implicated in fetal programming.
  • Understanding the impact of maternal stress hormones on infant development is crucial for long-term health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how prenatal maternal cortisol levels and psychosocial stress influence infant physiological and behavioral stress responses.
  • To examine the association between maternal stress during gestation and infant reactivity to a painful stimulus.

Main Methods:

  • 116 mothers and infants were studied.
  • Maternal plasma cortisol, stress, anxiety, and depression were measured serially throughout pregnancy.
  • Infant cortisol and behavioral responses to a heel-stick blood draw were assessed postnatally.

Main Results:

  • Higher infant cortisol response was linked to elevated maternal cortisol in late pregnancy.
  • Slower infant behavioral recovery from stress was associated with maternal cortisol exposure early in pregnancy and throughout gestation.
  • These findings were independent of delivery mode, medical history, socioeconomic status, and infant demographics.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal cortisol and psychosocial stress during pregnancy have programming effects on the fetus.
  • These prenatal exposures influence the development of infant stress regulation mechanisms.