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Associations of Mitochondrial Function, Stress, and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Early Life: A Systematic Review

Tingting Zhao1, Nathan N Alder2, Angela R Starkweather3

  • 1School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA, tingting.zhao@uconn.edu.

Developmental Neuroscience
|August 22, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Early life stress impacts infant neurodevelopment, with mitochondrial dysfunction playing a key role. This review highlights how mitochondrial function mediates the effects of stress on infant brain development.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Mitochondrial Biology

Background:

  • Early life stress, particularly in preterm infants, can negatively affect neurodevelopmental outcomes.
  • Mitochondrial function/dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a critical mediator linking stress exposure to neurodevelopmental trajectories.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for identifying interventions to mitigate the long-term impacts of early adversity.

Approach:

  • A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
  • Searched PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Biosis databases for studies published between 2010-2021.
  • Included 30 studies examining the relationship between mitochondrial function, infant stress, and neurodevelopment.

Key Points:

  • Mitochondrial function/dysfunction significantly mediates the association between prenatal and postnatal stress and infant neurodevelopment.
  • Maternal transgenerational transmission of mitochondrial bioenergetic patterns influences stress-induced neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes.
  • Specific mitochondrial proteins, genes, and polymorphisms are linked to stress exposure and neurodevelopmental impacts.

Conclusions:

  • This review is the first to synthesize the role of mitochondrial function/dysfunction in infant stress and neurodevelopment.
  • Evidence supports mitochondrial involvement in stress-related neuropathology in both full-term and preterm infants.
  • Future research should address limitations such as biological sex influences, invasive sampling, and the need for longitudinal data.

Keywords:
InfantMitochondrial function/dysfunctionNeurodevelopmental outcomesStress

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