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Prenatal programming of stress responsiveness and behaviours: Progress and perspectives
Hirotaka Hamada1, Stephen G Matthews1,2
1Departments of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Journal of Neuroendocrinology
|December 25, 2018
Summary
Parental stress before and during pregnancy impacts offspring neurodevelopment. These effects can be passed down generations, potentially through epigenetic mechanisms like DNA methylation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Developmental Biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Parental stress and glucocorticoid exposure during gestation profoundly affect offspring neurodevelopment, neuroendocrine function, and behavior.
- Observed effects extend beyond the first generation, indicating intergenerational and transgenerational transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the latest research on parental stress exposure and its long-term effects on offspring.
- To explore the epigenetic mechanisms underlying these effects.
- To identify potential interventions for negative outcomes of early adversity.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent human and pre-clinical studies.
- Focus on epigenetic processes including histone modifications, DNA methylation, and small non-coding RNAs.
- Analysis of factors influencing outcome variability (nature, timing, intensity of exposure, species, sex, age).
Main Results:
- Early life stress exposure can lead to lasting neurodevelopmental and behavioral changes in offspring.
- Emerging evidence strongly implicates epigenetic modifications in mediating these effects across generations.
- Specific outcomes are contingent on exposure characteristics and offspring factors.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic mechanisms are crucial in mediating the intergenerational and transgenerational effects of parental stress.
- Understanding these mechanisms offers potential for developing interventions against early adversity.
- Further research is needed to address limitations, challenges, and knowledge gaps in the field.
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